ESPN - Ex-staffer: Dantonio ignored warnings on recruit

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 3:57 pm

Ex-staffer: Dantonio ignored warnings on recruit

Blackwell said in his deposition that multiple assistant coaches asked Dantonio not to offer Robertson a spot on the roster because he had a history of troubling behavior. Blackwell says he witnessed defensive line coach Ron Burton tell Dantonio that he didn't want Robertson to be on the same campus as his daughter.

"So for Ron Burton to say it was that bad that he didn't want his daughter around him, I knew he had some real serious sexual issues," Blackwell said in his deposition.

Burton did not respond to a message left for him Thursday asking him if he recalls the incident. Robertson, a highly touted recruit from Indiana, was charged with misdemeanor battery during his senior year of high school. Police said he "rubbed and grabbed" a female classmate's groin against her will in the school's lobby. The female student told police Robertson had also harassed or touched her inappropriately on two other occasions in the past. Robertson, who had also been arrested on vandalism charges months earlier, was kicked off the high school's football team and banned from the high school's campus while Michigan State was recruiting him.

"I want to say [Warner] spoke with the principal and the coach ... and they had nothing good to say about him," Blackwell said. "[Warner] couldn't really find anybody that could say anything good about Auston."

Blackwell said Dantonio "overrode" other staff members who didn't want him on campus, telling them he would make Robertson his "pet project." Blackwell said Dantonio met with Robertson on a weekly basis during the freshman's time on campus and created a special program to mentor and monitor him

Not exactly news but more details.. since it's coming from Blackwell I'd take it with a grain of salt.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 3:59 pm

Bitter ex-employee.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:01 pm

steveschneider wrote:Bitter ex-employee.

Probably somewhere in the middle.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:01 pm

Yeah Curtis Blackwell lost all credibility in my book. Good luck making this into Spartan Secrets part 2, ESPN.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:07 pm

I'm real iffy on this one. I think this is by far the worst thing Coach D has ever done and I thought that before this came out. Part of me was shocked that media had not made a bigger deal of it. Guess that's over with.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:17 pm

Just clicked on the link, Dan Murphy wrote this? Dude is a hater extreme. It's hard to take anything seriously that dude puts out there even if it is something of legit concern.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:19 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
steveschneider wrote:Bitter ex-employee.

Probably somewhere in the middle.

Dan Murphy is desperate to find anyone that will trash MSU. He's never going to report on the 100's of good things the school has done. He's just going to lay back wait for a mistake and blow it up on his platform. "Yeah, but that university it has a toxic culture". There's like 47,000 people on campus every year of course there's going to be a few assholes and couple of sick fucks that need to be dealt with.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:29 pm

The writing doesn't really matter Steve. Murphy didn't write the deposition. The words Blackwell used in the deposition are pretty powerful, true or not. And it's also a straight fact that Robertson had a sexual related offense in High School that we knew about, took him anyway, and a girl was raped on campus because of this.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:36 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:The writing doesn't really matter Steve. Murphy didn't write the deposition. The words Blackwell used in the deposition are pretty powerful, true or not. And it's also a straight fact that Robertson had a sexual related offense in High School that we knew about, took him anyway, and a girl was raped on campus because of this.

Robertson is a sick fucker and what he did was terrible. No question about it. Did Coach D fuck up giving him a second chance, in hind sight absolutely. Was anyone out there on record in the press, on EPSN, LSJ or the FREEP writing about how it was a huge mistake recruiting him before he stepped on campus? Possible, I don't follow this stuff close enough but I think a lot of this is folks looking back with 20/20 hindsight vision after the fact.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:37 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:The writing doesn't really matter Steve. Murphy didn't write the deposition. The words Blackwell used in the deposition are pretty powerful, true or not. And it's also a straight fact that Robertson had a sexual related offense in High School that we knew about, took him anyway, and a girl was raped on campus because of this.

This. ESPN deserves shit for the Dantonio Nassar Izzo shit but not in this case. Don't be that kinda fan, Steve.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:47 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:The writing doesn't really matter Steve. Murphy didn't write the deposition. The words Blackwell used in the deposition are pretty powerful, true or not. And it's also a straight fact that Robertson had a sexual related offense in High School that we knew about, took him anyway, and a girl was raped on campus because of this.

