Former Granby High football star Chris Bell has played his last game for Penn State.
Bell, a high school All-American in his days with the Comets, has been released from the team after Penn State campus police arrested him Monday evening for threatening a teammate with a knife in the team dining hall. Bell reportedly had to be “disarmed” by assistant coaches, police said.
According to the Penn State campus police criminal complaint and a story that appeared in the Centre Daily Times, Bell entered the dining hall, approached teammate Devon Still and threatened to stab him. Several coaches intervened and were able to restrain Bell. The player was not hurt.
Bell voluntarily turned himself into the Penn State police later Monday evening.
Bell, 21, was arraigned before District Judge Daniel Hoffman on numerous charges, including terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment. He was jailed, with bail set at $50,000.
This apparently was the last straw for Penn State football coaches, who weren’t available for comment. But a statement issued by the Penn State athletic department said: “Chris Bell, who had been previously suspended from team activities, is permanently removed from the team and will not be reconsidered to be a part of the team in the future.”
The statement, sent by staff assistant Shirley Irvin, said this decision was made in connection with his most recent event. He had been suspended from the team after he was mentioned in connection with an assault in October.
This all comes as a shock to Dave Hudak, Bell’s former high school coach.
Hudak said he got a phone call early Tuesday from an assistant coach, informing him that Bell “got into some sort of trouble.”
It wasn’t until later that day that Hudak realized the seriousness of the charges.
“This is just both shocking and disappointing,” Hudak said. “I had talked to him a couple of weeks ago during his spring break, and I was planning on seeing him on the campus this weekend. We’re going up there for a football camp, and I was going to take him out.”
Hudak said he had kept up on Bell’s progress with phone calls to the coaches.
“I wanted to see if he was doing the things that he was supposed to,” Hudak said, “and it sounded like things were getting back on track.”
Bell — a 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore — arrived at Penn State with much promise. He was highly recruited out of Granby because of his speed and play-making abilities. He followed in the footsteps of former Granby standouts Levi Brown and Anthony King by going to Penn State, but stardom never came his way.
This past season he played in 12 games and finished with seven receptions for 143 yards.
But his name wasn’t listed on the 2008 spring roster.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Hudak said. “He was the third player we had go there, and for one reason or another things just didn’t work out. “That’s where the shock part comes in because I could never see him doing anything like this. But without really knowing the situation or what happened or what drove him to do something like that, there has to be a story behind the story.
“Everybody makes mistakes, and some are worse than others, but I’m still with him, and I’ll help him in any way I can.”
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YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES!
So he made a mistake! Big deal!
Hopefully he won't do anything this stupid again.
Hopefully another Division 1-A school will give him a chance.
The problem he has is that being a college student from Virginia,
schools think about the Virginia Tech incident involving the
student who was also from a Virginia high school, and they think, "We
don't want another student to go haywire on campus and get hit
with a huge lawsuit. People will ask us, "How could you NOT have
thrown this guy off of the team and out of school after he threatened
someone with a knife??!!!!!!!!!!!"
Hopefully Bell has solved his anger problem and hopefully another
big-time program will give him a chance.
Don't forget these athletes as well
"His efforts have led to the revitalization of areas including Norfolk's south Norfolk, Berkeley."
Chris Bell could have learned a lot, but chose to be thug instead.
Nicole Ritchie is white?
Nicole Ritchie is white? Daughter of Lionel Ritchie.
Everything is racist?
Why is everything racist? Where is your own reality check? A thug is a thug, a crook is a crook, and a spoiled Hollywood brat is just that, a spoiled brat. Why should anyone be scared to call someone out?
Funny thing this racism cop-out. It seems more often than not to be a one-sided argument and a crutch that will never be discarded because it feels soooo good to some.
Parents
I have long said that life's lessons begin at home. It would be interesting to see what Chris Bell's parent(s) were like.
Racism is not a copout, it's a reality
We know that stereotypes usually come from repetitive behaviors we may see concentrated among certain groups-however, these behaviors, as I've said earlier, characterize a few, not the majority. You think because one acts the part, his behavior should then be generalized to the racial group he represents? That would be equivalent to us saying that Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Britney Spears, etc. represent all white women. Thankfully, many of us realize that the behaviors they exhibit cannot and should not be reduced to their color or racial background. These athletes, just like these celebrities, are not acting like typical black or white people. They are acting like over-privileged children who need to grow up.
