Jimmay (A More Plausible Story)

Submitted by Augger on
I would love to call this inside info, but it appears that it is just common knowledge at Notre Dame right now. Anyway my nephew is a senior at ND, and is home for the Holiday. He passed along this info. He had class with the emu on Monday and yes he does really have a very obvious black eye. He also reports that he had two friends at the same bar as Jimmay who witnessed the altercation that occurred over the weekend. Contrary to many internet reports, Clausen's family was not there (at 2am at the bar, what a shock). He was not sucker-punched by a random fan, but basically had been being rowdy with a bunch of football players who were with him at the bar for quite some time. He got into some sort of yelling match with someone and it continued as they were leaving the bar. Clausen decided to take it to the next level, and drunkenly swung at the guy, but was so hammered that he missed by a mile. The guy swung back, connected, and then they ended up on the ground tussling for a bit. I hadn't really thought about it, but my nephew reports this is the third time Clausen has had an incident at ND that involved alcohol, one wonders if he possibly has an issue or maybe just incredibly bad luck... Anyway, just wanted to put that out there. Have a great and safe Thanksgiving everybody! Aug
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BiSB

November 25th, 2009 at 10:56 AM ^

I'm a grad student at ND, and I've heard a similar story from several people. Again, this was 3rd hand, but that seems to be the general consensus around here. Also, CJ's is a "restaurant" the same way that Rick's All American Cafe is a "cafe." It's a bar.

Joined: 08/15/2009

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Blue in Yarmouth

November 25th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^

I thought having a family dinner at 2 am sounded a bit odd. I also found it funny that everyone believed it was purely a sucker punch and the clown couldn't possibly have done anything to provoke it. If this is true, it sounds like he deserved it and it was not actually an assault as many had claimed.

Joined: 02/18/2009

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Augger

November 25th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^

The impression I am getting is that it was your completely standard college bar altercation that occurs outside about every college bar in the country at 2am. The only reason it gets reported is that the QB at Notre Dame is involved. But it is funny seeing the PR stuff spewing onto the net defending Jimmay..."it was a crazed fan", "he was sucker-punched!","was with his family", or was "defending his girlfriend's honor"... I would respect him more if he just said something like, hey I had a few beers and did something dumb...but I know in 2009 no football player would ever be that honest...plus he has millions riding on it for his future, I would probably make it sound as good as possible as well if I was in his shoes. Aug

Joined: 08/13/2008

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Wolverine In Exile

November 25th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^

I would start the Jimmah in AA watch (just like Joe Kane from "The Program"!). This is multiple alcoholic incidents with him, and while we all love a good emu in a banana hammock facebook posting, I actually have some sympathy for the kid if there is an alcohol issue brewing (forgive the pun) beneath the surface. I'll admith, when I heard the first reports about the "family coldcock" scenario, my immediate thoughts were Jimmah's gone to the draft and Weis is about to follow him.

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tdumich

November 25th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^

i mean that's not so far fetched that i'd say there's no way it's true. besides, i believe this way more than him being out with his family at 2 a.m.! i do know from my nd buddies that this bar is most certainly not a family establishment.

Joined: 11/07/2009

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Tater

November 25th, 2009 at 10:05 AM ^

..it would have been chalked up to "boys will be boys," and nobody would give it a second thought after they were done laughing. Rick Leach got into a similar situation in Ypsi, taking on an EMU lineman outside a popular bar while exceedingly inebriated. Supposedly, it went something like "I can kick your ass on the football field, and I can kick your ass in the parking lot right now." Leach won a lot of games, but lost the fight. It didn't hurt him or his career, and he is doing fine today. And I would imagine that back then, behind the scenes, he was lauded for being tough enough to take on a 270-pounder in a fight. I know that we have "evolved" as a society since then, but sometimes I think evolution may have stubbed its toe a few times along the way. I think the laws concerning fighting should be similar to those regarding sex. If two consenting adults want to duke it out, why should it be a crime? Stupid, yes: criminal, no.

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GOBLUE4EVR

November 25th, 2009 at 10:22 AM ^

on where you live in canada... in windsor if there is a fight out side of a bar and if its american vs. canadian, the american gets thrown into the drunk tank every time and the canadian gets to go home. if its canadian vs. canadian then it all depends on how the cops are feeling that night. but the cops never forget who you are in windsor, because if you cause enough shit in the down town area they will ban you from going down there on the weekends and if your caught you will be thrown in jail. i've had enough friends that have gotten into plenty of fights in down town windsor, they were never thrown in jail but they were always warned.

