Title: Michigan State coach Mel Tucker suspended amid investigation into sexual harassment of rape survivor, activist
Article By: Shehan Jeyarajah
Big news out of College Football today, as Michigan State’s head football coach, Mel Tucker, is being investigated on claims of sexual harassment. It is said that Mel Tucker has harassed an activist who has spoken to his team a few times over the last couple of years. This is huge news, as it is news to Michigan State Football fans and the College Football world. This is news because there have already been multiple college coaches who have been either suspended or fired due to their misdoings. Northwestern just recently fired their football coach for harassment. This has raised not only the heads of college sports fans but also college students, their parents, and alums on how these sports programs treat players, staff, and others involved in the programs. Many more colleges will be under investigation for what has recently been uncovered. Hopefully, this article shines a light on what goes on behind the scenes with these universities. I hope these investigations get the personnel out of there, making these students and faculty feel unsafe. Although this is not worldwide news, I believe it is national news, as Michigan State is a large school. Their football program also brings in lots of money for the school every year, so if they cannot succeed under their interim head coach, they are in for a long season.
I love sports, and although college sports are not my favorite, I am very interested in how the sports programs affect the surrounding community. I am from Vermillion, South Dakota, home of the University of South Dakota, and we have had a mediocre football team for the past two decades that I have been alive. Meanwhile, South Dakota State, in Brookings, South Dakota, won the National Championship last year, and their town has been blossoming over the last couple of years, and a lot of that has to do with the success of their sports programs. The better the sports program, the more people come to the town to play games. These people eat out, stay at hotels, go shopping, and buy drinks. This last Saturday, both teams had home games. South Dakota State had an attendance of over 19,000 fans. Meanwhile, South Dakota had around 5,000. So, the suspension of Michigan State’s Mel Tucker is an even bigger deal if the team can not adapt accordingly.
An interesting take on the story, Josh. It’s something you could
follow, I suppose. What’s will be the fallout in Lansing? Do you
suppose Michigan (the other university) will benefit?