MSU, U-M behavior bad all around

Alex, would you rather have some college weenies yell obscenities at you or Conboy coldcock you with a roundhouse punch followed by a slapshot to the head from Tropp? Get real…msu is the only team that will be sanctioned by the ccha, most likely by suspending the 2 players for an extended period. The videos are out there for all to see…they don’t lie. The initial check from the u of m player barely knocked Tropp off balance…besides being completely clean. Yes, I don’t like the foul language…but what can you do? You look silly comparing that to the action of Conboy and Tropp. As far as arena security goes, you are sort of right….from now on it…thanks to msu…more will be needed.

‘I’ll give you a little hint on what it was — the first word rhymed with “duck” and the second word was “State.”’

The second word was actually “you”.

The person that stormed the locker room was Kampfer’s father, and to respond to “What if this man would have entered the locker room with a weapon?” I think given that Tropp attacked an unconscious player with a weapon (his stick), this is deflection on your part at best.

i think it’s absolutely ridiculous that your editor let you run this. this article had such great potential to show the world that MSU is better than the actions of its players. in an opportunity to show that MSU is more than the behavior that was shown on the ice, the State News released a 550 word article with absolutely zero depth.

A “big-time sin” is not cursing (“first down bitches”) or trying to defend your flesh and blood (it’s ok for Conboy to “to stick up for his teammate” but not ok for Kampfer’s Dad to attempt to stick up for his son?). A big time sin is knocking a person unconscious and then slashing him in the head.

U-M fans did not “become part of the problem,” as you say, They just reacted to an assault on one of their players. That’s it. Michigan players, parents, and fans did nothing wrong. You are wrong. Being an apologist only makes your university look bad.

Cool necklace.

I understand that, as a State fan, you are bound to see things through green-and-white tinted glasses. That’s fine. But do you realize that you are justifying actions that are not only completely against the spirit of the game, but are also likely to land Corey Tropp in jail? The CCHA and Rick Comley are the least of his worries right now. I think you might need to gain a little perspective here, Mr. DeFilippo. Get a grip on reality.

sadly for you, there is actual video evidence of everything that went down, so people will see how ridiculous this article is.

And State News reaches a new level of homerism. This almost sickens me.

What an absolute joke of a slanted article this is. There’s nothing else to say from what has already been stated by commenters above. I suppose this high quality journalism is to be expected when you see the outstanding citizens like Tropp, Conboy, and Comley hailing from Spartyland.

So punching an unaware player in the back of the neck and then assaulting him, as he lay unconscious, is just as harmful, painful, and illegal as swearing in unison. Got it.

By the way I just took a screenshot of this column incase anyone at the paper with any semblance of journalistic integrity decides to read it and take it down. I want to remember this gem forever.

I will now remember January 25th, 2009 as the official end of Alex DiFilippo’s journalistic career.

…and this is why your going to Michigan State.

ZING

Thank you for the most biased reporting I have ever seen. With the game almost over, Kampfer took a run a Tropp??? Watch the tape. It is without a doubt a legal hit. What Conboy and Tropp did was criminal and I hope charges are pressed against them. Also, you have a problem with Kampfer’s dad trying to break into the State locker room? I would hope your father would have enough balls to stand up if a pair of thugs tried to kill you. Your program is an absolute disgrace if Conboy and Tropp ever suit up for MSU again.

“you’re”

come on.

“But what happened on Saturday night both on and off the ice leaves reason for die-hard fans of both schools to hang their heads.”

Doesn’t seem like anyone’s going to be hanging their head except you and your Spartan criminals. That was a criminal act.

Alex, I posted first and came back to read the posts expecting biased comments from msu people. It was gratifying to see the honest review of this matter. MSU can rise above the terrible actions of the 2 players involved, but it needs to handle this well. You comments are a step in the wrong direction. I urge you to re-consider the matter and write something honest and uplifting for MSU.

Alex,

I respectfully disagree with your assertion that the Kampfer hit was “taking a run”. As you can see in the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zslb7M83YIU Kampfer lines the puck carrier up, and leads with his shoulder, into the players chest. That is a clean hit. A lot cleaner than being punched from behind, and slashed a couple times when prone on the ice.

The problem here is that there is a small subset of State fans that somehow think those actions aren’t a big deal.

“A moment after Tropp committed the violent act, you could see him look down at Kampfer and come to the realization of what had just occurred.”

Watch the video again. He actually looks like he’s ready to jump back into it until an official bumps into him and he snaps around to hit. He’s so apologetic that he shoves the official and gets into it with another player. Reallllllly remorseful. This is the definition of homerism.

“The CCHA has to come down with some sort of fine or punishment on U-M for not having proper security outside of the opposing team’s locker room.”

Um. Kampfer’s Dad didn’t do anything to Conboy or Tropp. Security stopped them. Please explain to me why U-M should be punished for anything.

In conclusion, I will leave you with this. If you think that the ginger problem is not a serious one…

Think again.

Seriously buddy that is the worst piece of crap reporting i have ever seen. So now its ok to punch people in th eback of th ehead and then take a swing at them with their hockey stick i hope this happens to you in a REC league hockey game and see how you deal with it although i don’t think you know enough about sports to play them let alone write about them but that is the quality of student that you get at MSU.

