recently have had interesting dialogue on twitter with a UM Frat guy (assume he is at least an adult so i wont call him "boy") that the survivors rally yesterday was in no way a protest. wonder how that will jive with the events planned for January, that coincide with the hearings.

I kind of get it, especially if it is one of those really impactful peaceful ones, vigil etc. however I don't buy that a rally is not a protest. maybe it is just a connotation, semantics differentiated only by a thesaurus? maybe it is tomatoe, tomato, etc.?

I have seen rallys that are clearly protests. I have seen protests that i would consider a rally.

i seem to recall some Vietnam peace rallies that were clearly, 100% protests, were not always even all that peaceful sometimes by the peace supporters.

interested in a wide response. this is one i am very willing to be wrong about, but also feel that people play the label game. you have a bunch of people placed strategically in front of an area that they feel is the sign of the angst, i guaranty you the people that are there will view it as a protest, especially if you impair their ability to go about their business. however i am willing to learn, understand why this should be considered a rally.

caveat - any time people don't like the way things are going, and they publically speak, i include that as a protest.

i am actually willing to learn. read into that what you wish, and maybe some targeted sarcasm to those that have attacked me this last week.

cheers

Today is the mid-year signing day for early enrollees. The targets that could potentially sign today are McLaurin, Fisher, and Landrews. All other JUCOs are spring grads.

Fisher I believe will still be a Gopher, but I'll continue to check on the last minute Texas interest.

Minnesota was 100% confident that Landrews would be a Gopher a week ago, but Mississippi State also thinks they're going to get him, so someone is going to be wrong here. I still think it's more likely he signs with Minnesota. UPDATE: Told Minnesota would be surprised if it's not Mississippi State.

The mystery visitor was also planning to be an early signee but I don't think he has the credits to follow through with that.

Don't want to sound insensitive but....here is a great debate. Did she violate any code of conduct? Nobody believes she was a total victim and didn't play a role in this escalated event. Even without a crime these kids did act in a disappointing way. But they all did, I'm sure her parents are VERY disappointed in her choices of even being in this situation in the first place.

Fact-she is an student-athlete too. With Title 9, women want everything equal. She should face some sort of discipline? I'll hang up and listen.

Setting aside for a moment serious concerns and questions about U Administrative and Athletic Department mismanagement of a disciplinary issue, violations of student due process, violations of student privacy and U management of consensual sexual conduct between and among adult student men and women, how does the board feel another Traingate episode can best be prevented in the future?

Yes, Gov Dayton was right in ordering all parties to a quick resolution of the boycott in order to avoid a huge national "black eye" for the University, the State and indeed the entire Big Ten Conference as the first P5 conference to ever sponsor a team boycotting a significant bowl game. That particular train wreck has been avoided for the time being.

But is the U Pres/AD giving serious thought to how to reduce the probability of another Traingate incident from happening in the future to as close to zero as possible? Has there been enough mentoring from the top...coaches included...to educate every athlete that certain personal behaviors will not be tolerated at the U and will result in suspension and/or expulsion if proven by factual evidence?

In that connection, during the season Claeys dismissed a productive WR from the team for violation of team rules and also agreed to game suspensions for certain players, so we know the coach does enforce U/team "rules and values".

What we don't know is how active the Coyle is leading and mentoring athletes from the top of the Department. Is he simply delegating that "problem" to all his coaches of the various teams? Or is he stressing compliance issues with all teams and individual athletes that there will be very adverse consequences for certain personal behaviors adverse to team rules and the university?

As the leader of the Athletic Department, Coyle is responsible for avoiding train wrecks in the department without micromanaging each team in the process. Make no doubt about it, Regents are going to evaluate Coyle on the PR/optics of the AD operation, leadership re athlete/team management issues as well as his ability to raise money for department projects and handle alumni/donor relations. Tough job, but that's why he's one of the highest paid public employees in the state.

What does the board think Coyle's highest priorities should be for the AD in order to move beyond this current fiasco on a timely basis and prevent future discipline disasters in the future?

We now know the 10 players are not playing in the Holiday Bowl. How many of the 10 will be on the Minnesota football team next year?

That's all. I will take every chance I can to be excited about them being pushed from the top of the record books.

Carry on.

who do we have left?

I have seen a couple of reports today in the Pioneer press saying there were ten to twenty players involved the night in question? Is there even more to this story? Media sensationalism?

http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/1...ball-situation-does-not-bode-well-for-claeys/

Massive Player Transfers and the Staff and TC letting other programs know they will leave! You can put it in the Bank!

Good Source from the SIU area!

They the Coaches are tired of the "Push Back" and how their Kids have been hurt by the "U's" culture! Now the Staff knows the U Admin will not stand by their recruits. A very important Parent is so pissed they are going to pull their Kid and Sue the school!

Great Source!!!

I hate it when announcers say "the line to gain" instead of a first down. When did this insanity start?

We, the members of the EOAA have decided to make this liberal progressive U of M into the Liberty University of the north and have adopted the following rules. 1) Sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and woman shall not be tolerated, even if consensual, and shall result in the expulsion of the male participant. See example Djam 2) Group sex will not be tolerated even if consensual and shall result in expulsion of all male participants. 3) Videotaping of any sexual activity, even if consensual, is not permitted and shall result in expulsion of any male participant. 4) If you witness any sexual activity outside of marriage you are to immediately try to stop it, even if consensual, and then immediately report it to the authorities. Failure to do so shall result in suspension for one year for any male athlete. 5) Females who are flirting, acting suggestive, and performing oral sex even on minors, are not indicating a willingness to have further sex and shall be held blameless. 6) Furthermore, these rules shall not apply to whites, gays, lesbians, or any non athlete so therefore shall only apply to black male student athletes.

in some ways, at least.

