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Injured hockey player rips MSU football decision

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07:58 AM ET 08.14 | Michigan State hockey player A.J. Sturges released a statement Thursday to media members criticizing the football program's decision to reinstate Glenn Winston, the sophomore running back who injured him during an off-campus altercation in October. "In my opinion, the immediate reinstatement of Glenn Winston to the football team reflects very poorly on Michigan State athletics," Sturges wrote. "This decision has established weak precedent for future athletes involved in violent crimes." Sturges said he suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and had to have five stitches inside his mouth after taking a punch to the side of the head from Winston. Sturges missed the 2008-09 season and said he was forced to drop academic courses because of memory issues and headaches resulting from the injuries.

Detroit Free Press

Mark Dantonio, AP Mark Dantonio, AP
August 14, 2009  08:46 AM ET

typical, i guess nothing matters except winning with STUDENT-athletes?

August 14, 2009  09:09 AM ET

Diehard Spartan fan here and Dantonio rocks, but STurges is 100% correct. Winston should be gone for this season as well.

August 14, 2009  09:53 AM ET

I say let this kid play football. Hopefully he makes it the the NFL. Then Sturges can sue him, and actually get something for it. Aside from the headaches and memory loss. Hopefully he heals up and can finish school.

August 14, 2009  10:02 AM ET

Sturges should have learned to keep his hands up.. This wasnt a hockey brawl, no pads and sticks... But I guess Winston must be very good.. But i dont know the whole story behind the fight

August 14, 2009  10:43 AM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Sturges should have learned to keep his hands up.. This wasnt a hockey brawl, no pads and sticks... But I guess Winston must be very good.. But i dont know the whole story behind the fight

And people think Michael Vick got off easy.

August 14, 2009  10:43 AM ET

Sorry, I didn't mean to quote you LSU Laundry in FL.

But, since I did, if you believe Sturges, apparently this wasn't a fight. He was blindsided.

August 14, 2009  10:56 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

Sorry, I didn't mean to quote you LSU Laundry in FL.But, since I did, if you believe Sturges, apparently this wasn't a fight. He was blindsided.

Its ok B... I was just being funny.. But I thought I google the story so I am informed :).. Here is the link for anyone else:
http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2009/08/msu_hockey_player_aj_sturg es_r.html ...

I guess CFB > Hockey...

And IMO Vick did his time

August 14, 2009  11:34 AM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Sturges should have learned to keep his hands up.. This wasnt a hockey brawl, no pads and sticks... But I guess Winston must be very good.. But i dont know the whole story behind the fight

haha, i dont think that is the point here

August 14, 2009  11:56 AM ET

I think that Glenn Winston needs to be on the Hockey team instead of the football team.

August 14, 2009  12:18 PM ET

To think everyone thinks RichRod is the shady coach in Michigan...C'mon MSU, you won the national championship in Hockey a few years ago, and you might have a chance this year too. What would have happened if Winston had punched someone on the basketball team...D'Antonio vs. Izzo...hahaha not even close!

August 14, 2009  12:30 PM ET

Out of curiousity. When Sturgess teammate took a cheap shot at a UM player on the ice last winter, where was Sturgess outrage then.

His teammate was suspended for a handful of games, and then was allowed to come back to the team. The teammate chose not to, but he was allowed the opportunity.

Why was Sturgess not up in arms at that point?

August 14, 2009  12:56 PM ET
QUOTE(#2):

Diehard Spartan fan here and Dantonio rocks, but STurges is 100% correct. Winston should be gone for this season as well.

You are correct. There is no defense for MSU in this case. I suspect the lawyers will make a settlement in the end..vs. the school and vs. Winston..

August 14, 2009  01:28 PM ET

It sounds to me like AJ Sturges should do a better job of deciding who he picks a fight with. This was not an unprovoked fight or a mugging. AJ Sturges made a decision to get in a fight and I'm sorry but he got whooped.

Winston beat him up. Big deal go play ball. If Sturges wasn't such a sissy he could be playing his sport right now too.

August 14, 2009  01:28 PM ET

Honestly, it would be nice to know the plain truth about the incident.

August 14, 2009  01:38 PM ET

Here is a segment from Sturges' statement in The Lansing State Journal article. Also Winston received a 180 jail sentence. Was the other person, White re-instated as well?

"Last October, I was assaulted by Glenn Winston. This was not a fight, or a disagreement. I was in bed in my room and came downstairs after hearing the commotion caused by three cars pulling up filled with screaming and violent people. I was standing in my front yard trying to figure out what was going on when Glenn Winston punched me in the head from the side. I never saw him. I did not have any chance to protect myself at all. Neither did his other victims.

That night, I received a fractured skull, five stitches inside my mouth, and a subdural hematoma, or bleeding on the brain. I was not involved in a college fight, as this story is perceived. After having nothing to do with any events that occurred earlier that night, I was attacked in my own house.

As a hockey player, I know what a fight is. What happened that night was not a fight. What happened was a violent crime. Pure and simple."

August 14, 2009  01:43 PM ET

Was Mitchell White re-instated as well?

August 14, 2009  01:47 PM ET

When was the last time you heard a hockey player complain about too much violence?

August 14, 2009  02:16 PM ET
QUOTE(#15):

Here is a segment from Sturges' statement in The Lansing State Journal article. Also Winston received a 180 jail sentence. Was the other person, White re-instated as well?"Last October, I was assaulted by Glenn Winston. This was not a fight, or a disagreement. I was in bed in my room and came downstairs after hearing the commotion caused by three cars pulling up filled with screaming and violent people. I was standing in my front yard trying to figure out what was going on when Glenn Winston punched me in the head from the side. I never saw him. I did not have any chance to protect myself at all. Neither did his other victims.That night, I received a fractured skull, five stitches inside my mouth, and a subdural hematoma, or bleeding on the brain. I was not involved in a college fight, as this story is perceived. After having nothing to do with any events that occurred earlier that night, I was attacked in my own house.As a hockey player, I know what a fight is. What happened that night was not a fight. What happened was a violent crime. Pure and simple."

I would say anything necessary to cover my butt too......

August 14, 2009  02:57 PM ET
QUOTE(#17):

When was the last time you heard a hockey player complain about too much violence?

True Figure Skater

 
August 14, 2009  04:00 PM ET

Was Winston suspended after that incident last season? That would have occured mid-way through the season last year? If he was suspended then he should be allowed back on the team. I do think he should have been panalized and being suspended from the team for the rest of the season plus spring ball should have been enough.

Also, what was the criminal outcome of the case and what was the campus judiciary outcome of the case?

I also don't buy all of Sturges' claims either. He was wildly punched for no reason what so ever. I don't think that was what really happened.

I'm not saying Winston shouldn't be punished, but there are two sides to each story and I don't think Sturges' story is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

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