I dont think ANYONE is saying what happened on either end was in any way good. This shouldnt have happened. Its nice to know Kampfer was not hurt! Which is really the most important part. But to say he was hurt earlier this year and you shouldnt have hit him is stupid.

bob—-
“But to say he was hurt earlier this year and you shouldnt have hit him is stupid.”

who said no one could hit Kampfer? really, find the quote here. i think people were saying no one should suckerpunch Kampfer in the back of the head then hit him with the stick while he’s motionless face down on the ice.

you ok with that?

“What if this man would have entered the locker room with a weapon?”

Then someone might get hurt.
Oh, wait … someone DID get hurt. The Michigan player.
You might want to go back to the beginning and rewrite your article keeping in mind that knocking someone unconscious is actually more dangerous than yelling at someone.

bob, NOBODY should get punched from behind and hacked in the head while down. that was inexcusable, and there is no “either end” here.
clearly, kampfer was playing in the game and, therefore, expecting and delivering some CLEAN hits. but, to be assaulted is something else completely.

This is unbelievable, M fans swore and no one on State got attacked because of security and a player on Michigan got assaulted with a stick. Comparable, no. This article is horrible. Complete garbage. Both sides should see it that way.

Obvious troll is obvious.

You are a terrible person! You and your paper should be absolutely ashamed that this garbage was ever printed. What Comboy and Tropp did were absolutely heinous cold blooded acts that have no place on a hockey rink or anywhere else.

Alex, you are acting like a shill. You should be ashamed of what you wrote.

This is a sad day for Spartan athletics. This article is pathetic coverup of what truly happened. Get some journalistic integrity and write honestly about the event. It was a disgusting event and those two players disgraced their University and the game last night.

really Alex you have been watching college hockey for 20 years? You don’t look at day older than 21. Man can you give me the name of your plastic surgeon?

Nice homerism. Everything UM did that could be considered wrong was a direct result of Tropp and Conboy assaulting a player with a known skull injury. You don’t slash a player in the head when he is already down on the ice

This is the worst thing I have ever read. You are an idiot. Have fun working for us in 20 years, you biased excuse for a journalist

I agree. I am infinitely more enraged at the things Mr. Kampfer may have done than I am at the things Tropp and Conboy actually did.

Imagine if Kampfer had a weapon! Something horrible could have happened – like beating an unconcious man in the head with a blunt weapon.

I will be more than happy to hit you in the head with a club in exchange for you cursing at me.

Alex, I just want it noted that I was impressed with the bravery you’ve displayed here. It doesn’t have anything to do with the article — your complete obediance to the Sparty line has North Korean propogandists setting down their pens and feeling a bit ashamed for you — but everything to do with the necklace you’re wearing in that photo. Seriously, it takes balls to show that off to the world.

I now have more respect for what I do at my job than what you do at yours.

Everyone who is insulting the article needs to take a moment and read what was actually written. If you go back and read you will notice these facts about the article.

1)The author clearly states that he views the attack on Kampfer as one of the most shameful things he has ever seen taken place at a hockey game as well as refer to what Tropp did as a “heinous act”.
2)At no point does he compare the attack on the ice to the either the chants following it or the incident with the U of M players father entering the locker room.

Were you on glue while you wrote this? One of the worst things I’ve seen in hockey. They make me look like a saint.

Mark – simply:

If you can’t see the author attempting to justify what happened, you’re blind.

If you didn’t notice that the ONLY action for which he demands sanctions is against Michigan for having lax security, you’re blind.

Finally – the spin on Mr. Kampfer’s actions – “Michigan almost let him in the locker room” is distortion. The simple fact is that HE WAS RESTRAINED FROM ENTERING THE LOCKER ROOM. That means security actually did it’s job, right?

Chitown, it’s actually not clear to me whether Mr. Kampfer did or did not get into the locker room. From the wording of other reports it sounds like he did. So you can’t blame Comley for freaking out over it, since his team has no idea how to fight someone who’s actually, y’know, facing them.

Mark, yours is a valiant effort, but I suggest you read the piece again. The clear intent is to portray the actions of Mr. Kampfer and the crowd chants to be just as bad, if not worse, than the actions of the two dirtbags. Please. I mean, c’mon.

I’ve been watching Spartan hockey since the 1970’s.

A sad year for Spartan hockey reaches what better be the low point and it is really low.

Kampfer on Tropp – Legal

Conboy on Kampfer – one of the stupid things that happen in hockey, especially late in a game between rivals after a big hit. Usually there is some roughing and pushing, someone does not get knocked out.

A thought:

Look at this from the perspective of Conboy and Tropp. You are down 5-3 to your archrival, who is about to sweep you 5 games to none. A UM player delivers a hard, clean hit on you. The refs have decided that the game will be officiated as incompetently as possible. You have an opportunity to sucker punch him from behind, then deliver two slashes to the neck while he lies helplessly on the ice.

Not only am I quite ok with the student section yelling ‘F*** you State’, I hope we do it next time we play them. ESPECIALLY if Tropp or Conboy manage to keep their scholarships. You can bet we won’t forget what happened

This is like something that would be published by the Iraqi information minister.

I am not agreeing with the written article.

Why are all you UofM people coming to an MSU site for news? Go home.

OK plug, listen here, the fans have absolutely nothing to do with the action that is goin on down on the ice. Have you even played hockey? I bet I’ve seen more ice in my glass than you have in your entire life. Things got a little heated at the end of the game… big deal, for those of us real athletes who actually know what its like to play a mans game, tempers always flare between hated rivalries.

