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The perfect storm is brewing in the media these days. Jamison Winston, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and others have brought bad behavior in sports to the forefront.

With that in mind, the MAC is in a position to take an ethical stand, and show that at least one college sports conference still puts academics and ethics ahead of wins and losses.

Thomas Rawls was convicted of a felony this week. He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

The MAC has always set itself apart by putting "true student athletes" on the field. Sadly, this flies in the face of that tradition.
------------------------------------------------------------

With that in mind, how can "WE" change this culture of corruption?

In this age of social media the news is often created by regular people and not the so called professionals. There's a philosophical thought that I'm sure you've all heard. "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

We're the MAC. Nobody pays attention to us, nobody hears the bad or the good news. So how to do we change that, and how do we put the MAC on the map as the gold standard of college football ethics?

It will take a collective effort of dozens here and dozens from other effected MAC programs. Here's how it could work.

1. It begins with getting the Toledo fan base on board. They need to know, that they're team will be facing a team with a convicted felon, awaiting sentencing. This felon, also happens to be their only hope of defeating Toledo.

2. Next you go to the message boards of every team who will face the convicted felons team and alert them to the same issues. This includes independent message boards, the MACbbs boards, as well as Rivals and Scout boards where they exist.

3. THIS ONE IS KEY. Inundate the MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, with your concerns. "What a black eye on the MAC. Is this what we want the MAC to stand for. In light of Jamison Winston and the Ray Rice controversies, do we want to have a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing on the field?"

4. Email, twitter, facebook Terry Foster at the Detroit News. The Toledo Blade, as well as papers in Muncie, DeKalb, and Buffalo. Alert them to this, and alert them to your disappointment.

5. Email, twitter, and facebook sites related to MAC football programs, as well as MAC coaches, MAC school presidents, and MAC AD's. Alert ESPN, who will be broadcasting the game. They love this kind of stuff.

6. TV loves video, and there is video of this poor 62 year old lady having her purse snatched and her card used by the CMU starting RB. Stations in GR, Kalamazoo, Detroit, as well as TMZ, ESPN, CNN, etc. should be made aware that there is video out there that can be obtained.

7. The key is to get this to blow up on social media and let it take on a life of its own. Once that happens the media feeding frenzy will follow.

8. This one would totally put the MAC on a national stage. It would be on ESPN's top ten plays of the day. Lee Corson would be talking about it on College Game Day.

It starts with Toledo. The first play that Rawls is on the field the opposing teams (we'll start with Toledo) defense runs to the sidelines on the snap, letting Central Michigan run unencumbered for a touchdown. I think Scott Pelly on the CBS Evening News would be playing this footage, praising these teams for standing on ethics in sports.

So there's the plan. Add anything you'd like to it, and if you're volunteering to do one of these tasks please let us know so we don't get too many people doing one task. I'll begin by emailing and twittering Steinbach.

Dear John,

It has come to my attention that my beloved Rockets will be playing this Saturday against a team starting a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing. I for one am appalled that a conference that prides itself on having "true student athletes" would approve of this. I for one, can not be a party to this and will not be attending the Toledo game. I am outraged to the point that I have forwarded this news to the Toledo Blade, the Detroit News, and the ESPN3 broadcast team who will be doing the game. Hopefully, this doesn't get blown out of proportion, but in light of the Jamison Winston and Ray Rice issues, I can see how the media might latch on to this and give the MAC a black eye.

Hopefully, you and your staff can get a handle on this so something akin to the Roger Godell situation doesn't crop up.

Sinceraly,

Gunnar Spredthwerd

Absolutely brilliant on so many levels.

Wow, that's great, you should run with that!

Our program better be ready to walk the walk as well.

(09-24-2014 08:16 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  Our program better be ready to walk the walk as well.

