say it ain't so, bruins

Former UCLA Bruin cornerback, Ricky Manning Jr., was suspended for Sunday's NFL game between Manning's Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots. I had heard on TV that he was arrested for felony assault at a Westwood Denny's near the UCLA campus. This led me to search the net to find out more info, and what I found was quite sobering.

From the New York Post:

According to the victim's claims in the police report obtained by NBCsports.com, Manning, Tyler Ebell and Maurice Jones-Drew - all former UCLA football players - were among a group of customers who began to bully 25-year-old Soroush Sabzi, who was seated alone nearby, working on his laptop.

When Sabzi, a student and Swedish citizen of Persian descent, asked to be left alone, the insults, including, "Are you a faggot?" and "You f---ing Jew," continued.

Sabzi, the police report continues, next called out for restaurant management. At that point, Manning approached Sabzi, who was still seated, stood above him and called him a "an ugly f---ing Jew" and a "faggot."

When, according to the report, the victim again asked to be left alone, Manning began to slap him. Manning's accomplices joined in. Sabzi was punched to the ground then kicked, leaving "visible injuries to his face, cheek, head and [sic] lost consciousness for approximately 10 seconds."

And knowing that the NY Post can be sensationalistic, I dug around for more evidence, and uncovered this post on the the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office website:

Manning was with two other former UCLA football players -- Maurice Drew, 21, and Tyler Ebell, 23 -- when Manning allegedly exchanged words with a customer in a Denny’s in Westwood in the early morning hours on April 23. Manning assaulted the victim before leaving the restaurant. He was arrested by LAPD officers a short time later.

The assault charge was dismissed in June against Drew for insufficient evidence. On Sept. 12, Judge Amy Hogue reduced the felony assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury charge against Ebell to a misdemeanor. His case was referred to the City Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

What deeply saddens me is not just Manning's actions, for he is a certified a-hole at best, but the fact that Tyler Ebell and Maurice Drew (who was cleared of wrongdoing, but admits to being at the scene and did nothing to stop the beating of an innocent man) were also involved.

Is this what UCLA teaches our athletes? That they are above the law? Coach Bob Toledo got fired for letting his players run amok (see the Handicap Parking Scandal of 1999), but a couple illegal parkers were nothing compared to former players who assault random strangers. Why is no one making a bigger deal about this? I actually find it hard to root for my own team knowing that we raised a group of belligerent, racist players like these. Ridiculous.