The University of Maryland and Chesapeake area sports fans had much to be proud of Wednesday night. The University of Maryland’s Men’s’ Basketball team dealt the archrival Duke Blue Devils a convincing 79-22 defeat giving the team a share of 1st place with one game left to play in the regular season.
The vast majority of Terp fans were jubilant, joyful, and proud, but sadly once again, the conduct of some total losers tarnished the victory and gave the University’s reputation a most unneeded black eye.
After the victory, crowds took to the streets of College Park, Maryland and quickly some turned violent. 27 were arrested, many of whom were students for charges including rioting, assault, theft, vandalism, arson, and various other forms of misconduct.
Surely, some will blame this episode on alcohol, but there are thousands of pubs where sports fans gather. It’s very rare that riots break out on the occasion of the home team winning short of the all-to-familiar burn the city to the ground idiocy that accompanies some city’s winning national championships.
Were most of these jerks drunk, probably, but what the media will tap dance around saying assertively, that anyone engaged in this kind of moronic behavior is little more than a world class loser.
No excuses! Let’s not hear the usual, oh they’re just college kids and they got a little carried away with themselves. There is no excuse for destroying property, damaging automobiles, confronting police officers and getting into fights. There is no, absolutely no justifiable reason for this behavior.
There is no need to analyze the offenders, no need to psychologize their motives, and no need to attempt to put these actions in a greater “societal” context. If society is to blame, it does not absolve any of these morons from their actions. If there is a societal context, it would be that we live in the “me” world, a permissive society that is far too tolerant of behavior without consequences, do your own thing hedonism, and the “if it feels good, do it” ethos.
We encourage anyone who might have interaction with these lowlifes involved in the Victory riot, to shun them aggressively. Make them social outcasts. Do not welcome them into any social circles. Make it clear to them their behavior has brought shame on their community and the University.
We likewise encourage the authorities to “throw the book” at this culprits. The University should expel the students as quickly as due-process permits. All sanctions the school can apply should be strictly enforced. The local law enforcement community should prosecute all criminal acts and if they just so happened to have other chargeable issues such as possession of open alcohol containers or possession of alcohol by a minor, nail them, nail them hard.
Finally, as these cases are adjudicated, every effort should be made to make their deeds public with photos in appropriate media outlets in the College Park area.
For thousands of students and fans who were treated to a great sports spectacle who behaved properly and those in the community not involved, they deserve to have their joy or privacy honored and those who violated their world must be dealt with harshly.
The university issued the following statement:
In the aftermath of last night’s exciting win for the men’s basketball team, there were several incidents representing poor judgment on the part of those participating in the postgame celebration. The postgame behavior of some students is inconsistent with the high standards – in academics, attitudes, and in behaviors – that we have set at the University of Maryland College Park.
The University of Maryland has policies that provide the authority, with police documentation and following due process, to suspend or expel a student for riot-related behavior whether or not he or she has been convicted in a criminal court.
To that end, the University of Maryland is taking steps to assure that those incidences are fully investigated, documented and, where appropriate, fully addressed by the university’s judicial process.
Millree Williams, University of Maryland Spokesperson
The vast majority of Terp fans were jubilant, joyful, and proud, but sadly once again, the conduct of some total losers tarnished the victory and gave the University’s reputation a most unneeded black eye.
After the victory, crowds took to the streets of College Park, Maryland and quickly some turned violent. 27 were arrested, many of whom were students for charges including rioting, assault, theft, vandalism, arson, and various other forms of misconduct.
Surely, some will blame this episode on alcohol, but there are thousands of pubs where sports fans gather. It’s very rare that riots break out on the occasion of the home team winning short of the all-to-familiar burn the city to the ground idiocy that accompanies some city’s winning national championships.
Were most of these jerks drunk, probably, but what the media will tap dance around saying assertively, that anyone engaged in this kind of moronic behavior is little more than a world class loser.
No excuses! Let’s not hear the usual, oh they’re just college kids and they got a little carried away with themselves. There is no excuse for destroying property, damaging automobiles, confronting police officers and getting into fights. There is no, absolutely no justifiable reason for this behavior.
There is no need to analyze the offenders, no need to psychologize their motives, and no need to attempt to put these actions in a greater “societal” context. If society is to blame, it does not absolve any of these morons from their actions. If there is a societal context, it would be that we live in the “me” world, a permissive society that is far too tolerant of behavior without consequences, do your own thing hedonism, and the “if it feels good, do it” ethos.
We encourage anyone who might have interaction with these lowlifes involved in the Victory riot, to shun them aggressively. Make them social outcasts. Do not welcome them into any social circles. Make it clear to them their behavior has brought shame on their community and the University.
We likewise encourage the authorities to “throw the book” at this culprits. The University should expel the students as quickly as due-process permits. All sanctions the school can apply should be strictly enforced. The local law enforcement community should prosecute all criminal acts and if they just so happened to have other chargeable issues such as possession of open alcohol containers or possession of alcohol by a minor, nail them, nail them hard.
Finally, as these cases are adjudicated, every effort should be made to make their deeds public with photos in appropriate media outlets in the College Park area.
For thousands of students and fans who were treated to a great sports spectacle who behaved properly and those in the community not involved, they deserve to have their joy or privacy honored and those who violated their world must be dealt with harshly.
The university issued the following statement:
In the aftermath of last night’s exciting win for the men’s basketball team, there were several incidents representing poor judgment on the part of those participating in the postgame celebration. The postgame behavior of some students is inconsistent with the high standards – in academics, attitudes, and in behaviors – that we have set at the University of Maryland College Park.
The University of Maryland has policies that provide the authority, with police documentation and following due process, to suspend or expel a student for riot-related behavior whether or not he or she has been convicted in a criminal court.
To that end, the University of Maryland is taking steps to assure that those incidences are fully investigated, documented and, where appropriate, fully addressed by the university’s judicial process.
Millree Williams, University of Maryland Spokesperson
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