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OHL: Knights invite unwanted scrutiny putting Rob Ramage on bench

By Neate Sager, Yahoo! Sports, Dec 2 2011

OHL: Knights invite unwanted scrutiny putting Rob Ramage on benchOn some level, the London Knights had to know putting Rob Ramage behind the bench would bring both the former NHLer and the organization's past to light.

On one level, perhaps the most important one, this is a redemption story for the former NHLer, trying to rebuild his life. Ramage served a prison term for for impaired and dangerous driving in the death of his friend Keith Magnuson. He accepted responsibility and no one can ever fully understand what is like to live with that. He deserves a chance. At the same time, the Ontario Hockey League likes to play up the fact that it is ostensibly about mentoring young men. So some people in London, Ont., are having trouble squaring Ramage moving behind the bench for the Knights with some unflattering moments in the franchise's recent past. Presented without comment, here's one take from Nathan Smith.

Ramage remains on probation until 2014, but more importantly — the London Knights are also on probation, at least in the eyes of the public.

Ramage is not the first member of the organization to face a serious charge of impaired driving.

He's just the latest.

Knights forward Logan Hunter was charged with impaired driving in 2004. Two years later, his uncle — and the team's head coach — Dale Hunter was also charged with drunk driving. Neither Hunter was convicted. Still, two years later, in 2008, the team's assistant coach Dave Gagner was charged with impaired driving. He rear ended a vehicle just outside the John Labatt Centre.

In all three cases, the team chose not to suspend or discipline those involved. (AM 980 London)

Is that fair or foul?

Norman James of CTV London and AM 980 noted the Knights are "pretty pissed" about Smith's piece. That's understandable. No one likes having their dirty laundry aired in public or seeing someone cast aspersions on their organization's culture.

It comes with the territory, though. There's not much grey area in the public conscience when it comes to impaired driving. Every level of government in North America, over the past few decades, has been very effective on disseminating information about the risks of drinking and driving. Yet we continue to read about sportspeople being arrested for impaired driving. The media pays more attention to an athlete or coach getting arrested than some average Jane or Joe, but every time it happens people raise questions about the culture of the sport or team. It comes with the territory.

Were it not for the incidents involving the Knights, would have anyone have an issue with Ramage taking a more publicly visible role with the Knights? Perhaps not. He paid his debt to society, accepted responsibility and as the London newspaper noted, he was already working for the Knights.

He was granted day parole this past May and joined his former junior team in a role the Hunters [GM-coach Mark and then-coach Dale] described as 'defensive consultant.'

He helped the Knights' defencemen during practice and, before Friday's announcement, served as an 'eye-in-the-sky' during games. (London Free Press)

There's been no evidence that Ramage ever jeopardized a player's welfare in the past, to reference another contentious coaching hire recently in the OHL (Bill Stewart becoming a bench coach with the Guelph Storm). It's a sucker play to debate the moral equivalency there, but it is worth citing. Point being, the Knights will have to suffer some slings and arrows, but it might be worth it as part of giving Ramage a second chance.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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