Just the ignorant thought of enforcing some kind of fine against U of M is absolute madness. lets step back from the fans and take a look at the real issue, the cheap shot taken by not just 1, but 2 state players on a helpless wolverine.

Go back to your swamp troll

MSU will be the only team sanctioned for a horrible act that could have cost a young man his life and you try to flip it on UofM? Kampfer’s hit was clean and 100% legal. Does that justify ganging up and physically assaulting a guy and bashing his head with a stick after he is already down for the count? Do you even realize that Conboy had just before punched a different UM player in the face before he attacked Kampfer?

Aside from the typical MSU vs Michigan trash talk garbage, I want to commend most of the MSU fans, alums, and students for not supporting this type of garbage…Its obvious that the writer of this article is a typical homer, and wants Michigan to share the blame when its obvious where the blame lies..

This is a great rivalry..One that we all love…But when things like this happen, no matter what side you are on, this is the type of stuff that cannot and should not be supported…

Go Blue

As a hockey player for my whole life, I can honestly say that never have I witnessed something this tragic happening in a game. Conboy and Tropp’s acts disrespect the very foundations that Athletics are built upon. There is no room in hockey for this type of act. I would also like to point out that the author of the text who still thought that Kampfer making a fair, open ice hit towards the end of the game was uncalled for, think again.

Clearly, this article was written in an attempt to remove some of the guilt that the Spartans are feeling right now. Yost has always been a rowdy place. Our student section chants obscene things to just about every team we play. What happened on the ice that night was an act of desperation. Isn’t it a little embarrassing, State? That your players have to resort to violence and criminal acts because they aren’t getting their way? Completely childish. Maybe you should all go back to the “Learn to Play” programs from which you came and learn all the rules over again.

i hop comley quit but he dont cause he git fired furst and cuz he lost comtroller of hims team and r an embarassedment to Spartyland

I see this article in the State News was posted at a um walmart wolvie message board and they decided to invade the comments section of MSU’s student newspaper. Here’s an idea for all the um commenters – get a life (you’ve heard that before haven’t you?), go back to studying for the GED, polish your pleather and round up everyone else in the trailer park for the trip to Walmart. In the meantime, I’d suggest these comments be removed as they are clearly not from State News tax paying MSU students.

This article blows. I’ve been a state hockey fan my whole life, and I am ashamed at what took place. Under no circumstances should anyone ever ‘Bertuzzi’ another player. Part of me wishes that Kampfer’s dad had made it into the locker room before security got him so he could have dealt with Tropp.

so nate do you have any other premises to your argument other than blantant ad hominem fallacies towards other commenters? Do you have any other pieces of evidence to invalidate the claims from other commenters that Alex’s column is nothing but a strawman argument and revisionist history? Too bad the video evidence from Fox Sports Detroit is not in Alex’s or your favor. I have not seen spin like this since the Iraqi Information Director.

To the Editor,
I am appalled at your lack on insight on this game. Were you there? You could not have been and reported this in this fashion. The fans at Michigan are very protective of their players, especially ones who have sustained career ending injuries. Rick Comley should answer for this, he was quoted as saying his players were probably going to do something, but he can’t pull them off the ice. Yes, he can, and should have and we wouldn’t be talking about this at all. I hope the MSU fans will forgive us for bad language, but we cannot forgive the actions of your players.

on re-defining the term ‘Epic Fail’.

I’ve been to every CCHA rink (with the exception of Alaska Fairbanks) and NONE of them have security after the game for the opposing teams’ locker room. Including the high and mighty Spartys that you’re so vehemently supporting. It’s ridiculous to sit here and say that UofM should be penalized because of that. I’m sure if the situation would have been reversed, there would have been a spartan player going after one of our guys.

Got to love this fabulous unbiased report..

It is a shame that you were allowed to publish this garbage. You should no longer be allowed to write for the MSU paper or in any other form. The fact that you wrote this, had time to look it over and still felt it was an appropriate representation and analysis of what happened is baffling.

Your ignorance is a poor representation of what was once a fine University.

haha great writing….

“In the meantime, I’d suggest these comments be removed as they are clearly not from State News tax paying MSU students.”

That’s odd…I go to UofM, and we don’t require people to go to the school to read the paper or make comments on the website. How does State enforce that one? Oh, that’s right – they can’t, because it doesn’t make any sense and defeats the point of student journalism.

Wow. I was embarrassed watching the team I root for assault a kid on the ice this weekend, and now I have to read spin about it?

Come on. Let’s step up, MSU nation. The UM kid didn’t “make a run” at anyone. He laid a perfectly clean (and physical) check at center ice. His reward was a Bertuzzi-like sucker punch and a slash to the head while he laid there defenseless.

I’m far more embarrassed by the post-action spin than I am the original incident. It suggests that those I’m bonded with, and root with, will go to great lengths to demonize a rival school and justify the thuggish actions of those that pretend to be fellow Spartans.

This article is an embarrassment.

From a purely journalistic standpoint, this is perhaps one of the worst written editorial pieces I’ve ever read. Probably why you’re in East Lansing and not Ann Arbor, son.

“With the game all but over, U-M’s Steve Kampfer took a run at MSU sophomore forward Corey Tropp at center ice.”

