THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 20, 1996 TAG: 9602200390
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
I want to hear the public apology. I want to see John Brophy step to the microphone at Scope before the Hampton Roads Admirals' next home game Feb. 28 and admit how wrong he was to throw something at that big-mouthed fan between periods of a game last week.
In 46 years of hockey, Brophy has argued with, cursed at or punched out probably every type of person involved in the sport - players, officials, other coaches, league commissioners, owners, timekeepers, goal judges, reporters, opposing fans, etc.
It's simply who Brophy is. You adopt Brophy as your coach, you take the good with the abhorrent. A steady amount of each.
But in seven suspension-filled seasons with the Admirals, Brophy had never gone after the home crowd, until Wednesday. That's not crossing the line, it's obliterating it.
When you start assaulting your own paying customers, it's time for a little contrition, some conspicuous hand-wringing.
Ironically, Brophy, always a fan favorite, has been on his best behavior this season. Nevertheless, he's probably lucky he still has a job. He drew only a three-game suspension and a fine from the league before Admirals owner Blake Cullen could take the action he said he was planning but never revealed.
Cullen moved quickly to make the incident disappear, however, paying an undisclosed amount of cash to the unidentified fan who was hit by the hacksaw or hacksaw blade.
In the past, Cullen has said Brophy has a ``lifetime contract'' to coach his Admirals. Apparently, then, a little assault upon a patron does not change anything.
I just wonder how long it would take for, say, Frank Beamer to be shown the door the first time he fires a football at a Virginia Tech heckler who doesn't like his third-down call. Or for Tides manager Bobby Valentine, for instance, to be bounced if he chucks a bat into the third row at some jerk who loudly derides his managing.
Hockey people argue that hockey is different. And it is, because of the violent undercurrent the game condones and nurtures. But it's not so different that 63-year-old men like Brophy should get absolution to act like obnoxious adolescents whenever their brains boil over.
Speaking of obnoxious, there's little doubt in my mind that this instigating ``fan'' probably was as vile as they come. I've followed hockey for 25 years. I've seen the way fans taunt players. Usually, the thicker the plexiglass between them, the braver and more obscene the fan. Funny how that works out.
After paying him off, Cullen would have been within his rights to permanently ban this creep from attending Admirals games. Ticket buyers can boo and bitch and moan all they want, but there are codes of propriety and ethics for them, too.
Unfortunately, self-enforcement is rarely an option, thus the need for security details. That's sad for the guilty adults, sadder for the innocent kids seated around them.
As hard as Brophy competes, as badly as he handles lousy play and losing, taking grief from fans and walking on must be like a knife to his chest. That doesn't excuse what happened, though, and he knows it.
``If you want discipline on your team,'' Brophy once said, ``you've got to show discipline yourself.''
That's talking the talk, but not walking the walk.
Everybody sort of chuckled when Brophy got into that fight with the Louisville assistant coach a couple years ago. It was OK, just as it's been OK when he has incited fights, tried to climb into opposing crowds or failed to discourage his players from joining brawls. That's Brophy. That's hockey.
Sorry, this wasn't OK. This was unacceptable behavior that would have gotten others in less secure situations fired. Brophy needs to let every Admirals' fan know he comprehends that.
That, this time, he went too far. Even for him. ILLUSTRATION: When you hire John Brophy, you take the good along with the bad.
This time, he went too far.
by CNB