Mulcahy Issues Public Apology to Navy

The big news emerging from Rutgers offensive outburst and eventual victory over Navy this past week had little to do with the Scarlet Knight's perfect record. Unfortunately, it had more to do by what was reported by several New Jersey media outlets earlier this week.

Several New Jersey media outlets published reports of profanity-laced tirades administered by Scalet Knight fans and directed toward Navy players earlier this week. Certainly, this incident served as a reminder to all that even a relative minority may prove to have an overall negative impact on the larger general audience.

Late Tuesday evening, Rutgers University Director of Athletics issued a formal and public apology to the U.S. Naval Academy on behalf of Rutgers University, stating in no uncertain terms that the undignified and disrespectful manner in which a group of Rutgers students comported themselves is unacceptable and by no means represents the general feeling of respect that all of Rutgers has for Navy.

Click Here to view Mulcahy's Letter

In a recent publication on GoMids.com David Ausiello echoed the sentiments of AD Mulcahy but also added an excerpt showing that the outburst documented in newspaper stands is not a representative example of how New Jersey folks, and in particular Rutgers fans, view and respect Navy:

However, not all Rutgers fans were disrespectful cowards. As a matter of fact, some of them reminded me of what makes the Midshipmen different from 116 of the other Division I-A football programs (excluding Air Force and Army). After the game, waiting above the tunnel to greet the Navy players as they exited the field were about a hundred or so Rutgers fans adorned in their scarlet red garb. They were cheering at that moment, not for the random Scarlet Knight player heading towards the locker room, but for the opposing team. Some fans were yelling, “Thank you for your service,” while others were chanting, “Beat Notre Dame.” I’m pretty sure this type of scene is rarely duplicated anywhere in sports, and it was nice to see that in the birthplace of college football some of the Rutgers fans “get it.” What they get is that the young men who they were cheering for were about to change out of their current uniform in favor of a much more important one."

Click Here for Ausiello's Story