Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker accused of sexually harassing rape survivor

[soxhop411]

Both ESPN and USA today put out stories this evening on Mel Tucker.

Two years ago, one of the nation’s star college football coaches and a prominent rape survivor teamed up to fight the culture of sexual violence in sports.

Their partnership should have been a force for good. Instead, it has devolved into scandal, with the activist accusing the coach of the same misconduct that both of them preached against.

The accused is Mel Tucker, the head football coach at Michigan State University and one of the highest paid coaches in all of sports. Accusing him is Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor who has made educating athletes about sexual violence her life’s work.

Over eight months, they developed a professional relationship centered on her advocacy work. Tucker invited Tracy to campus three times – twice to speak to his players and staff and once to be recognized as an honorary captain at the team's spring football game.

But their relationship was upended during a phone call on April 28, 2022, Tracy says in a complaint she filed with the university’s Title IX office in December that remains under investigation.

According to her complaint, Tracy sat frozen for several minutes while Tucker made sexual comments about her and masturbated. His violation, she said, reopened 25-year-old wounds from her rape by four men – three Oregon State University football players and a high school recruit.

“The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it,” she told USA TODAY. “It’s like he sought me out just to betray me.”

In his statements to the Title IX investigator, Tucker acknowledged masturbating on the call but said Tracy grossly mischaracterized the episode. According to him, they had consensual “phone sex.”

“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,” Tucker wrote in a March 22 letter to the investigator. “I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition.

Tracy says Tucker is following through on a threat to ruin her career and reputation by painting her as a woman who mixes professional and personal relationships and files false reports. She fears he will undo her legacy.

Tucker, who signed one of the most lucrative contracts in college sports history two years ago, could lose out on the roughly $80 million he is owed if Michigan State fires him for cause, which would be a stunning fall from the elite ranks of college coaches.

Reached by USA TODAY on his cellphone Saturday night, Tucker hung up after a reporter mentioned the case. The university declined to comment, citing the need for confidentiality during investigations.

Adding to the uncertainty, the institution tasked with sorting out the facts is perhaps best known for missing repeated opportunities to stop one of the most prolific sexual abusers in American history.

For nearly two decades, Michigan State leaders failed to act on complaints against Larry Nassar, the disgraced former U.S.A. Gymnastics and campus physician accused of sexually assaulting more than 300 female athletes under the guise of medical treatments. He has been sentenced to a minimum of 100 years in prison.

Amid its efforts to rebuild trust among students, employees, alumni and the East Lansing community, Michigan State's leaders must now decide whether the face of its prestigious football program is guilty of sexually harassing one of the country’s most influential advocates against gender-based violence.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/09/10/michigan-state-football-coach-sexual-harassment-claim/70679703007/
Way more regarding this at the USA Today link.
Be warned that some of the details in the USA today piece may be difficult for some to read.




Espn:

Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is the subject of an ongoing university sexual harassment investigation, multiple sources with knowledge of the pending case confirmed to ESPN.
The sources did not confirm the complainant's identity or details about the allegations Saturday night. Sources said the investigation started months ago and remains open.
ESPN filed a public records request with Michigan State on July 30, seeking documents related to any complaints alleging that Tucker violated the university's relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy.
The school's interim president refused the request, citing a passage in state law that exempts information that "would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of an individual's privacy."
"Under FOIA's privacy exemption, information is exempt if (1) it is personal in nature, and (2) disclosure would reveal little to nothing about the inner workings of the government. Information is personal in nature when it is intimate, embarrassing, private, or confidential," Michigan State wrote in its denial.
ESPN believes the denial is a violation of state open records law and has engaged a Michigan-based law firm to pursue potential litigation.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38366070/michigan-st-tucker-subject-sexual-harassment-investigation

 

[soxhop411]

The Lansing Journal

Mel Tucker has almost certainly coached his last game at Michigan State. I don’t see any path for him to continue leading MSU’s football program. Nor should he.

