Brady Quinn part of rowdy group outside Columbus bar, witness says

[HEAV]

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn was part of a group of men shouting insults at gay passers-by outside a Columbus bar early on New Year's Day, according to a 9-1-1 call made to police.
The call at 2:35 a.m. came from Seth Harris, who reported that he encountered the group in front of La Fogata Grill at 790 North High St. The Mexican restaurant is next door to the Union Cafe Bar + Food, one of Columbus' most popular gay bars in the gay-friendly Short North neighborhood.

On the 9-1-1 call, Harris said that "Brady Quinn from the Browns" was "trying to cause a fight." Harris told the operator, "I just walked outside and he exchanged many profanities with me and called me a ******, of course."

Reached Monday by The Plain Dealer, Harris confirmed that Quinn was the person who used the slur.


"I knew who it was," he said. "It wasn't just directed at me, there were other people around, too."

He said Quinn was with a "big group" of friends numbering perhaps 10, and that the quarterback "wasn't as involved as" others were in stirring up trouble. "He was standing back and letting his friends do most of it," Harris said.

On the call, Harris told police that "this has been going on all night and nobody has stopped anything."

Browns spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz had no comment. On Monday afternoon, Bonsiewicz said Quinn was training "out west" and said he had left messages for the quarterback and his agent, Tom Condon. By Tuesday evening, no response had been received.

Condon did not respond to a pair of e-mails requesting comment on the allegations made against the second-year quarterback from the Columbus area. The messages were sent after Condon's office advised that e-mail was the best way to contact the super-agent.

Quinn served as the Browns backup quarterback throughout 2007 and is a former first-round draft pick hailed as the team's savior at the quarterback position. A star player in college for Notre Dame and at Dublin Coffman High School outside Columbus, Quinn has parlayed his good looks and wholesome image into several lucrative national endorsement contracts.

On the 9-1-1 call, Harris told police that he feared for his safety.

"I'm not going to wait for police because it's going to turn ugly," Harris said. "They are being very violent and I probably should get away."

A Columbus police spokeswoman said officers arrived several minutes after Harris' call and found Quinn in the midst of an argument with 32-year-old Jason Thompson.

"I don't believe there were any punches being thrown -- it was more verbal than anything," said Columbus police spokeswoman Amanda Ford.

"When we got there, he was very cooperative and just stopped," Ford said of Quinn's encounter with police. "I think his friends were like, 'Let's get out of here.' "

However, police arrested Thompson when "he wouldn't back down and turned on officers," Ford said.

Additional police officers were called to help clear the scene, Ford said.

"From what I remember about it, there were so many people milling around in the parking lot that they called for more cars just so they could get things under control," she said.

Police arrested Thompson for disorderly conduct for failing to leave. His attorney, Joe Landusky, said that Thompson pleaded guilty to a minor misdemeanor and was given a suspended fine. Police say in the Thompson arrest report that two separate fights took place. Along with the Thompson fracas, the other confrontation appears to have involved Thompson's friend, Brian Dunfee.

Dunfee reported later to police that he suffered minor injuries to his left knee and right elbow when he was thrown to the ground by a 6-foot white man with brown hair, a police report says. Police labeled the attack on Dunfee as an "anti-male homosexual" hate crime.

La Fogata Grill owner Jeff Rinehart said Quinn's group, which he said included about a dozen people -- half men, half women -- did not cause any problems while drinking inside his restaurant on New Year's Eve.

"The only issue was trying to get everyone's checks figured out," he said.

Landusky, who represents Thompson and Dunfee, said his clients encountered Quinn's group outside La Fogata Grill. Landusky said Dunfee isn't sure who threw him to the ground.

"In all fairness to what the truth is, I don't know if Brady Quinn himself had anything to do with" the injuries, Landusky said. "It might have just been people he was with."

Landusky said Thompson was "trying to protect his friend" when he was arrested.

The head of a Columbus gay and lesbian anti-violence group called the report of Quinn using a slur "very distressing."