I'm just glad WMU isnt playing CMU this week, and thus required to run to sidelines and let Chips score uncontested touchdown. Poor Toledo. LOL. But GO ROCKETS!!!! Power to the people!!!!! Stand up for the MAC. LOL. Love the idea. HAHAHAHAHA

Put your effort into cleaning up our govt. A backup RB from UM that stole a lady's purse and credit cards, now that one of our important issues of our time.

(09-24-2014 07:41 AM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  The perfect storm is brewing in the media these days. Jamison Winston, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and others have brought bad behavior in sports to the forefront.

With that in mind, the MAC is in a position to take an ethical stand, and show that at least one college sports conference still puts academics and ethics ahead of wins and losses.

Thomas Rawls was convicted of a felony this week. He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

The MAC has always set itself apart by putting "true student athletes" on the field. Sadly, this flies in the face of that tradition.
------------------------------------------------------------

With that in mind, how can "WE" change this culture of corruption?

In this age of social media the news is often created by regular people and not the so called professionals. There's a philosophical thought that I'm sure you've all heard. "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

We're the MAC. Nobody pays attention to us, nobody hears the bad or the good news. So how to do we change that, and how do we put the MAC on the map as the gold standard of college football ethics?

It will take a collective effort of dozens here and dozens from other effected MAC programs. Here's how it could work.

1. It begins with getting the Toledo fan base on board. They need to know, that they're team will be facing a team with a convicted felon, awaiting sentencing. This felon, also happens to be their only hope of defeating Toledo.

2. Next you go to the message boards of every team who will face the convicted felons team and alert them to the same issues. This includes independent message boards, the MACbbs boards, as well as Rivals and Scout boards where they exist.

3. THIS ONE IS KEY. Inundate the MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, with your concerns. "What a black eye on the MAC. Is this what we want the MAC to stand for. In light of Jamison Winston and the Ray Rice controversies, do we want to have a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing on the field?"

4. Email, twitter, facebook Terry Foster at the Detroit News. The Toledo Blade, as well as papers in Muncie, DeKalb, and Buffalo. Alert them to this, and alert them to your disappointment.

5. Email, twitter, and facebook sites related to MAC football programs, as well as MAC coaches, MAC school presidents, and MAC AD's. Alert ESPN, who will be broadcasting the game. They love this kind of stuff.

6. TV loves video, and there is video of this poor 62 year old lady having her purse snatched and her card used by the CMU starting RB. Stations in GR, Kalamazoo, Detroit, as well as TMZ, ESPN, CNN, etc. should be made aware that there is video out there that can be obtained.

7. The key is to get this to blow up on social media and let it take on a life of its own. Once that happens the media feeding frenzy will follow.

8. This one would totally put the MAC on a national stage. It would be on ESPN's top ten plays of the day. Lee Corson would be talking about it on College Game Day.

It starts with Toledo. The first play that Rawls is on the field the opposing teams (we'll start with Toledo) defense runs to the sidelines on the snap, letting Central Michigan run unencumbered for a touchdown. I think Scott Pelly on the CBS Evening News would be playing this footage, praising these teams for standing on ethics in sports.

So there's the plan. Add anything you'd like to it, and if you're volunteering to do one of these tasks please let us know so we don't get too many people doing one task. I'll begin by emailing and twittering Steinbach.

Dear John,

It has come to my attention that my beloved Rockets will be playing this Saturday against a team starting a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing. I for one am appalled that a conference that prides itself on having "true student athletes" would approve of this. I for one, can not be a party to this and will not be attending the Toledo game. I am outraged to the point that I have forwarded this news to the Toledo Blade, the Detroit News, and the ESPN3 broadcast team who will be doing the game. Hopefully, this doesn't get blown out of proportion, but in light of the Jamison Winston and Ray Rice issues, I can see how the media might latch on to this and give the MAC a black eye.

Hopefully, you and your staff can get a handle on this so something akin to the Roger Godell situation doesn't crop up.

Sinceraly,

Gunnar Spredthwerd

lol

Wow, man. Just wow. That CMU student who was mean to your kid 100 years ago did more damage than I thought. You should be talking to someone who can help you work through the obvious issues you have.

