Mel Pearson

That 16 former Michigan hockey players from 1984 to 2001 are suing the university and the Board of Regents, alleging that they were subjected to sexual torture and hazing during their careers there.

uh behaviors but by the way that they claim in the lawsuit uh were encouraged again allegedly by red berenson and mel pearson uh thanks this is a heavy one uh your your thoughts

few thoughts uh yeah definitely heavy one let's state the obvious which you guys have already stated this week that you know hazing is wrong we know that same with sexual harassment and racism these are old bugaboos in our society um It doesn't matter how common it was, it's not right and it's not even legal.

I will say, having said that, of course, and certainly very aware of hockey culture, and I've played with these guys for 15, 20 years on Tuesday nights at Yost.

84 to 2001, you know, Red coached another 16 years after that.

So that was something that was noteworthy.

And then the other part that was noteworthy to me, Bakes, for the allegations that were levied at Red and Mel Pearson, they were not named as defendants in the lawsuit.

I wonder if you make anything at all of that.

We've obviously changed as a society, but it is just really troubling to see that close to, what, 25 years? No, 16, 17 years? I'm not doing math well today, but we're talking 100-plus athletes on all those teams combined, and the experiences they went through, it's so troubling.

This had been hinted at as well in the Anderson investigation and the Mel Pearson culture investigation, too.

There were hints that this sort of culture existed in that program.

For as winning as a coach as Red Berenson is and respected in the sports world, When you see all of these sorts of cultural problems that come out of the program, you have to wonder how this affects his Hockey Hall of Fame bid.

... uh, during their time as, as athletes at the University of Michigan.

They named the University of Michigan and the Board of Regents in the lawsuit, but they take very clear aim, uh, while not in the lawsuit, um, but they, they mention in the lawsuit that this, ah, environment, this atmosphere was, ah, encouraged by former Michigan hockey coaches Mel Pearson and Red Berenson.

Um-

In fact, doesn't it say they were mandated? That it was a part of a mandate of the program? I mean, I think that's what the allegation is.

Yeah.

But here, here it is-

Um, it's curious that, that neither Mel nor Red is listed as a defendant, but they're also listed as primary culpable parties.

So I, I-

That's where we are.

But he got knocked, and rightfully so, for over his watch with the hockey program as far as not winning the losses, all the stuff with Mel Pearson and all that stuff.

I mean, that's under Ward's watch.

That's a demerit in his category.