📡 Don't drive a boosters car. Don't drive an agents car. But, the Athletic Directors? Yah, we're okay with that.

[Max]

Zavier Simpson was suspended after wrecking Michigan AD Warde Manuel’s family car, police report shows

Simpson initially lied about his involvement in a crash with street pole crash, according to a police report obtained by The Ann Arbor News.

www.mlive.com

ANN ARBOR, MI - Zavier Simpson’s one-game suspension last month came after he wrecked a car that belongs to athletic director Warde Manuel’s wife, according to a police report obtained by The Ann Arbor News/MLive.

The report also shows that the University of Michigan basketball star lied to officers about his name and whether he was driving when the vehicle crashed into a utility pole in Ann Arbor hours after Michigan’s loss to Illinois last month, according to the police report.

Simpson initially told officers his name was Jeff Jackson Simpson and that he was walking down South Forest Avenue when he noticed the crashed vehicle, Ann Arbor police said in the report acquired via Freedom of Information Act request.

When officers recognized him as the point guard for the Wolverines, they asked him why he lied about his name. Simpson told officers he didn’t want to be involved in the crash report.

Simpson told police the car belonged to Evan Manuel. Manuel is the son of athletic director Warde Manuel, and a student manager for the basketball team.

 

[planomateo]

LOL, a single game suspension. Some really don't understand the point of discipline these days.

 

[TerryP]

LOL, a single game suspension. Some really don't understand the point of discipline these days.

I have to ask if discipline was really an intent here. But I say that with limited knowledge on how this would fall in the levels of penalties. Perhaps this is a Level III secondary violation falling under Bylaw 16 which covers extra benefits under $200. (Assuming that would likely be the cost of renting a vehicle in some situations.) If that's the case they had options including a repayment or suspension. (Again, as I understand these rules!)

Here's where my own logic gets questioned. IF it were simply a minor violation why did he lie about who he was? Why did he lie about the cars true ownership? To me, that's where it gets self-explanatory ... he knew it was a stupid move and against set rules in place.

On a related note ... we didn't get a lot from UM about why he was suspended UNTIL the local paper got their hands on the original police report. I can't think of a reason why the details here would be limited in their release considering they don't have anything to do with academic standing—an area covered by privacy law.

On a somewhat unrelated note ... we have a coach at UM who was a part of their famous Fab Five and we all know about the NCAA issues at the time. Should we expect someone intimately linked with that group to take a hard nose stance against players getting something on the side?

 

[rick4bama]

I have to ask if discipline was really an intent here. But I say that with limited knowledge on how this would fall in the levels of penalties. Perhaps this is a Level III secondary violation falling under Bylaw 16 which covers extra benefits under $200. (Assuming that would likely be the cost of renting a vehicle in some situations.) If that's the case they had options including a repayment or suspension. (Again, as I understand these rules!)

Here's where my own logic gets questioned. IF it were simply a minor violation why did he lie about who he was? Why did he lie about the cars true ownership? To me, that's where it gets self-explanatory ... he knew it was a stupid move and against set rules in place.

On a related note ... we didn't get a lot from UM about why he was suspended UNTIL the local paper got their hands on the original police report. I can't think of a reason why the details here would be limited in their release considering they don't have anything to do with academic standing—an area covered by privacy law.

On a somewhat unrelated note ... we have a coach at UM who was a part of their famous Fab Five and we all know about the NCAA issues at the time. Should we expect someone intimately linked with that group to take a hard nose stance against players getting something on the side?

I am wondering that too!

 

[c5vetman]

maybe he and the Mrs. AD had something going on and he didn't want that known LOL

 

[footballer]

My question. How did he come to be driving the car? Did he take it without permission or was it loaned to him? If loaned to him, by who, and isn't that person at least half responsible?

 

[No Huddle]

Too much common sense.......can't take it.....