Lehigh Track Coach Insensitive Comments

True but wrote:

About 10 years ago the South Carolina women’s soccer associate head coach was accused of sexual assault by a player. That associate head coach was a make and his wife was the head coach. They fought it. They didn’t just let the media force them out. Turns out there was no truth to it. They survived and even won a national championship after. Just because someone accuses doesn’t make it true.

Very different circumstances and this clearly situation has events that have been widely corroborated.

That situation had disgruntled former athletes chiming in too. End of the day, you still have kids that have been kicked off the team or disciplined and are disgruntled. You cannot ignore that. You’re ignorant if you don’t think a judge will look at the fact the kid was kicked off the team and then makes allegations.

Not so fast ! wrote:

That situation had disgruntled former athletes chiming in too. End of the day, you still have kids that have been kicked off the team or disciplined and are disgruntled. You cannot ignore that. You’re ignorant if you don’t think a judge will look at the fact the kid was kicked off the team and then makes allegations.

Dozens of athletes have had their butts touched by Utesch with dozens of other athletes witnessing it. Utesch has NOT even denied doing this. He has not denied saying anything they allege him to say.

The difference between the soccer situation and this one is that this one has FACTS to support it that are confirmed. A captain from 2013 even came forward in the comments against Utesch.

no just no wrote:

Not so fast ! wrote:

That situation had disgruntled former athletes chiming in too. End of the day, you still have kids that have been kicked off the team or disciplined and are disgruntled. You cannot ignore that. You’re ignorant if you don’t think a judge will look at the fact the kid was kicked off the team and then makes allegations.

Dozens of athletes have had their butts touched by Utesch with dozens of other athletes witnessing it. Utesch has NOT even denied doing this. He has not denied saying anything they allege him to say.

The difference between the soccer situation and this one is that this one has FACTS to support it that are confirmed. A captain from 2013 even came forward in the comments against Utesch.

Uh huh. And yet not fired. So clearly

There is more to story. Sorry not just accepting your anonymous word.

+1

Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

is this true wrote:

Cornellius wrote:

So we can talk about this guy, but we can't talk about the Cornell guy who was actually boning an athlete???

Is this true? I'm guessing Rojo would delete any topics about it.

Yes, it's true. Mods have been deleting posts for weeks. Pretty shameful that brojos have been covering for a scumbag that officially started a relationship with an athlete the day she graduated (yeah right...).

This isn't the 90's wrote:

Sounds like a bunch of SJW BS.

No one really says anything specific. Just that he made them uncomfortable. Sounds like he may make an inappropriate joke every once in a while.

Back in my day a coach joking around with his runners was part of building a relationship. I don't think kids today are used to adults in positions of power joking with them.

Isn't his wife on the coaching staff? I doubt there is anything sexually inappropriate since she's around the team every day.

Just because the article does give every specific does not mean that the people who reported were not being specific (BTW there are several specific issues).

You might have missed it, but the days of sexually inappropriate jokes are over. The days of asking a guy if he would not want to sleep with another student are over (and really never should have happened).

That last line is pretty funny (no idea if his wife is on the staff). It is far different and far worse, but Larry Nassar was sexually abusing girls with a parent right in the room. So the idea that a guy would not make sexually inappropriate jokes is really naive.

Touched my Nehi Soda wrote:

What the?!?! How do you still have a job after something like that? I know coaches who have been "released" for far less. This guy actually laid hands on females, and made comments that went WAAAY past the proverbial "line."

Yes coaches probably have been fired for less. The question there is "should they"?

My guess is that the women who reported the incidents are fine with the punishment he received. Perhaps they realized he is generally a good guy and that he can learn from the error of his ways.

Hiram dude wrote:

My first inclination is to question the accuracy of things like this. As an ncaa coach, I can definitely say that a lot of kids will lie about anything. While I do believe that the vast majority tend to be decent, there are too many that have an axe to grind because of their own deficiencies and insecurities.

With that being said any of these touching incidents are true then he absolutely deserves to lose his job.

Seems like the complaints came from athletes, a fellow coach and a parent. Seems like a pretty wild conspiracy there. Also, if they had conspired, come up with more serious allegations.

Ghost of christmas past wrote:

Kids today don’t need any other incentive to lie than vindictive nature. These kids have plenty of reason to lie and given the cloak of anonymity, they know EXACTLY what to say to get someone fired.

Apparently then these Lehigh kids (who probably are pretty smart) were not clued in as to what to say then.

Also explain the parent and the coach.

