NESCAC

[LibertyL]

What a joke. Amherst is completely incompetent

[remote]

This is terrible! So sad!!
It is an article so I figured it is ok to post. If not I am sure the forum admin will remove.

https://amherststudent.com/article/mens ... t-incident

bar.

the Amherst Student
News
Men’s Lacrosse Members Involved in Racist Incident

By Shawna Chen, || March 11, 2020
Three people — all members of men’s lacrosse — chanted the n-word outside of a Black lacrosse player’s suite on March 7. Provoked, the Black lacrosse player punched one of the teammates chanting the n-word. The Black lacrosse player and the person he was with were the only two Black people in the suite at […]

Three people — all members of men’s lacrosse — chanted the n-word outside of a Black lacrosse player’s suite on March 7. Provoked, the Black lacrosse player punched one of the teammates chanting the n-word. The Black lacrosse player and the person he was with were the only two Black people in the suite at the time, The Student confirmed with five people with knowledge of the situation.

This is the second publicly-addressed hate incident within the last year that has involved men’s lacrosse players. Last spring, The Student reported on an incident that took place at a December 2018 men’s lacrosse party during which a swastika was drawn on an unconscious student’s forehead and then circulated on men’s lacrosse players’ social media.

Dean of Students Liz Agosto sent an email on March 9 notifying students of “an altercation between two students involving the use of racist language and subsequent physical violence.” The email did not provide further details of what happened.

“It is important for us to recognize and acknowledge that both the use of racial epithets on our campus and physical violence cause harm not only to the individuals involved but to the community as a whole,” Agosto wrote in her email to students.

The Black Students Union dedicated its meeting on Tuesday night to discussing the incident.

The Student reached out to Director of Athletics Don Faulstick, Senior Associate Dean of Students Dean Gendron and Chief Student Affairs Officer Karu Kozuma for comment. No one responded by press time. At this time, The Student has been unable to confirm the disciplinary action taken. Last year, after the anti-Semitic incident was made public, men’s lacrosse still participated in matches and went on to compete in the NCAA national championships.

On March 10, the men’s lacrosse team traveled to Endicott College to compete in its regularly scheduled game. The team will participate in an impromptu intrasquad scrimmage tomorrow so that the team, particularly seniors, will be able to play before departing campus indefinitely after the suspension of all spring sports due to the college’s COVID-19 response. Due to the confidential nature of this ongoing investigation through the Office of Student Affairs, The Student has refrained from publishing the names of the people involved.

President Biddy Martin learned about the incident on March 8, she told The Student in a statement. “It’s essential that we get more information and get to the bottom of what happened,” Martin said. “It is not tolerable to have a racist slur used against anyone. In fact, I can think of no legitimate reason why any white person would use it, whether it is directed at a specific person or not. I don’t believe anyone will face consequences until the facts are known.”

The incident, it appears, risks becoming swept under the rug in light of recent events involving COVID-19 and major changes to the structure of the campus. Agosto’s responsibility is now “focused on our COVID response,” she told The Student. Student Affairs, however, is working with Amherst College Police Department and talking with the students involved so “we can manage impact.”

“That doesn’t stop just because we’ve made this announcement [to send students home],” Agosto said. “That is the business of the institution, and that doesn’t stop happening because we think many of our students will be leaving in a week … But we have had to shift priorities and focus on what are the primary things that we are working on, and so for me, the two things are COVID and individual student and community crisis care … Everything else we will get to in a minute.” When The Student asked Martin about follow-up on the incident after the sit-in on the night of March 9 and the morning of March 10, Martin said that “in every spare moment that we’ve had [between COVID-19 response planning], we’ve returned to get information from each other about this incident, so that is the top of mind.”

Editor’s note: This story is evolving, and further reporting about the administration’s response and the disciplinary action faced by the students responsible for hurling hateful language is forthcoming. Stay tuned for updates from The Student regarding this story’s development.

Olivia Gieger ’21 and Henry Newton ’21 contributed reporting to this article.

