Newbie has a good point. The timing seems inconsistent. Ordinarily, when a player is arrested the team consequences are immediate at UVA under Groh. The burdon of proof for the coach is lower than a court. In most cases, though, the player admits to the offense, and Groh takes swift, decisive action. But in Lalich’s case, he disputed the charge and the coach’s own burden of proof probably wasn’t met. So why the change of heart? Probably because court documents were leaked that seemed to implicate Lalich, and it was clear that the media were going to make this an issue. In this case, making Lalich sit was probably more of an administrative action rather than a disciplinary one. Like it or not, the public’s perception is important, and sometimes this is quite independent from one’s guilt or innocence.
