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Yale Basketball Players Do Not Want To Discuss Captain Jack Montague, Expelled For ‘Sexual Misconduct’

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 08:58 PST, Mar 17, 2016

The Yale basketball program is thrilled to be in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in decades, and the last thing they want to talk about is their senior former captain, Jack Montague, who was expelled from Yale University for “sexual misconduct.” In response to his expulsion, Montague is suing Yale, and no doubt, players and coaches will be interviewed before it gets to court. No matter what, there is a wall of silence when it comes to any questions about Montague, and if the Yale players know anything about what led to the explosion of Montague, they aren’t talking.

It is sad that the first time the Yale basketball team makes it to the NCAA tournament in 54 years, scandal brews, and the talk is about free speech and sexual assault, according to Slate. Outside of the actual game of basketball, Yale would rather have the color commentary be about Brandon Sherrod, a player on the Yale Bulldogs, and also a member of the Whiffenpoofs, the historical acapella singing group.

There is allegedly a mixed reaction when anyone on the Yale campus is asked about expelled player Jack Montague, but nobody seems to want to discuss it for long. Other athletes on campus commented in general terms. It seems that no one knows what exactly happened, but since their team is in the tournament, and they are playing not far down the road in Rhode Island, Yalies want the focus to be on basketball and not on Montague.

The investigation and expulsion of Jack Montague was swift, and the Yale captain has not been in the line-up since February 6. A charge was made, Yale’s University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct (UWC) investigated, and Montague was dismissed, and denied an appeal. Montague’s father said that they are taking the gentleman’s way out for now, but the whole story will come out soon enough.

“The Montague thing has overshadowed [the team’s] success and it shouldn’t.”

ESPN is reporting that Yale players are happy to talk to the press about almost anything except Jack Montague. Montague’s lawyer released a statement this week, just before the game in Providence, Rhode Island, against Baylor (which, coincidentally, Montague attended). Max Stern said that Yale was using Jack Montague as their “whipping boy,” and that Yale had just settled a federal complaint over their handling of another sexual assault case.

Brandon Sherrod of Whiffenpoof fame said that the Yale basketball team would prefer to focus on being the first Bulldog team to make it past the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“Obviously we know these questions will come up, and we’ll answer them as candidly as we can, but we’re here to play basketball and win a game. I think if we do that.”

But “no comment” is the only response heard when it comes to questions about Montague.

The Daily Mail is reporting about the victim’s side of the Yale sexual assault story, and about Jack Montague, who, to make it clear, has not had his day in court. The Daily Mail is reporting that the victim wanted to recant, but says that “they won’t let me,” which hints that “they” are Yale University.

A Montague supporter is suggesting that Yale is looking for someone who is high profile to show that they will come down hard on those accused of sex crimes on campus, but the same supporter said that the accuser wanted to, and still wants to recant, and reached out to Montague post alleged assault.

“She texted Jack several times with increasing intensity,” said the source. “He replied ‘Is everything all right,’ and she said something to the effect of ‘I’m OK, I’m not pregnant or anything.'”

Montague and the alleged victim parted on amicable terms reportedly. The couple allegedly had intercourse four times, and the dispute is about the fourth meeting of Montague and the accuser.

In a statement, Yale has said expulsion, like that in Montague’s case, is not something that is ever carried out in a case where there is any ambiguity.

Do you think there is more to the Yale case of Jack Montague?

[Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images]

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