You fail to mention that Kampfer’s hit was a clean hit.

The integrity of our athletic department and our University as a whole is at stake. I hope to see no less than the firing of Comley (seriously) and revocation of the scholarships of Conboy and Tropp. I also hope criminal charges will be brought against Tropp. A serious offense like this requires a stronger response from this University to stand up and speak out against these actions.

This article is an embarrassment to me as an MSU student.

Here is the athletic director’s email: AD@ath.msu.edu

Principled MSU students/alumni, let your voices be heard.

As a Michigan fan, I have to say that overall I’m impressed with the response of the majority of Spartan fans to the incident.

Two thumbs down to the State News, however, for blindly spewing the party line.

Kampfer’s hit on Tropp was clean and completely legal. Tropp was just too immature to handle the emotion of defeat. And the Michigan fan who broke into the MSU locker room, that was Kampfer’s father. Mrs. Kampfer went ballistic slamming on the MSU bench’s glass shouting to Comley “THATS MY SON” and what is Conboy doing in the game with 2mins left, down by two and he only has 5 points on the season…. This was just like Chaney at Temple. Comley sent his boys out there to head hunt.

Nice article carrot top. Funniest thing I’ve read in awhile. I guess being accurate and truthful isn’t a high priority over there at the spartoon gazette. Kampfer’s hit was clean. “Taking a run” implies something less than honorable on Kampfers part. Atleast thats how I, as a hockey player, interpret your description. Kampfer’s hit was in no way deserving of the “Bertuzzi” response followed by the even more cowardly act delivered by tropp.

Typical Sparty slant here:
“With the game all but over, U-M’s Steve Kampfer took a run at MSU sophomore forward Corey Tropp at center ice.”

Took a run? You make it sound as though Kampfer did something wrong. Look back at the tape, Kampfer’s open ice hit on Trott was 100% legal.

Trott and Conboy should not only not see the ice for the rest of the year, they should go to jail. Absolutely deplorable

“As a Michigan fan, I have to say that overall I’m impressed with the response of the majority of Spartan fans to the incident.”

Agreed – other than one or two of the comments here (and the requisite band of idiots on the boards of the Detroit Free Press), most of my friends from State recognized the hit for what it was: just plain dirty.

On another note entirely, why isn’t “George Washington” a valid answer for the name of the first president? Stupid captcha.

There’s a place for back and forth banter in rivalries. Discussions over incidents like this one aren’t that place.

After the Conboy/Tropp combined assault on Steve Kampfer, MSU has, by some, been condemned as a university of thugs. The only response to this is to condemn the actions of both players and assert that they do not represent the university as a whole…

Great job Alex! Way to help out your own cause.

So MI isn’t a university of thugs even though your own football player/ wrestler cracked the skull of kampfer?
come on people it goes both ways.

I don’t condone the incident. But someone has to look into this kids actions and why he keeps getting beat down (once by UofM, once by MSU).

Is this kid going to learn a lesson? I hope so.

YA YOU GOT A SWEEP THIS SEASON BUT WE STILL HAVE THE NATIONAL CHAMPION RING..TROPHY.. AND THE PRIDE.
The tropp slash was uncalled for but that’s beside the point, this is hockey we are talking about right? this isn’t tennis people

Alex, what Tropp did on Saturday was more hideous than Claude Lemieux’s hit back in the day, and anyone who doesn’t think he should be held criminally responsible for it is a moron. I think most Spartans agree that Tropp screwed up bigtime and should pay the penalty, but would like to make the record clear that Tropp is not representative of THEM – unfortunately, instead of helping them out, you just opened the door to allowing the world at large impute this incident to the “Sparty mentality.” Tropp is not why you are State – THIS COLUMN IS WHY YOU ARE STATE. Seriously, does this paper have editors?

if, and when, conboy and tropp suit-up again, i hope that some “4th line nobody” attacks them the way they attacked kampfer. that would be ultimate justice. did kampfer’s father do the right thing, propably not, but i would hope that i would do the same thing is one of my children was attacked like that. conboy and tropp should be kicked-off the team and NOT ALLOWED to skate for another college team. let them see what would happen if they did that in the pro’s (if they ever make it there).

Adam-when i was a freshman at UM, i responded poorly and emotionally to a email re: a sensitive topic and a large section of the student body pretty much freaked out at what i had to say. I received a variety of negative feedback and some very serious threats. I was pretty much scared to leave my dorm for about a month. The bright side of the whole ordeal was that I learned a valuable lesson: Its ok to be a complete, unthinking idiot. Just don’t do it in writing and don’t do it on the internet. My guess is that you have learned this lesson as of today and that ten years from now, like me, you’ll be happy that you learned it before you got yourself in any real trouble.

Many of the comments must be from people who don’t got to many games and haven’t seen the history. The last several games have been full of UM cheap-shots and no-calls by the refs. Until the CCHA starts treating teams in a fair manner, this will continue. UM is the CCHA golden child and can do no wrong. As for the article, thanks for providing the info on the parent going into the visitors lockerroom. That was the most uncalled for act. As for the student section, it only makes them look stupid when they chant stuff like that.

Given that Breslin security was nonexistent enough to allow an MSU fan come down to the U-M bench and approach a 7-foot forward during warmups two years ago, I am surprised you are interested in disciplining Michigan for its “poor” security practices.