BTW, a bigger copout than saying that racism doesn't exist is to proclaim your racist beliefs and then deny that you're a racist.
Don't forget these athletes as well
D'Angelo Hall, Darren Perry, DJ Dozier, and of course William Fuller. A big tip 'o tha hat to William for, of all things, coming BACK to the Hampton Roads area to better it through his involvement with the cities of Chesapeake and especially Norfolk. His efforts have led to the revitalization of areas including Norfolk's south Norfolk, Berkeley. Thank you William.
It seems to me if one
It seems to me if one doesn't want to be stereotyped they wouldn't look or act the part, and that goes for all walks of life. And what a major cop out to throw the racist word around when its convenient, instead of just being accountable for your own actions.
If you saw the news today...
Ryan Zimmerman (third baseman, Washington Nationals) was in town yesterday to help raise money on behalf of his former high school coach at Kellam, St. Clair Jones, who is in a wheelchair now because of a car accident back in January. Zimmerman and all of the locally grown baseball stars were here in November to hold a "Home Run Derby" to help establish the new program at Grassfield High. These young men are shining examples, both locally and nationally, of young athletes who are grateful for their opportunities and who go out of their way to give back to their communities and conduct themselves with dignity and integrity. You know who taught them that? THEIR PARENTS. Athletes who get in the sort of trouble Bell did (and the Vicks notably, and Iverson in the past) do so because they think they are special and that the rules do not apply to them. Guess who taught them that? THEIR PARENTS. This is certainly not unique to Hampton Roads. This is what happens in a celebrity-crazed, money-driven, no values-having-with-misplaced-priorities America.
It's about acceptable behaviour, not color.
Que3232 you are right on one point. Innocent untill proven guilty. The verdict will come shortly. However why is it I believe that after he is found guilty you will still not see whats wrong with what this fool has done. Could be that because of what I am writting I am a racist in your mind. What you fail to see other than the color of this man is that he is an undisiplined, adult "rather be a gangsta than football player or student or upstanding member of society" Even his HS coach is defending him. That might be admiriable in some cases but what I read so far leads me to believe the coach should distance himself from anyone that acts this way in a civilized world. My guess is this guys been in trouble probably since before HS just kept under the radar. We all will see as this story developes.
How much you want to bet hjriver is a bitter UVA fan
Stereotyping a group of people and region i.e. Hampton Roads "thugs." Nice use of code words loser, have the guts to use the words you really want to use.
Once again . . .
This may not be about racism, but there are certainly a lot of racial undertones in many of the posts on this message board. But hey, if Hampton Roads can produce "thugs" and "wanna-be gangstas", then I guess it can produce just as many narrow-minded, ignorant people who refuse to let go of hurtful stereotypes that may characterize a few, but definitely not the majority. These athletes may get scholarships to pay for school, but I paid for school by taking out student loans. Instead of complaining about what athletes get, maybe some of you should take out a couple of loans so that you can take some classes and hopefully relinquish the ignorance that consumes your entire thought process.
Way to go Penn State!!
Maybe this will send a message to these wannabe "gangstas" that the real world will not tolerate this kind of behavior. Giving these "'hood" hoods a free pass on proper behavior sends the wrong message-they need to learn that the same rules apply to everyone regardless of their athletic ability. Society will not tolerate this kind of behavior no matter how well these kids play a particular sport. Talent does not make it OK to threaten people with knives or kill your pregnant girlfriend (a la Cherica Adams-to avoid child support) or father 10 children with 10 different women you never bothered to marry.
Penn State drew the line the same way Virginia Tech did with Marcus Vick and said that this type of behavior will not be tolerated just because you play ball. It's about time.
Chris Bell
What the kid has done is definitely wrong, but are all of you commentors implementing that you have never made a mistake or a bad choice?
Hey...
Iverson finally realized that he wasn't golden. That's why he's now playing up in the mountains. Philly had enough of him! He was a true THUG. Now that he's in the twilight of his career, he wants to do good things. Too litle, too late. He DOES NOT get a pass!!!
