Rather Hall scuffle requires response
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After a few days off for Thanksgiving, many students see these next three weeks as a sprint to the finish, eager for the rest and relaxation that comes with a longer semester break.
But after the events of last week, it’s pretty likely that no one is looking forward to the long break more than MSU’s athletic and public relations departments.
Last Sunday, a group of men charged into a Rather Hall lounge and reportedly assaulted several students participating in an Iota Phi Theta potluck. Two of the men were identified by witnesses as MSU football players. On Tuesday afternoon, MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio released a statement dismissing sophomore running back Glenn Winston and junior safety Roderick Jenrette from the team for a “violation of team rules,” an incredibly vague explanation considering the circumstances.
As of press time, no official statement about the incident had been issued by University Relations or MSU police, and the initial statement by Dantonio was insufficient, effectively resulting in a week of silence by all organizations involved. Some might argue MSU might not have wanted to come out with a statement so close to Thanksgiving, but we just can’t see how sitting on information helps the university’s image in any way.
But this, of course, is nothing new. MSU doesn’t exactly have a great track record in releasing information, especially when that information concerns student safety. In 2006, three men assaulted three victims in a South Hubbard Hall dorm room and MSU police were reluctant to release police reports associated with the incident. Withholding information from the public, especially when that information directly impacts the safety and livelihood of students, is completely unacceptable.
Although neither Winston nor Jenrette has been convicted, both players’ removal comes awfully close to the Rather Hall scuffle. This is especially noteworthy considering Winston has had previous run-ins with the law. And a statement released by Iota Phi Theta’s International Headquarters does all but name Winston as the perpetrator.
Last year, Winston was engaged in a fight with MSU hockey players that resulted in the hospitalization of junior defenseman A.J. Sturges. Winston ended up serving 180 days in jail, but just hours after he was released, Dantonio reinstated Winston to the team. He later said, “(Winston) needs to have somebody to support him, and I try and support our players in that regard.”
We can’t know the exact reasons why Dantonio reinstated Winston on the team in the first place, but all evidence points to this being a big mistake. Assaulting anyone is an inexcusable offense, and Dantonio and the MSU football program can’t run the risk of looking like they support Winston and Jenrette’s alleged actions. They must do more than keep quiet about their actions — they have to openly denounce them.
With all due respect to students engaged in extracurriculars, MSU is more than just a “student activity.” Football is a huge source of revenue for the university, and by their actions on and off the field, the football players represent MSU to the entire nation. Many student-athletes are privileged to receive generous scholarships from the university for their athletic talents, and to abuse that privilege by engaging in criminal behavior is inexcusable.
We hold our student-athletes, coaches, law enforcement officials and administrators to very high standards. But it’s clear, at least so far, that those involved in this ordeal are not living up to such standards, whether it be by engaging in assault, or covering it up. It’s high time university relations, MSU police, and the athletics department come clean, admit what happened and deal with it properly.
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roadrage
(11/29/09 11:36pm)Report
Dantonio DID codone the assault of fellow athlete AJ Sturges by Winston by letting him back on the field. Reread Sturges’s statement. MSU needs a policy so it cant be covered up AGAIN. Really sad that others have now been hurt because MSU screwed up.
