What's going on in this world..

[FalconBlue]

Ex-hockey player critical after ‘vicious beating’
Serba, former Norwich University captain, hit on head with brick outside bar

Updated: 1:31 p.m. CT Nov 26, 2006
NORTHFIELD, Vt. - A former hockey captain at Norwich University was hit on the head with a brick and beaten outside a Toronto bar, and police said he was on life support.

Mike Serba “took a vicious beating,” sustained brain trauma and was in critical condition, Toronto Police Detective Joseph Merritt said Sunday.

The 22-year-old player, Norwich’s captain last season, was taken to St. Joseph’s Health Care and later to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, which has a neurological intensive care unit. A staff member said Sunday it was hospital policy not to disclose patient information.

Nicholas Crowdis, 22, of Toronto, was arrested early Saturday, police said.

Serba had been with friends at a bar and left at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday to use a cash machine, police said. He soon returned and told friends a man “sucker-punched” him on the street. Serba and his friends went looking for the man, and Serba found him near the bar and was struck in the head with a brick, police said.

“Then he was stomped on when he was on the ground,” said Merritt, adding Serba took several blows to the head.

Norwich rallied past Plattsburgh State 4-2 Saturday in the championship game of the Primeline Great Northern Shootout tournament. In the traditional victory lap around the ice, some players held the trophy aloft, while others raised Serba’s No. 20 jersey.


Nov. 29, 2006

Family Of Slain Norwich Alum Releases Statement
Michael Serba's Organs Donated To Help Others

Compiled by USCHO Staff
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada — The family of former Norwich captain Michael Serba, who died Monday after an attack in Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 25, today released this statement through St. Michael's Hospital:
"Yesterday our son succumbed to his severe injuries.
"Michael was a bright, energetic and compassionate young man who proved to be an inspiration to those who knew him. Today, Michael's legacy lives on through the lives of others. When our family learned that Michael was no longer with us in body, we did not hesitate to donate his organs to help others in need. We are certain this is what our son would have wanted. His organs have now been recovered to save lives.
"Out of this tragedy we are comforted that Michael's great many qualities of strength, determination, compassion and goodness continue to shine through beyond his life. As an eligible organ donor, Michael's desire to help others, as he always has, carries on.

"We know Michael is at peace and smiling down at us while offering this most special gift. Our family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the staff of St. Joseph's Health Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto police, and emergency personnel in caring for Michael in his final days.
"Finally, we appreciate the endless effort of hospital staff to save as many organs as possible to turn what has been a tragedy for our family to goodness for others and further Michael's legacy.
"This has been a very difficult time for our family and we are thankful that the media has respected our family's privacy.
"Thank you."

[FalconBlue]

Dec. 4, 2006

BU Players Attacked Following Altercation
Schaeffer Seriously Injured In Assault

by Scott Weighart/Senior Writer
BOSTON — Boston University senior defenseman Kevin Schaeffer suffered a fractured orbital bone and some other small fractures when a group of individuals attacked several BU hockey players with a baseball bat, hammer, and billy club outside of an Allston apartment early on Sunday morning.
"The motive was retaliation for a bit of an altercation that took place earlier — like 15 minutes earlier — between one of our guys and two other guys that we don't know," Terrier coach Jack Parker said in a phone interview on Monday afternoon. "They were walking home, and it arose on the street. Those guys who were involved went home and then the guys went into a house down the street and came back with bats and hammers and whatever else — billy clubs."

