Basketball: St. FX players facing assault charges

One of St. FX's star guards, Tyler Richards, is among three players each facing a charge of assault causing bodily harm.

(Update: The school will hold the three out of this weekend's AUS Final 6, but might revisit the decision if X qualifies for the Final 8.)
"The RCMP says the charges stem from an incident in Antigonish, N.S., on Feb. 21 that sent a man to hospital with undisclosed injuries.

"No other details about the incident have been released.

"Charged are Tyler Richards, 22, of Halifax; William Donkoh, 19, of Nepean, Ont., and Eamon Morrissy, 19, also of Halifax." — The Canadian Press
The facts are not yet in, but with the AUS Final 6 coming up this weekend and the unfortunate incident involving now ex-assistant coach Garry Gallimore fresh in people's minds, X is turning into Team Controversy.

The young men have their rights. There stands to be public relations fallout for St. FX if it is perceived as putting winning above principles, so yes, it is hard to imagine the sports administration at St. FX would let Richards, Donkoh and Morrissy play this weekend.

The players have a May 4 court date. It is possible X could say one has little to do with the other, but then again, you wouldn't be hearing about it if they weren't St. FX basketball players.

Related:
Three members of St. FX men's hoops team charged (The Canadian Press)
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7 comments:

  1. These young men do indeed have rights.
    They have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty.
    Therefore they should play this weekend and maybe next week.
    If they are tried and found guilty, they should, of course, get booted off the team.

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  2. As an X grad I am embarassed and ashamed by the spectacle the x-men have made of themselves and the university over this last year!!I have a simple message for Coach K and the administration of X you reap what you sow! The behavior of these athletes should be held to the highest of standards as they are representing the ideals and integrity of X both on and off the court. For too long they have been treated differently than the rest of the student body. The team is allowed to openly take part initiation rituals for which other students have been banned from campus. Last year one of the players was charged posession of stolen property,electronics stolen from his housemates, he pleaded guilty and believe it or notlast April was given an unconditional discharge with the help of the university and coach k...amazing!!! He still plays on the team and lives in residence...hide your ipods and laptops!!! I'm sure coach K would have bought him the Wii if he had only asked! The unacceptable and shameful behavior of the assistant coach and now these players is not at all surprising these young men believe they have the right to live outside the rules...Coach K is doing them a great diservice, they will be joining the 'real world' in a few short years ...no I'm not talking about the NBA....it will not tolerate their disrepectful and arrogant attitudes. May I remind the administation of X and Coach K of our Motto "Quaecumque Sunt Vera". " Whatsover things are true, Whatsoever things are honest, Whatsoever things are just, Whatsover things are pure...If there be any virtue and if there be any praise ,think on these things!" Maybe someone could translate that for the x-men basketball team!!

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  3. This is real simple. When you are a student you must never get caught doing something that goes against the school's code of conduct, whether on campus or off. When you are a student-athlete the rules change - you must never do anything that is detrimental to yourself (the real Coach K (Duke) said this), because if it is detrimental to yourself, it will be detrimental to your team, your coach, the athletic department, and the university itself. Student-athletes are, rightly or wrongly, the face of the university in the eyes of most of the public. English 101 does not have paying spectators or standings kept in the newspaper. Student-athletes must be held to higher standards of responsibility than the regular student body. Considering the attention and benefits they receive, student-athletes have a greater responsibility. Yes, they likely make more sacrifices than the regular student body, but they chose this role freely. These players should be suspended just for being irresponsible enough to be around trouble. Don't make excuses for them, teach them. Do the right thing so that they, and those who follow, learn to do the right thing. Any coach who relies on a court of law to determine whether or not his players should play in a situation like this should not be coaching. The fact that these players have been charged is enough. There is something going on here, and we don't need a court hearing to see that. These players have brought their program and coach into disrepute, and until they can clean up their act, perhaps through court, they should be suspended from the team. If these players get to play in the AUS play-offs then there is a severe lack of leadership on this team, never mind the athletic department and university itself.

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  4. So much hate from people who are jealous of athletics and finally found something to vent their frustration/jealousy. You said it perfectly, if a English 101 student had done this no one would know or care, but because their student-athletes they are "role-models". I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but don't let your hatred get in the way of your judgement.

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  5. The players have been suspended and will sit out the playoffs. So says the Halifax media this morning.

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  6. as an athlete who played on one of the X teams this isnt just a place for people to vent it's the truth. the players are getting away with way too much and making the school look bad, every time i mention i went to X all people talk about is all the different things our basketball team is doing and how childish they are. i'm sure since this is tylers last year becuase of all this controversy he'll probably end up going back to halifax and really wont amount to much. maybe if the focused more on playing and their studies this stuff wouldnt happen

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  7. I am disgusted with X right now. You know, you're right about if it had been an English 101 student no one would care. But you know what would have happened to that English 101 student he/she would have been arrested immediately and charges pressed right away and there would have been none of this 'court date in May' BS that we're getting. I am ashamed to say I am an X student. I am embarrassed of many things that these basketball players have done over my years here at St. FX, and being a student athlete at X I have been looked at differently as well. Open your eyes, these guys should not be held in a higher regard than anyone else here just because they're athletes. These boys should wake up, their days of glory are almost over.

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