Thanks, and best wishes. Sincerely.

(09-24-2014 08:07 AM)thegeneral Wrote:  Absolutely brilliant on so many levels.

I'm telling you, we could pull this off, but it will take a coordinated effort.

Law, I highly doubt any WMU player facing a court will be IMMEDIATELY reinstated upon conviction. Only a VERY DESPERATE coach faciing dismissal would do something of this nature.

Rocket, while the country has some major issues, there is little we can do to impact those decisions, outside of going to the polls in November.

Steinbach needs to be made aware that the MAC's reputation is in jeopardy. Perhaps he can intervene before the conferences reputation is sullied by this a convicted felon (awaiting sentencing) who is playing on Saturday.

Arrow

Quote:Wow, man. Just wow. That CMU student who was mean to your kid 100 years ago did more damage than I thought. You should be talking to someone who can help you work through the obvious issues you have.

Thanks, and best wishes. Sincerely.

Arrow, please understand. My motives have nothing to do with your glorious alma mater. My concern is with the MAC. I can't bear to see our conference sullied by one bad seed.

Granted, if this got a lot of coverage it would make CMU look foolish.

Sure, it would make Enos and Heeke look desperate and stupid.

And of course. recruits might have reservations about playing for such a lax organization.

Yes, this kind of PR could set your already floundering program back years.

But believe me, that's not my motivation

(09-24-2014 10:34 AM)brovol Wrote:  

(09-24-2014 08:16 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  Our program better be ready to walk the walk as well.

I'm just glad WMU isnt playing CMU this week, and thus required to run to sidelines and let Chips score uncontested touchdown. Poor Toledo. LOL. But GO ROCKETS!!!! Power to the people!!!!! Stand up for the MAC. LOL. Love the idea. HAHAHAHAHA

Toledo would beat them even if they spotted them the free TD.

If you too are concerned about the reputation of our conference, here are some sources you can express your concerns with.

Julie Kachner- Administrative assistant to the MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbach
JKachner@mac-sports.com

Ken Mather- In charge of media and public relations for the MAC
KMather@mac-sports.com

Frank Corsoe- Sports editor Toledo Blade
fcorsoe@theblade.com

Michael Obrien- Assistant Athletic Director University of Toledo
Michael.obrien6@utoledo.edu

Mary Flanagan, Executive Assistant to the President of CMU
flana1mj@cmich.edu

Tweet Dave Heeke
https://twitter.com/Dave_Heeke

Bill Simmonson "The Huge Show"
https://twitter.com/search?q=bill%20simmons&src=tyah

Terry Foster, Detroit News. Foster is a CMU alum, but seems to love trashing them.
https://twitter.com/TerryFoster971

(09-24-2014 07:41 AM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  The perfect storm is brewing in the media these days. Jamison Winston, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and others have brought bad behavior in sports to the forefront.

With that in mind, the MAC is in a position to take an ethical stand, and show that at least one college sports conference still puts academics and ethics ahead of wins and losses.

Thomas Rawls was convicted of a felony this week. He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

The MAC has always set itself apart by putting "true student athletes" on the field. Sadly, this flies in the face of that tradition.
------------------------------------------------------------

With that in mind, how can "WE" change this culture of corruption?

In this age of social media the news is often created by regular people and not the so called professionals. There's a philosophical thought that I'm sure you've all heard. "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

We're the MAC. Nobody pays attention to us, nobody hears the bad or the good news. So how to do we change that, and how do we put the MAC on the map as the gold standard of college football ethics?

It will take a collective effort of dozens here and dozens from other effected MAC programs. Here's how it could work.

1. It begins with getting the Toledo fan base on board. They need to know, that they're team will be facing a team with a convicted felon, awaiting sentencing. This felon, also happens to be their only hope of defeating Toledo.

