The key word being "largely".
It doesn't mean it never happens. Case in point, University of New Hampshire goalie Casey DeSmith, who was arrested over the weekend for alleged domestic abuse and resisting arrest. From the article:
A female victim was “thrown to the ground, jumped on top of and was repeatedly punched and spat upon,” Durham Deputy Police Chief Renee Kelly told The New Hampshire. Kelly added that DeSmith, 23, “appeared intoxicated” when police arrived and reportedly resisted arrest after being taken to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. The police also found “physical evidence” on the victim’s body, Kelly said.As a man, this angers me. As a hockey fan, this saddens me. As a loyal UNH supporter, this just makes me question my continuing support.
Now, I used the word, "Allegedly", as that is what this is. He has been arrested, but not proven guilty. I am a firm believer that the ability to be presumed innocent until proven guilty is a fundamental right and is vital to be considered an enlightened society. However, what is that burden of proof? I'll probably never know all of the details of this case. I know that there is physical evidence of an altercation. I know what the victim accused him of. Do I need a court of law to find him guilty to believe he did these things?
To answer that, I ask another question: could there be an alternate explanation for the incident? For example, when we hear a generic story about one guy punching another guy, we think closed fist, big wind up, action-movie-style. That punch, however, could have been a little jab to the ribs. In that case, the punch could have been an accidental bump in a crowded bar. Or something that was supposed to be playful that got carried away. Or, it could have been an attempted kidney punch. The point is, we hear the incident report, and we form a picture in our head. For some incidents, we could be way off.
The more I read this report, though, the only alternative I can think of is that the victim is lying. I can't speak to her trustworthiness, but what I can acknowledge is that line about "physical evidence" and that the police believed her, and arrested the starting goaltender for the flagship sports team at the university. Something tells me, she is telling the truth.
This is where my fandom becomes an issue. As noted in my football post, hockey is my absolute favorite sport, and UNH is my favorite team (just above the Boston Bruins). I don't think this casts a negative light on the sport as a whole, unlike the Ray Rice incident. Rice's abuse was the latest in a long stream of violations, from Albert Haynesworth swiping his credit card through a waitress's cleavage to Julian Edelman allegedly groping a woman in a bar to Ben Roehlisberger's multiple rape accusations. What it does is make me question rooting for UNH and the light it will cast on the team and the school.
At the moment, DeSmith has been suspended indefinitely, pending the official investigation. The season starts in just over a month. It's easy to suspend him now, as there's nothing going on. In a month, though, if the investigation is still ongoing, will Coach Umile and the University stand behind their actions and maintain the suspension? What happens if sufficient evidence is found to pursue the case? If he's found guilty, but only given probation? What if he finds a way to weasel out of the charges, much like Jared Remy? Should he be allowed back on the team then?
I don't know that I have any answers to these questions. My gut reaction is to show him the door. My supreme hope is that he gets no special treatment, which is always a worry in a case like this. UNH has football, and they are pushing to make it more relevant, but the big sport on campus still seems to be hockey. As such, players tend to have a more privileged campus life, treated like celebrities around town. That's fine, as long as they are held to the same standards as the rest of the community.
On the other hand, I don't like the idea of making an example, in terms of levying a more severe punishment on this kid so that future players will know that none of them are above the law. I'm not sure that is fair. And, while his actions were disgusting, he still must be treated fairly. At the moment, I have no reason to doubt the official story. As such, I feel that DeSmith has thrown his UNH career away. I don't know the NCAA rules on suspensions and eligibility, but as this would be his fourth year, if a suspension or a dismissal counts against his eligibility, this could be the end of his college career.
What I do know is that if he somehow ends up back on the UNH roster, and on the ice at the Whittemore Center, I will have trouble cheering for him personally, and for the team's success as a whole. And that unease will resonate forward through my years as a UNH fan.
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