DuckSouth.com

April 4, 2006


Croom suspends 6 MSU players
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com

STARKVILLE — The ruling is out.

Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom suspended six players "indefinitely" after they were arrested and charged with simple assault of a police officer over the weekend.

This is one of several disciplinary measures Croom announced.

Five players were arrested Sunday night on the felony charge: cornerback Derek Pegues and safety Keith Fitzhugh, both starters; offensive tackle Michael Gates, and defensive ends Charles Burns and Quinton Wesley.

Quarterback Tray Rutland was arrested Monday.

All are freshmen.

The Bulldogs are accused of assaulting Starkville police officer Demetric Armstead, who was off duty, during a fight at a downtown business.

"It is my intent to discipline our players as if they were my own sons," Croom said in a statement, "my own flesh and blood. I believe this is the appropriate disciplinary action for the facts as we know them to be."

Croom said neither he nor the players will comment further until the legal process concludes.

Croom had said there would be punishment regardless of what happens when the players are due in court on May 1. He delayed his decision until his investigation was complete.

This afternoon, Croom decided on the indefinite suspensions. He added additional penalties:

Each will be banned from "off-campus activities" at Level III Civic Sports & Cultural Center, where the incident took place.

Each will be forced to abide by an 11 p.m. curfew through the end of the spring semester.

And each will undergo counseling, specifically on-campus sensitivity training.

"Ultimately, I am responsible for their actions and I take full responsibility," Croom said. "But I want to stress that these are good kids who come from good families, who made a serious mistake in judgment."

The alleged assault occurred at 12:30 a.m. Sunday Level III, according to a Starkville Police Department news release.

While attempting to break up a fight between two women, Armstead was attacked by "several individuals" and was knocked to the floor, according to the release. He then identified himself as a Starkville police officer, the report stated, but the attack continued.

After Armstead went outside and called for help, he was attacked again, the release said. The players left before on-duty police and Oktibbeha County Sheriff's deputies arrived, the report said.

All players plan to plead not guilty, said Jay Perry, their lawyer.

"I'm disappointed that the players have put themselves in a very embarrassing situation and did not use good judgment," Croom continued.

"I'm just hopeful that lessons have been learned. As these young men move into mature adulthood ... they must learn to either defuse the situation or walk away from it."

Smart move by Croom. With these suspensions, he defers any immediate criticism of "doing nothing", while at the same time not closing the door on reinstatement at some point, depending upon how all of this shakes down through the legal system. And, he has placed restrictions on them while they are in "purgatory", not even knowing if they will be reinstated, to keep them from getting into any further trouble.

As a lawyer, you learn from experience that there are three sides to every story --- one side has one version, another side has a different version, and then there is the "truth". And every so-called "witness" will have a different take on it ---- people's perceptions of the same event are always different in some respects. We sometimes see and hear what we want to see and hear. So, until the "truth" is determined through the legal process, or becomes clearer through more investigation, it would be premature for Croom to make any final decisions right now, one way or the other. And it may turn out that some players have more involvement in the situation than others, with different legal charges and different punishment being warranted.

Looking back on the Rick Razzano matter at UM, I think that he should have been dismissed from the team (in hindsight). However, at the outset, before I had all the facts or benefit of more specific info, I thought that Cut should wait until the legal process was complete before deciding anything. Cut did just that. Since the case took a while to go to court, Rick pretty much played his entire senior year, after some internal team punishment. From a practical matter, the off-season distraction of his fight and legal problems I think hindered his preparation and focus for his senior season, and he was not the same player as he had been the previous couple of seasons. All the negative PR took its toll. For all the heat Cut took, and the black eye UM got out of the incident, it may have been better to have just dismissed him from the team.

Pittman and Bournes, with respect to the Memphis gun incident, paid an even heavier price (as they should have). Bournes, who was an upcoming senior with no redshirt year left, was dismissed from the team for his role in the matter. Pittman, who was just a RS frosh, and still had three years of eligibility left, was suspended for approx. 1/2 of that following season, which, in effect, took him out for the whole season as he could not catch up on all the practice he had missed, etc. enough to break into the lineup. And he was given internal punishment and restrictions to be met for full reinstatement. Although the young man did what was asked, and took his punishment, he really never developed into a consistent, dependable starter. After knee surgery and rehab on each knee, and then the PR disaster in Memphis, I think he was done. His play last season was very disappointing and he has now transferred to Jackson State.

The point of all of this is that rash decisions are rarely ever the right decisions. That Croom has some tough decisions to make and will ultimately be accountable for whatever decisions he makes, which will be second guessed no matter what. And, the mental toll that all of this will take on the football futures of these young men, even if they get to return to the team, will likely be considerable. Too bad for all concerned ---a waste of player talent and valuable time that Croom could be spending on recruiting, strategy, etc. , not to mention the bad PR. And all it takes for such a nightmare to become a reality for any coach, is just one bad decision by one of his players out in public. Such is why they get paid the big bucks.

PO MONK !

While I try not to make a habit of sayin this bout you, OLE MISS BOYS,... I'll go ahead and let it slip,......

DAYUM I LIKE YOU !

Dang good read !

Rip Em !

agree with pomonk there, especially on Razz.

Po Monk, if you keep throwin out posts like that then there will be no room for argument on this board, in which this will be a boring place.

Sorry guys, I'll try to be more controversial on the next issue that rolls around.

po monk.. so what your saying is we suck??

like that pro monk......good read.........

I talked to a guy yesterday who was there. This was a set-up all the way.We don,t have to worry about not having these boys in the fall.That may be why coach Croom didn,t kick them all off the team.There is more to it than them beating up a off-duty police officer.I know this may sound like I am blowing smoke but, they won,t get in any trouble.I would be suprised if it last another week.

Photoshop tell us what you know ... i am interested to hear another side to the story.

He knows the same stuff being spewed all over Gene's board. Which is all heresay and conspiracy.

THey are in trouble.

chit naw they won't get in no trouble.. keep in mind that we had one player 3 or 4 years ago that was passin counterift money and he got off..

IMO if we can get a player off for defaruding the us government.. then beatin up a little ol in the heat of the night startkville police office aint chit..


i tell ya a another thing.. if it werent for my children i don't think i'd go back to another football game for a long time..

a setup?

The man that was assulted hit Dereck Pegues several times before he was touched.I think Gene,s page has the whole story.It,s nothing like what is in the press.

genes page has the story.. bwabwaaa

thats a good un