In article ,
"Carl Sundquist" wrote:
"Ryan Cousineau" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Chris" wrote:
"Carl Sundquist" wrote in message
...
Until Adam posted, I did not know or recall what role the police
played.
However, I was considering that USAC suspended Mercer for a year, so I
didn't know whether USAC factored in legal charges/findings or
suspended
Mercer on their own accord. I still don't know whether legal charges
factored in USAC's decision, but very seldom in major sports are legal
charges filed when a player is fined/suspended. Did Bill Romanowski
have
charges filed against him when he beat up his teammate in the locker
room
last year?
I dunno, but in hockey the police have been getting involved in some of
the
really outrageous attacks. Considering that assault and battery is
within
the rules
The essential difference is that of consent. The general theory is that
when you participate in a sporting activity, you consent to the norms of
that sport. So if you race a bike, you implicitly consent to incidental
contact in the pack, and if you play hockey, you consent to normal
levels of bodychecking and fisticuffs.
But that is in the midst of the competitive event. However, AFAIK, even for
the most egregious attack in recent history in the NHL, Todd Bertuzzi was
not charged with violating any laws when he punched Steve Moore in the back
of the head, drove him face first into the ice, and broke his neck.
I'm a Canuck fan, so I have some pretty particular feelings about The
Incident, but last I heard police were still investigating. As for the
details...that's for another newsgroup.
I cited Romanowski's actions specifically because they were in a non
competition situation, like Myerson/Mercer and Sundt/Gaggioli.
Good point. And clearly, there's never a call for disputes to be settled
after an event with violence, and doubly not with lumber.
Cycling depends on a certain gentlemanliness in the attitude of
competitors. It's so easy to harm other riders quite badly (not for
nothing does the cycling verb "to flick" exist) that everyone must have
a basic commitment to decorum. It doesn't take too many idiots to
completely destroy a racing scene.
--
Ryan Cousineau,
http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine/wiredcola/
President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club