The Roger Springfield Thing: Lawyers Negotiating, Details Emerge

I've been avoiding this Roger Springfield thing for the most part since it doesn't directly affect any one team, but, since it does affect Syracuse Athletics, and I have way more experience discussing sexual misconduct than I ever thought I would, it's probably worth an update on what's going on.

It sounds like the whole thing is going to go away pretty soon as prosecutors and defense lawyers are negotiating a resolution, whatever that means. They'll report back to a judge on February 5th with an update.

So what, exactly, did Springfield allegedly do?

The charges against Springfield accuse him of illegally recording SU football players after the Louisville game Nov. 10, lacrosse players in the spring of 2010, lacrosse and soccer players on another occasion in the spring of 2010 and soccer players last April.

District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said last week that tape was placed over the red light on the camera to conceal that it was recording the athletes. He said recordings seized from Springfield’s Manlius home and his work offices at SU date back to 2002 or 2003 and involve 108 victims who have been identified and many others who are not identified.

Wonderful.

Of course, this begs the question, "what about the basketball team?" Well, I'm guessing that the fact that his son was on the basketball team might have precluded them from his spying on them. At least I hope so. I mean, who the hell knows (As for why they have different last names, I have no idea. I'm guessing Springfield is a "stage" name).

Anyway, Springfield is denying all of this right? Actually, no. Instead, his defense is that these athletes did not have any expectation of privacy in a sports locker room, so it's totally cool.

SO, if I'm getting that right, Springfield's lawyer is trying to say that if you are getting undressed in a locker room at Syracuse University, someone has the right to film your genitals without your permission.

Again, wonderful.

Is Springfield looking at prison time? You betcha. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted. He would also have to register as a sex offender.

All very troubling stuff. And you didn't think Springfield would ever do anything in his life worse than the Big East Old Man Regret commercial? You were wrong.