Alleged Clemson fan left racist voicemail for Michigan signee Rashan Gary
Top recruit and Michigan signee Rashan Gary had to deal with some racism during his recruitment from someone claiming to be a Clemson fan.
Recruiting is a crazy world and if you dive deep into the madness, you’ll see some of the worst behavior from adults losing all forms of decent human behavior over the decisions of teenagers.
It would appear Rashan Gary is the latest victim to experience the ugly side to recruiting. The top recruit in the nation who committed to Michigan on National Signing Day saw just how far some fans are willing to go.
According to northjersey.com, an alleged Clemson fan left a voicemail at the athletic department of Gary’s high school Paramus Catholic and contained racist overtones and what could be interpreted as a threat of violence.
"“If you’re coming down here, you gotta do just like the KKK and be serious about your football. Clemson and the KKK, the two things we love the most,” the caller said.The target of the voice mail, which came at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 28, was Paramus Catholic star Rashan Gary. It was made the day before the defensive lineman took an official visit to Clemson.The man who left the message identified himself twice during the 58-second voice mail only as “Clemson Dan.”“So you better not be fooling around, if you’re gonna get a visit, you better be commitin’,” “Clemson Dan” said on the voice mail.“So, just be aware, this ain’t no fooling thing. We Clemson. We big-time football down here.”"
The Paramus Police Department are investigating the matter and obtained search warrants to obtain the phone number from the phone company to try to identify the caller. If this was a Clemson fan or a sick and twisted individual pretending to be a racist Clemson fan so Gary wouldn’t pick the school, it’s a messed up situation all around.
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Gary and every other recruit past and those about to go through the recruiting process should never have to be subject to this type of sub-human behavior.
Gary’s mother Jennifer Coney was shocked and distraught at the message and she thinks it was someone who didn’t want her son to attend Clemson. So that stands to reason it could be someone who is a fan of a team competing with Clemson or it could have even been a Michigan fan who wanted to make sure the Wolverines remained in the driver’s seat for the top recruit.
“They wouldn’t have done that, being that we’re black people from the North. Why would you say that I’m ‘Clemson Dan’ and say something about threatening from the Ku Klux Klan and we’re serious down here?” Coney said. “I would think that there was somebody who didn’t want Rashan to consider Clemson.
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“I took the time to let everybody listen to the voice mail. And I’m telling you, everybody appeared shocked. They appeared distraught, like this is unbelievable.”
Hopefully, the police will be able to identify the person who left the message and that person will be subject to appropriate justice.