History Matters, Regarding your statement: “The last several games have been full of UM cheap-shots and no-calls by the refs.” Where’s your video proof? How about an article? You’re obviously watching these games with green goggles on. Saying UM is favored by the CCHA is like saying Duke basketball is favored by the ACC. It has everything to do with tradition and great coaching (Berenson and Coach K), and NOTHING to do with the conspiratorial theories of “Little Brother”. Go back to watching basketball, where your team is obviously favored by the Big Ten.

Really most of the comments are from people who did not see the history or watch many games of the series? That is complete bull hockey to brush off both Conboy’s and Tropp’s actions. Sorry but it is. Sure there are some big hits and cheap shots from members of both teams during this rivalry, but until Saturday none of them were of such a violent and cheap nature. Conboy’s goes beyond the unspoken rules of hockey were you settle matters face-to-face not in someone’s back.

Yes, I am a Michigan troll who happened on this site to read this pathetic article. Congrats to those are condemning the actions of the players during this game and in response to this article. Rivalries are great, they are intense, and emotions are often driven to the brink of control. That said, nothing justifies what happened Saturday night in any college game, ever. To write about this event as though there are two sides to the story? Well, that is just plain STUPID.

Cancel my subscription to this rag. I will no longer accept the State News to be delivered to my doorstep and will tell the paper boy as such. This article is absurd.

Emotion made the crowd chant F – U – State
Emotion made the daddy run into the locker-room and try to finish was he son started but couldn’t finish.

Hey, emotion got ahold of those two players. All good.

Look at all the wal-mart slappies on here. I thought wal-mart was the only retailer doing good, but none of you are at work. Maybe the economy is bad.

Alex,

Your article is sub-par. You speak about being an avid hockey watcher, but you have probably never actually played the game. What the two MSU players did is ridiculous. You never run a guy from behind, and you certainly never slash a player who is on the ice. MSU fans would have been cheering the same profanities had it happened in our building.

I agree with your article to a point. What happened was not a result of a reaction to the play of the Michigan player.

What is lost in all of this is the environment that is allowed to exist within Yost and the lack of security provided to visiting teams. The kid that was injured was dumped on his head by members of the Michigan football team several months ago. He suffered a serious head injury and spent many days in hospital as opposed to this even whee he was immediately discharged. The father had every reason to break into the Michigan football locker room, but didn’t. I think this was simply a case of hatred towards the MSU kids.

Alex never says that what Tropp and Conboy did was okay. He was simply writing what happened afterwards. And how sad the entire situation was.
Stop talking about Alex’s bias. When you came on here to read this article, there was a good chance that you had come to read it because someone else told you to. Therefore, you were bias before you even completed the article.

What happened was awful; it’s inexcusable.

“…and this is why your going to Michigan State.

ZING”
Arrogance without intelligence – typical UM fan.

Conboy and Tropp are completely at fault, UM fans like to complain, and the State News has some bad articles… no surprises.

take a look at the title idiots.
its called ‘MSU, U-M Behavior Bad All Around’
he didn’t call it ‘U-M Behavior Bad All Around’

stop putting words in alex’s mouth. he’s not saying that MSU acted like an angel.

Are there seriously Spartans saying “Well, UM gets away with cheap shots all the time in this series”?!?

Please, pleeeease name and link me one item that shows the malice and intent of this assault. You simply can’t get away with an act like the one we saw Saturday, especially not in the YouTube age.

The argument that M “had it coming” because of anything; the clean hit that upended Tropp, the goal by Summers, the silence of the referees in the face of untold thousands of Wolverine cheap shots, low-blows, nd face-slashes on unconscious players.

Why not just show the tiniest shred of sense and decency and admit that Conboy and Tropp were in the wrong.

@ the ever-classy scUM: He may not be saying MSU acted like an angel, but Alex is justifying acts that are beyond justification. Put away your homer stick for two seconds and admit that this assault was not ok by any stretch of the imagination.

When Kampfer got hit the first time by a UofM football player RichRod kicked the kid off the team and Milano is now facing assault charges. I believe a similar event happened to Sturgis and nobody is telling him that he needs to learn some sort of lesson from that. You’re taking two different situations and twisting them to make yourself feel better. I don’t think there’s any lesson to be learned on this hit for Kampfer.

Man, you REALLY suck!

Wow, now that’s reporting through Green and White-colored glasses. Conboy didn’t just “[punch] and [throw] Kampfer to the ice” he cheap-shotted him from behind. And Tropp didn’t just “[come] in and [strike] Kampfer across the head with his stick”, he struck him across the head with his stick WHILE HE LAID MOTIONLESS ON THE ICE! Good Lord, man, if you’re going to report on an incident try using a LITTLE objectivity.

All of this just makes me incredibly sad…
…I mean, I’m pretty biased when it comes to MSU’s sports teams (hockey in particular), and seeing the colors maize and blue together sort of makes me want to vomit…but even I can’t find a way to justify what Conboy and Tropp did.
What makes me the most sad is that Conboy and Tropp were so intent on having their fight with Steve Kampfer, that they didn’t even stop to think about what would happen to their team, their program, or their school afterwards.

Dear Mr. DiFilippo,

This column reaffirms our decision to send you the thin letter.

