battery supplier

How is it that the football team and athletic department didn’t identify starting nose tackle Oren Wilson and reserve wide receiver Myles White among those with potential involvement in the Nov. 22 evening of criminal recklessness at Rather Hall whose shadow the Spartans can’t escape?

Nobody’s talking in East Lansing.

It’s not an unreasonable question, considering that coach Mark Dantonio rolled the dice with his reputation when he allowed seven players suspended because of the Rather Hall altercation to rejoin the team, pending the resolution of their legal issues. He brought them back early this month because they supposedly had learned the error of their immaturity, paying a stern price for not being forthright with the coaches about what happened at that fraternity potluck dinner. Dantonio brought back the seven — plus White, suspended for a transgression at a night club — from their Alamo Bowl banishment in an attempt at bringing closure to an episode that once again relegated Michigan State football to boorish punch line.

And now we discover the Ingham County prosecutor believes that one of Dantonio’s Alamo Bowl starters was more than a witness to the stupidity at Rather Hall, that he participated in the mayhem as well.

Wilson’s connection to this case — more than two months after the event — is another embarrassment for Dantonio. He certainly knew police had said in early December that 15 people had entered the potluck dinner, but only 13 had been identified. Those 13 Spartans met some form of internal justice prior to the bowl trip to Texas.

Somebody needs to explain how Wilson avoided the internal prosecutorial radar.

Did teammates cover for him? Did they lie again? Did Dantonio not ask about who else was involved? Did Dantonio not ask the entire team for anyone at the scene to admit it?

If university leaders — and fans — don’t believe this is a big deal then perhaps MSU should alter its new logo with the Spartan warrior’s eyes closed shut altogether.
Wilson, a junior from Teaneck, N.J., faces two counts of misdemeanor assault or assault and battery and one count of misdemeanor conspiracy to commit assault or assault and battery. White, a freshman from Livonia Stevenson, faces the conspiracy charge and one count of assault or assault and battery Inspiron E1405 battery .

Dantonio indefinitely suspended Wilson and White. His statement Tuesday said their status would be “re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis as their legal issues are resolved.”

Neither should play another snap.

Don’t fault the media for obsessing over what some might deem as digging old news. That stance is incumbent upon making sure nothing fresh emerges from the grave.

Michigan State blew that one. Big time.

The Spartans went to San Antonio preaching that they had purged from their roster those who didn’t appreciate the special privilege of representing a fine university in a bowl game. And now, according to the prosecutor, one of the more serious aggressors was in the starting lineup against Texas Tech.

This mess has become the blemish that won’t go away. And silence won’t provide a suitable answer.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS