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Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light

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Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light


Craig Monroe was removed from his role as an analyst on Tigers television and radio broadcasts last month minutes after a post on social media accused him of sexually molesting a girl in Florida, a source with knowledge of the removal told The Detroit News. The accuser said the abuse continued for years, into his years playing in Detroit.

The accuser first posted on X about the allegations last month, tagging multiple news outlets, before deleting that original post. However, according to the source with knowledge of the situation, an executive with Bally Sports Detroit had already seen the post.

At the time, Monroe was at Comerica Park preparing to work the series opener between the Tigers and Washington Nationals on June 11. Within 30 minutes of seeing the post, a Bally Sports Detroit executive demanded Monroe leave the ballpark, according to the source.

Bally Sports Detroit, which broadcasts Tigers games, and the Tigers issued a statement to The News on Tuesday, acknowledging the accusations.

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“Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are aware of the social-media allegations and take them seriously,” the Tigers and Bally Sports Detroit said in a jointly released statement. “As previously stated, Mr. Monroe has not been on the broadcast schedule, and that will continue on an indefinite basis. We will have no further comment and any questions should be directed to Mr. Monroe.”

Monroe hasn’t called a Tigers game since the June 9 game between the Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers in Detroit. He hasn’t posted on social media since May 8.

Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers first acknowledged Monroe’s on-air absence in a statement to local media outlets June 21, saying he was “addressing a personal matter.”

Monroe hasn’t returned multiple messages from The News since he was removed from the air last month. The News has reached out to the woman who made the accusations on social media, via X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and she has not responded.

The woman who detailed abuse dating back to her childhood did talk anonymously to WJBK-TV (Channel 2) for a story posted late Monday.

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Gabriella Ruiz of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office in Florida confirmed to The News that the agency is actively investigating the woman’s claims, and it is asking anyone else with information to come forward.

Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are not investigating the claims; they are leaving that to the authorities, according to the source with knowledge of the situation.

The allegations date to the late 1990s, when Monroe was playing for the Texas Rangers’ minor-league organization in Port Charlotte, Florida. The woman said Monroe lived with her family when he was 20, and she was 12. Back then, it was common for players in the low levels of the minor leagues to stay with “host” families, to save on costs.

The woman posted the allegations again Thursday, and that post remains on X and Instagram. The woman posted a video Saturday expanding on her original post.

Monroe, 47, is a freelance employee who was paid on a per-game basis for his work on the Tigers’ television and radio broadcasts, with no minimum or maximum number of games in his agreement. Monroe received no health insurance or other benefits through his work on television or radio, and he is not being compensated during his absence. Bally Sports Detroit paid him for his work on TV, and the Tigers paid him for his work on radio.

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Monroe joined the Tigers’ television team in 2012, first as a studio analyst, and eventually as an on-air game analyst. He emerged in recent years as the lead TV analyst, in a rotation that now includes Kirk Gibson, Dan Petry, Carlos Pena and Todd Jones. Petry has been handling additional game work, in Monroe’s absence.

Monroe broke into the major leagues with the Rangers in 2001 and was claimed off waivers by the Tigers in 2002. A slugging outfielder, he played parts of six seasons with the Tigers, helping lead them to the 2006 World Series.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

Staff Writer George Hunter contributed.

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Detroit, MI

Lions List of ‘Blue-Chip’ Players Is Astounding

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Lions List of ‘Blue-Chip’ Players Is Astounding


The Detroit Lions have stacked their roster with several talented, gritty young NFL players who fit the culture head coach Dan Campbell and the front office is seeking to fill the locker room with.

In a recent ESPN ranking of each NFL teams’ under-25 talent, the Lions came in No. 2, only behind the Houston Texans.

Brad Holmes’ roster was the only NFL team listed that included five “blue-chip” players under the age of 25, including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Penei Sewell, and Aidan Hutchinson.

“As you can tell by their placement on this list, the Lions aced the top of the past few drafts. We can certainly have some interesting arguments about positional value with the picks that Detroit made, but it’s hard to argue with the results,” writes Aaron Schatz. “Sewell was a first-team All-Pro last season and is 23 years old. LaPorta is also 23 and set an NFL record for catches by a rookie tight end (86). Gibbs and Brian Branch are just 22, while first-round rookie Terrion Arnold is likely to be an NFL starter at 21.”

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Last week at the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, Hutchinson expressed he feels this is the season the team puts it all together and wins a Lombardi Trophy.

“I feel with every fiber of my body, I feel like it’s the year,” Hutchinson told Brad Galli of WXYZ. Honestly, from this year on, every year is the year. With the guys that we have, I hope that we’re going to sustain the success for a long time.”

Detroit is also counting on other talented players to take strides forward in 2024, including Jameson Williams, Brian Branch, Jack Campbell and Arnold.

Additional reading

1.) ‘It’s All Football’: Aidan Hutchinson Discusses Offseason Goals, Plans

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2.) Lions Should Be Featured In Offseason ‘Hard Knocks’

3.) Predicting Lions’ Offensive Breakout Players

4.) Lions ‘Not Interested’ in Signing Wideouts Prior to Training Camp



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Detroit, MI

Butterfly Collective fundraiser supports abuse victims in Metro Detroit

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Butterfly Collective fundraiser supports abuse victims in Metro Detroit


Butterfly Collective fundraiser supports abuse victims in Metro Detroit – CBS Detroit

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Every summer, there are reports across the country about rising violence, and the Fourth of July can be particularly violent, according to the Gun Violence Archive. But advocates say what’s often overlooked in those statistics is domestic abuse. Ashley Sonnenfield, vice president of The Butterfly Collective, joined CBS News to discuss the organization’s fundraiser.

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Former Detroit Pistons Coach Makes Critical Decision on Lakers Job

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Former Detroit Pistons Coach Makes Critical Decision on Lakers Job


The Detroit Pistons might’ve made a lot of changes lately, but they aren’t alone. With a handful of teams parting ways with their head coaches from the start of the 2023-2024 NBA season, a lot of staffs have seen changes as a result.

Recently, it’s been reported that the Los Angeles Lakers’ new head coach JJ Redick was targeting a member of the Pistons’ front office. Dwane Casey, a former coach, was a candidate for Redick.

It took some time for Casey to decide what he wanted to do, but it seems he’ll stick around in Detroit. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Casey has “withdrawn” his name for consideration in LA.

It took time, and the period without a decision meant Casey actually considered heading out West to get back into the coaching cycle. Per the report, Casey didn’t want to uproot his family, leaving him in Michigan with the Pistons.

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The last time Casey coached, the Pistons finished with a 17-65 record. It was clear Casey was headed towards the free agency market, but he decided to step down and took on an opportunity to move to the Pistons’ front office instead.

When Casey’s time with Detroit concluded, he wrapped a five-year tenure. In 384 games, the Pistons went 121-263. They made the playoffs on just one occasion, as Casey oversaw most of the Pistons’ rebuild. When he left, he was replaced by Monty Williams.

Being that the Lakers is Redick’s first professional coaching job, he could use all of the veteran experience alongside him he can get. Since Casey has coached in the NCAA for ten years, and has been around the NBA since 1994, he has more than enough experience to hold a job as an assistant. The last time he coached as an assistant, Casey was a member of the Dallas Mavericks’ organization in 2011.

It’s unclear if coaching in the future is an option or not for Casey, but it’s apparent the Lakers won’t land his services. For now, Casey will stick around in the Pistons’ front office, as they navigate through a new era under President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon.



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