Bash, I agree with you on where are society is and the possibility it being a sham. Mell threw common sense and his contract away for a cheap phone thrill. Also gives ammo to his wife's attorneys. That's why he's an idiot.
Michigan State: Mel Tucker fired
Bash, I agree with you on where are society is and the possibility it being a sham. Mell threw common sense and his contract away for a cheap phone thrill. Also gives ammo to his wife's attorneys. That's why he's an idiot.
Every person always retains the right to make their personal choices and the direction for their life. But as always, with rights come attached responsibilities and implications.
When you are any high profile position... and when you are a public face of a major institution that so many other people rely and count on for various reasons... you have to conduct yourself to a higher standard. It’s ‘not just you’ anymore. You freely took on that role and its responsibilities. Lots of people are watching. And you had better learn that sometimes optics are just as significant (or more so) than apparent realities.
The problem is when those folks who do ascend to high positions begin to believe they are invincible and still totally free to act without regard to others. This is a lesson that some never learn – as history shows.
Sports is a mirror that reflects all human behaviors – good, bad, and neutral. There is always a larger game going in sports off the field of play as there is on it. The larger game that houses ‘The Games’.
And as many events in the sports world have shown... you might win on out the field but be less than a winner off it.
What if Mel had a ma*sturb*tory phone call with his wife/steady gf? Because that seems much more like the situation at, erm, hand, than asking a junior employee to stay after the Zoom call then whipping it out.
But he admits it was with the girl who accuses him. They’re in agreement on that much.
sbillini
- st petersburg, fl
You can do it. You just have to be more careful about it (my wife and I met at work). There are plenty of stories out there of CEO's finding their spouses at work. If you go about it the right way, it can be just fine. Unfortunately, there are just as many (if not more) stories of it ending badly. The key differences between the two (and this is just my sense in my corporate world experience, i'm not an HR expert or anything, though my wife is very familiar with HR rules/processes and she generally agrees):
1. Disclosure to HR. If Mel's story is accurate (i'm not making a judgement of whether it is or isnt), then the first thing he should've done is gone to HR and told them that a consensual, romantic relationship was brewing between the two of them. Then HR would do their due diligence to make sure all is square. They'd also probably stop using her as a contractor given the obvious conflict of interest. In that case, if things go bad, you're already on the right foot with your employer. I, honestly, don't think they would've told him "no, you can't date her" as long as he came to them with the correct approach.
2. Avoid doing anything with a direct subordinate. If you want to take the risk and still do this, step (1) becomes really really important. In Mel's case, she can be considered a subordinate given Mel's has significant influence over whether she's used as a contractor at MSU. It's not a true subordinate relationship, but it's the next step up. In this case, the first thing they'd probably do is move that subordinate to another role where he/she is no longer reporting to you. Again, you need to do this RIGHT AWAY.
3. Make sure your personal affairs are in order. In Mel's case, make sure it's clear that you are separated from your wife and divorce proceedings are underway. It sounds like this was the case here, but, if you're a high profile employee, your employer will want some comfort that you're not cheating on your spouse and your spouse won't come back and point the finger at the employer.
All the above is applicable assuming the relationship is consensual. Obviously, if it's not consensual, then that's a whole different ballgame. That's why Tucker is an idiot for not taking the appropriate steps given, as he claims, the relationship was consensual.
To be fair, even if you do all those things, there's no guarantees it won't blow up in your face. But, as I and others have posted, that's the risk you take being a high profile employee. The mistake Mel made is doing all this with a MSU contractor and not taking the easy steps mentioned above, which all but guaranteed that he'd be in the situation he is now if there were any issues at all.
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It is a good point
For many people a married man or woman having phone sex with a gf or bf and the story gets into the media would be considered bringing "public disrespect, contempt and ridicule on a university." It can be a fine line, particularly when the line keeps moving.
Would it make any difference if it was landline phone sex or cellular phone sex???
