Mel Tucker hasn’t officially been fired as the head coach of Michigan State’s football team, but it seems like all roads are pointing to that being the outcome of the investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. While it’s fine to speculate about who will be the next head coach of the Spartans, 97.1 The Ticket host Mike Valenti feels like a more genuine and honest conversation needs to be had about the situation in East Lansing.
On Wednesday’s edition of The Valenti Show with Rico, Valenti took 97.1 morning show hosts Mike Stone and Jon Jansen to task for their list of potential MSU hires.
“I will tell you what I heard this morning was some of the most disingenuous radio in the history of this radio station,” Valenti said, adding that his comments were coming from a strictly professional and business perspective. “When the subject came up on who is MSU’s next coach, honestly I wanted to crash my car versus keep listening.”
“For Jon with a straight face to say, ‘Well Harlon Barnett should be the next head coach. I mean he’s a Spartan.’ I mean honestly, that is the ultimate little pat on the head,” he added. “I was just surprised Jon could make it in after hosting the coach’s show at U of M.”
Harlon Barnett has been named the interim head coach of the Spartans while Tucker is suspended. But Valenti said it was ridiculous for Jansen, a Michigan alum and part of the school’s broadcast team for football gams, to suggest that the only suitable replacements are Michigan State grads or coaches at MAC schools.
“MSU is top 20 in revenue, top 20 in attendance. It is a top 25 public university who just spent 9.5 million dollars on a head coach,” Valenti said. “If you think they have to go to a local soup kitchen to hire their next one, you’re in outer space.”
“If you’re gonna have a conversation about who is MSU’s next head coach and what needs to happen for Harlon to earn the job, that’s fine,” he later added. “Could we Google for five minutes? I mean every person they brought up may as well be in the sequel to Cocoon.”
Valenti felt like Jansen’s Michigan bias clearly clouded the discussion on potential new hires. He said Jon should’ve just flat out said he didn’t want the school to hire a good coach.
“I am at least honest about how I feel about the school down the road,” said Valenti, who is an MSU alum. “Jon subconscious or consciously, just say it. We don’t need to hide it we’re all family Jon. We’re all on the same damn team. Just pat them on the head.”
Mike added that he felt like to not take a subject like that seriously made Jansen out to seem like he wasn’t as smart as he is in terms of college football knowledge.
“If you seriously believe Harlon Barnett makes total sense to be the next head coach you’re telling me you don’t know anything about college football,” he said. “And I know that that’s not the case. Jon’s incredibly knowledgeable.”
