As prosecutors consider bringing new charges against Penn State football players for their alleged involvement in the October beating of a Philadelphia man outside a fraternity party, another fraternity has divulged that it too has had issues with players in the past.
And much of the conflict, according to both fraternities, revolves around the team's misconduct during fraternity "party-walking."
Jawanza Hall, vice president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., said some football players "won't move out of the way" during the traditional greek step-dancing at fraternity events, bumping into brothers making their way through the venue.
And from there, despite efforts between players to defuse the situation, tension escalates, he said.
"There are athletes that we do talk to, and they try to calm things down," Hall said.
"But there are other athletes that get out of control."
Jeff Nelson, sports information director, said he had no comment regarding the fraternity's statements.
Football players Chris Baker and Navorro Bowman stand charged with misdemeanor crimes in connection to the October fight outside an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. event.
Penn State Police say up to 15 football players kicked and punched a visiting fraternity member who had bumped into Bowman earlier in the evening while party-walking.
A witness later described the altercation as being like a horde of "rottweilers" tearing into "a piece of steak."
Last week, a judge dismissed Baker and Bowman's most serious charges of aggravated assault, citing insufficient evidence; the two players now face misdemeanor counts of simple assault and disorderly conduct.
However, Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira has said his office may re-file felony charges with new evidence.
Penn State running back Rodney Kinlaw said yesterday that he feels that the team has done a good job of bouncing back from all of the off-the-field controversy.
"Everybody's been staying out of trouble so far after the last incident," he said.
Despite Baker and Bowman's alleged behavior, both Hall and Marcus Kellam, president of Alpha Phi Alpha, insist their fraternities bear no grievances toward the football team, and vice versa.
"There might be these incidents, but I highly doubt that they disrespect us as an organization," Kellam said.
"Some of my fraternity brothers are really cool with them."
Hall agrees; for most players, any dance floor faux pas should be chalked up to ignorance, not malice, he said.
"I wouldn't say [it's] disrespect ... it's an understanding thing," he said.
"They don't actually understand what goes on at greek parties."
Football players are visible figures, Kellam said, and they'll be the ones that "are in the forefront and are seen the most."
He added that maybe that's why players have been targeted in investigations of fights in the past: They're simply the ones most likely to be positively identified.
However, he conceded that Alpha Phi Alpha has found that players are more likely to be involved in an altercation than the average partygoer, and, once sparks fly, the conflict is likely to grow, he said.
"You start something with one player, you start something with the whole football team," he said.
