The Univ. of Minnesota football team ended its boycott of all activities on Saturday, and players are "considering wearing helmet stickers" at the National Funding Holiday Bowl to "raise awareness against sexual violence," according to sources cited by Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The players have "discussed different ways of raising money for sexual violence charities and advocacy groups" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/19). Christensen noted UM players for the first time on Friday "absorbed the painful details of a lengthy report on the sexual assault investigation that led to 10 player suspensions." Details of the 80-page report "'changed the narrative' of the situation." Facing "heavy national criticism," the players "knew they were losing negotiating leverage" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/18). In St. Paul, Andy Greder noted before announcing the end of the boycott, WR Drew Wolitarsky in a team statement "condemned sexual violence and harassment against women, a sentiment that was absent when the players announced the boycott Thursday." The players "sought to have the 10 suspensions lifted before preparing to play" Washington State on Dec. 27, but meetings with members of the Board of Regents as well as a conference with UM President Eric Kaler and AD Mark Coyle on Friday "didn’t produce the concessions the players sought" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/18).
USING THEIR PLATFORM: In N.Y., Tracy & Borzi noted UM avoided "what would have been the first time a top-tier college football team had missed a game because of a player protest in at least decades." The players' statement also said that the they had "secured a promise that the suspended players would eventually be given a 'fair hearing -- which includes a diverse review panel.'" The team’s threat of a boycott "highlighted the significant voice that ostensibly amateur athletes in big-time sports in prominent conferences have, by virtue of their popularity and impact on the athletics department’s bottom line" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/18).
A POST-BAYLOR WORLD: ESPNW.com's Kavitha Davidson wrote under the header, "In Baylor's Shadow, Minnesota Administration Takes Strong Stance Against Campus Violence." UM "seems to be taking a hard line against campus violence." This is the "first major sexual assault crisis" that Coyle, who arrived in May, has "had to deal with, and he seems to be making a clear statement that the new department won't be run like the old one" (ESPNW.com, 12/17).
POOR IMAGE: In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan wrote the players who threatened to boycott "chose the wrong patch of quicksand on which to take an ethical stand." Meanwhile, university leadership "displayed little courage or communicativeness until forced to by the boycott." Coyle "looked weak when he met with players on Wednesday, failed to make them understand the seriousness of the allegations against the accused, and stammered in a remarkably brief meeting with reporters." But in the end, Kaler and Coyle "made the boycotting players understand what they were trying to defend" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/18). In St. Paul, Tom Powers wrote UM football coach Tracy Claeys' decision to back his players’ threatened boycott "does not bode well for his immediate future." It will "take years to repair Minnesota’s reputation," as the school is "becoming something of a national punchline" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/18). ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap said of Claeys, "When the head coach of Minnesota says he has never been more proud of his players, because they said they were going to, ‘Stand together and not play this game unless the punishment was lifted.’ I have to wonder if he read the report." ESPN’s Ashley Fox said, “I would love to see some athletes come out and instead of standing with their brothers who are the accused, to stand with their sisters who are the abused because this has got to stop” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 12/18).
