Temple is not the only college dealing with controversies. With coach John Chaney grabbing the attention of many Temple students recently, another case of crime and punishment may be falling under the radar screen of those encapsulated with March Madness.
The University of Pennsylvania is also entangled in a mess created by one of its staff members, former professor Tracy McIntosh. A comparison between the McIntosh case and the Chaney debacle provides many similarities, although the respective verdicts have thus far proven to be strikingly different.
Chaney’s punishment for sending in a “goon” to rough up opposing players: the remainder of the regular season and the Atlantic Ten tournament, after he admitted his wrongdoing and openly apologized.
University of Pennsylvania ex-staffer Tracy McIntosh’s punishment for raping a student: up to two years of house arrest and $40,000 in fines, after he pleaded no contest to the charges, admitted his wrongdoing and openly apologized.
The contributions of both men to their respective universities were undoubtedly taken into account before sentencing. Their patterns of behavior, leadership roles and reputations were weighed against their misconduct before a ruling was decided.
Both Chaney and McIntosh faced much harsher punishment, but at least for now, escaped it. Chaney could have been fired, while McIntosh’s maximum sentence could have been 11 years in jail.
And although both men will eventually be in a position where they could transgress again, there are substantial differences between the two cases. Chaney’s punishment is likely enough to offset the injury suffered by Saint Joseph’s player John Bryant and the distress of his family. McIntosh’s sentence for drugging and then raping a former student is an absolute mockery to the woman and her family.
Chaney has been known to blowup at referees, threaten coaches and otherwise act as a crotchety, old man. McIntosh, according to internal memos and comments from women who worked closely with him, has behaved similarly toward others by making overt sexual advances. Though both men have displayed trends in their respective conduct, one is more severe than the other and should be dealt with accordingly. So far, McIntosh’s actions haven’t been.
In McIntosh’s defense, attorney Tom Bergstrom said, “There’s a difference between behaving badly and behaving criminally.” Ironically, Bergstrom’s right, though it’s a shame he made those remarks after McIntosh’s verdict was handed down. Had he spoken sooner, Common Pleas Court Judge Rayford Means could have realized that in some cases the crime outweighs the man.
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