"Elite" Canadian Athlete Caught in Vancouver Riots

[BoomerD]

OK, how fucking stupid do you have to be to do this shit?

http://www.thepostgame.com/features...elite-canadian-athlete-makes-teary-confession

The crowd mentality of a mob, combined with the peer pressure that so often pushes teenagers to the edge of reason, made Vancouver's riot last week a very poor place to be for 17-year old Nathan Kotylak.

Kotylak was caught lighting a rag on fire that was tucked into the gas tank of a police car during the riot following the Canucks' Game 7 loss to Boston in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Over the weekend, he apologized: <see video>

There were a lot of dumb mistakes made that evening in Vancouver, and a lot of people will be dealing with the legal system for quite some time because of it. But Kotylak may have cost himself a life dream.

That's because he's a member of the men's Canadian water polo team, and his skills in the pool have earned him a scholarship to the University of Calgary. But his future is now in limbo as countless cell phone cameras and video cameras caught him committing a heinously stupid act. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong decision. And he may never live it down.

Kotalyk's Canadian national team executive director, Ahmed El-Awadi, expressed his disappointment at hearing about the allegations, but maintained they were still allegations for now. Kotalyk hasn't been charged yet, but if he is, it will be for arson and inciting a riot.

What Kotylak did was inexcusable. And he apologized only after attention was drawn to him on a massive scale.

But it could have been much worse. Kotylak wasn't shoplifting or hurting other people, and the vehicle was clearly already trashed beyond repair.

It doesn't make it right. But his confession seemed pure to the point of being poignant. Does he deserve to lose a bright future?

Sounds to me like he ONLY apologized for what he did...after it was made public. The only remorse is that he was caught.
He should be charged with the maximum possible for rioting, vandalism, destruction of public property, etc.

The author of that story sounds like the typical apologist who thinks whatever athlete do is fine...as long as they continue helping their team win. Time to hold athletes to the same standards as the rest of the citizenry...or higher.

 

[BudAshes]

definitely full retard.

 

[preslove]

lol

Who lights a cop car on fire without a mask on?

Idiots, that's who.

 

[mesthead21]

I think that "his apology" actually means "statement written by daddys lawyer".

Kid is an idiot and should be charged. All the people that are coming forward to confess are only doing that because they know they are screwed because of the cameras.

Freaking Facebook has facial recognition software, you really think they aren't going to get caught?

 

[Ichinisan]

Kotylak wasn't shoplifting or hurting other people, and the vehicle was clearly already trashed beyond repair.

Not in the picture I see.

 

[ProfJohn]

He's toast as far as scholarship and possibly being on the Olympic team.

Beyond that he pays a fine, a couple weekends in jail, cleans up some parks or teaches poor kids to swim etc etc. Then all is forgiven.

 

[ProfJohn]

lol

Who lights a cop car on fire without a mask on?

Idiots, that's who.

This IS Canada we are talking about...

 

[Imp]

Week old story. The ass-wipe dad actually made a statement saying that the video/picture is misleading to protect dear sonny boy. He's kind of right, hid rag in the gas tank failed, and there's another video where he throws the lit rag in the backseat of the car.

His dad's a loaded doctor. They live in the burbs, and they already got a lawyer. Who wants to bet the lawyer thought it would be a good idea for PR...

 

[silverpig]

Yeah this story is old now, but basically there is another side to it.

Dumbass vigilantes have sent threats to them, and their address and phone number has been posted to a bunch of sites. They have temporarily moved out of their place and the dad has also temporarily shut down his practice.

It's kind of interesting seeing what happens to people in mobs like that. The scum people who look to start it go gangbusters, most regular people just leave peacefully, some regular people turn into heroes, and some regular people do all sorts of stuff they wouldn't ever normally do.

 

[Jimmah]

He's stupid, but 17 so unlikely he'll get anything more than a light wrist slap.