This. ESPN deserves shit for the Dantonio Nassar Izzo shit but not in this case. Don't be that kinda fan, Steve.

As a reader hard to sort out when Murphy is full of shit or reporting something worth while. Also, Blackwell is a disgruntled employee who had his reputation destroyed. And yes, Robertson is a huge piece of shit. Also, this whole thing has already been tried in the courts and the story and controversy is all been out there about coach d bringing this kid in. The only new wrinkle is a disgraced and disgruntled ex employee is throwing his former boss under the bus.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:51 pm

No, I'ma lay it out to you right now. It's pretty simple really.

It's always been a really, really bad look that a girl on campus got raped because our coaching staff decided to take Robertson. A much worse look than anything in Paula's report, or anything that Murphy reported on. We are very fortunate that no one seemingly noticed at that time. That's all it was...basically dumb luck.

Now because of Blackwell's testimony - true or untrue - they all will notice.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:56 pm

What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

by **Turtleneck** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:07 pm

I, too, am a big fan of Penn State.

by **tGreenWay** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:09 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

Which would suck because the new pres may decide he wants his own AD. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume the hire will be outside of MD’s staff. It won’t be easy bringing in some of the possible replacements because they will want to know who their new boss is going to be.

And btw, I have no idea whether any future hire comes from inside or outside of the house.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:11 pm

tGreenWay wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

Which would suck because the new pres may decide he wants his own AD. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume the hire will be outside of MD’s staff. It won’t be easy bringing in some of the possible replacements because they will want to know who their new boss is going to be.

And btw, I have no idea whether any future hire comes from inside or outside of the house.

Still a high profile and attractive job. I still think we'd have a good field of candidates to pull from.

by **kingstonlake** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:25 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

Pick em.

by **NigelUno** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:41 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

He will receive a $4.3 million retention bonus if he is still the head coach on Jan. 15, 2020.

by **tGreenWay** Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:52 pm

NigelUno wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:What are the odds Dantonio retires after this year? +275?

He will receive a $4.3 million retention bonus if he is still the head coach on Jan. 15, 2020.

So if MD retires Jan. 16, 2020, we’d be totally fucked w/recruits and staff, unless it’s an inside hire.

by **DWags** Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:17 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:No, I'ma lay it out to you right now. It's pretty simple really.

It's always been a really, really bad look that a girl on campus got raped because our coaching staff decided to take Robertson. A much worse look than anything in Paula's report, or anything that Murphy reported on. We are very fortunate that no one seemingly noticed at that time. That's all it was...basically dumb luck.

Now because of Blackwell's testimony - true or untrue - they all will notice.

Fuck it. Dantonio has been right way more than wrong in getting kids a second chance and setting them straight. You might be right though this pos is doing this for a reason.

He was on a year to year contract. He has no case. Wrongful arrest? He helped cover up a sex tape. Why Dantonio bringing this kid to campus has anything to do with his lawsuit is beyond me.

Blackwell and his fraternity brother are currently the superintendent and school board President of a district in the Detroit area. Word from solid sources fund equity has gone from 17% down to 4% in two years with them hiring many of their fraternity brothers.

Look Robertson was a mistake, rot in hell, but if he can bring that shit up as part of a wrongful arrest suit maybe the shit he’s currently doing can be brought up.

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:18 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:No, I'ma lay it out to you right now. It's pretty simple really.

It's always been a really, really bad look that a girl on campus got raped because our coaching staff decided to take Robertson. A much worse look than anything in Paula's report, or anything that Murphy reported on. We are very fortunate that no one seemingly noticed at that time. That's all it was...basically dumb luck.

Now because of Blackwell's testimony - true or untrue - they all will notice.

You can't blame the coaches for Robertson raping someone

by **DWags** Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:29 pm

One final thought. Jermain Crowell doesn’t swallow Blackwell’s shit. We don’t need stronger mind/body.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:32 pm

aualum06 wrote:
WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:No, I'ma lay it out to you right now. It's pretty simple really.

It's always been a really, really bad look that a girl on campus got raped because our coaching staff decided to take Robertson. A much worse look than anything in Paula's report, or anything that Murphy reported on. We are very fortunate that no one seemingly noticed at that time. That's all it was...basically dumb luck.