Joined: 01/09/2009

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Blue in Yarmouth

November 25th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^

They aren't charged with "fighting" because under the criminal code in Canada it isn't a crime. You can get stuck with other charges i.e. drunk in a public place and thrown in the drunk tank (happened to me a couple time) or disturbing the peace, but there is not law against two guys who both want to fight, having it out. That was my point.

Joined: 02/18/2009

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GOBLUE4EVR

November 25th, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^

now. i did not know that fighting isn't a crime in canada. i must have skipped school that day when it was covered in my canadian history class in high school. i wish i would have known that when i still lived over there because there were plenty of times that i wanted to fight but never did because of the thought of going to jail.

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03 Blue 07

November 25th, 2009 at 10:42 AM ^

In the USA, fighting in public is always disturbing the peace. Certain municipalities also have a second offense for it, called "Fighting in Public" (seriously) to make damn sure it is known that it is illegal. Unfortunately, I know first hand about this, as an undergrad in Ann Arbor, I got one of these "fighting in public" tickets and a "disturbing the peace" for being involved in a fight that I didn't start, which took place in plain view of a police officer. (Charges were dropped, but yeah- they could've pressed them if they wanted, but the cop was cool and told the D.A. I was just defending myself. Although I had to explain the entire incident to the Illinois Bar Admission Board last year which was not that sweet.) Long story short: fighting in public is illegal in the U.S., regardless of consent. It falls under all definitions of "disturbing the peace" at the very least.

Joined: 07/01/2008

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Blue in Yarmouth

November 25th, 2009 at 10:59 AM ^

Now I will be sure to never indulge in a friendly bit of fistacuffs while visiting your lovely country. In a misspent youth I found myself on the other side of the law many times (often for fighting). I never took part in fights where we weren't both willing participants and only once ever really threw the first punch. Despite that, I found myself in the situation that BlockM described below, where the guy I beat up had me charged with assault after losing the fight. Fortuantely for me there about 300 witnesses (everyone at school heard he was going to "jump me" in the parking lot at lunch) who saw him hit me first so I got off with the catch all "disturbing the peace" charge. I'd like to say that I learned my leasson after that, but I'd be lying if I did.

Joined: 02/18/2009

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BlockM

November 25th, 2009 at 10:13 AM ^

Yeah. I'm no fighter, and I'd try to avoid a fight in just about any situation because I'd get pummeled, but c'mon. These days you can get away with saying anything you want because if the other guy comes and socks you in the eye because you called his mother a whore, all you have to do is press charges. Cops should have the freedom to just say, "Sorry dude, that's what happens when you're a jerk to people. Man the f up." I'm in no way speculating on what happened with Clausen, I have no idea what happened.

Joined: 07/03/2008

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jtmc33

November 25th, 2009 at 10:07 AM ^

I love it. This goof arrives on campus in a limo and declares he is going to ND at the College Football Hall of Fame... he was handsome, with a full head of blonde flowing locks, the world at his feet, and destined to win 4 Heismans. 3 years later, he is chased out of town by a group of actual fighting Irish intent on punishing him for 3-9, 7-6, and (probable) 7-6 seasons... he has a black eye, is bald, and apparently drunk. How the Mighty have Fallen. I will always thank Jimmay for our 2-1 record against him... including that absolute beat-down he received in 2007. I also thank him and his horrid coach for taking the negative media spotlight off my team (well, at least some of it)

Joined: 04/15/2009

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Augger

November 25th, 2009 at 10:13 AM ^

But honestly, I put a lot more faith in my Nephew who has absolutely no reason to lie, than the AD who has every reason in the world to cover for his star athlete... "Athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Clausen was the "victim of a sucker punch" in an incident at a South Bend-area pub on Saturday night after the Fighting Irish lost to Connecticut in double overtime." Aug