[AOD]

Why does it seem like any mention of Amherst automatically brings out multiple “coach is an embarrassment, fire him, what a joke” etc. comments? This happens every year on the NESCAC board (or at least it feels that way) but I don’t really understand why.

If it's any comfort, it isn't just the lacrosse team. The cross country team had its share of trouble as well.


https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/ ... story.html

[Dave]

Amherst=Hypocrticlal Elitists...Enfuriating...

[ergit]

... awaiting the NESCAC ‘spellchecker‘.

[laxrex]

Anyone who doesn’t get why the coach is a problem, has a problem. NESCAC coaches have been sacked for much milder team misbehavior than this. No schools, NESCAC or otherwise, should tolerate this kind or behavior and lack of control by the coaches and players. Zero tolerance.

[smoova]

Anyone who doesn’t get why the coach is a problem, has a problem. NESCAC coaches have been sacked for much milder team misbehavior than this. No schools, NESCAC or otherwise, should tolerate this kind or behavior and lack of control by the coaches and players. Zero tolerance.

I am largely ignorant about all things NESCAC. Does the general condemnation of the Amherst coach stem primarily from the two anti-Semitic/racist incidents or are there on-field behavior issues as well?

[Lax3]

Whatever happens let’s not let the truth get in the way of a good story and trashing a school out of jealousy. The story, as reported on the last page, is wholly inaccurate. Let time play it’s way out on this as with any story like this. Anyone remember 2006 when the Duke players were all guilty as charged for a few weeks and months until the truth came out? Let this one play out. And for what it’s worth, Amherst will not even remotely show bias to athletes. To the contrary.

[baxendale]

This current issue aside, from this board I've sensed some animosity to Amherst HC. I have no idea why. I recently listened to a pod with the HC and he seems like a coach and individual I would be thrilled to have coach/mentor my son. And re: the current event, I second the idea of letting the school investigate. Often times, things are not what they first appear to be. Presumption of innocence around these parts. Pour yourselves a quarantini and cool off.

[LibertyL]

White knighting and spin doctoring isn't going to save Amherst. Sorry. Due process is due agreed
but numerous people are reported to corroborate the general scene and racism over two seasons.
Innocent until proven guilty but if it stinks like stink it's probably stinky.

[Dave]

Agree on three counts...

1. Due process, yes must have it. Need it. As long as AC doesn’t try to hide it.
2. It stinks really bad..like rotten bad
3. Quarantini it is....

[ah23]

This current issue aside, from this board I've sensed some animosity to Amherst HC. I have no idea why. I recently listened to a pod with the HC and he seems like a coach and individual I would be thrilled to have coach/mentor my son.

It feels like the Thompson dogpile has been an annual occurrence since these forums were on LaxPower. I have never understood it. I played against him and have followed NESCAC lacrosse for the entirety of his Amherst tenure and have never seen anything to suggest he’s worth this level of dislike. He seems like a very good lacrosse coach and someone who built a very successful program. I am sure that people do have reasons, but I have never seen them explained. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any...it just means that as presented, the anti-JT stuff comes off sounding more like sour grapes than legitimate criticism.

I think this is the closest comparison we have to something like SEC football fandom . Whenever anything with Amherst comes up (a team problem, an Inside Lacrosse interview, them losing a big game, etc.) we get a wall of opportunistic “well of course, how unsurprising, disgusting but expected, classic JT, needs to be fired” and things like that...but no reasons why. Just lots of bitterness. Vague accusations don’t fly, and neither does saying “if you don’t get why then you have a problem”.

As for the current issue being investigated at Amherst...I don’t think the “lack of control/authority” accusation holds much water. Maybe I am being optimistic, but I feel like not being a racist piece of garbage is the bare minimum expectation for existing in modern society, not some hidden life lesson a lacrosse coach should have to actively teach people. It’s a bit much to blame him for the reprehensible things a trio of (drunk?) idiots allegedly did on their own time, away from the team. Maybe something will come out that changes the dynamic, but as “reported” (in the student paper) the responsibility is on the student-athletes.