Aussie2020
(11/30/09 4:44am)Report
Note that Tiger Woods has still not been interviewed by the police and he has said that the news agencies are publishing and distributing a lot of rumors, unconfirmed stories, unsubstantiated claims and accusations. It is better to get to the bottom of things and get the facts and truth, the WHOLE truth and NOTHING but the Truth. A few scattered partial truths and/or facts, taken OUT OF CONTEXT, are the equivalent of LIES, FRAUD and Propaganda. Wait until the university and state police have done their jobs. Again, people are PRESUMED innocent until proven guilty, at least that is the way it use to be. I am sure Mark interviewed the two players in question, they probably came clean!!, and that is why they are no longer on the TEAM. THIS is a PRIVATE matter between the coach, the university and those students. How many of you want your grades and reports made public when you lose your scholarship (due to not maintaining either a high enough grade point or failing to pass enough units). There is a PRIVACY issue involved here. And the USA Constitution grants INDIVIDUALS the RIGHT to Privacy, which SUPERCEDES any so-called privileges the press has to publish, that is, the FREE PRESS. When the so-called FREE PRESS is irresponsible in publishing lies, rumors, propaganda and partial truths, then it needs to be sanctioned. If the press loses its rights, it is most likely they have been irresponsible, like they were in Denmark when the published so-called cartoons, which were in actually hate speech, similar to KKK hate speech in the south. There is no longer any room for such behavior in Western civilization and nations. So wait for the TRUTH TO COME out. Remember there were NO Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; there were no Iraqi soldiers taking Kuwaiti babies from incubators; the Branch Davidians WERE NOT a bunch of terrorists, but after they were massacred, then the terrorists attacks started!! So the Truth will either set one free or …
Anon
(11/30/09 9:37am)Report
“They must do more than keep quiet about their actions — they have to openly denounce them”.
I didn’t know MD could do anything more than kick them off the team. Apparently you want him to sentence them to jail too?
Dantonio made a tough call on bringing back Winston and it seemed like his problems were far behind him post-jail (which jail wouldn’t have even happened in most other counties). Winston had nothing else besides football and his life is now likely worthless forever. Hindsight is 20-20 and maybe Dantonio shouldn’t have let him back on. Regardless, I don’t think we will be seeing any more second chances.
Mike O
(11/30/09 10:23am)Report
You should consider rephrasing: Winston “engaged in a fight” with Sturgess. It wasn’t a fight that just broke out randomly, it was a pre-meditated act. They traveled to the house where the hockey players were located with the intent of assaulting them. This is the exact same thing (assuming that Winston, in fact, was the assailant). They went to Rather hall with the intent of assaulting people. Twice he had the time to think to himself “hey, is this the right thing to do, how will this affect my life, my university and its reputation” and he still committed these acts. If all the allegations are true, back to Ingham County Jail for you. Winston, you have been a black eye for this university, and I say good riddance.
roadrage
(11/30/09 11:17am)Report
The latest incident is a direct result of MSU not getting rid of these bad apples the first time around. You die hard football people trying to rationalize the bad stuff they did should think of all the Football players who worked hard this year and did their part. These guys disrespected them and Dantonio, Hollis and Simon let them. Now thats leadership! The leaders at MSU deserve to wear this as much as the perps. Winston paid his dues on the first assault that could of killed a kid, but should not of been rewarded with a spot on the team right away.It told everyone dont worry its not really your fault, and he went to JAIL!!! He showed he couldnt handle that responsibility. If he sucked do you seriously think Dantonio would of put him back in the lineup??? This incident is an exact repeat of the first. The kid they wanted wasnt there so they made do by assaulting innocent people who happened to get in their way. No one apologized. Lets hope the latest victims are not as seriously hurt and MSU does something to prevent this type of behavior.
roadrage
(11/30/09 11:21am)Report
To ANON, are you freaking kidding me??? Do you know what brain trauma and a broken jaw even are??? Winston caused severe injuries in the first incident. He WENT there to do it, it wasnt a scuffle in a bar or two drunk kids going at it, it was an ASSAULT and Dantonio rewarded him. I guess in your book he has to kill someone to meet the bar.
Wow
(11/30/09 1:08pm)Report
Part of AJ Sturgess’ statement about Winston being allowed to play again:
“While I hope what happened to me will never happen again, I am afraid
the precedent set by this decision will only enable similar incidents
in the future. With no formal athletic standards or means to deal with
student athletes convicted of a violent crime, this cycle will continue.”
After this, I can no longer support MSU football. They
messed up big time and it sickens
me to see them try and keep this under wraps.
Glenn Winston
(11/30/09 2:02pm)Report
This Sturges guy sounds like a bigot and a racist.
He deserved to be sucker-punched.