Patrick Witt

This is a bizarre and sad twist to this tale.

At Yale, the Collapse of a Rhodes Scholar Candidacy

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

NEW HAVEN — On Nov. 13, Patrick J. Witt, Yale University’s star quarterback, announced that he had withdrawn his Rhodes scholarship application and would instead play against Harvard six days later, at the very time of the required Rhodes interview. His apparent choice of team fealty over individual honor capped weeks of admiring national attention on this accomplished student and his quandary.

But Witt was no longer a contender for the Rhodes, a rare honor reserved for those who excel in academics, activities and character. Several days earlier, according to people involved on both sides of the process, the Rhodes Trust had learned through unofficial channels that a fellow student had accused Witt of sexual assault. The Rhodes Trust informed Yale and Witt that his candidacy was suspended unless the university decided to re-endorse it.

Witt’s accuser has not gone to the police, nor filed what Yale considers a formal complaint. The New York Times has not spoken with her and does not know her name.

The quarterback, who is 22, is no longer enrolled at Yale, but he has not graduated. University officials would not say whether his status was related to the accusations against him, and Witt did not respond to messages left over several days on his cellphone, his Yale e-mail and his Facebook page.
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I think it sucks. Don't know whats happening at all but I would hate to see him not get his chance next year if its a false claim. He could also be out of school because he's projected to be drafted and most kids when that's the case don't attend classes the spring semester. I'm not saying that is the case but it could be a set of circumstances that looks bad. If he did do it...I hope the girl gets justice. No need for that type of stuff happening.

 
In a related story that has little to do with Pat Witt and more to do with journalistic ethics, apparently the Yale Daily News, Yale's well-respected student paper, knew about the Witt story yet chose to sit on it rather than report it. Weird.

LINK

Note, this is a blog, so it's one man's opinion. I don't agree with his label of "explosive," but the gist of the story is interesting.

 
Sexual assult can be many things. They could have been flirting and he grabbed her butt mistakenly thinking it would be ok. It could also have been something far more serious. No way of knowing for sure, but the fact it was handled like this makes me suspect it was more of the former...

Yale offers accusers a choice between making a formal complaint and an informal one. This student chose the informal process. In that process, an individual or a few members of the committee are charged with resolving the issue, without a full investigation or a finding of guilt or innocence. The most significant outcome might be an agreement to move the accused to a different dorm.
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These things are always so hard because it's usually one person's word vs the other's...and there are such huge ranges in degrees of sexual assualt.

 
Anyone else thinks he looks like eric crouch?

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knapplc said:
broganreynik said:
While it would be difficult if I were in that situation, personally I think he's crazy for choosing the game over the Rhodes scholarship interview. That game is just one day, a Rhodes scholarship will set you up for life. I guess having a Yale education has already set him up for life though.
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I agree. I would have done the scholarship interview. Yale/Harvard can't possibly be more important than the rest of your life.

I'm surprised they couldn't work with him on this, though. You would think that there would be some way to reschedule.
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Maybe he should get some tats that say "Yale Funded This" and take a flight and eat a sandwich on the way to a political convention. Then I bet someone will be paying attention and reschedule things.

 
Foppa said:
knapplc said:
broganreynik said:
While it would be difficult if I were in that situation, personally I think he's crazy for choosing the game over the Rhodes scholarship interview. That game is just one day, a Rhodes scholarship will set you up for life. I guess having a Yale education has already set him up for life though.
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I agree. I would have done the scholarship interview. Yale/Harvard can't possibly be more important than the rest of your life.

I'm surprised they couldn't work with him on this, though. You would think that there would be some way to reschedule.
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Maybe he should get some tats that say "Yale Funded This" and take a flight and eat a sandwich on the way to a political convention. Then I bet someone will be paying attention and reschedule things.
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