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
who could have seen this coming?
the national
- the Front Range
that would be a good but unfortunate hire for us particularly if it happens immediately.
i doubt the institution could move that quickly though. i bet its an end of season/off season
search. major institutions just don't do these things that fast. it'll take at least three committees
to pick a search group and another two to conduct interviews.
i doubt the institution could move that quickly though. i bet its an end of season/off season
search. major institutions just don't do these things that fast. it'll take at least three committees
to pick a search group and another two to conduct interviews.
it's Michigan State, so probably
(I'm not serious, but he would fit in pretty well with a lot of the scandals they've had there)
You might have a narrow perspective based on context. There are a lot of places, (e.g. blue collar or union shops) where workplace romances are not uncommon. I can think of one large employer I interacted with where there were a crazy number of them (divorces too!)
I can think of several pithy sayings that go along with your sentiment though.
My sarcasm meter is buzzing.
Was talking with an MSU alum when the story first hit. We both think MSU is breathing a sigh of relief. Sure looks like the winner they think they hired was a wildly over-priced mediocre coach. They will gladly stomach the initial bad PR to "do the right thing" and shed the contract. Not a lawyer, but I assume they'll eventually settle for a fraction of what they signed up for, once the lawyers agree they need their cut and let's just settle the darn thing.
I've been at my company over 30 years, so my data set (within one Firm) is probably larger than most. But I have seen countless relationships and several marriages in that time. As above, if fully disclosed and not supervisory, it is allowed. White collar business, if that matters (only because blue collar shops were mentioned above).
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
yea
at $800 per hour at a minimum
Names that Rittenberg mentioned as possible replacements for Tucker:
Favorites
-Pat Shumur, Colorado offensive analyst
-Mike Elko, Duke head coach
-Jason Candle, Toledo head coach
-Jonathan Smith, Oregon State head coach
-Lance Leipold, Kansas head coach
-Chris Kleiman, Kansas State head coach
Others to watch
-P.J. Fleck, Minnesota head coach
-Jake Dickert, Washington State head coach
-Charles Huff, Marshall head coach
-Sean Lewis, Colorado offensive coordinator
-Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach
-Harlon Barnett, Michigan State acting head coach
-Mark Stoops, Kentucky head coach
-Jim Leonhard, Illinois senior football analyst
Favorites
-Pat Shumur, Colorado offensive analyst
-Mike Elko, Duke head coach
-Jason Candle, Toledo head coach
-Jonathan Smith, Oregon State head coach
-Lance Leipold, Kansas head coach
-Chris Kleiman, Kansas State head coach
Others to watch
-P.J. Fleck, Minnesota head coach
-Jake Dickert, Washington State head coach
-Charles Huff, Marshall head coach
-Sean Lewis, Colorado offensive coordinator
-Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach
-Harlon Barnett, Michigan State acting head coach
-Mark Stoops, Kentucky head coach
-Jim Leonhard, Illinois senior football analyst
Lou Saban is strangely absent from this list
BZuppke
- Plainfield
Tucker’s response - while I think the university HAD a basis to fire him for cause - why didn’t they pull the trigger when they first got the results of the investigation:
"MSU knew about the information on which it supposedly relies to end my contract since at least March 2023," Tucker stated in the letter. "Yet only after Ms. Tracy and potentially others leaked the confidential investigation report to the press, did MSU suddenly decide this same information warrants termination."
"MSU knew about the information on which it supposedly relies to end my contract since at least March 2023," Tucker stated in the letter. "Yet only after Ms. Tracy and potentially others leaked the confidential investigation report to the press, did MSU suddenly decide this same information warrants termination."
Right. That’s when it became a matter affecting the public reputation of the university, another contract violation. Three strikes: the call, retaliation, publicity.
Read the USA Today article for the chronology. His cancellation of her next training session just 3 days in advance and with no explanation was her last straw, prompting her to come forward. If he hadn’t done that, he might have gotten away with the call itself, at least until his arrogance led him to step on his stick in some other way.
He also lied publicly about the call, saying it was “from the privacy of his home”. University travel records have since been released showing he was in Florida on university business at the time. Why lie? Character.