White will also play his first match of the season for the Dees, with op

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota football coach Tracy Claeys doubled down Sunday on his support for players who boycotted practices and threatened to skip a bowl game if 10 teammates suspended after a sexual assault investigation werent reinstated.Speaking publicly for the first time since a standoff between 110 Golden Gophers football players and the administration, Claeys said he understands the players frustration with a Title IX investigation that they felt was inherently unfair to teammates who were accused of assaulting a woman at an off-campus dorm in September.As kids, they have no problems being held to a higher standard than the university requires and should require, Claeys said after Minnesotas practice. This is all about the due process.Claeys also clarified a comment he made on WCCO radio on Sunday morning when he said he was risking his job by supporting the players. The coach said he was just advising his players of possible ramifications during a team meeting on Thursday, before the team made the announcement to boycott.I was a sounding board for them and it was their decision, Claeys said. I made sure to make sure that they knew what the possible fallouts could be and we went through all those things. ... I was there to make sure that they were doing it for the right reasons and they knew what the consequences could be.The boycott ended Saturday when the team backed down and said they would play in the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl against Washington State in San Diego, even though officials declined to reinstate their suspended teammates. The players agreed after getting assurances that those accused will get a fair hearing next month.After the entire team announced the boycott Thursday, Claeys publicly backed his players.Have never been more proud of our kids, Claeys tweeted at the time. I respect their rights (and) support their effort to make a better world!Claeys said Sunday he wished he would have chosen his words more carefully in the tweet, but said he did not regret sending it.If you just show support for the players behind closed doors, youre going to have a group of them that dont believe you, he said. I needed to do that in a public way and I tried to do it as short as possible. ... It was all about me supporting their actions to try to improve the due process. Not just on this campus but other campuses.Claeys said his players were not condoning sexual assault or harassment in any way. But they believed their suspended teammates were denied due process.Officials announced the suspensions Tuesday after an internal investigation determined the 10 players violated school conduct codes in an encounter involving a woman and several players on Sept. 2.According to the police report, the woman told police she had consensual sex with two men that night, but that she did not consent to sexual contact with other men who were present, including players. According to universitys more detailed internal report, she told university investigators that she believed 10 to 20 men had sex with her that night, though she wasnt sure because she had memory gaps from drinking. Prosecutors declined to press charges, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but the university uses a lower bar in student discipline cases.Linebacker Nick Rallis told WCCO the players believe the boycott succeeded, even though nobody was reinstated, because they believe it will ensure that athletes at Minnesota and other colleges who are accused of misconduct in the future get fair hearings.The Title IX investigative process has become a hotly-debated topic on campuses around the country. Opponents argue that school investigators are often not professionals and do not have subpoena power or the ability to put a witness under oath.Proponents say the problem of sexual assault on college campuses is too important, especially after the Department of Education threatened to pull federal aid for public schools if they did not increase their efforts to address the problem.Minnesota President Eric Kaler said Saturday that he understood that Claeys position.Coaches are in a challenging position, Kaler said. They need to support their players. They need to motivate their players. At the same time, they need to be responsible for their actions, and there are times in which those two demands put coaches in very difficult positions.And I think some of our coaches around this issue were in that very difficult position and well talk about that with them and try to improve both their understanding and our understanding.Claeys said he has spoken with athletic director Mark Coyle several times since Thursday and is not concerned about his job at the moment.I understand why (the suspensions) were made, Claeys said. But as for the players, the due process part was the part I did agree with on the players.---Associated Press Writer Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Fake Jerseys . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Fake Soccer Jerseys .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. https://www.fakejerseys.us.com/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Fake Hockey Jerseys . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Fake Football Jerseys . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Forgotten forces Mitch Clark and Jack Grimes return to senior football this weekend as AFL coaches ring the changes at the selection table.Clark leads the inclusions for Geelong and will line up for the Cats on Friday night against Sydney for the first time since round nine last year.A leg injury and mental health issues have denied Clark, 28, a proper run at his third AFL home after Brisbane and Melbourne.Veteran teammate Jimmy Bartel said there was a buzz at the Cattery ahead of his return to the team after a solid four-week block in the reserves.Hes been playing some really good footy in our VFL team ... hes fit and ready to go, Bartel told SEN radio.He joins Darcy Lang and Nakia Cockatoo in the Geelong 22 with Rhys Stanley, Shane Kersten and Cory Gregson making way.Sydney coach John Longmire has made four unforced changes for the crunch clash.Isaac Heeney is being managed, with Jeremy Laidler, Toby Nankervis and Ben McGlynn dropped for the match.Veteran defender Ted Richards will play his first match since a concussion in round nine, with young guns Aliir Aliir, Tom Papley and Sam Naismith joining him in the side.Darwin will host Grimes long-awaited return to the Melbourne line-up.The former Demons captain has been named emergency 11 times this year but will snap that run against Fremantle.Grimesys been knocking on the ddoor for a while and he played a really good game last week, Melbourne coach Paul Roos said on Thursday.ddddddddddddHe had 20-odd possessions and had a couple of goals, and he played the way we want him to play.Mitch White will also play his first match of the season for the Dees, with opponents Fremantle making three changes.Jon Griffin, Garrick Ibbotson and Ed Langdon return to the side in place of Michael Barlow (finger) and dropped pair Jack Hannath and Zac Clarke.Richmond will hand a debut to Oleg Markov among five changes to face the Western Bulldogs.Shaun Hampson comes into the team for Ivan Maric, with Ty Vickery also making way.The Bulldogs have yet to relent on their internal bans on Tom Boyd and Zaine Cordy but have flipped two for the Saturday night match.In his first match since round six, Koby Stevens takes Will Minsons place while Marcus Adams (foot) absence will be covered by Fletcher Roberts.The Q-Clash will have a new face when Reuben William laces up for Brisbane at Metricon Stadium.The Sudanese-born defender has timed his run to the seniors nicely in the multicultural-themed round.He joins Dayne Zorko in the side, with the Suns adding Jarrod Garlett for Matt Rosa (hamstring). 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