Regards,

The University of Michigan

You should write news for FOX News. they seem to fit your journalistic style, ignoring evidence, trying to make their side look better when they are obviously in the wrong. You accuse the UM student section and “not having proper security” as warranting a fine. Way to go and ignore how your goons were actively trying to aggravate a serious spinal injury by whacking at his neck with a stick. good luck getting an actual job in journalism.

Swing and a miss, Alex. Swing and a miss. Yes, the Michigan fans got a little rowdy after seeing their player ASSAULTED on ice. They were disgusted. I’m sure any sensible MSU fan was as well. And yes, there should be tighter security outside the visitor locker room, I agree. I understand the father’s passion (after all, he witnessed his son get ASSAULTED on ice), but in the interest of civility he shouldn’t be able to charge in the locker room.

To those that are able to refrain from the traditional, “you guys are classless thugs, no YOU guys are classless thugs!” dichotomy that too often subsumes MSU-UM discussions, kudos.

Enough with the red herrings… the issue here isn’t that students delivered a profanity-laced chant, or that UM student athletes have been in trouble before (they have).

The issue is that two guys that wear my school’s uniform committed an act of savagery on the ice.

Pete Bobb: Ridiculous. This is the level of security normally provided at any NCAA hockey game, and there was no “attack.” KAMPFER’S DAD went to MSU’s locker room to give a good scream to Corey Tropp, i.e. the criminal. From someone who goes to every game at Yost, this would’ve been the students’ and the dad’s reaction no matter whom the game was against.

Nice comment, scUM:

“take a look at the title idiots.
its called ‘MSU, U-M Behavior Bad All Around’
he didn’t call it ‘U-M Behavior Bad All Around’

stop putting words in alex’s mouth. he’s not saying that MSU acted like an angel. “

I like that type of optimism. Perhaps Alex could write an article about World War II next week: “American, Nazi Behavior Bad All Around.”

This article is hot garbage. Sparty Spin-job, to a T. The hit at center ice was PERFECTLY LEGAL, not Kampfer “taking a run” at Tropp.

I can’t believe this is allowed to run with all the factual errors. On a side note, I hope Comley’s contract is extended. Sure is nice to whip up on the hapless Spartys.

It’s nice beating Sparty, but I’d rather he was canned, since he doesn’t seem to have any control over his players. With JLS, osing was done safely, with the only damage being done to Smith’s own face during press conferences. Since I feel we can beat Sparty regardless of the coach, I’d prefer one that can keep his players from committing assault on the ice.

Great comment Season Sweep. I was infuriated after reading this article but as I scrolled down and read the comments it relived me to see that so many other people, including MSU fans, agreed with me that this article is totally bias and incorrect. Some of the people who commented on this article have more perspective and offer greater insight to this incident than the author. maybe they should get a job at State News.

Pete Bobb,
Your bias is making you into a fool that is tacitly approving of this violent behavior. Yes Kampfer was attacked months ago by a UofM football player (for walking the football player’s ex girlfriend home after a party). UofM pulled the football players scholarship and he will never play again.

Now it is time for MSU to meat out a similar punishment.

It is pathetic that you would bring that up, when the real issue is the most horrific act that sunk MSU hockey to a new low – worse than last place in the CCHA. Great job tacitly condoning this violent act through homerism.

MSU hockey will not rise with dignity until Comley is out of the door and fans like you mature.

Amanda –

As someone who is around hockey rinks a lot, I can tell you that rinks do have security by the locker rooms. They will be there until the team is packing up to leave, at least 30 minutes, if not more after the game is over

Remove his power of the pen. And while you’re at it, fire the editor too!

This is one of the worst written most lazy pieces of writing I’ve ever seen in a newspaper, and I’m a Michigan State fan. I’m embarrassed the newspaper will continue to employ this writer, in any capacity.

Hey, maybe conboy and tropp can go hang out with plaxico “quickdraw” burress. Talk about bringing a hockey stick to a gunfight. Looks like Topps goin down.

Alex, This says it all. Both Conboy and Tropp out for season. http://thegame.blogs.michigandaily.com/2009/01/26/kampfer-update-junior-defenseman-hopes-to-skate-tomorrow-berenson-confirms-confrontation-between-tropp-and-kampfers-father/

I’m glad to see the two players from msu are suspended from the rest of the season. You’re a moron. What those two, classless d-bags did in no way defensible. Did you even see what happened? There was no provocation for the attack. Think before you write. Better yet, never write again.

“Arrogance without intelligence – typical UM fan.

Conboy and Tropp are completely at fault, UM fans like to complain, and the State News has some bad articles… no surprises.”

Am I the only one who finds it hilariously fitting that this guy couldn’t spell stereotypical right?

Steroetypical
01/26/09 @ 3:43pm

…lol.

“I’ll give you a little hint on what it was — the first word rhymed with “duck” and the second word was ‘State.’”

This has already been corrected by another poster; yes, the second word was, in fact, “you.”

Now, this may be a small missed fact, but with the rest of the article having been fairly shoddy, I almost wonder if Alex watched the game live or otherwise.

OK – So my faith in Rick Comley’s hockey professionalism was well placed. He acted quickly and as most had hoped / expected / demanded. It would not surprise if neither player returns.

For all the UM and MSU diehards who just don’t get it and are in here to insult each other, claim to be better some how, clain the other guy is worse some how, and other pre-adolescent type nonsense, stop discrediting the tens of thousands of people who are actaully proud of (and a credit to) these two fine institutiions.

