This just in from the AANews: “Student says Charles Ramsey violently choked him; Eastern Michigan coach says he was concerned for his own safety.” The opening paragraphs:
Eastern Michigan University officials concluded that basketball coach Charles Ramsey grabbed a student and used profanity in November, and that led to a three-day suspension earlier this month.
Whether more than that took place and what precipitated the Nov. 22 incident with Shawn Quinn, an EMU senior and roommate of basketball player Zane Gay, remains unclear.
EMU athletic director Derrick Gragg informed Ramsey in a Dec. 8 letter that he was suspended without pay because of the altercation following the Eagles’ loss to the University of Detroit-Mercy at Calihan Hall in Detroit. Ramsey missed his team’s Dec. 8 game against Wayne State. Ramsey’s base salary is $169,269.
That letter from Gragg, along with accounts of the incident, were made available Monday by university officials through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The story as reported here is a sort of “Quinn vs. Ramsey” tale, with both of them telling very different accounts of the event. Regardless, it doesn’t exactly make Ramsey look good. This behavior and the team’s record might mean that he and Genyk can get together and reflect on old times at EMU next year.
>>>>>”You are the worst coach our establishment has ever seen.”
Obviously the kid is not that bright and has no manners.
I really hope that Ramsey beat the crap out of the kid:-)
I still feel Ramsey is a good coach and he will get it together eventually here. We need every single person in the team to step up and make it happen, keep working and if you give up you do not belong here!
Heard the kid was going to sue but backed off because he has no case. He was as drunk as a skunk and harrassing Ramsey and basically ambushed him after the game. No doubt Ramsey is gone after this year. Team hasn’t been this bad since 01 or 02 and this is a PR disaster for him. I’m sure portions of both sides of the story are correct and some backpedaling on both sides too.
Grabbing a student and cursing him, in almost any situation, would appear to be a very serious offense for any university official. If there are extenuating circumstances that justify just a 3 day suspension of Ramsey, it was stupid for the Athletic Director to try to cover up the facts. Reveal all the facts when an incident happens. To not do so both suggests a coverup and invites a FOIA to extract the basic facts. When will the AD learn to disclose the truth instead of hoping the AA NEWS will ignore obvious news stories? The AD draws out the bad news into more than one news cycle, just as he did for the baseball coach’s disgusting behavior last year. Such stupid choices, time after time.
I appreciate the idea that the heckler was some drunk kid, but if you are the coach, you’ve got to rise above that. By definition, he’s supposed to be the “grown up” in this situation, and he’s not supposed to sink to the level of the heckler.
I’ve heard the kid put his hand on Ramsey’s shoulder to get his attention. Wonder if that is true or not, because that changes things in my book.
I am with coach on this one.
If the Ann Arbor News showed as much zeal in putting a quality product out as in going after EMU with FOI requests over the years they would not be in such a bad shape as they are now…
By the way, I liked Knight too:-) Sometimes these kids need to be taught a lesson so it comes through their thick heads.
Full disclosure: I am not a professor or work for the university.
I don’t understand the issue….”the coach was being escorted by a single officer.” I’m assuming this was a DPS officer. What’s the officer’s version of the story?
And why didn’t they keep the obnoxious guy away from the coach? Maybe they need more than one DPS officer to walk with coaches. Sad but true. It appears as though there are people attending these games who do not know how to behave in public.
The officer has a gun.
You’d think this person could have at least respected the police officer, if he didn’t respect the coach.
I’m with the coach on this one. If anyone put their hands on me and was drunk when one of my children was around I’d probably punch their lights out.
Education First. That doesn’t really apply in this situation I guess, but when EMU makes the news obviously it has nothing to do with education and thats my biggest problem with this all. As a place of “Higher Learning” examples are set forth by professors, adminstrators, and coaches alike and nobody should be punching anyone’s lights out. Although soccer hooligans are known to take things to the next level, have you ever heard of a student beating up or killing a coach. In Ramsey’s interview he stated he thought he was going to be killed. That might be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. After meeting Coach Ramsey a few times, this speaks nothing of his character. He seems to be a genuine family man with strong morals and values, but still this sort of reaction is exactly what needs to be controlled, especially in a situation involving a student. Once again, I’m disappointed that I have to answer questions to friends, family, and community members about EMU’s blunders.
Everyone needs to remeber when you start loosing as many games as he has you start to crack under the pressure. It is going to be a long MAC season I will be amazed if Ramsey comes back with the record he has this only adds fuel to the fire.
1. Bobby Knight had won 3 national championships and got canned for an incident similar to this.
2. unnumbered comment first: “I still feel Ramsey is a good coach … .”
Perhaps he is, but with regret I feel compelled to ask: Where is the proof of that? Did he win a championship as a head coach down the food chain before coming to Eastern? What is his overall record at Eastern?
So much of what I read reminds me of a certain professional football team — success is always just around the corner — and maybe it is, but we’ve all been waiting since 1957 — how long will Eastern wait?
The past three years he has had the most unfortunate luck that the most talented players in his team went down with injuries at the most crucial times (two lost for the season at the beginning of the season and another in the beginning of February). Besides, he inherited a complete mess from Boone and no talent at all to compete in high school games even.
So, give this guy a break.
Eventually, he will put it together…I would rather give more time to this coach to return a glorious program back to its prominence than sinking gazillions in a program with the history of losing and failed coaches we have had here since day one.
Just a note…I don’t think you can consider it bad luck about both Bowdry and Medlock’s injuries. If you remember, Medlock got hurt in a game, I think against Buffalo (I was there) and we were up at least 15 with just a couple minutes to go. Rather than put the reserves in, Ramsey kept Medlock in to push to score 30 points (I believe he scored 27). In my books, Ramsey was and always will be responsible for Medlock’s injury.
I finally made it to a game against Central and we won!!! In double OT with Bowdry and Dobbins fouled out! This was a game that was not recommended for people with heart problems. We gave the game away in regulation and we let them tie it with a last second 3 pointer that only goes in the basket in the shooter’s dreams! Then we missed a last second shot in the first overtime!
I lost my voice in the process…If the kids read this, I was the one who kept yelling the whole time behind our bench….and kept telling them “We are going to WIN this game”. Now the monkey is off our back, lett’s go and take it to Toledo and spank them:-)
Obviously EagleG has no idea what he’s talking about. The kid is right, Coach Ramsey is the worst coach this establishment has ever seen. He’s trying to cover up the entire incident that happened with that student. The kid rarely drinks, and went maybe 5 games in the last 3 years. So, for all the other coaches saying he harasses coach ramsey, you’re crazy. The kid does have a case, he has pictures of his neck from coach ramsey choking him, and the kid isn’t backing down with a law suit. Not only pictures, but witnesses to. GOOD witnesses. Oh, so much for giving it to Toledo uh? Ask any player on that team beside Bowdry whether or not ramsey is a coach. All will say he’s horrible. People have left this team because of him. And they players that have left all have done big things. Big 10, Div 2 play offs with a record of 31-1 including beating michigan state. you all need to get your facts straight and stop spreading crap like ramsey