ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 18, 1996 TAG: 9612180053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Twenty-four hours after being arrested on charges of rape and attempted sodomy, Brian Edmonds and James Crawford were suspended from Virginia Tech's Orange Bowl-bound football team Tuesday.
Saying they had no recourse in light of evidence supplied by Blacksburg police, Tech president Dr. Paul Torgersen, athletic director Dave Braine and football coach Frank Beamer unanimously agreed both players should be dropped from the squad until further notice.
``The basis for the decision was that the Commonwealth Attorney's office and the Blacksburg police felt like they had enough information, `evidence,' that they could make the arrests,'' Braine said. ``From the information we have at this time, we have no other choice right now, because of the charges. You don't take that charge lightly.''
Edmonds, the Hokies' senior starting fullback, and Crawford, a backup junior wide receiver, were arrested Monday after police investigated a complaint filed Saturday morning by a Tech student whose name has not been released.
The two players, each freed on $45,000 bond, denied the accusations when interviewed by Braine and Beamer on Monday. On Tuesday morning, Braine and Beamer met with Blacksburg Police Chief Bill Brown.
``I don't know what happened, to be honest with you,'' Braine said. ``At times, I feel like they're getting a raw deal. Other times, when I hear other people, maybe they're not.
``Somebody is not telling the truth. Whoever it is, it's brought enough disgrace to this university, enough embarrassment to the athletic program that somebody should be punished.
``This is such a gigantic situation. You just can't sit back and not do anything.''
Braine stressed the suspension of the players in no way deems them guilty or innocent. ``That will be proven in a court of law,'' he said.
Braine said the players' ``situation,'' though, left the school with basically ``no out.''
``Those people won't be playing because they were in this situation - not because they're guilty or innocent,'' Braine said.
``It's a crying shame that we have to make a decision about a kid's life. Twenty years from now, if they're found innocent, they'll look back, saying, `One of the biggest dreams I had was playing in the Orange Bowl and I didn't get a chance to do it. Through no fault of my own, except I was in the wrong place.'''
Beamer, whose 10-1 club faces Nebraska (10-2) in the Dec.31 Orange Bowl in Miami, was unavailable for comment Tuesday. He left Blacksburg on a recruiting trip just before the suspensions were announced.
Braine said Beamer never wavered in his stance. ``Frank was not concerned about losing his fullback for the Orange Bowl,'' Braine said. ``Nobody had to force Frank to do anything. When we talked [Tuesday] morning, his first statement was, `If there's any chance, we're going to have to suspend them.'''
The arrests were splashed all over the national media Monday night and Tuesday from ESPN, to CNN, to front-page coverage in USA Today's Sports section.
``It hurts,'' Braine said. ``It hurts us all. It hurts every player on that football team.
``It starts with the president, the faculty. If I were a professor at Virginia Tech, I'd want to know what in the heck is going on in the athletic department. Here, I'm trying to be the best professor I can be, bring honor to my university, and I've got somebody over there who every time I turn around is causing a problem.''
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB