Taylor Lewan Under Investigation For Assault

Submitted by Bando Calrissian on

AnnArbor.com/MLive have confirmed yesterday's report by Bucknuts.com that Taylor Lewan is under investigation by the Ann Arbor Police Department for his possible role in a fight outside the Brown Jug the evening of the Ohio State game. While they're not going as far as the Bucknuts story, it looks like this might have some legs.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/12/police_investigat…

Police confirmed Lewan, a projected NFL first-round draft pick, was in the area of a fight involving Ohio State University fans about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 1 in the 1200 block of South University Avenue, but his level of involvement had not been determined as of Dec. 23.
Lewan has not been arrested and no charges have been filed in the incident. Police confirmed an investigation is taking place into the incident, but would not confirm any further details into the incident.

Bergs

December 24th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^

There is a difference between playing hard/nasty/aggressive and playing dirty. I think intentionally twisting an opponent's facemask is dirty. If you are defending that type of behavior then I think you need to rethink your priorities.

clarkiefromcanada

December 24th, 2013 at 1:33 PM ^

I think that football is a tough, nasty and sometimes dirty game where emotions get involved. I think that self-righteousness is a bit too easy for us, as a fanbased, at times. It's really easy to moralize when your record against your Little Brother is 1-1 in the last 2, but 5-5 in the last 10.

There have been two memes related to the Sparty games over the past five years:

a) Michigan owned a higher 'moral' ground (here looking at you Tom Gholston et al.) and because Coach Mark Dantonio is generally regarded as a jackass. the whole 60 minutes of unneccessary roughness thing.

b) Michigan appaently got physically dominated by the Spartan teams in 4 of the past 5 matchups. More than that, however, seems to be the meme that they got beat on toughness, nastiness and will to win. 

These two things seem opposed and we have a fanbase that wants a team of monster ass kickers but who are just really good fellows. 

There is a line that sometime gets crossed and will get crossed by tough teams and players with a nasty streak. I don't know that you can turn that off any more for Lewan than Red Wings apologists take up for Bertuzzi.

LB

December 24th, 2013 at 9:51 AM ^

into bar fights as long as there have been bars and football players. If the internet had existed back when the drinking age was 18, Bo's hat would have had more flying lessons. Lewan is a young football player, not a candidate for sainthood.

Commie_High96

December 24th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^

Unfortunately, this is at least the third time the A2PD has looked into Lewan. Once for the Gibbons incident, once again when roommate Chris Brown's ex-girlfriend's apartment was trashed and vandalized. Whether he is guilty in these cases or not, there have to be questions about more than his on the field decision making.

French West Indian

December 24th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^

..it should be obivous by now that the kid is a bit of a thug.

And maybe it's just me, but the sketchist part of the Buckeye fans story is that Lewan just walked up & punched.  I'd imagine that getting clocked in the face by someone that large would put you out cold for awhile.

In reply to by French West Indian

MGoStrength

December 24th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^

I don't know about him as a thug.  Lewan is a big guy and a football player, which means he is coached to be aggressive and tough.  He is also admittadly emotional, which has lead to some questionable acts on the field.  Mix in alcohol after an emotional loss and getting harassed by other guys about it and you have a problem waiting to happen.  That doesn't mean he should let his emotions get the better of him.  I also don't think it makes him a thug. I don't know the guys involved and how many it was versus how many people were with Lewan.  It would be hard to rationalize a big guy like Lewan punching a normal sized person unless his words were extremely bad.   But, punching a guy that talks sh*t to you is hardly being a thug.  Being a thug is more like sucker punching a guy, beating him while he's down, using a weapon, etc.  Punching a guy that's talking sh*t is just a run of the mill bar fight. Tough guy nonsense...yes, thug...no IMO.

03 Blue 07

December 25th, 2013 at 6:27 PM ^

I'm not sure they are even "alleged," as they are taken from the police report that redacts his name, no? Yeah, I'm in the same boat. After I read the stuff surrounding that case, I've had a hard time rooting as fully for Lewan as I did before. The quotes in the police report are pretty god-awful and made me think he's an entitled, bullying prick. 

If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a quote in the police report, made by Lewan, to the alleged victim:  "If [alleged victim] does (press charges) then I'm going to rape [alleged victim], because [Gibbons] didnt." Yeah. Asshole thing to say, to say the least, to someone who may ore may not have been raped by your friend. If you want the redacted part that mentions Lewan, here you go:  http://www.washtenawwatchdogs.com/um-police-report.html

 

bacon

December 24th, 2013 at 9:27 AM ^

Possible role in a fight could range from he was there, to he was attacked, to he was trying to stop it, to he was the perpetrator. It's not like the Ann Arbor police are covering up a serious crime Tallahassee style at this point. I doubt this goes anywhere.

freejs

December 24th, 2013 at 9:35 AM ^

Bucknuts is going to hit us with "investigative journalism" and no one is going to really dig under the rock of all the shadiness that happened during the Tressel-era?

We are way too passive in this rivalry. I'll bet there are violations galore from Tressel's time that could still stick and are out there to be found with some halfway decent investigative reporting.

GoWings2008

December 24th, 2013 at 9:54 AM ^

but all the more reason they should just let it lie as well.  Your argument can go both ways.  We do a pretty good job on this blog not to go too far into the weeds on stuff that is reported on their program....usually. 

I agree with the previous poster who said we are too passive in this rivalry.  I'm not suggesting sinking to their level at all, but nothing wrong with being aggressive.

LSAClassOf2000

December 24th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^

Reading this comment makes me think of this same story as reported by the Columbus Dispatch (HERE), which gives the name of the person making the accusation, mentions Lewan specifically as the person who is being accused of assault and sources Bucknuts. Nowhere in here is there a mention of the comments made by the police Feldscher's piece, which mentions that no charges have been filed and that Lewan was in the vicinity and that the level of involvement is undetermined as yet. 

Investigative reporting is fine, but it seems the Dispatch was writing to try and get a reaction and that's what I would think we could all do well to avoid. The contrast in these stories sort of illustrates your point, I would think. 

Section 1

December 24th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^

..."the Little Brown Jug restaurant..."  Oh well.  I won't blame the Dispatch.  Bucknuts initiated that error.  What we all need to understand is that they are really trying, and that most of the time, they will get most of the facts mostly right.

blueblueblue

December 24th, 2013 at 9:41 AM ^

My guess is that tripped over fence = kicked fence. My guess is also that there were OSU fans mocking and annoying Taylor and friends all night. Perhaps not these exact fans, but OSU fans nonetheless. When they kicked the fence, those OSU fans became saddled with what all OSU fans had done. And so a few paid the price for all. Shit happens. 

cbs650

December 24th, 2013 at 1:12 PM ^

the rest us wouldn't even be known and most likely would be sent away with a ticket for public intoxication. if a 6'8 300lb man hits u in the face out of no where and h are not knocked unconscious I call bs and then goes back to punch u again in the stomach area come on now.

mGrowOld

December 24th, 2013 at 9:55 AM ^

Times sure do change.  When I was in college I was a bouncer at the old Village Bell and bar fights on some level were a pretty regular occurance most weekends.  Based on that experience plus 35 years of going to bars, here is what I predict probably happened:

1. Drunk OSU fans, giddy over their last second win, celebrate too long and too loudly at the Brown Derby.

2. Drunk OSU fans spot Lewan and start giving him shit at the bar.  

3. Taylor, probably drunk himself and obviously pissed at the outcome of the game is in no mood to hear shit from drunken OSU fans at a bar at his school and tells them to shut the fuck up.

4. Drunk OSU fans, being drunk, don't shut up emboldened by both their drunkeness and their buddies.

5. Lewan, being large, strong and pissed kicks shit out of loud, obnoxious, OSU fan or fans.

6. OSU fan or fans, being pussy's, run to hospital first to get their diagnosis of "assult" (read the hospital report - it's pretty amusing) and then the police.

7. OSU fans being not only pussy's but opportunistic pussy's, see opportunity for large civil suit against famous soon to be reach MIchigan football player and lawyer up.