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Social media and fan interactions after tough losses have been a topic of conversation in recent days after a Michigan student sent a nasty email to Ronnie Bell after dropping the game-tying touchdown pass in Saturday’s 28-21 loss to Penn State.
The student, Connor Grady, has gone on the record with a public apology to Bell and the fanbase for representing himself poorly.
“Thank you for reaching out for comment,” Grady told the AP’s Larry Lage. “I would like to state for the record that I wish to apologize to Mr. Bell and any other members of the Michigan community who were rightly offended by my thoughtless message to Mr. Bell. I have privately apologized to Mr. Bell, and I have also apologized publicly to the Bell family. I am a proud Michigan alumnus and a passionate fan who has supported the team for years. However, my conduct was not acceptable under any circumstances, and I make no excuses for my behavior. I am deeply sorry to have brought shame and embarrassment to the Michigan community, and I hope that the community can forgive me for such unbecoming behavior. Thank you for the opportunity to apologize in your story. Sincerely, Connor Grady.”
The original post was brought to light by Bell’s father in a Facebook post early Sunday morning.
“Now that I’m back in my hotel room, I want to reflect on a few things,” Aaron Bell said in a Facebook post. “People, if you have anything to say about the last offensive play DIRECTED at my son, please talk to me. I’ll be more than happy to sit down and talk PARENT TO FAN. And if (you) know this guy, please have him DM me for lunch some time. These kids are playing hard as hell. No reason to reach out and talk like this. You are extremely childish for this. So please contact me, we can sit down PARENT to FAN!!”
Bell’s father posted the screenshot of the Facebook post and the email sent from Grady to his Twitter account. The social media platform deleted the tweet due to violating the website’s rules, likely due to the fact it doxxed Grady and gave out personal info.
“Please quit the team already,” Grady told Bell in the email. “Utterly sad that my tuition goes to paying for the scholarship for such a scrub ass player like you. Bum ass. Go play basketball somewhere. Please do us all a favor and never play football again.”
Consider this matter closed.
Fan confidence on the rise even after Penn State loss
Our latest SBNation FanPulse results will be live later on today, but the most notable tidbit of information comes in the form of our fan confidence poll, as voted on by Maize n Brew readers.
That said, those of you confident about the direction are still in the minority with 44 percent of fans still positive in where the Jim Harbaugh era is going. This number is up from 32.8 percent after the Illinois game.
Here’s a recap of how it has gone each week this season.
Week 1: 92.4 percent
Week 2: 51.4 percent
Week 3: 58.9 percent
Week 4: 12.7 percent
Week 5: 46.7 percent
Week 6: 36.1 percent
Week 7: 32.8 percent
Week 8: 44 percent
If you’re not familiar with how FanPulse works, each weekend after the games are complete, we send out a survey for you to select this week’s top 25 and also your confidence in where the program is heading. It’s as easy as signing up here, and bang, the survey will come to you each week and you get to represent Maize n Brew and the Michigan community.
No more moral victories, says Michigan Daily
Right now, this fanbase and some of the members of the media seem to be walking on eggshells as it pertains to how we should view this program at the moment, but one of the closest outlets to the university isn’t allowing the moral victory narrative to consume the headlines.
Max Marcovitch of the Michigan Daily, the student-run newspaper on campus, has a strong message for those who claim they are happy with where things are at.
All that’s left to say — after a game which will mark Jim Harbaugh’s seventh loss to a ranked opponent on the road in eight tries and his eighth loss in eight games as an underdog — is that there are no more moral victories. This is Year Five. Half a decade into what should have been a golden age of Michigan football, the Wolverines will have not a thing to show for it. This program is not what it thinks it is, plain and simple.
The second half against Penn State showed glimpses of what this team could be if it ever reached its apex. Patterson was in a groove, dealing to his trove of weapons. The offense had tempo and purpose, wearing down a Nittany Lions defense that entered the game top 10 in SP+ defense. The defense was as aggressive and imposing as it perceives itself. It was at once a glimmer of hope, and a cruel twist of the knife — the full comeback ending mere yards shy, No. 7 Penn State escaping with a 28-21 win.
The performance in the second half Saturday, one of the best halves of football this team has played in years, changes nothing. Just because Harbaugh’s team surpassed the menial expectations it set for itself through the first six games does not excuse another in a remarkably consistent line of disappointments.
There isn’t a single lie in that and this is about as well-said as it gets. Michigan can and should be better right now at this point in the process.
Other Brews
- Florida State is considering a coaching change and if they do it, Urban Meyer becomes the top target on the list, according to Football Scoop.
- Former Georgia and Miami (FL) head coach Mark Richt announced on Monday that he had a heart attack over the weekend. We wish him the best in his recovery and hope he gets back to work on ACC Network soon.
- No timetable has been set for the return of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after he suffered an ankle injury over the weekend, according to head coach Nick Saban.