Matt-
I guess I should correct myself on that first comment. I shouldn’t say that they don’t have any security, it’s just not anything to write home about. I’m sure the event staff was over somewhere close to the visitors’ locker room, but when half of them are over the age of 60 I’m not quite sure what was expected. There have been times where, if it was what I really wanted to do, I could waltz right into the Michigan locker room on away games. The security could be better at all the arenas, but they’ve never really had a reason to have anymore than what exists right now.

I have witnessed truly terrible behavior at Yost. MI fan behavior does not in anyway excuse Tropp and Conboy’s action, but security at Yost is lacking and has been for a long time. I have never been in an arena where the fans are allowed to dump beverages and food on the opposing bench, and as long as nothing hit the ice it was ignored. Worse than this was students traveling all the way to the vistor’s section to heckle and insult the player’s parents.

I completely agree that MSU has a reasonable expectation to a secure locker room and that action should be take by the CCHA against UM for the disturbing lack of security.

Special security for the spartys coming right up. If anyone tries to enter your locker room we will respond immediately by sucker punching the trespasser from behind and then once on the ground we’ll slash him in the neck w/ a hockey stick. CCHA action against UM? WOW. Funny how there was never a need for locker room security before.

Kampfer obviously attacked Conboy’s stick with his (unconscious) head. Signed. Sparty Bob

Lackluster column, but don’t sweat it Alex, your necklace looks sweet!!!!

Mavhockeygirl,

I think the incident you are referring to was the infamous shark incident. It was where a drunk dumbass Michigan student dressed up in a great white shark costume walked up the visiting parents section and pretended to eat a couple people. One of the UNO parents was not amused and proceeded to push the idiot to the ground, which triggered a fight between several people.

The kid who came dressed up like a shark to one games sat in the seat right in front of me. As i remember it, he simply ran over to the other side of the rink and walked along the glass on the opposite side from the student sections, while everyone made the noise from Jaws. When he got to the opposing parents’ section, I believe he asked permission from the security guard that was standing right there if he could continue, to which he was allowed.

There was a fight when one of the UNO parents pushed him. It was fairly harmless, but took a turn when he got pushed. I noticed no other students since that game have ventured over to the visiting parents section.

This article is delusional. How does any self-respecting editor let BS like this get into his paper?

I certainly hope your delusional moral equivalency and outright ignorance does not speak for the majority of your fans. Putting profanity, like most fans partake it at every sporting event, and a clean open ice hit on the same plain as a suckerpunch to the back of the head and a slash to the head is surely pathetic.
Oh, and please don’t ever wear that necklace again.

I’m having a hard time trying to figure out who is the bigger goon… Conboy/Tropp or Alex DiFilippo for writing this garbage? DiFilippo is a metaphor for why Sparty is looked down upon as “little brther”.

> I have talked to Tropp many times and never, ever, would have
> guessed he would commit such a heinous act.

Where was your conversation?

My high school journalism class called, it wants its article back DiFilippo.

Let’s put this in perspective. The equivalent would be if at the end of this year’s UM-MSU football game, while down two touchdowns, Javon Ringer was taken down by a horse-collar tackle and then Brandon Graham took his helmet off and hit Ringer with it.

I look forward to hearing about Tropp and Conboy’s arrests in five years for possession of meth.

I would agree that this is a sad day for the Spartans, but it really isn’t. To be honest, I would expect nothing less from a Spartan journalist. It’s really too bad too, because the reputation for the university is so low that one would think that it could only go up. They just keep proving that hope wrong though.

I think I can speak for the student body at MSU when I say that we are appalled at the actions of our hockey players. However, please do not attack the university as a whole. That horrible incident was caused by two players on our hockey team, not the university as a whole.

Also, for the UofM fans commenting on this page, please stop bashing the entire university. I understand that you are angry, but please do not attack the academics at MSU. The actions of two stupid hockey players does not represent the entire student population.

That attack was completely uncalled for, and I apologize as a Spartan to Wolverine fans. I never want our rivalry to be taken that far.

Your article is so bad YAHOO is ripping on you

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NCAA-Spartans-duo-gone-for-season-after-attack-?urn=nhl,137011#remaining-content

congrats, you made it big.

WOW.

I read the other MSU article on this incident. This one is MUCH worse. Honestly this writer should lose his job. In many nations denial of the truth is illegal and punishable by prison time (See Holocaust denial). This writer is obviously denying the truth.

Sure Michigan fans said bad words, do State fans never do that?

No rooting interest for eithe team, just a traditional hockey fan, who loves the skill and physical nature of this game. This incident is right up there with Bertuzzi, Simon, Claude Lemieux, or McSorley’s reprehensible acts in the past. Just truly pathetic, and completely uncalled for.

As far as Mr. Kampfer goes, completely regrettable on his part, I’m sure, but also understandable after witnessing such a cowardly act.

Agree with Fadi.

Were you even watching the game Alex? Do you even know hockey?

The hit Kampfer threw on Tropp was clean as hell. Then Conboy’s dumb a** came up from behind and sucker punched Kampfer. Alex, do you remember Todd Bertuzzi and his hit on Steve Moore? The hit Conboy threw was very similar to Bertuzzi’s hit. Conboy did not “throw him to the ice” as you state in your ridiculous article that absolutely makes no sense at all. I suggest you watch that game tape a few more times and realize what really happened.