I will also say that the suggestions of preferential treatment for athletes strikes me as pretty off-base. The on-campus climate at many NESCAC schools (and ESPECIALLY Amherst) is, uh, not exactly reverential towards athletes in general and lacrosse players specifically. I mean really, just read the column.

FWIW...in case it needs saying, I obviously think Thompson can and should be judged by his response to Amherst’s investigation. If wrongdoing is proven/punished by the college and he ignores it or tries to excuse it, by all means rake him over the coals.

[LibertyL]

Let's put the hay down by the horses:

1) School
2) Coach
3) Players

Almost certain that the record will show there will be two seasons in a row with racial incidents
by members of one group. To me it's not necessarily the HC but the school that
should self suspend the team or the NCAA or both.

They changed their name from Lord Jeffs and now dealing
with hate crimes on campus with ONE team two years in a row? Diversity and inclusion is the war cry but this, twice?

I smell a huge prehistoric elephant turd and if the school doesn't act the school is fantastically hypocritical as one
forum member has mentioned. How come the program and HC didn't get the message last year?

The sterilizing UV light is shining on this program and I only hope they are transparent and deal with this asap which
if they don't is a major lack of leadership from the Dean of Students and the President. The school is pretty much empty
right now with early dismissal. You can try to put mascara on a pig but it doesn't mean she'll get a date.

Yes we are on a Corona Bug break but Amherst please investigate and report your hate crimes immediately.
Our lacrosse community has many traditions and racism, hate, lack of respect for teammates is something our sport will not tolerate.

The season can be cancelled, but you can't take the Creator from our game or our traditions

[smoova]

Let's put the hay down by the horses:

1) School
2) Coach
3) Players

Almost certain that the record will show there will be two seasons in a row with racial incidents
by members of one group. To me it's not necessarily the HC but the school that
should self suspend the team or the NCAA or both.

They changed their name from Lord Jeffs and now dealing
with hate crimes on campus with ONE team two years in a row? Diversity and inclusion is the war cry but this, twice?

I smell a huge prehistoric elephant turd and if the school doesn't act the school is fantastically hypocritical as one
forum member has mentioned. How come the program and HC didn't get the message last year?

The sterilizing UV light is shining on this program and I only hope they are transparent and deal with this asap which
if they don't is a major lack of leadership from the Dean of Students and the President. The school is pretty much empty
right now with early dismissal. You can try to put mascara on a pig but it doesn't mean she'll get a date

So, it looks like the answer to my question above is: these two incidents are the exclusive drivers of the concern with the coach. Thank you for clarifying.

[LibertyL]

School first and then HC

[LibertyL]

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me

The twice issue is the problem with this team

[georgeoar394]

I'm sorry but no way in my mind are these two incidents remotely on the same level. The news that just came out about the racial slur is shocking and the team should for sure be penalized in the upcoming season, if the article is true. However, the incident that happened in winter of 2019 is no way perceived as a hate crime IMO, check out what happens on barstool sports and other obscene social media channels. Yes the players should be aware that they have a light shined on them constantly as being athletes. If this event happened at UMASS to some average joe i'm sure the outcome would be different. Again no exception for these actions and they shouldn't be taken lightly but entirely different at the same time.

[Gorilla Fan]

Huh?

[Lax3]

Such hyperbole. I guess that those who are trashing Amherst have opted to take the Duke “Guilty before any facts come out” approach? Good for you. I hope that your son gets to be in a situation where the world finds him guilty before any evidence comes out. See how that shoe of yours fits then, when we will get to see the hypocrite that you are. Give it time. If any of you think Biddy Martin will side with make athletes over “fairness”, after pulling in all of the evidence, you’re nuts.

[ah23]

This conversation has pretty much confirmed my suspicion that the Thompson criticism is opportunistic BS made in bad faith with pretty much nothing to back it up. If anyone had anything even remotely constructive to say I’d be all ears. But the discourse so far has been laughable.