ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 TAG: 9702260015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
BLACKSBURG
VIRGINIA TECH'S new athletic code of conduct comes in the wake of troubles plaguing the football team.
According to results from early precincts, Virginia Tech's new get-tough policy concerning athletes and crime is a landslide winner.
Hours after Tech president Paul Torgersen and athletic director Dave Braine unveiled a plan Monday that includes mandatory sanctions for athletes charged with a crime, assorted Hokie sporting figures applauded the move.
Athletes in three sports - football, volleyball and swimming - agreed something had to be done in the wake of a long string of scrapes with the law that has tarnished the Tech athletic program the past 15 months.
The new athletic code of conduct guidelines include such sanctions as the automatic suspension of any athlete charged with a felony and the automatic dismissal from the team of any athlete convicted of a felony. Plus, athletes charged or convicted of a misdemeanor will be subject to a review process and sanctions from Braine, ranging from a mere warning to dismissal from the team.
Key in the new policy is that Braine, not the head coaches, will handle the discipline for inappropriate behavior by athletes.
``Mr. Braine is the boss, and if we don't do what he says, we're history. That's the way it should be,'' said Gennaro DiNapoli, an offensive tackle on the football team.
``It all there in black and white,'' said Steve Tate, a junior linebacker. ``It nice to have a basis. The last couple years there have been so many different ways of handling situations.
``It should deter things from happening, as long as they follow through with it and make no exceptions. I think it's good to get it out of the coaches' hands. Some coaches sweated decisions on certain players because of the need for that player. This way the AD can go straight by the book.''
Virtually all of Tech's legal woes have come through the football team. Two athletes in other sports, however, said they had no problem having to adhere to the guidelines sparked by football troubles.
``I'm sorry it had to come to this, but it has,'' said Laura Hanner, a volleyball player. ``Now there will be no question as to if you do this or do that you're going to get punished and that's it.
``It's not fair if you get convicted of something in the criminal courts and over here in the athletic department it's like, `Oh, well, maybe you're off the team, maybe you're not.'''
Jonathan Wong, a swimmer, added: ``I'm glad they're doing this. While I don't think it will come into play with anybody on our team, something had to be done.''
Tech coach Frank Beamer, who served on the committee that came up with the new guidelines, was vacationing in Hawaii on Monday and not available for comment. Assistant coach Billy Hite called the plan ``good for everybody.''
Hite said he didn't think the stricter policy would scare off prospective recruits. DiNapoli said if it does, Tech doesn't need the player in the first place.
``If we have recruits that don't want to abide by the rules and it's too strict a policy, maybe this isn't the place for them,'' DiNapoli said.
Tate said it's time athletes grow up.
``I feel we're all old enough to make our own decisions,'' he said. ``If you don't know what's right or wrong it's your own fault and you should have to pay the consequences.''
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