2. Next you go to the message boards of every team who will face the convicted felons team and alert them to the same issues. This includes independent message boards, the MACbbs boards, as well as Rivals and Scout boards where they exist.

3. THIS ONE IS KEY. Inundate the MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, with your concerns. "What a black eye on the MAC. Is this what we want the MAC to stand for. In light of Jamison Winston and the Ray Rice controversies, do we want to have a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing on the field?"

4. Email, twitter, facebook Terry Foster at the Detroit News. The Toledo Blade, as well as papers in Muncie, DeKalb, and Buffalo. Alert them to this, and alert them to your disappointment.

5. Email, twitter, and facebook sites related to MAC football programs, as well as MAC coaches, MAC school presidents, and MAC AD's. Alert ESPN, who will be broadcasting the game. They love this kind of stuff.

6. TV loves video, and there is video of this poor 62 year old lady having her purse snatched and her card used by the CMU starting RB. Stations in GR, Kalamazoo, Detroit, as well as TMZ, ESPN, CNN, etc. should be made aware that there is video out there that can be obtained.

7. The key is to get this to blow up on social media and let it take on a life of its own. Once that happens the media feeding frenzy will follow.

8. This one would totally put the MAC on a national stage. It would be on ESPN's top ten plays of the day. Lee Corson would be talking about it on College Game Day.

It starts with Toledo. The first play that Rawls is on the field the opposing teams (we'll start with Toledo) defense runs to the sidelines on the snap, letting Central Michigan run unencumbered for a touchdown. I think Scott Pelly on the CBS Evening News would be playing this footage, praising these teams for standing on ethics in sports.

So there's the plan. Add anything you'd like to it, and if you're volunteering to do one of these tasks please let us know so we don't get too many people doing one task. I'll begin by emailing and twittering Steinbach.

Dear John,

It has come to my attention that my beloved Rockets will be playing this Saturday against a team starting a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing. I for one am appalled that a conference that prides itself on having "true student athletes" would approve of this. I for one, can not be a party to this and will not be attending the Toledo game. I am outraged to the point that I have forwarded this news to the Toledo Blade, the Detroit News, and the ESPN3 broadcast team who will be doing the game. Hopefully, this doesn't get blown out of proportion, but in light of the Jamison Winston and Ray Rice issues, I can see how the media might latch on to this and give the MAC a black eye.

Hopefully, you and your staff can get a handle on this so something akin to the Roger Godell situation doesn't crop up.

Sinceraly,

Gunnar Spredthwerd

Contact TMZ
http://www.tmz.com/contact/contact-us

Damn, some bad news.

It's going to be hard to get Toledo fans on board as they have a rent a player transfer student from scUM coming in next year who nearly committed murder when he cold cocked a guy.

Former Michigan wide receiver Csont'e York pled guilty this morning to two misdemeanor charges, in connection with an July 18 incident in Ann Arbor in which he allegedly punched a man.

Quote:He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

That's actually false. It's a misdemeanor, "after entering a guilty plea to one count of attempted larceny in a building, a high-court misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $1,000 fine." He'll most likely get a fine + community service. Not saying it was good! :)

But he agreed to testify against his cohorts who were allegedly the ones stealing it -- and he was in the group, thus attempted larceny. He has no prior record.

Now, still -- this does bring up the concept: Do you kick him off the team? Suspend him for a year? Dragging your knocked out fiance out of an elevator should get more than 2 day suspension -- I TOTALLY AGREE (even though no criminal charges were pressed by his gal).... and although being part of a group where some guys steal a gal's purse IS BAD -- and you get a misdemeanor for it -- do you treat it the same as if he was in the same boat as one of his friends who he's going to testify against? Or a guy who knocked out his fiance?

Or should it be half the season, full season, until all fines + community service paid off + x months from the team -- or forever?