Kevin Schaeffer suffered broken bones in an assault early Sunday morning (photo: Melissa Wade).
The Daily Free Press — the student newspaper at Boston University — broke the story on Monday morning, reporting that two men "jumped" Terrier captain Sean Sullivan and then hit Schaeffer in the face with a baseball bat.
"He's out of the hospital," said Parker. "He's got a fractured orbital bone and some other small fractures of his face and head, eye closed shut."
According to Parker, Schaeffer's appearance is eerily reminiscent of Boston Red Sox slugger Tony Conigliaro, whose Hall of Fame trajectory was derailed when he was beaned in the face by a Jack Hamilton pitch in August of 1967, just before Parker became a BU senior, as Schaeffer is now.
"We don't know what the eye damage is yet, but they have to wait till the swelling goes down. He looks like Tony Conigliaro — exactly like Tony Conigliaro."
Fellow Terriers Sullivan and goaltender John Curry suffered minor injuries in the attack but are not expected to miss playing time. Schaeffer's timetable for recovery is unknown at this time.
"We'll have a team meeting today and talk about it," Parker said of the incident, which occurred outside of 9 Wadworth Street in Allston. "A lot of guys were at the party and saw it all unfold, saw it happen in the flash of an eye. It all took place in 20 seconds to a minute: Guys coming up the street with baseball bats, cold-cocked a few people and left. Hit one of the lacrosse girls too — dislocated her jaw."
The attackers fled the scene, heading toward Ashford Street. Parker remained hopeful that justice will be meted out to those responsible for the vicious assault.
"I'll be interested in how the Boston Police follow up and take people to trial for accosting people with deadly weapons," Parker said. "I'm sure they'll be able to identify these people, and I'm sure there will be arrests made."

[FalconBlue]

Updated: 7:48 p.m. CT Nov 20, 2006
PITTSBURGH - Three members of Duquesne University’s club hockey team were struck by a hit-and-run driver after an argument at a bar early Monday morning.

It is the second violent altercation involving Duquesne athletes this year. On Sept. 17, five basketball players were shot following an on-campus party.

Timothy Fish, 22, was listed in fair condition at Mercy Hospital with a compound fracture and severe cut to his left leg that required surgery, according to police and the hospital.

Mike Heath, 22, was treated at Mercy for a neck injury, cuts and abrasions, and then released. Mark Heier, also 22, refused treatment.

Hockey is a club sport at Duquesne, meaning it gets only partial funding from the school and does not fall under NCAA guidelines.

The three players got into an argument with three other people at the pub, but were separated by bar staff and left shortly afterward. As they walked across a parking lot, a passenger in a car asked what they were looking at and the driver drove at them, police said.

Police were searching for a silver Oldsmobile and had the name of one suspect, said police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin.

[FalconBlue]

December 6, 2006 E-MAIL PRINT

Report: New Details in BU Assault
CHN Staff Report

BOSTON — In the Boston University student-athlete assault case, there were more players involved, and it wasn't a random attack. Those new details came to light today in the attack on four BU student-athletes outside a student residence following a party early Sunday morning.

That attack left BU defenseman Kevin Schaeffer with a broken orbital bone, concussion and dislocated thumb. Senior Sean Sullivan was also briefly hospitalized, and goalie John Curry was attacked as well.

In what was previously described as a random attack, more details emerged after BU coach Jack Parker spoke again with the players, according to a report in the Daily Free Press.

According to the report, Parker ascertained that backup goalie Karson Gillespie and a student that's not on the hockey team were involved in a scuffle at the party one hour before the more major incident. At least one person involved in that altercation was involved in the later beatings of the three BU players, and is being sought by police.

There was also another incident during the party.

According to witness reports, the attack on the three BU players, plus a women's lacrosse player, was the culmination of the two earlier confrontations. Men who are not BU students returned wearing black hooded sweatshirts, carrying baseball bats, wrenches and crowbars, according to the report.

The lacrosse player was earlier reported to have a broken jaw, but a new report in the Daily Free Press indicates otherwise.

"She saw [Sullivan] knocked out and went to grab him out of the fight because he was knocked out and bleeding," a source told the Daily Free Press. "She went and grabbed him and she got hit in the face with a bat. Nothing's broken [in her jaw]. It's just bad, so I think they blatantly hit her."

Parker said that Schaeffer may need surgery to repair the fracture around his eye, but that cannot be determined until the wounds heal.

According to the new details in the Daily Free Press, citing various sources including Parker's second-hand accounts, Gillespie left the party at 3 a.m. to bring home a friend that had too much too drink.

