Williams: UM has recruited 'thugs' for football team

[bigkid]

If you can put it into prospective it shows how far removed idiot williams is from the university system. A regent is supposed to act in a way to make things better for all schools not throw gas on the fire of one. It has been strongly suggested that he and carol are friends with ( I almost am tempted but won't disclose the name) family and is now on the eve of JJ's trial making sure the jury pool has the chance to see an underhanded bunch of crap. It further shows what a failed congressman he was and what an agenda driven regent he is. I hope Bullock mans up and addresses this bully. williams needs to move and hopefully its to Budapest. :lol:

 

[Cats2506]

quote from NY Times story on Jordan Johnson's upcoming trial:

“We’ve had sex assaults, vandalism, beatings by football players,” said Pat Williams, a former congressman and a member of the Montana Board of Regents. “The university has recruited thugs for its football team, and this thuggery has got to stop.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/us/rape-trial-of-jordan-johnson-starts-friday.html?_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would be funny, if it wasn't true :thumb:

 

[Grisly Fan]

I believe that the statement is legally actionable because he implies that the school purposely recruited people who were known thugs, as if it is some kind of strategy or policy. The reality is that the school gave some people second chances; some succeeded and some failed to make good choices after that. I get that some people don't believe in second chances but I am sure if they ever needed one they wouldn't turn it down. Pat Williams has had his chance to prove his worth to the U of M and has repeatedly failed. I don't believe that he deserves another.

 

[Ursa Major]

It has already been touched upon but for me the issue is not if you agree or disagree with the statement. The issue is should a member of the BOR make this kind of statement? If he worked for most corporations he would be met at the door this morning with an empty box and a security guard.

 

[mlbowl]

quote from NY Times story on Jordan Johnson's upcoming trial:

“We’ve had sex assaults, vandalism, beatings by football players,” said Pat Williams, a former congressman and a member of the Montana Board of Regents. “The university has recruited thugs for its football team, and this thuggery has got to stop.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/us/rape-trial-of-jordan-johnson-starts-friday.html?_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would be funny, if it wasn't true :thumb:

Also true at msWho :thumb: Btw, since you know all, what is true about "sex assaults"? Assaults is plural and implies more than 1.

 

[JSTGriz]

It has already been touched upon but for me the issue is not if you agree or disagree with the statement. The issue is should a member of the BOR make this kind of statement? If he worked for most corporations he would be met at the door this morning with an empty box and a security guard.

+1

 

[Grizbacker1]

who appoints the members of the board of regents?

Governor

the Asshole cat loving gov who is a total POS himself

 

[BWahlberg]

That's such an insult to the majority of the kids on this team and on prior teams who are and were good people and excellent citizens. You can't deny past issues but to make a broad statement which implies guilt by association AND that it's on-going still... really frustrates me.

 

[granitegriz]

Right on point Grisly Fan...excellent post. B. Donaldson was a thug when recruited? Give me a break.

 

[Jerry Punch]

Totally irresponsible to make a blanket statement remark like that. Pat Williams is doing what any sensationalist or over-simplifying person will do when they read about one bad incident and assume it must be widespread. My best buddies who played for the Griz are class-acts and I'm sure this irritates them more than I can possibly understand. But there is always asshole playing for the team who has to ruin it for the majority of good kids.

So, here's what you can do. Put aside your conspiracy theories. Do not assault Pat Williams. He isn't going anywhere. He's got more power in his left pinky than Alpha has in his entire c*ck (no homo). Don't let PlayerRep be the apologist. Admit and accept that those assholes are few and far in between and adopt a zero tolerance policy. Spare me the due process arguments too. This is college football - not a democracy. Keep the kids honest and make them grow up in college, which is what you're supposed to do anyway. A lot can be learned from accountability and knowledge that "just a little bit to drink" or "just being a kid" isn't an excuse anymore. Not only will the shitheads be exposed, but everyone else will have an example to see when one of their teammates makes a mistake.

UM is one of my alma maters, and yes, I care what the public reputation of the school is. There are a great many professors, students, athletes and coaches alike at that school and Pat Williams does an incredible disservice to the entire fan base, and more importantly, alumni of that institution, by making such brash remarks.

 

[lotsa]

When Gwen has more time (soon) she could focus her journalistic talents on the former Congressman. He retired when the House Bank and House Post Office scandals, which were perpetuated while he was in leadership were uncovered, so he could retire to a hilltop mansion paid for by unspent political contributions (unless he saved 400% of his teaching salary in Butte).

 

[getgrizzy]

I believe that the statement is legally actionable because he implies that the school purposely recruited people who were known thugs, as if it is some kind of strategy or policy. The reality is that the school gave some people second chances; some succeeded and some failed to make good choices after that. I get that some people don't believe in second chances but I am sure if they ever needed one they wouldn't turn it down. Pat Williams has had his chance to prove his worth to the U of M and has repeatedly failed. I don't believe that he deserves another.

it was b.s. for williams to go to the n.y.t. and bring all this stuff up again, but i don't think you can take action on something you think is implied. maybe you can, but it just seems like it has to be something more concrete. maybe if there weren't any players that were recruitied despite their past run ins with the law his comments could be actionable. we've brought in at least eight players over the years with prior issues either with the law or team rules. freeman, coleman, russum, middleton, quinn, montana, frank, stuberg. you gotta admit that's quite a few.

 

[BigPawzSharpClawz]

This is outrageous and must stop. While we cannot stop irresponsible and sensationalist media, we can TAKE ACTION against taxpayer funded public officials who make slanderous statements.