So he's a snitch too

(09-24-2014 01:22 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

That's actually false. It's a misdemeanor, "after entering a guilty plea to one count of attempted larceny in a building, a high-court misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $1,000 fine." He'll most likely get a fine + community service. Not saying it was good! :)

But he agreed to testify against his cohorts who were allegedly the ones stealing it -- and he was in the group, thus attempted larceny. He has no prior record.

Now, still -- this does bring up the concept: Do you kick him off the team? Suspend him for a year? Dragging your knocked out fiance out of an elevator should get more than 2 day suspension -- I TOTALLY AGREE (even though no criminal charges were pressed by his gal).... and although being part of a group where some guys steal a gal's purse IS BAD -- and you get a misdemeanor for it -- do you treat it the same as if he was in the same boat as one of his friends who he's going to testify against? Or a guy who knocked out his fiance?

Or should it be half the season, full season, until all fines + community service paid off + x months from the team -- or forever?

"High Court Misdemeanors" are actually Felonies. They are punishable by up to two years in prison, and constitute a felony in every sense of the word, including for sentencing guideline purposes. Why some two year felonies are described by statute as high court misdemeanors is a frustration to those within the criminal justice system. But is a felony.

Okay... looking on criminal defense lawyer .com -- about MI:

Quote:Michigan has three classes of misdemeanors: misdemeanors punishable by up to 93 days in jail, misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail, and high court misdemeanors which are punishable by up to two years in prison. High court misdemeanors are similar to felonies.

But upon reading this...
http://www.michigancriminaldefenselawyer...ure-i.html

Yes, basically the same thing -- except according to the law, they can't actually Serve 2 year sentences and must be released after 1 year at the very most, because it's a misdemeanor by law, even though it's handled/processed as a felony.

IMO, I think he's not going to see any jail time at all -- just some fines, etc. And knowing it looks bad on his record.

I got a noise violation in Kzoo before and was without warning Arrested from my own porch (heckling cops across the street busting my friends' party I was at earlier after beating up my friend coming out).

Technically I had up to 90-some-odd days in jail and/or up to a $100 fine. They ended up dropping it.

But I seriously doubt anyone would get 90 days in jail for blaring their music up too loud.

I think him cooperating with the po-po basically makes it so that he won't see any jail time and he'll able to walk from it with little penalty (except his record) -- thus, play again vs Toledo (that's his most important wish).

Be funny if a little old lady ran out on the field and cold cocked him with her purse. Anybody want to play dress up? But, that is probably a felony.

(09-24-2014 02:32 PM)brovol Wrote:  

(09-24-2014 01:22 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:He plea bargained away two other felonies and was convicted of only felony larceny. He will be sentenced in 3 weeks and faces up to 4 years in prison. The minute that verdict came down the AD and Coach at Central Michigan University announced that Rawls would be eligible to play against Toledo in the upcoming week.

That's actually false. It's a misdemeanor, "after entering a guilty plea to one count of attempted larceny in a building, a high-court misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $1,000 fine." He'll most likely get a fine + community service. Not saying it was good! :)

But he agreed to testify against his cohorts who were allegedly the ones stealing it -- and he was in the group, thus attempted larceny. He has no prior record.

Now, still -- this does bring up the concept: Do you kick him off the team? Suspend him for a year? Dragging your knocked out fiance out of an elevator should get more than 2 day suspension -- I TOTALLY AGREE (even though no criminal charges were pressed by his gal).... and although being part of a group where some guys steal a gal's purse IS BAD -- and you get a misdemeanor for it -- do you treat it the same as if he was in the same boat as one of his friends who he's going to testify against? Or a guy who knocked out his fiance?

Or should it be half the season, full season, until all fines + community service paid off + x months from the team -- or forever?

"High Court Misdemeanors" are actually Felonies. They are punishable by up to two years in prison, and constitute a felony in every sense of the word, including for sentencing guideline purposes. Why some two year felonies are described by statute as high court misdemeanors is a frustration to those within the criminal justice system. But is a felony.

ditto.

I swear the only reason is for job applications. (check this box if you have a felony).