THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TAG: 9602210544
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Hampton Roads Admirals coach John Brophy took a step Tuesday that many detractors thought impossible.
He apologized, publicly, for his role in a week-old incident involving him and an Admirals fan.
``The incident that took place at Scope last Wednesday should have never happened,'' Brophy wrote in a letter faxed to The Virginian-Pilot from the Admirals' offices at Scope. ``I want to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone involved and to certainly assure them that nothing similar will ever happen again.
``My seven seasons here in Hampton Roads have been the best of my career. I hope we can continue to work towards another championship. This is my only goal.''
Brophy has one game left on a three-game suspension issued by East Coast Hockey League commissioner Pat Kelly. He also has been fined by the ECHL after reportedly throwing a hacksaw blade at a fan who shouted derogatory comments about the team as Brophy entered the dressing room between the second and third periods of a 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers.
The next day, the team and the fan agreed to a cash settlement. Last Friday, Kelly reversed an original plan to allow Admirals president Blake Cullen to impose disciplinary action against Brophy, the only coach the Admirals have had. Instead, Kelly issued the fine and the suspension.
Cullen said he received several phone calls Tuesday from fans who said they were at the game and saw the incident and disagreed with the manner in which it has been characterized. According to Cullen, they were opposed to Brophy apologizing.
However, Cullen spoke to Brophy on Tuesday morning prior to the team's practice in Charleston, S.C., where the Admirals play the South Carolina Stingrays tonight. Brophy asked if there was anything Cullen thought he should do to end the fallout from the incident. Cullen asked if Brophy would consider an apology.
``He said he was agreeable to anything that would put this behind him,'' Cullen said. ``He was completely open to it, and when he came back from practice, he sent me the apology.
``John's done everything I've asked him to do regarding this. He has issued a public apology. He has been fined an undisclosed amount. He has been suspended.
``He's gone above and beyond what the league wanted.'' < ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
EXCERPT OF BROPHY'S STATEMENT
``The incident that took place at Scope last Wednesday should have
never happened.''
by CNB