Not after such stupidity. Not from a position that’s supposed to be an example to young men. Not at MSU

A USA Today investigation published early Sunday morning detailed allegations that Tucker engaged in unwanted phone sex with prominent sexual assault activist and survivor Brenda Tracy in April of 2022. The two had become friends and admittedly flirtatious after Tucker brought Tracy to campus twice — once to speak to his team, once to be the honorary captain at the 2022 spring game. Tucker disputes Tracy’s claim, saying the act was consensual. She filed a complaint last December, which led to a Title IX investigation — by an outside attorney — which wrapped up in July

A hearing to decide whether Tucker violated MSU’s policy banning sexual harassment and exploitation is slated for Oct. 5 and 6, according to USA Today’s story. That coincides with MSU football’s bye week.

No need to wait. Tucker won’t be coaching the next three Saturdays.

Because even if you take him at his word over Tracy’s — which seems like an odd choice given the reported inconsistencies in his story, notably denying the incident took place on a work trip when receipts show otherwise — what Tucker admits is probably enough to nullify the remainder of his 10-year, $95 million contract, regardless of the decision at the October hearing.

So what now? My guess is that Tucker will be put on some sort of paid leave through the Title IX decision. If somehow the decision goes his way, this could get hairy in terms of what the university owes him.

There is also a legitimate question whether a USA Today investigation should be what prompts the university to make a move on Tucker, when they’ve had all the same information since before August camp. There’s a case to be made that the university should’ve addressed this earlier, before the season, if none of the facts have changed since July.

More at the link
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/columnists/graham-couch/2023/09/10/mel-tucker-michigan-state-football-sexual-harassment-allegation-graham-couch-opinion/70816082007/

 

[Joe D Reid]

If you fail the “should I masturbate down the phone at the sexual assault victim/advocate?” test you lack the tactical nous to be in charge of anything larger than a ham sandwich.

 

[soxhop411]

View: https://twitter.com/chrisvannini/status/1700949473688531126?s=46

NEW: Michigan State interim president Teresa K. Woodruff and AD Alan Haller "will provide an update on the football program" at a 5 p.m. press conference today.

 

[canderson]

Michigan State has some insane athletic issues. Good riddance.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Suspended. Although the link says fired the article says suspended.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2023/09/10/michigan-state-fires-football-coach-mel-tucker-after-sexual-harassment-allegations-per-reports/

$70 million buyout. WTF? Is he that great a coach they needed to guarantee him that kind of money????

Four seasons as a college head coach, one really good winning season. I guess if you coach MSU and beat z Michigan and Ohio State you can get all the money.

 

[Joe D Reid]

Suspended. Although the link says fired the article says suspended.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2023/09/10/michigan-state-fires-football-coach-mel-tucker-after-sexual-harassment-allegations-per-reports/

Is he that great a coach they needed to guarantee him that kind of money????

Four seasons as a college head coach, one really good winning season. I guess if you coach MSU and beat z Michigan and Ohio State you can get all the money.

No and yes, respectively.

 

[Humphrey]

If I were Michigan State, to quote the legendary Silvio Dante. "I genuinely don’t think, there’s anything to gain, by keeping him around. "

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

The one nod MSU had over Penn State after public discovery was that the community generally didn't just stick up for the laundry and turn a blind eye to the victims and wrongdoing from the school's leadership. But that is easy to do for a gymnastics-related scandal. We'll see if the school is as proactive now that the sexual misconduct is from the leader of the football program.

 

[Average Reds]

The one nod MSU had over Penn State after public discovery was that the community generally didn't just stick up for the laundry and turn a blind eye to the victims and wrongdoing from the school's leadership. But that is easy to do for a gymnastics-related scandal. We'll see if the school is as proactive now that the sexual misconduct is from the leader of the football program.

The abysmal reaction of the PSU community was less about a scandal involving the football program and more about Joe Paterno and the iconic status he enjoyed after 60+ years in State College.

Mel Tucker is not an icon and I suspect they won’t have trouble moving on, especially if they can get out from under that hideous contract.

That’s not meant to be a compliment.

 

[Awesome Fossum]

100%. I'm sure the booster are salivating at the opportunity to fire for cause and not have to pay the buyout.

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

True, Michigan State's only sacred cow for the time being is Mr. Izzo.

 

[strek1]

He claims she wanted a "sugar daddy". Wow. You're making it worse Mel.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-football/news-brenda-tracy-wanted-sugar-daddy-mel-tucker-pay-monthly-amount-girlfriend-reports

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

He claims she wanted a "sugar daddy". Wow. You're making it worse Mel.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-football/news-brenda-tracy-wanted-sugar-daddy-mel-tucker-pay-monthly-amount-girlfriend-reports

Geez, he really doesn't have much shame does he? If Tucker bends the knee at least he could potentially walk off with a settlement, but with this antagonistic approach the university will be more set on firing with cause.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38380947/tucker-denies-harassment-claims-calls-msu-hearing-ridiculously-flawed

 

[Humphrey]

Geez, he really doesn't have much shame does he? If Tucker bends the knee at least he could potentially walk off with a settlement, but with this antagonistic approach the university will be more set on firing with cause.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38380947/tucker-denies-harassment-claims-calls-msu-hearing-ridiculously-flawed

I'm surprised his attorney recommended he make those statements (I'm assuming she did because she made them on his behalf).

I'll be interested in seeing how long the AD lasts there considering he was hired a couple months before Tucker got the big contract.

 

[Average Reds]

MSU is moving quickly to fire Mel Tucker and void the $79 million remaining on his contract.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38433108/michigan-state-begins-process-firing-coach-mel-tucker

 

[riboflav]

Could they have used a term without a racist history? It's already a situation that recalls a dark past considering the race of the coach and the accuser involved, but then they have to go and say he's being fired for reasons of "moral turpitude." (It's also still used to disenfranchise blacks in some southern states and uses federally to deport hundreds of Hispanic immigrants). Ugh, MSU.

 

[mauf]

Could they have used a term without a racist history? It's already a situation that recalls a dark past considering the race of the coach and the accuser involved, but then they have to go and say he's being fired for reasons of "moral turpitude." (It's also still used to disenfranchise blacks in some southern states and uses federally to deport hundreds of Hispanic immigrants). Ugh, MSU.

I doubt “moral turpitude” was language chosen by a PR person. I assume it’s drawn from the for-cause termination clause in Tucker’s contract.

I’ve never heard that the term “moral turpitude” is racist in its origins, but that could be my ignorance. It’s used in a wide range of circumstances because it has a reasonably well-settled meaning. The problem with its use in immigration law is that the term has been interpreted expansively to cover offenses that don’t fall within that settled definition — the issue isn’t that “moral turpitude” is somehow an anti-immigrant concept.

 

[dhappy42]

Starting after Reconstruction in the 1870s, “moral turpitude” statutes became a new feature of the new constitutions of the formerly Confederate states, as they sought new methods for disenfranchising recently enfranchised African Americans. These constitutions laid the legal and rhetorical foundation for systemic segregation and Jim Crow.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-georgia-will-use-moral-turpitude-to-strip-black-people-of-their-votes-in-2020[/qu

 

[Rovin Romine]

While that might be correct, it was a term that was used well before the civil war: https://cite.case.law/johns/5/188/

(PDF reads easier: https://cite.case.law/pdf/2131439/Brooker v. Coffin, 5 Johns. 188 (1809).pdf )

 

[Average Reds]

Fired for cause.

He’ll likely get a small settlement out of the inevitable litigation, but his career is essentially over at this point. Still astounded at the idiocy.

 

[Was (Not Wasdin)]

I didnt realize that old friend Harlon Barnett was the interim/acting Head Coach.