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Augger

November 25th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^

While yes I was not personally there to witness the event, I feel that those who say they were present represent a credible and all together more believable story than that which has been portrayed in the media. Remember these are all current Notre Dame students, they have have zero reason to make this stuff up. Unless they have some personal vendetta against Jimmy personally, which I can assure you they do not. That entire side of my family has gone to Notre Dame and are giant fans. They in no way would make something up to hurt the university. But its true I am just one more voice on the net and should be taken with a grain of salt, just like anything else you read here or anywhere. I would just state this, which event sounds more plausible; my nephew's story or the one put forth by the AD about a crazed fan cold cocking a star QB surrounded by other football players? Aug

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Irish

November 25th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^

I understand where your coming from but there is quite a few people to get reliable information from, there is the bar owner, police officers who are actually in the pub to prevent fights, and the other ND players. If it was anything more than what the AD is saying, there would be more than just one black eye, and an actual police report. I mean come on, you don't think the same players who protect him on the field would come to his aid off the field in some drawn out altercation. It just didn't make sense if there was more to it there would be more then just rumors. but thank you for changing the heading As to why there are so many rumors? Thats pretty easy, everyone wants to be "the one" to break the news, for the notoriety or whatever you want to call it. The exact same thing is happening with ND's head coach, where if you want to believe the rumors we have verbal agreements with both Patterson and Harbaugh and actually both Meyer and Kelly signed their contracts last Sunday.

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STW P. Brabbs

November 25th, 2009 at 11:21 AM ^

So your theory is that, if Clausen had actually instigated a fight, his teammates certainly would have come to his aid ... but since he was merely 'sucker-punched,' this explains their reluctance to get involved? I think I gotta disagree with your police work there. Also: "there is quite a few people". Tut, tut, Irish.

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TheLastHarbaugh

November 25th, 2009 at 11:42 AM ^

*WARNING RUMOR + CONJECTURE* WOTS, aka my ND peeps, (which I'm sure you have plenty of too) is that Jimmah was at the bar, yucking it up, and started talking shit about a few bad plays Golden Tate made and Tate's brother was there and a scuffle ensued. Because it was an inter-domer fight, no cops, no charges, just Jimmah with two black eyes.

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03 Blue 07

November 25th, 2009 at 10:47 AM ^

Irish- you are correct technically. However, when you read what are now numerous accounts of what took place, and infuse this with common sense, the preponderance of the "evidence" (which I'll allow hearsay to count as when forming my opinion) seems to lead one to believe that this "sucker punched while having wholesome family outing at 2 am at bar" story is, ahem, less-than-truthful, to say the least. Don't get me wrong- being with his brother Rick or Casey can count as "family," so that's not technically wrong. But you get what I'm saying. Also, when was the last time you ever saw, participated in, or heard of, someone being "cold cocked" where there was no premeditation or earlier provocation. It stretches belief. In all honesty, who cares, though- he's a kid, he was out having some brews, there were some sort of fisticuffs. This happens all the time. It happens at U of M, I know that, and more-often-than-not, these things don't get reported. Unfortunate for Jimmy/ND that this time there's evidence after-the-fact (black eye) and a ton of eyewitnesses.

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Augger

November 25th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^

Certainly on some level you feel bad for the kid, because lets face it we have all done dumb things after having had a few too many at the bar. If he wasnt the QB at Notre Dame this would be a total non-issue. The thing that bothers me is the PR stuff that has arisen that just sounds made up on its face. And just for total transparency, I too have gone to class with a black eye. I had to go to law school one day with a black eye because I stupidly went low trying to stop a shot in a hockey game and the puck went straight off the side of my head, I got some awfully weird looks that day. Happily though because I was certainly not a major college athlete, I wasn't forced to explain what the heck happened, so at least there was that ;-) Aug

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bryemye

November 25th, 2009 at 10:25 AM ^

Why the hell would the AD have the final word on what actually happened in an altercation at the bar? Honestly. Why is he the authority you deem the best to listen to? Let's make a list of people you would lie to about getting in a bar fight: 1. Authority figures such as the AD when you're a football player (or the head coach) 2. The Media, especially since you lost 3. Your girlfriend if you lost 4. Maybe your grandmother or mother if they would be worried sick about you 5. Anyone else. C'mon now. The idea that a ND fan would sucker-punch the only reason the team has won as many games as it has because they're angry about the team's performance is so ludicrous the very idea sounds like believing in the tooth fairy.

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