I don’t know about “significant” doubt, but there’s certainly doubt – he hasn’t admitted anything and claims they got the wrong guy. OTOH, rather than describing exactly who did do it since it would have been right near where he was sitting and he couldn’t have missed it, he got himself a lawyer and says he can’t say anything more. There is also some inconsistency between his claim that he reported to police on Tuesday night and the police statement that he did not. All I can say is that it’s pretty damn weird.
What he has going for him is that he’s a journalist for a major media organization and doesn’t seem like the kind of yokel who would pull a stunt like this. His employer, Postmedia, is also looking into it and I suspect his job would be on the line. The police so far are saying they’re confident they got the right guy and a further statement is expected later today.
You got that right. It made a sweet win quite a bit less sweet.
Update: the guy (same guy) turned himself in to police Thursday night. The lawyer he got himself as soon as his picture was published, even while proclaiming his innocence, has now become two lawyers, and he’s been charged with one count of mischief. IANAL but mischief comes under the criminal code and I imagine that a major league playoff game and interference thereof would be considered interfering with “property worth more than $5000” so it’s the more serious of the possible charges. He has a court date at the end of November. On the line: his job at a prominent media company, his ability to ever attend another game at the Rogers Centre, a criminal record, and possible jail time.
OK, so how about this: Total netting at all post-season games when the risk is great that clowns in the stands will try anything. I really doubt the stands would go unfilled.
This is still a stunningly stupid idea for all of the reasons stated (as opposed to the one you latched on to). How about you do a little research for us for once? What percentage of all play off games played have had fan interference be an issue? What would be the cost of the netting?
If you had netting over the fans would a ball hitting the netting be an automatic home run or foul? Right now a fielder can reach into the fan area to catch a ball for an out, that won’t happen with a net in the way.