And Burris...let's just not go there. Unfortunately you have lumped the names of good guys in with the bad. Mourning and Burris could never be mentioned in the same breath. Bruce Smith? I don't remember any attitude problem with him. He's always been a humble but excellent athlete.
So either give me a list of the good or a list of the bad! But don't make excuses for the ugly!
Whew
Whew that was close... we almost recruited him.... And that Whaley kid too...
this guy's an idiot but....
bruce smith, antonio freeman, alonzo mourning, ronald curry, allen iverson, plaxico burress, jon gilchrist, aaron brooks, levi brown, david wright, mike cuddyer, the upton brothers,and the list goes on. These guys are not only some of the best players in their sport but many have done tons of great things for this and other communities. Hey Iverson was in a bowling alley brawl when he was a teenager, so freakin what, this guy has raised more money for charity than you'll make in a lifetime. It seems as though for some perception is reality. Bell is a stupid kid that will pay for his mistakes but he and the vick brothers do not represent the majority.
Gotta love
the dismissive comments that excuse or diminish this kind of behavior. No wonder we are in a more violent society. We have his high school coach acting like this is excusable. We have a repeat offender and finally the school has had enough. Time to grow up. What wasn't mentioned was that his academic performance was so poor that he was about to be kicked out anyway. Another cocky looser who has had his ego inflated to believe he is beyond reproach.
racism isnt the issue
the numbers and stats are always the same with these idiots.
If Chris Bell
If Chris Bell wants to fight he should be sent to Iraq as part of his sentenceing.
No surprise here
What ever happened to the Academic All Americans we had in the past?..We need to change these football factories (which serve the NFL) into institutions of learning where graduates go out and become doctors, lawyers, managers and other professionals. Organized sports should be simply for recreation only.
Shame
And what does his parent's (parent) think of his actions? Will he be brought home, repremanded and cut loose on the streets or will he continue his actions under full scholarship at the university level? No doubt, in time, some poor innocent person will suffer or die from his actions. Maybe Vick will want him on his team, but definitely not the pros.
Who took out the cork?
Who took the cork out of the bottle and let out all the racist?
I Feel The Same Way
The majority of these athletes are nothing but wanna be thugs and hoods. I'm glad Penn State kicked him from the school. These young people today think the world owe them something so when they can throw, catch or shoot a ball they think they have it made and are untouchable. Well think again butt wipe.
Readers who are not athletes
Are you serious? Hjriver how can you make a comment like that. First of all everyone is innocent until proven guilty and secondly, everyone makes mistakes. These kids are still kids regardless of age and they may mess up along the way but there is no need to call them thugs. Maybe you are just jealous because you were never fortunate enough to be an athlete. Hampton Roads athletes are no diffrent from athletes from anywhere else. You hear about athletes from Florida, California, South Carolina, and many other places that get in trouble as well, so you are wrong for saying that about our local athletes. What about the ones that have gone on to do something with thier lives and are playing pro ball or are back here helping their community. Like i said, you were probably never an athlete and just one of those people in the stands that paid to see us play. People make mistakes and the important part is how they learn from them. These high school and college kids are still young and they have plenty of time to learn from their mistakes.
Thank You JoePa
Penn State football has shown once again that they will not tolerate behavior such as this. Last year, the team cleaned the stadium and donated the funds to local charities. They also worked with needy families in the Pittsburgh area. JoePa may seem like he should retire; but, I hope he does not and continues to teach these kids the rules of life, not just football.
The stupidity of Chris Bell
Another athlete (thug) bites the dust. Man these guys are dumb as a door knob.
Opportunity wasted
Just goes to show, much like the Vick's, no amount of education and opportunity will take the hood out of the hood. I hope the police keep an eye on him when he returns so we don't have to read another article about him.
Typical Hampton Roads Athletics Thug
Typical of the caliber of thugs that Hampton Roads schools manage to crank out year after year.
When local sports talking heads interview them most of them can't speak English or manage to construct a complete sentence. Yet they graduate and go on to whichever college promises them the most.
It's time that the people in Hampton Roads, the Hampton Roads newspapers and TV sports start looking at the whole character of these "athletes" and not what they accomplish on the playing fields or gyms. Maybe we could be spared some of the glowing articles and slobbering tv interviews.