While playing for Oklahoma State University -- his third college atfer playing for Butler (Kansas) Community College and Wabash Valley (Illinois) Junior College -- Tony Allen was involved in a riot at a Whataburger restaurant in August 2003. The riot involved 300 people and was linked to rival groups from Oklahoma State University and Langston University. Allen and teammate Cheyne Gadson were arrested for obstruction, assault, and resisting an officer. (Mike Baldwin, "Tony Allen Has Turned His Troubled Life Around at OSU," Daily Oklahoman, Mar. 17, 2004, at 1C).
Earlier in his collegiate career, while playing at Butler Community College, Allen admits that he also "got into a little trouble at Butler," but it is unclear what. That "trouble" led Allen to transfer to Wabash Valley Junior College, and after playing a season there, Clemson, Cincinnati, Michigan State, and Kansas all offered him spots on their teams, but he ultimately chose Oklahoma State University. Before his first practice, the incident at the Whataburger occurred.
Here is a report of the Whataburger incident (from Mike Baldwin, "Cowboy Players Involved in Riot," Daily Oklahoman, Aug. 24, 2002):
Two Oklahoma State men's basketball players were among three people who were arrested early Friday morning when Stillwater Police were summoned to break up a riot of more than 300 people at a Whataburger restaurant.Interestingly, there is no apparent evidence that Allen was disciplined by Oklahoma State Coach Sutton for his arrest; if he was sanctioned, it doesn't appear that the sanction was especially meaningful. This is not surprising, given the extraordinary lenience afforded to Division I college athletes. We discussed that topic back in August (Crime and College Football Players: You Always Get a Second Chance to Make a First Down, 8/4/2005).
Senior guard Cheyne Gadson, 22, was arrested for obstructing an officer, public intoxication and resisting an officer. Tony Allen, 19, was arrested for obstruction, assault and resisting.
OSU athletic director Harry Birdwell and coach Eddie Sutton declined comment. One OSU official said the incident would be handled within the program.
According to Stillwater Police Chief Norman McNickle, two officers responded to a report around 2:30 a.m. Officers reported the riot apparently started when several people jumped one man and began beating him.
McNickle was quoted in the Stillwater NewsPress that "apparently there had been several fights all evening" at other locations around Stillwater. McNickle said two groups, mostly rivals from OSU and Langston University, ended up at Whataburger, and the fighting continued.
Along those lines, one has to wonder about the long-term effect such leniency has on a player if he knows that he will always receive a pass for getting in trouble. That often appears to be the message to a "student"- athlete participating in a Division I basketball or football program. And maybe Allen's arrest yesterday on aggravated battery charges has something to do with that.
To extend that very point, maybe Allen's arrest is further explanation for why those who spent 4 years in college represent a disproportionately high percentage of arrested NBA players, and those who skipped college and went straight from high school to the pros represent a disproportionately low percentage.
And in case you are wondering, yes, Tony Allen spent 4 years in college.
Don't stay in school, kids.
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