I have to disagree on almost all the points here - the benefit of everyone having an opinion. I will say that you're right when you talk about not being punished until proven guilty. It's crazy that someone can be suspended just because another person claims that they were assaulted in that manner. HOWEVER - that's the life you choose when you become an athlete at a premiere school - you are put under more scrutiny.
I disagree when it comes to the crime. True, most people would slap the person in the face and walk away - but to imply that it's okay to have this happen to you because you're in a public establishment, or to imply that you give up your rights as a human to not be groped, that's ridiculous. I don't care who does it to whom, but I don't think anyone should have to put up with another person grabbing their breast/penis/<insert body part here> just because they are in public. I'm not saying I think calling the cops is necessary, but it's well within a person's rights, and they are NEVER in the wrong for doing so. I'm sorry you feel that way.
As for the newspaper. I could go either way here. In the end, the paper has to sell copies, and if stories about prominent students at the local university sells papers, than that's what they will do. They have the right to, and if people don't like it, they should stop buying it. It's unfortunate that it could hurt the kids career, but then again it goes back to the additional scrutiny that an athlete takes on. It's unfortunate, but when you are in that position, you have to be more careful.
For example - I work for a brokerage company. I can't talk in public about my thoughts regarding the market or a certain stock, because if someone thinks I'm speaking on behalf of my company I can get in a lot of trouble. It's not fair to me, but it's something I accept as part of my profession.
In the end - if the story is true - it's a dumb move by House. If it's false, than it's a bad move by the BDN. In either case, somebody comes out being an idiot. The difference is, the BDN doesn't have to tell anyone if it's them.
--Adam
-----Original Message-----
From: The Maine Hockey Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of james acheson
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 9:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Another suspension based on alleged touching
not to defend and real wrongdoing, but read and reread the report.
He has been suspended for alleged touching. This is Napoleonic law, unfortunately. Maybe this is how things have to be up there, but I can tell you I am really happy that in the real world there are 3 huge differences.
1. I get punished after I am proven guilty, not when accused. And my punishment when I am proven guilty is doubled because someone else did the same sort of thing last year, I am judged on what I did.
2. Grabbing a breast in a nighttclub as a man passes a woman is a face slap offense, or a punch in the mouth, and the police are not called.
3. Last, in the real world, newspapers that print this sort of BS just to increase circulation when they know that publication of such stories will ruin a kid's carreer are pretty trashy rags, other papers show restraint.
I know of an NHL all star who used to get caught with young (legal age) men out in public on a fairly regular basis... The Boson police would tell this guy to take it somewhere else and NOT arrest him not because he was a star, but because that they knew that the punishment would grossly outweigh the offense.
The Briins would ditch him and nobody would ever pick him up. I also know a reporter at a Boston newspaper who said that he would never publish these stories even though he knew of the offenses and where and when to go to get photographs. He said that as long as they were consenting adults, he would not just ruin this guy's NHL career.
Can the BDN show a little bit or restraint???
Do I have to read it every time Derek Damon misses a philosopy class?
Did the BDN HAVE to publish all of the unsubstantiated reports surrounding the Mike Hamilton and posse incident??? If you remember the story printed, it sounded like Hammy rounded up 11 hockey players and drove over the the house of the guy who stole his girlfriend to have all of his friends kick the guy's head in.
The BDN NEVER printed a retraction or an apology when the facts came to light that Mike was invited to the apartment which was in the same complex as where he and the posse were already hanging out, outdoors.
They did not print that when Hammy walked up the walkway, he was met at the door by the "victim"
wielding a baseball bat and threatening him. They also did not print that the 4 guys who were arrested for criminal trespass were simply standing on a sidewalk outside the door to the apt, in a perfectly legal place to be.
Until I know the facts, I am not going to condemn Tanner House... It is often difficult to imagine how a guy who was summonsed (NOT ARRESTED) for such unlawful offensive touching could be innocent, but just ask yourself if that was the girl he had been with the night before, or if he and she had been dirty dancing for a while prior to the offense...
A lot of things are possible, let's stand behind him when he needs it, ok?
Jim the lawyer, who really hates it when people are tried and convicted in the media.
--- William <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> In what has become a seemingly annual occurence, another UMaine hockey
> player has been suspended.
> Shocking.
>
> Seriously, when will this end? Unbelievable.
>
> ORONO, Maine (AP) — A University of Maine hockey player has been
> suspended following an incident in which he was accused of grabbing a
> woman’s breast.
> Police say 21-year-old Tanner House was charged with unlawful sexual
> touching and assault following the incident early Sunday at a lounge
> near campus.
> House, who’s from Alberta, Canada, has played in all seven of
> Maine’s hockey games this season and has one goal and one assist. A
> university spokesman says he’s suspended indefinitely until Athletic
> Director Blake James can review all the facts.
> Last month, UMaine President Robert Kennedy doubled penalties for
> student-athletes who violate their code of conduct. All told, at least
> 15 different student-athletes and three coaches have faced legal
> trouble since last spring.
>
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