Now because of Blackwell's testimony - true or untrue - they all will notice.

You can't blame the coaches for Robertson raping someone

No, and I didn't do that.

Because of Coach D's lapse in judgement, however, a girl was victimized. The two are correlated and that doesn't sit well with me or a lot of people.

by SawGreen Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:33 pm

I think MD believes in second chances, and that belief diminishes every year.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:44 pm

Yeah. He definitely does. And I think he's a good man. Think about how you would feel if that would have happened under your watch. I would have a really hard time living with myself. There may be more to the story that we don't know. Maybe they were assured that the HS situation was minor. I don't know.

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:58 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:
aualum06 wrote:

You can't blame the coaches for Robertson raping someone

No, and I didn't do that.

Because of Coach D's lapse in judgement, however, a girl was victimized. The two are correlated and that doesn't sit well with me or a lot of people.

He made a judgement call and worked with the kid to provide them a chance to be successful in life and the kid failed and coach d took care of it immediately. It's hard for me to rain on coach for trying to help kids. It sucks how everything from the whole situation went down and I'm sure no one feels worse than coach d

by **MiamiSpartan** Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:03 pm

MD has given second chances when people (at least fans) thought he was nuts many times. Twice it didnt work out (Winston and this POS). The large majority of times it did.

So yeah, it was a mistake to take him. Was the whole staff telling MD to stay away from this kid, but he put his foot down and said we are taking him? I can't say either way, but I'm not taking the word on it from someone with every reason to make it up.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:09 pm

aualum06 wrote:
WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

No, and I didn't do that.

Because of Coach D's lapse in judgement, however, a girl was victimized. The two are correlated and that doesn't sit well with me or a lot of people.

He made a judgement call and worked with the kid to provide them a chance to be successful in life and the kid failed and coach d took care of it immediately. It's hard for me to rain on coach for trying to help kids. It sucks how everything from the whole situation went down and I'm sure no one feels worse than coach d

This.

by **steveschneider** Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:22 pm

How many of the students that Dantonio given a second chance and turned their lives around has ESPN written about? Zero. ESPN will only trash MSU.

We got Murphied

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:38 pm

Coach D was also trying to help himself and his football program, Steve.

by **DWags** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:01 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:
aualum06 wrote:

You can't blame the coaches for Robertson raping someone

No, and I didn't do that.

Because of Coach D's lapse in judgement, however, a girl was victimized. The two are correlated and that doesn't sit well with me or a lot of people.

That’s bullshit.

by **DWags** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:05 pm

steveschneider wrote:How many of the students that Dantonio given a second chance and turned their lives around has ESPN written about? Zero. ESPN will only trash MSU.

We got Murphied

And the weak minded MSU alumni will join that chorus.

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:05 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Coach D was also trying to help himself and his football program, Steve.

Yes yes he was, as is every other coach in America

by **DWags** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:06 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Coach D was also trying to help himself and his football program, Steve.

You mean he was trying to have a successful program, help a ton of kids and wing
games? How dare a head coach do that!!!

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:08 pm

I made up my mind on this a long time ago. This isn't new news.

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:11 pm

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I made up my mind on this a long time ago. This isn't new news.

Honest question did you feel this way about the recruitment before the incident? Not trying to be an ass, it's just so easy for so many people to judge in hindsight

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:13 pm

aualum06 wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Coach D was also trying to help himself and his football program, Steve.

Yes yes he was, as is every other coach in America

Another problem caused by the $ and corrupt ncaa.

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:14 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
aualum06 wrote:

Yes yes he was, as is every other coach in America

Another problem caused by the $ and corrupt ncaa.

It would be a problem NCAA or no NCAA.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:15 pm

aualum06 wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

Another problem caused by the $ and corrupt ncaa.

It would be a problem NCAA or no NCAA.

With less $ involved I’d imagine coaches and schools wouldn’t be as willing to take at risk kids

by aualum06 Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:16 pm

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
aualum06 wrote:

It would be a problem NCAA or no NCAA.

With less $ involved I’d imagine coaches and schools wouldn’t be as willing to take at risk kids

I'd argue there would probably be more $$$ involved if it wasn't the NCAA. But that's a she nother can of worms

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