Re-Assessment of Integrity

Pressler

The below email was sent to Mike Pressler, the former Head Coach of Lacrosse at Duke University and currently the Lacrosse Coach at Bryant University, which bewails my utter dismay over his recent behavior, best described as contumely. 

[Note: I am being euphemistic in expressing my feelings . . . for otherwise expletives might spew unabated.] 

* * * * *

To:  Mike Pressler – Lacrosse Coach – Bryant University(mpressle@bryant.edu)

Cc:  See Distribution [below]

Re:  Re-Assessment of Integrity

       [Note:  embedded hyperlinks provide additional information]         

When you wanted my son Michael to attend Duke to play lacrosse, you flew to New York and came to my home to present your case.  This was followed by numerous communications initiated by you.  Throughout the process of selecting a college, you struck me as a man of integrity, and Michael ended up playing for you in the NCAA Division I Lacrosse Championship game the following year as a freshman.

 

During the ensuing 2006 season, the Duke Lacrosse team, and you as its head coach were: (1) victimized by the bold face lies of a misguided young woman and; (2) the reckless prosecutorial actions of a wayward Durham District Attorney.  Everyone associated with Duke Lacrosse had their world turned upside down, and you were wrongfully vilified in the media and unjustly fired.  To set the record straight, you co-wrote a book with an established author, Don Yaeger titled It’s Not About The Truth.

Six years later, the same thing happened to me, however the circumstances and impact were far worse.  Yet when I reached out to you for a mere introduction to Mr. Yaeger, in the context of perhaps assisting with my upcoming book, Cannibals In White Shoes, I am dismayed you don’t exhibit a modicum of respect, nor the decency to return my phone calls, nor respond to my emails. 

And to think I had once considered you altruistic and of character beyond reproach.

Sincerely,

Spencer C. Young

[The father who poured his blood, sweat and tears into sons Michael, Kevin & Ryan Young, who collectively appeared in eight NCAA Final Four Lacrosse Championships, won six Atlantic Coast Conference Championships and one NCAA National title.  Ryan was a three-time All American and team captain at the University of Maryland, as well as standout on the gold medal winning Team USA in the 2008 World Games.  Moreover, the chronic stress of the underlying scandal (carrying national significance and the subject of my book) was a key factor in causing the illness and death of my wife of 24 years.]

Kevin, Ryan and Michael Young

Distribution:  

Neil Best – Sports Reporter – Newsday (Neil.Best@newsday.com)

Paul Carcaterra – Television Commentator – ESPN (via twitter @paulcarcaterra)

John Danowski – Head Coach of Lacrosse – Duke (jdanowski@duaa.duke.edu)

Terry Foy – Managing Editor – Inside Lacrosse (tfoy@insidelacrosse.com)

Inside Lacrosse Magazine (info@insidelacrosse.com and feature@insidelacrosse.com)

Quint Kessenich – TV Commentator – ESPN (quint_k@hotmail.com and @QKessenich)

Eamon McAnaney – TV Commentator – ESPN (@EamonMcAnaney)

Sean McDonough – TV Commentator – ESPN seanmcdonoughfoundation@comcast.net

Bill Smith - Athletic Director – Bryant University (bsmith8@bryant.edu)

John Tillman – Head Coach of Lacrosse – University of Maryland (jtill@umd.edu)