Wow - this post-football potluck affair has turned into a fiasco for Michigan State football. According to the Lansing State Journal, police report that eight additional football players (or more) were at the scene of the altercation at Rather Hall that resulted in several MSU students being injured, just 90 minutes after the football banquet concluded last week. The eight have been suspended from the team, and potentially may not play in the bowl game. The suspended players are wide receivers BJ Cunningham, Mark Dell and Fred Smith, cornerback Chris L. Rucker, running back Ashton Leggett, linebacker Brynden Trawick, defensive tackle Ishmyl Johnson and defensive end Jamiihr Williams. All saw significant playing time this year.

And, it looks like it ain't over yet as police continue to investigate -- there are many witnesses and video evidence. The attorney of the injured MSU student states that others were also at the scene of the altercation: ""We stick by the statement that there were 15-20 members of the football team involved," the attorney told the LSJ. "Of that number, there were three that we could not identify because they were wearing ski masks."

MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis, who was in Chapel Hill, N.C., for the men's basketball game told the LSJ: "Obviously the whole situation is a disappointment to me as an alumnus and as an athletic director. I think today we made a swift decision based upon the information we had available to us."

ES commentary: First, while I've said before not to rush to judgment in many cases for failure of having all the facts, this is a different situation because of the public nature of the incident, "indisputable video evidence" (we've heard that one before on the field), and the swift consequences. ES gives kudos to Mark Dantonio and athletic director Mark Hollis for taking quick action in suspending these players - the players need to be respectful of the institution, Michigan State University, and their football team.

What a bunch of disrespectful idiots -- they must be held accountable for their actions. If any member punched or hurt any student, they should be dismissed from the team immediately. Period. Also, we should also make sure that the non-athlete students involved are also held accountable... and we have not heard that side of the story.

Each member at the scene that didn't participate in the violence should be required to: stay home instead of going to the bowl game, apologize publicly, provide community service above and beyond what they already have done as Spartan athletes, and point out those who were wearing ski masks. Maybe actually force them to take additional credits in the spring and fall -- they obviously have too much time on their hands and could be put to better use studying. If their mere presence helped to precipitate the violence, maybe they should be kicked off the team as well. They should make better judgment decisions.

Those who were wearing ski masks should be most ashamed of themselves and should be immediately kicked off the team and have their scholarships revoked. I don't care who they are. We don't need them.

Look how lovely the publicity is over at ESPN. The ES is disappointed and embarrassed to be a Spartan this morning. Those athletes involved aren't students on scholarships, they are bullies.