Consequences of brawls more severe than students realize
(Last updated: 10/22/08 7:12pm)I recently read Jacob Carpenter and Abby Lubbers’ article MSU athlete injured after weekend fight (SN 10/22) and Joe Rexrode’s article “Police probe E. Lansing fight” in the Lansing State Journal. I was compelled to respond to both articles because three years ago, on Oct. 21, 2005, my 21-year-old cousin died from one punch.
He was playing the role of a peacemaker to break up a fight between his friend and another man. The other man sucker-punched my cousin and he fell backward on the cement. Several hours later my cousin died in the hospital.
According to the articles, student athletes were involved in the altercation. My cousin also was an athlete. He wasn’t able to perform at the collegiate level because he developed an arterial fibrillation, a heart arrhythmia, so he focused his athletic energies at the intramural level in college playing with his many friends and inviting athletes of all levels to participate so they, too, would experience the fun and the camaraderie.
After his death, Westfield State College established the John “Okie” O’Connell Award “to be given to an outstanding student athlete who best reflects John’s sportsmanship and athleticism.” For all involved in this altercation and the community as a whole, it would be worth their time to take a look at www.okie33.com to read about how one punch can change a lot of lives forever.
Meg Witt
2005 MSU graduate
Originally Published: 10/22/08 7:00pm
Jason Van Dyke
10/22/08 7:48pmI don’t think people should go around punching people and starting fight, and I think that it’s horrible what happened to your cousin. Just the same, I think people have a right to defend themselves. If someone with an egg-shell skull starts a fight, they do so at their own peril as far as I am concerned.
A.H.
10/22/08 9:02pmJason:
Learn to read. Also, her cousin died so show some respect you douchebag.
Apologize, she deserves it
10/23/08 6:57amWe all silently (and not-so) put up with your political views littering the pages of the State News, Jason. The point is discourse, the point is to allow for free speech, to see the other side of an issue. You can say what you like about people of a differing point of view, because that’s what America’s about, right? So we don’t agree with you, so what?
But you really overstepped the boundaries here. I don’t know Meg from Adam, but I do know that you need to retract your frankly disgusting and puerile statement. This isn’t about politics, Jason, it is about being a decent human being.
Ad-Hominem
10/23/08 7:27amThat’s one of the least controversial things he’s said. Besides, is this article about condolences? He merely provided a talking point. I think ya’ll are hating like he does.
No she doesn't
10/23/08 7:33amHe is an asshole but he can say what he wants. Who cares? Most of what he writes is just to get a rise out of people, and apparently he’s pretty good at it. And his comment doesn’t blame the cousin or express joy at the outcome so I’m not sure what he should apologize for.
MSUAlum2001
10/23/08 8:27amWell it is obvious Jason really did read the letter too closely. So his eggshell skull comment is pretty stupid. But hey maybe we can sucker punch Jason and knock him onto concrete and see what happens.
Townsdend
10/23/08 10:36amJason’s a cold-hearted, right-wing moron who always trolls threads, so lame-brain comments like this are not surprising. His right-wing, neo-Nazi Young Americans for Freedom mirror his attitude. Maybe if we ignor him/them, he/they will simply go away. Then again…
Ed T
10/23/08 11:07amThe other half of this cautionary tale:
The guy who punched him got a felony conviction and 7.5 years in state prison, which means his life is pretty much over as well. Probably wishes he would have just walked away …
Matthew
10/23/08 1:03pmI’m concerned about a total lack of response by the university here. Many varsity players were involved in a fight. Why has no one been suspended? Playing sports for the university is a priviledge. Behaving badly is enough to have that priviledge revoked. Suspend those involved now, and remove them from the team once charges are filed. Otherwise, future athletes will continue this behavior because they will know they have nothing to loose.
Tom
10/24/08 4:32pmThere are faults on both sides of this hockey/football fiasco. Unlike Ms Witt’s cousin who was trying to stop a fight, from all accounts there were hockey players running their mouths, and football guys playing tough. I agree with Matthew, regardless of charges, all involved should be thrown off their respective teams and expelled from the university. When I was at MSU, the athletes ran around like they were celebrities, with jersey chasers in tow.
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