What we can do;
1. Whoever knows how to implement an on-line petition, etc. please get it going
2. As a father of a player, I plan to request that the President make a public statement condemning such statements. What if he said the "University attracts sluts"?
3. I plan to seek legal advice as to whether I can take direct legal or adminsitrative actoin against Mr. Williams. His public statement is knowing false, reckless or intentional and damaging to the reputation of all players. One should note, this statement may be leaglly actionable by the coaching staff (current and past)
Blogging at one-another may make some of you feel good about yourself, but if you want to support this program, the University and the kids then this type of the most vile bullying must be confronted boldly.

Libel & Defirmation of Charater come to mind first...Could be slanderous as well! I know a couple player father that would definitely be interested in joining you in your legal pursuit. Unacceptable from a BOR under these circumstances.

Dodging the "Saudi" incident(s) is the goal that is top of mind for the minions of Williams & RE. Complete scapegoating of the football program. There is no vision for the longterm with either of these men. UM needs football from a fiscal standpoint to thrive.

They have there hands in the pockets of the athletic department trying to grab as much as they can. "Hey look...what that over there!" Pathetic act by a obviously pathetic man. Grab your pitchfork & torch. Let's get him!
:evil:

 

[BWahlberg]

I believe that the statement is legally actionable because he implies that the school purposely recruited people who were known thugs, as if it is some kind of strategy or policy. The reality is that the school gave some people second chances; some succeeded and some failed to make good choices after that. I get that some people don't believe in second chances but I am sure if they ever needed one they wouldn't turn it down. Pat Williams has had his chance to prove his worth to the U of M and has repeatedly failed. I don't believe that he deserves another.

it was b.s. for williams to go to the n.y.t. and bring all this stuff up again, but i don't think you can take action on something you think is implied. maybe you can, but it just seems like it has to be something more concrete. maybe if there weren't any players that were recruitied despite their past run ins with the law his comments could be actionable. we've brought in at least eight players over the years with prior issues either with the law or team rules. freeman, coleman, russum, middleton, quinn, montana, frank, stuberg. you gotta admit that's quite a few.

It is quite a few, don't think Stuberg or Montana had issues before and both were single DUIs with the team that I don't believe either repeated.

Every group of kids has issues, some of these guys, especially Freeman and Coleman probably should have NEVER come here, but hindsight is 20/20. We really don't see that happening much now - taking risks on troubled kids to transfer in. It seems both Bobby and Pflu made these errors with some transfers early in their coaching career, probably pressured by a fanbase that wasn't the happiest with their initial results. Bobby had a chance to correct it (for the most part) while Pflu didn't.

 

[Jerry Punch]

Coleman just gave up when he arrived in Montana. That kid used to thrash Big 12 and Big 10 talent when he was at Iowa State and for some reason just didn't care when he got to Missoula. It blew my mind, but again is not surprising that kids with more heart and desire (ala Chase Reynolds, Cody Kirk, etc) and less talent can turn out to have better college careers than drop downs.

 

[tnt]

Did anyone read the whole article or are they just reacting to the Williams quote? The University looks pretty good in terms of moving forward and making changes. Milt looks like a fool or a personified PR, and Williams looks like the anti-athletic Crank he is. Williams needs to take a dip in that big ol' lake there in Butte and wash some of that Washington scum off him.

 

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Once again eGriz hates the truth when it punches them in the mouth.

Please tell me that ALL of you deep down know your wrong or you are a bigger bunch of idiots than I thought.



Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[getgrizzy]

aside from williams comment there's this from datsopoulos. comments like this don't do us any favors.

“You have to believe that the presumption of innocence is somehow affected,” said Milt Datsopoulos, who represented Mr. Donaldson and is also on the National Advisory Board for Grizzly Athletics, a booster organization. He believes that his client’s sentence was more severe than it would have been had there not been what he called “a toxic atmosphere” in Missoula.

“They made him a poster child for a supposed major problem,” Mr. Datsopoulos said of Mr. Donaldson. “I don’t think a problem exists.”

this comment is probably catching the general public's eye more than the one by williams.

 

[getgrizzy]

I believe that the statement is legally actionable because he implies that the school purposely recruited people who were known thugs, as if it is some kind of strategy or policy. The reality is that the school gave some people second chances; some succeeded and some failed to make good choices after that. I get that some people don't believe in second chances but I am sure if they ever needed one they wouldn't turn it down. Pat Williams has had his chance to prove his worth to the U of M and has repeatedly failed. I don't believe that he deserves another.

it was b.s. for williams to go to the n.y.t. and bring all this stuff up again, but i don't think you can take action on something you think is implied. maybe you can, but it just seems like it has to be something more concrete. maybe if there weren't any players that were recruitied despite their past run ins with the law his comments could be actionable. we've brought in at least eight players over the years with prior issues either with the law or team rules. freeman, coleman, russum, middleton, quinn, montana, frank, stuberg. you gotta admit that's quite a few.

It is quite a few, don't think Stuberg or Montana had issues before and both were single DUIs with the team that I don't believe either repeated.

Every group of kids has issues, some of these guys, especially Freeman and Coleman probably should have NEVER come here, but hindsight is 20/20. We really don't see that happening much now - taking risks on troubled kids to transfer in. It seems both Bobby and Pflu made these errors with some transfers early in their coaching career, probably pressured by a fanbase that wasn't the happiest with their initial results. Bobby had a chance to correct it (for the most part) while Pflu didn't.

stuberg broke team rules in a big way at helena high and was kicked off the team.

 

[84GRIZ]

Did anyone read the whole article or are they just reacting to the Williams quote? The University looks pretty good in terms of moving forward and making changes. Milt looks like a fool or a personified PR, and Williams looks like the anti-athletic Crank he is. Williams needs to take a dip in that big ol' lake there in Butte and wash some of that Washington scum off him.

Hah, if that scumbag Williams took a dip in the Butte pond it would automatically qualify as a "Superfund Site" with the shit that wash off of him.