Not only are you a pathetic journalist, but you are a pathetic MSU fan that doesn’t know what is right from wrong, and when to admit that your hockey team is out of line. I would also mention that you said “after 20 years of AVID hockey watching”, okay if you watched hockey avidly for 20 years you would be like 35, no one can say they avidly watched a sport when they were a child. None of this surprises me coming from you since you are in fact associated with MSU. Some day in the future when you deliver a pizza to my house, I am going to dropkick you off my porch. Moron.

Don’t sweat the haters young blood, THE NECKLACE LOOKS TIGHT!

Are you serious? Have any of you really read this article? Have you all taken crazy pills? Maybe theres a full moon and you are just looking for a fight! Mr. DiFilippo states that the ‘event’ was terrible, he never dismisses it, he agrees it was a disgrace. You seem to be reading meaning into this story that just is NOT there. Maybe you should read MARK (above),he seems to grasp the intentions of this article. I hope that those of you who have been so angry about this article seek some help. With the problems we all face these days you may have difficulty coping with things that really matter. Open your hearts and be kind to one another!

I would like to say that I am an Anaheim Ducks fan and would rather not link myself to MSU at all but I guess that happens when a player we draft gets attacked by two psychopathic hockey players. I feel bad that two scholarships have been wasted on Tropp and Conboy. Clearly, these two STUDENT-athletes do not have any integrity and act like animals.

Go to the U of M newspaper. This is MSU, GO AWAY. You people are relentless dingle- berries. I can’t wait until February 10, we’re going to bounce bballs off your head. Prepare, because there is no where to run or hide.

What a bunch of BS and spin. It makes me embarassed to have gone to MSU. You should go work for FOX News after graduating, I’m sure they could find a position for you.

I went to a Wisconsin-Michigan game in November in Madison. There were some Michigan people there and in the row in front of us was a small girl in a Michigan jersey. I thought, “oh, boy, this could get ugly. I’m not sure this was a good idea.” It turns out her older brother was on the Michigan team. But then the Sconnies were polite to the Michigan people and in particular no one said anything rude or mean to the young girl. Michigan could perhaps take a cue from people in Wisconsin.

MU needs to punish Kampfers old man for doing what he did. No parent should ever do what he did. MU should prevent him from attending any MU hockey games. If they allow this, then ALL parents in ALL sports will do the same thing. What will happen when some football player blind sides a precious little quarterback. MU needs to step up and educate their parents that this crap is unacceptable and to let the schools take care of business. That is what they agreed to when they allowed their kids to play for the school. You have a choice, follow the policies, or take your kid to another school. By no means do I condone what Conboy and Tropp did. They need to face maximum penalty.

So while you say Michigan fans swearing after one of their players got viciously attacked by two of State’s players is unacceptable, it’s okay to cheer “first down bitch” & “let’s go state, fuck whoever we’re playing” at your football games? How biased can you be? The actions by Conboy & Tropp are completely unacceptable & there is no way to justify them.

Wow, how you can condone acts of felonious battery is beyond me. Then again, I have come to realize that MSU and their fans find ways to excuse actions that most other people can’t begin to even fathom. This column is worst than any column I have ever read, including ones from national writers when their teams have to come to Detroit to play in a sporting event.

Come on! You guys are idiots. The problem with Kampfer’s hit wasn’t that it was illegal it was that he sent his knee right into Tropp’s. That’s what caused Tropp to go airborne and twist around, and it is also I’m sure what caused Tropp to get so wonkered off.
Now I’m not saying there isn’t homerism going on in this article. Tropp clearly didn’t show instant remorse.

Truly this is a shameful and unprofessional column. If you’d asked me or anyone else involved in professional sports I would have told you to sleep on it before publishing it. Now it’s going to follow you for the rest of your life. My only suggestion is to retract and apologize now.

It’s hockey, it’s tough, you’re not…get over it.

Maybe you should go to Michigan with all the other losers from high school

This article is boorish and illogical. I never attended either UM or MSU, but I read this article in hopes of gaining some insight into the relevant event. Suffice to say, Mr. DiFilippo has disappointed me. This article is poorly written, and its reasoning is painfully flawed. Most of these logical shortcomings have already been alluded to by earlier posters, so I will not digress further into Mr. DiFilippo’s nonsensicality.

Has this fool been fired yet?

This may be the most embarassing thing ever written by a Spartie, and State is the alma mater of Jemele Hill. Seriously, this is the best this paper can do?

Alex, I hear al-Jazeera is starting a sports department. You have the type of objectivity they’re looking for.

The author of this article seems to be less concerned with the fact that two of Michigan State’s players assaulted and injured a player on the opposing team than he is with the chant of the crowd in response, or the anger of the victim’s father. That he doesn’t seem to take as much issue with a criminal act than the anger of those supporting the victim is absurd. Not only is each response understandable, but neither event would have occurred had they not been precipitated by the original heinous act.

DiFilippo, there are times in which you should not attempt to excuse the actions of your team or attempt to cast blame elsewhere. This is one of those times.

You sir are moron. This is probably one of the funniest, most ridiculous, and retarded things i have ever read . You know you suck at life when your own people, the msu students, are ripping into you, which they are completely justified for. I would love to degrade your article like everyone else is but you don’t deserve the time or the effort, and everyone has already done a great job at doing so.