How many of you thought waking up this morning thinking that the players would veto the game? 48 hours ago I would have thought they would skip(60/40), however after finding out more info I felt that they would vote (70/30) to play when I woke up this morning. I also feel better about this ordeal not hurting the program as heavily as I thought 48 hours ago. I also think that the # of transfers based on this ordeal will shrink from what I previously thought. A few guys might not find any D1 team taking them if they did decide to transfer.

Link: Ryerse can't wait to be a Gopher

According to Mike Max on the players ending the boycott late last night:

Players along with their lawyers and a couple of regents were present during talks
Players were told their coaches futures may be in jeopardy
Details of the report obviously played a factor
Again talk of a regent critical of the current 'due process' and pledging it will be reevaluated
Lawsuit(s) likely from at least one suspended player

Max sounded like he has a very good source. Good stuff tonight including an editorial piece. Generally not a huge fan of him but he seemed very informed with state of the program tonight. Mentioned Coyle deserves some time, but cannot be viewed as a puppet.

I'm just wondering what everyone is thinking

Reading on Twitter some players who live at radius made asses out of themselves when the we stand with survivors rally. Cavonte Johnson wasn't pleased the way the players acted. Interesting to see if this leads to anything. Don't know if everything is true but telling that Cavonte would make up being embarrassed by the behavior

So we watched as the team and players dealt with suspensions of key contributors and restraining orders, etc... No need to rehash the drama we all discussed ad nauseam.

The players were found "not guilty" by the legal system due to the lack of evidence to press charges. So the players ALL played and were reinstated. Claeys publicly went along with the process and admitted that the players were in violation of team rules. Privately we are not privy to his support of the players. The AD allowed the players to play. The president obviously didn't voice any opposition to the players playing. So lack of action and allowing the players to play would be seen as proper decision even though the players were guilty before proven "not guilty" (innocent of any wrong doing is definitely debatable).

NOW this entity/committee gives a recommendation. And all of a sudden without due process or a proper hearing 10 players are suspended. From what I gather they found out about this via a letter informing them. SO this EOAA scares the president and AD so much that not only the original 5 but now 10 players are immediately suspended and they (P and AD) now cannot allow the players to play until a proper hearing??? What changed?? Where is the testicular fortitude to take a stand and allow the players to play until they have had their rightful moment to defend themselves and go through due process? They hide behind "privacy laws"... Screams of Covering their @$$e$!!!

IF they saw this coming than they NEVER should have allowed the players to play and be reinstated. It's so contradictory in its nature. The BoR needs to wipe out this administration and get some LEADERS!!

What is his standing with the University? Is he a dead man walking given the line in the sand he drew between himself and administration.

Almost everyone I've talked to, just everything I've seen....at least 90% of people who know anything about this situation are supporting the players.

The only ones who aren't are internet Wisconsin trolls and people like that. But almost everyone who had paid any attention, and is a real person, supports the players.

Here's a few I've read lately I really enjoyed. Hoping for some good recommendations from you all.

http://amzn.to/2blvHTN

http://amzn.to/2blgd14

http://amzn.to/2aWSSBK

http://amzn.to/2bmhIsF

All we know is what we read and we don' t know for sure if what we read is true, but, if what we read is true, then the case in the courts against any and all named individuals is over and any and all named individuals should be able to go on with their lives. If the University feels they are above the law, and can implement rules which supersede the court of law, then I would get the hell out of the University of Minnesota and go play football where if a court of law finds you innocent, you are innocent, and you can go on leading your normal life.

Is the coaching staff new there? If not, when do they get fired?

Being played in a snowstorm in Kansas City. Too bad for the players. Zero footing.

NW Mizzou vs. North Alabama

NCAA should play December national championship games in domes or warm weather climates.

I need to hear him speak up about his players. Seems to tow the company line too well
For Me.

Leaders protect. If he didn't or doesn't support his players, he will
Lose his locker room and he should. Sawvel appears to be more willing to lay it out for his players based on what I've read. That's a leader.

Claeys said the kids busted the team rules. I need more than that from him. These kids took matters into their own hands cause he did nothing. They haven't been charged with rape, so was it curfew? Having unique Sex is not busting team rules.

You're not making any friends with your comments today.

Maybe you don't care, and that's fine. You're certainly entitled to your opinion. But please understand, you are in the vast minority with your stance of steadfastly supporting the University and letting the "process" play itself out on this issue.

But I'm wondering how you'd feel if it was your son kicked off the team, perhaps for no other reason than for physically being present in the apartment building the night this alleged incident, deemed too weak for prosecution, occurred? Is that fair? Is that justice? To a logical person, it reeks of social INJUSTICE. But all common sense has been lost with this decision to suspend.

Those of us in the majority want to see a winning football program, and student athletes treated fairly, and not necessarily in that order.

I, like many posters on here, are at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting the U. Some have checked out already, and who can blame them?

By the time this gets sorted out, the players on suspension, and perhaps some of their coaches, will be long gone.