Gopher football team ends boycott, will play in Holiday Bowl

If bowl officials had spent any time with the university’s report on the incident that led to player suspensions and a short-lived boycott, they might have found a more deserving group on which to bestow a San Diego vacation. They backed down Saturday after a day of talks with University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, Athletics Director Mark Coyle and University of Minnesota regents.

“We stated that we’d boycott all football activities until our 10 teammates had their suspensions lifted and and had a larger goal to have an open discussion about the lack of due process that occurs when an accusation is made against anyone”, Wolitarsky said.

The boycott by Minnesota football players has created uncertainty about Washington State’s opponent in the December 27 Holiday Bowl, or even if the game will be played at all as it becomes more apparent that replacing the Golden Gophers would require solving large logistical problems.

Also Sunday, Claeys reiterated the players’ joint statement condemning sexual violence on Saturday and pledged a personal $50,000 donation to support victims of sexual assault, he said on WCCO said.

There is no reason to believe that Claeys won’t coach against Washington State in the Holiday Bowl, but beyond that it’s anyone’s guess as to whether he will remain on the job. “It’s extremely hard to get back and it’s very unfair for them and that’s why we’re sticking together through this thing”.

Kaler said in a statement Friday night that student-athletes are held to a high standard of conduct and when those standards are unmet, “there are consequences”.

The report was evidently not available to players before they began their boycott. I am not a police officer or investigator, but that does seem to be a bit of a flimsy conclusion after reading the EOAA report and considering there were an estimated dozen or so football players either watching and/or participating in this. “How many times do they have to say, “I didn’t do this”? A criminal investigation resulted in no arrests or charges. Situations like this are always hard, and the decision was made in consultation with and has the full support of President Eric Kaler.

Some of the players have admitted having sex with the woman, but said that it was consensual. “They’re students second. And the distant third, they’re being an athlete”, he said.

We’ve reached out to Hutton, the lawyer for all 10 players, about his plans to appeal school’s actions.

September 7: Djam is interviewed, tells investigators the sex was consensual and identifies Hardin as also involved in the sexual activity. “It’s important that we continue to work together as we move through this hard time“. He said he was referring to the initial conversation he had with the team on Thursday, Dec. 15, before the boycott was announced.

“You pick up the report and read it and I understand what is in that report”, Claeys told Dave Mona on the radio.

Jerome Djam, the father of suspended player Carlton Djam, told ABC affiliate KSTP-TV that he was angry after learning of the school’s decision.

In the post-Baylor age of sexual assault accusations (Google this if you don’t know what I’m talking about), the University is understandably attempting to do the right thing by essentially laying the hammer down on the entire football program.