| What About Ryan McFadyen?; "D" Man Learns to Hit Hard in Football | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 12 2009, 08:06 AM (1,358 Views) | |
| sceptical | Feb 12 2009, 08:06 AM Post #1 |
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(abb listed this in the media round-up, but I think it deserves its own thread. I have mixed feelings about Ryan. The one time I observed a Duke LAX practice, he appeared to be a very big, very loud and somewhat off-color jock-- not atypical. Others have portrayed him as intelligent and even sensitive. As Bill Anderson points out, Ryan took a principled stand when he was threatened with release of the "American Psycho" e-mail and did not lie about his team-mates. Surely his youthful indiscretion in writing the vulgar private e-mail has been punished a thousand-fold by his notoriety. What do you think?) http://www.laxmagazine.com/college_men/DI/2008-09/news/021009_mcfadyen No Longer Villain, McFadyen Fires Up Duke 'D' by Matt DaSilva | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff Defenseman Ryan McFadyen says he learned how to hit harder as a special teams player for Duke’s football team, a skill that could translate to big impact on the lacrosse field. Ryan McFadyen knows the e-mail was a wretched thing to write. That’s why he wrote it, to get a yuk out of what he thought was a private audience by quoting a book (and movie) whose protagonist makes Marilyn Manson look like Mother Theresa – shock value. Little did he know that e-mailing teammates in jest about skinning and killing strippers (among other vulgarities) would become national news in the Duke lacrosse nightmare. “You Google my name, there are all these links to the e-mail saying this kid’s a psychotic lunatic,” said McFadyen, whose e-mail paraphrased a passage from American Psycho. “Dialogue is the best way to overcome any preconceived notions people have about my character. Talk to me for 10 minutes. I’m not that person.” Vilified publicly when Durham police released the contents of the e-mail as part of District Attorney Mike Nifong’s “tragic rush to accuse,” as the false rape allegations against three of his teammates were later declared, McFadyen could hardly be blamed if he bolted campus. But he didn’t. Instead, when reinstated following a brief suspension, McFadyen rededicated himself to the university and Blue Devils. The last two seasons, he helped anchor Duke’s defense in runs to the NCAA championship game and semifinals, respectively. “I could never play lacrosse for another school,” he said. In the fall, McFadyen took it a step further, earning a scholarship as a walk-on to Duke’s football team in part because of a challenge issued unintentionally by men’s lacrosse coach John Danowski. In a sports psychology exercise last spring, Danowski told the team about his life, and how much he regretted quitting football as a third-string quarterback his senior year at Rutgers, where he also played lacrosse. “I told them how I got consumed with my ego – what a jerk,” Danowski said. “What Ryan heard was the no regrets part.” McFadyen had always been told he’d make a good football player. And despite no previous gridiron experience, he wanted to prove it to himself. He also felt guilty asking his parents to pay for him to return to Duke for an NCAA-granted fifth year of eligibility without the scholarship he previously had in lacrosse. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, but with the shiftiness of a lacrosse player, McFadyen got playing time as a tight end and on special teams. He helped block a kick against Vanderbilt and made a fair catch against Miami. But he was a man amongst beasts. “I go from being the strongest guy on my team to not even being in the top 10,” he said. “Guys are benching 500 pounds, and I’m like, ‘Do you need a spotter?’” Now he knows how Max Quinzani feels. Already the enforcer of Duke’s defense, McFadyen said the most important skill he gleaned from football was learning how to hit the right way. Hard. “I’m used to a kickoff return or cover, running down and throwing my body full speed into someone,” he said. “If anyone on our lacrosse team complains, I’ll tell them to do a Bloody Tuesday session. It speaks for itself – full pads, and you’re not holding anything back.” The Blue Devils, ranked No. 8 in Lacrosse Magazine's preseason poll, host No. 20 Bucknell in both teams' season-opener Saturday. Edited by sceptical, Feb 12 2009, 08:07 AM.
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| Quasimodo | Feb 12 2009, 08:44 AM Post #2 |
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It's not atypical for police to threaten someone with public exposure of their name--as, for example, when they tell you that if you resist having your house searched without a warrant, they will get a warrant--but the warrant is a public document and therefore your name will be made public in connection with an investigation (ergo, the suggestion is that if you want to avoid that, you let them search your house without getting a warrant). Who would want their name publicized in connection with a notorious crime? McFadyen (like Elmo) refused to cooperate. (So, for that matter, did Finnerty when confronted with pressure from DC, which I'm sure could have all been made to "go away" if he had been willing to "cooperate".) For his refusal to cooperate with the DPD (and help them convict innocent persons), McFayden received public noteriety and over 1000 death threats in one week. He showed more character than most of our politicians (although that's not saying much; bozo the clown shows more character than most of our politicians), and for that he deserves recognition. ETA : he also showed more character than the officials at Duke who must have known, or come to know, almost immediately, the source of the quotes in the email. Edited by Quasimodo, Feb 12 2009, 08:46 AM.
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| abb | Feb 12 2009, 09:01 AM Post #3 |
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Never met the man. For that matter, never met or spoken with any of the team members or their families. If he's big, or loud, or off-color doesn't matter. None is a legitimate excuse to conduct a lynching. And if vulgar e-mails are law enforcement's business, then everybody's going to jail. |
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| brittany | Feb 12 2009, 09:02 AM Post #4 |
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So can't he be all the above. Big, funny and VERY intelligent. All that happened to him and his family over one stupid, juvenile email that was taken out of context. You left out his BIG heart. How many other players or any of us would have the courage to try out and play a college sport( a sport they had not played since 5th grade) , so they could continue for a 5th year and get a scholarship for their education so as not to be a burden to their family? Suggest let's close this thread or move it. Edited by brittany, Feb 12 2009, 09:08 AM.
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| chatham | Feb 12 2009, 09:39 AM Post #5 |
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I met Ryan when KC was giving his book speech at Duke. He is smart and very friendly and I was most impressed with his looking one in the eyes when he talks with someone. I also met Ryan's dad at one of the Lacrosse games. He also is very smart and friendly and also looks one in the eyes when he talks with someone. He also is opinionated about certain past Duke events....lol lol |
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| Baldo | Feb 12 2009, 10:59 AM Post #6 |
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From all accounts Ryan is a wonderful person, loved by his teammates and fellow students who know him. His only mistake was one-email extracted out of many, sent in private, to his buddies after they were just ripped off by one crazed, psycho, and drunk stripper. Unbeknown to him at the same time she was making false accusations against the entire team. For that he was vilified in the MSM and by professors on campus. He became the target of death threats and his family suffered. By the time this is over he will have grown stronger and the truth will be told. Those that vilified him will be the real losers. |
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