Stating the obvious wrote:

Pis Bill wrote:

How is it we have an award named after Bill Bowerman, the super creeper who peed on his athlete in the shower?

Wait, what?

Anything to substantiate the super creeper and shower pee claims?

Didn't Kenny Moore write about this in his biography of Bowerman (Moore ran for Bowerman). Also the pressing the hot key ring in thighs in the sauna. Even just being in the sauna with your athletes is creepy.

one thing to add here wrote:

I noticed in the article the athletes all call him "Coach Matt". It may seem harmless, but that's a red flag already. Absolutely doesn't mean the guy is going to be a problem for sure, but in my experience coaches that ask or allow themselves to be addressed by "coach first name" instead of "coach" or "coach last name" or "last name" end up trying to be friends or are looked at as friends and the boundaries start getting a lot more fuzzy on one or both sides.

If he wants to do a better job, stop with the "Coach Matt" nonsense.

That is silly. Maybe it is because I grew up in the South where it was common to call someone Mister firstname or Ms Firstname.

I see the Coach Matt as maybe being easier to say that his last name.

Clearly there is more to the story???? DUH. The AD and other administrators are obviously dog crap at doing their jobs. Did you read the article? Nothing has been handled. I also happen to know this is not the first Lehigh coach that has been accused of such ridiculous behavior and kept on staff despite touching the girls and having PARENTS report to the president of the university time and time again. These athletes had to go to the damn school newspaper to be heard because they AD can not handle the situation. These kids chose to go to such a prestigious school with the expectation that people would be held to the standard they were to get into the damn place. They should not have to deal with the nonsense. I am sure there is more to the story and I am sure that it isnt information that would be favorable to that coach. The only positive comments on that article come from athletes and parents whom the coach reached out to and begged to speak on his behalf. A total dunce.

Then sue. Pretty simple. If you’re so certain that you are right then sue. It will be tossed out. Stop trying to ruin a guy’s life. Grow up. He said he’s sorry. Now it is on you to be an adult and realize that not every complaint results in firing.

He said he is sorry??????? Is that how we are going to let things run nowadays???? He was forced to say he was sorry he did not feel any remorse otherwise he wouldve apologized to the girls when they confronted him about his behavior months ago. He does not see a problem with his words or actions

Then sue! What are you waiting for? And yes this is the real world.

Here’s the problem with the generation. They want someone to stop acting a certain way. So they complain. But the thing is, they don’t just want an apology or for the behavior to change. They want him fired so that it effects the rest of his family and his life. Even if he resigns, that isn’t good enough. So let’s try to humiliate the guy and try and ruin his entire life. Let’s call the newspaper. Let’s do everything we can to ruin his entire life because of a few things that at best should result in a resignation.

The punishment for the “crime” in your mind is a life sentence.

I thought getting hit on the butt was a good thing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYUSttBgrSw

AreYouPerfect? wrote:

I've known Matt and Debbie Utesch for years as Patriot League coaching peers/friends and have the utmost respect for their Professionalism, Dedication and Love of Coaching...

I, as well as anyone who has coached for many years, have made mistakes by not realizing something we've said or done with mal-intent was offensive, to an athlete or athletes.

Let the people involved, who have the facts, handle the situation...

No need to capitalize "professionalism, dedication, love and coaching"

Anyways back to the main point, yes we all do and say things that are wrong but you claim to be a coach correct? What is something that you have to do every single year at least once before the season starts? You learn about how to deal with your athletes, specifically in regards to sexual harassment. A rookie coach learns that you should not say or do certain things like touching someones butt or making sexual jokes.

He's a grown-a$$ man who has been coaching for a very long time. If he only now realizes how inappropriate these things are I'm sorry he doesn't deserve the benefit out the doubt.

A one time thing? Sure that can be innocent and an apology is more than enough. Several incidents with various people spread out over years, yeah that's a pattern.

If you can't see this as "grooming" his athletes then you have not learned a single thing while coaching.

Then Sue wrote:

Then sue! What are you waiting for? And yes this is the real world.

Here’s the problem with the generation. They want someone to stop acting a certain way. So they complain. But the thing is, they don’t just want an apology or for the behavior to change. They want him fired so that it effects the rest of his family and his life. Even if he resigns, that isn’t good enough. So let’s try to humiliate the guy and try and ruin his entire life. Let’s call the newspaper. Let’s do everything we can to ruin his entire life because of a few things that at best should result in a resignation.

The punishment for the “crime” in your mind is a life sentence.

This is exactly right. It’s happened to other coaches. They want to try and ruin the person’s life. It’s not about just punishing.