"Gillespie wound up getting in a fight with the guy and then another guy got involved with it, so it was a 2-on-1 with Gillespie," Parker told the paper. "His buddy ... was useless to him, and somebody went back in and told the guys ... that Gillespie was in a fight. So [Brian] McGuirk and Curry went down, McGuirk [went] first, and broke it up. ... Curry came down, by the time Curry got there it was broken up completely and it was, they thought, the end of it."

Apparently, afterwards, things escalated when the others involved in the fight came back with weapons. Schaeffer was knocked out by one of the assailants, and fell down stairs, dislocating his thumb.

"It was such a drunken mess," a source told the paper. "There were so many girls just trying to get in the way to break it up. I think [Morton] was throwing herself to protect the other kid. Hopefully, a guy wouldn't hit a girl with a bat."

Parker maintained that the players will not be disciplined, since the party was within team rules.

"Nothing good happens after two o'clock in the morning anyways, but I don't have any guys breaking any team rules," Parker told the Free Press. "Here we have a team rule that you can't drink except for Saturday night. If you're under 21, you can't drink at all. The guys were of age and it was Saturday night, so I don't have any problem with that. They were at a BU party for BU friends and all of a sudden they get accosted by some folks from out of town."

[FalconBlue]

12/9/06

With Teammates Like This…

5’11” Lincoln Stars (USHL) RD Ryan Lowery, a Colorado College recruit for fall ’08, was badly injured in a fight at practice last week.

Reportedly, Lowery’s teammate 6’1” forward Kyle Folmer was able to throw Lowery to the ice hard enough to pop out the defenseman’s shoulder. After getting Lowery’s jersey over his head, Folmer pounded away, breaking his teammate's jaw.

This happened at a captain’s practice. No coaches were on the ice.

Lowery’s jaw is wired shut. That should heal in due time. Of greater concern is Lowery’s shoulder, which will get looked at again right after Christmas. The ’88, who played last season with Team Illinois and was Lincoln’s #1 selection in the 2005 Futures Draft, could miss some serious time – possibly the rest of the season.

Folmer hasn’t missed a game.

[ShaneFalco]

12/9/06

With Teammates Like This…

5’11” Lincoln Stars (USHL) RD Ryan Lowery, a Colorado College recruit for fall ’08, was badly injured in a fight at practice last week.

Reportedly, Lowery’s teammate 6’1” forward Kyle Folmer was able to throw Lowery to the ice hard enough to pop out the defenseman’s shoulder. After getting Lowery’s jersey over his head, Folmer pounded away, breaking his teammate's jaw.

This happened at a captain’s practice. No coaches were on the ice.

Lowery’s jaw is wired shut. That should heal in due time. Of greater concern is Lowery’s shoulder, which will get looked at again right after Christmas. The ’88, who played last season with Team Illinois and was Lincoln’s #1 selection in the 2005 Futures Draft, could miss some serious time – possibly the rest of the season.

Folmer hasn’t missed a game.

This is a very unfortunate situation. However, fights in practice are not rare. In fact, they are often quite beneficial to the competition of practice, as long as the players leave it on the ice (there are no referees in practice, so this prevents cheap play during practice). Obviously, you do not want to see anyone get hurt, but hockey is a rough sport. Hopefully it wasn't a sucker punch either.

[MACMAN]

There are some very disturbed people in the world, the larger the population gets, the more issues as the number of these folks increases.
rules to live by.
1. if some one starts s**t with you, walk away.
2. appologize any time anything you may have done caused the issue, even if your dam right knowing it did not.

3. Apply for a CCW. and join the IDPA, take as many defensive pistols courses as you can, and shoot at the range often, this pretty much guarantees you will abide by the golden rules of courtesy and if you and family are attacked or endangered you can bring about a swift end.

but your right this is crap...and only small fraction fo the crap in the world at any given moment...people just care about you, and you are the only person who can take of your personal safety.

[FalconBlue]

Some good advise.