Grothe Arrested For Serving Booze To Minor

[Belle of the Bull]

Its worse for Penn State too.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10153198/rss

[USF_Grouper]

I cannot believe this isn't a joke.  When I read this nonsense yesterday I thought Matt had actually done something wrong, like intentionally provide free beers to underage friends or something.

Whatever, a bartender forgot to check ID before serving alcohol to a minor.  I cannot believe law enforcement didn't just issue a warning and complain to the manager.  I feel bad for Matt that some state agency wanted to make a name for itself by harassing a college football player.

[Griggsy]

I feel bad for Matt that some low-life federal agency wanted to make a name for itself by harassing a college football player.

Actually, it was a state agency...but your point is still valid. I can't help but wonder if he was being "targeted" so they could get a high-profile bust. Actually, I don't wonder at all -- that is undoubtedly what happened.

[USF_Grouper]

was is a scholarship player tending bar?????

I don't how one relates to the other.

[GoBulls84]

I feel bad for Matt that some low-life federal agency wanted to make a name for itself by harassing a college football player.

Actually, it was a state agency...but your point is still valid. I can't help but wonder if he was being "targeted" so they could get a high-profile bust. Actually, I don't wonder at all -- that IS what happened.

They busted a few gas stations on Fowler earlier in the week as well. They were probably just working places that sold alcohol on Fowler and the surrounding area

[Bobcat99]

I feel bad for Matt that some low-life federal agency wanted to make a name for itself by harassing a college football player.

Actually, it was a state agency...but your point is still valid. I can't help but wonder if he was being "targeted" so they could get a high-profile bust. Actually, I don't wonder at all -- that IS what happened.

They do this at every bar in Tampa. Believe it or not, Matt Grothe is not some kind of celebrity around this town. He might be to USF football fans, but that's a small percentage of the community as a whole.

I assure you, the state agencies do stings at every bar in the area, as does the Hillsborough Sheriff's Department. This had nothing to do with anything but Matt Grothe breaking the first law of bartending.

If you don't like that law enforcement agencies enforce the law, perhaps you ought to try and get it changed, or at least strip some of the power from the organization that pushes for these investigations: MADD.

[ChiTownBull]

this is very upsetting to me, as I'm sure it is to many of the members on this board who have always looked up to grothe.

while i love what the kid did on the field last yr....why would anyone on this board be "looking up" to a 19 yr old kid?

[Joe]

I cannot believe this isn't a joke.  When I read this nonsense yesterday I thought Matt had actually done something wrong, like intentionally provide free beers to underage friends or something.

Whatever, a bartender forgot to check ID before serving alcohol to a minor.  I cannot believe law enforcement didn't just issue a warning and complain to the manager.  I feel bad for Matt that some low-life federal agency wanted to make a name for itself by harassing a college football player.

Grouper,

Don't get your green and gold glasses get in the way. First if they 18 year old girl gets drunk, drives home and gets into a wreck. Instant lawsuit against the Bull Ring AND Matt; not to mention the criminal aspects. So yes, it is a BIG deal in that aspect.

They weren't making a freaking name, they probably didn't even know who he was. They were just hitting up a bar that had a liquor license on file with them.

Yes, when in hindsight it isn't a big deal, but it very well could have been. Your comments are absurd.

[Griggsy]

They do this at every bar in Tampa. Believe it or not, Matt Grothe is not some kind of celebrity around this town. He might be to USF football fans, but that's a small percentage of the community as a whole.

I assure you, the state agencies do stings at every bar in the area, as does the Hillsborough Sheriff's Department. This had nothing to do with anything but Matt Grothe breaking the first law of bartending.

If you don't like that law enforcement agencies enforce the law, perhaps you ought to try and get it changed, or at least strip some of the power from the organization that pushes for these investigations: MADD.

I said nothing about not liking that the agencies enforce the law, but you cannot sit there and tell me straight-faced that the goverment doesn't make some amount of effort to conduct "high-profile" arrests. It's their way of getting the most "bang for the buck". (ie who cares of Joe Nobody is arrested, but Matt Grothe?)

I don't doubt that the agency does conduct other arrests, but you make it sound as if there is a huge dragnet of arrests in the area and Matt was picked up as part of a larger operation.  I don't think this was the case (unless you have proof?)

And believe me, as a Libertarian, I'm not fan of "victimless crimes," so I think the charges are bogus anyway. Perhaps there are some MADD lobbyists partially to blame, but mostly we can thank those politicians who believe they can "legislate morality".

The bottom line is that I'm glad this happened.  It was relatively minor, and it teaches Matt (and other members of the team hopefully) the amount of scrutiny they're under, so hopefully they may avoid similar (more major) mistakes in the future.

[dausfbulls11]

not sure how you can turn this against MADD. It is a bartenders job to check the patrons i.d. If they didnt do these types of stings then bars would serve to every 18 yr old in the county with no fear of reprecussions. Until you form a lobby movement to change the legal drinking age to 18, it is 21. MADD is a great organization with a worthy cause.