GRAND FORKS, N.D. — A judge has dismissed misdemeanor charges against North Dakota's Robbie Bina. Bina was accused of "aiding the escape" of two teammates who were being held in a police car.
The judge ruled that the players — Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie — were not attempting to escape, but just talking to Bina, 24.
The incident took place at a bar in Grand Forks on Jan. 28. Oshie and Toews were cited for being minors in a bar, a charge to which they later pleaded guilty.
Bina pleaded not guilty of trying to escape custody. He could have faced up to 30 days in jail and a one-thousand-dollar fine.
Oshie and Toews were placed on probation and ordered to perform community service.
Rush To Judgement?
Just to refresh everyone's memory one Fargo Forum sports writer posted the following article below lambasting David Hakstol and UND in its dealing with the Judy's Bar incident earlier this year. To so called media pundets and certain hand wringing fans around the league were demanding that Hakstol punish the three players involved in the incident. I does appear in this case that UND Fighting Sioux head coach David Hakstol made the right decision. Funny how things work out eh? That darn Hakstol always seems to come out looking smarter all of the time doesn't he? While some were over reacting, Coach Hakstol showed calm and restraint. But of course this is all water under the bridge now. We really can't fault the media for doing their job and reporting an incident involving a Fighting Sioux hockey player. Agian just to refresh everyone's memory. For your viewing pleasure read away:
Discipline U
As per my column in Friday's Forum, what do you all think of University of North Dakota hockey coach Dave Hakstol's fumbling of the Taverngate situation?
To refresh: Three Sioux players -- T.J. Oshie, Jonathan Toews and Robbie Bina -- were cited Jan. 28 by Grand Forks police. Oshie and Toews were charged with being minors in a bar. Bina was hit with a more serious charge of escaping custody for opening the door of a cop car.
They are minor charges. Nobody is saying Oshie and Toews murdered anybody. Bina's charge seems to stem from youthful stupidity (and perhaps a sense of entitlement from being a Sioux hockey player in Grand Forks). Hey, if you were ever a college student, you've probably been there.
But unless something changes before tonight's WCHA game against Minnesota State Mankato, it appears Hakstol is not going to discipline the players in any meaningful way. Maybe he'll surprise everybody with a suspension or two, but it sure doesn't look that way.
How does Hakstol get away with it? He's had three players who were publicly cited for breaking the law and there is no penalty, other than the lame-o "internal handling" of the situation?
The answer, I guess, is simple enough: This is UND hockey and this is Grand Forks, where UND hockey rules.
Whaddya think, folks? Do you agree with me that a one-game suspension for Toews and Oshie and a two-game suspension for Bina is warranted? There has to be some price to pay, doesn't there?
Fire away.
I wonder if any kind of a retraction. I would probably bet that there will not be one coming anytime soon from Forum sports writer Mike McFeely? Also, don't expect to see one on his blog. McFeely isn't the only one that had a good time with this incident, there were other.
No comments:
Post a Comment