"That person is in theory a role model for so many people," said Gloria McCauley, executive director of the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization. "To have one of our well-known people engage in behavior that I consider hateful saddens me. We obviously need to do a lot more education."

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008...owdy_grou.html

[Arkansas Bronco]

Looks like he is trying to get traded.

[CBF1]

Would have been funny if they guy knocked out Quinn with his purse.

[bfoflcommish]

[CBF1]

Maybe the yelling came from the crowd at the gay bar asking Brady to join them

[sirhcyennek81]

Originally Posted by HEAV

The head of a Columbus gay and lesbian anti-violence group called the report of Quinn using a slur "very distressing."

Its a word. I use it. So ****ing what.

[chickennob2]

I was wondering how long it would take for that picture to be posted. Apparently three posts. Bravo!

[chickennob2]

And does anyone else find the Fogata grill being next to a gay bar a little humorous?

[crush17]

Jesus. Get over it people.

[SouthStndJunkie]

Another funny Quinn pic:

[sirhcyennek81]

Originally Posted by SouthStndJunkie

Another funny Quinn pic:

hmm...What is how Quinn got to be starter in HS?

[montrose]

Maybe too much myoplex.

[OABB]

hmm. he tans, waxes, works out religiously, has perfect hair and sits outside of gay bars to hassle homos....

what was it my psych proffessor called this, again?

[brncs_fan]

Originally Posted by sirhcyennek81

Its a word. I use it. So ****ing what.

I'm calling BS on that one. I find that word just as offensive as the "N word" and I am a heterosexual married man.

[sirhcyennek81]

Originally Posted by brncs_fan

I'm calling BS on that one. I find that word just as offensive as the "N word" and I am a heterosexual married man.

Its a word. A word can't kill anyone on its own.

[brncs_fan]

Originally Posted by sirhcyennek81

Its a word. A word can't kill anyone on its own.

Calling BS on that one too. Seen too many kids get messed up and take it out on others because of a word.

Words are powerful and the sooner we figure that out the better.

[OABB]

Originally Posted by brncs_fan

Calling BS on that one too. Seen too many kids get messed up and take it out on others because of a word.

Words are powerful and the sooner we figure that out the better.

i use it all the time. in fact I use it so much that it really has no connection to homosexuals to me anymore.

You see, some people believe that you can take away a words negetive power by not putting too much emphasis on it. While it is true that it can be offensive, and carry negetive connotations, it is nonetheless, a word.

people like you who get overly offended by it, actually make it worse. By refusing to use it, and turning your back against it, you give it power to someone who would use it to hurt someone.

the truth is, ****** is a word, no more no less, and it's power/influence is completley predicated upon how one decides to react to it.

I choose to think it is funny and harmless, until it is purposely directed at someone as an insult, and than at that point, the user of said word is nothing more than just an ass.

[bfoflcommish]

Originally Posted by sirhcyennek81

Its a word. A word can't kill anyone on its own.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[brncs_fan]

Originally Posted by orangeandblueblooded

i use it all the time. in fact I use it so much that it really has no connection to homosexuals to me anymore.

You see, some people believe that you can take away a words negetive power by not putting too much emphasis on it. While it is true that it can be offensive, and carry negetive connotations, it is nonetheless, a word.

people like you who get overly offended by it, actually make it worse. By refusing to use it, and turning your back against it, you give it power to someone who would use it to hurt someone.

the truth is, ****** is a word, no more no less, and it's power/influence is completley predicated upon how one decides to react to it.

I choose to think it is funny and harmless, until it is purposely directed at someone as an insult, and than at that point, the user of said word is nothing more than just an ass.

So if I just use it more, and make it a standard part of my dialect, then it will be ok to use it?

I have had friends of many different races and sexual orientation and socioeconomic stations in life that have been greatly affected by words such as this. Not because of the word themselves, but the general attitude that goes along with them. When you use words that were created to degrade people, then you and subliminally making yourself believe that it is ok to harbor hate and prejudice in your heart. That is not the Christian or the American way.

Your theoretical notion that it is just a word is a solid point. The problem is going to be changing everyone's belief on the matter. Go down to Watts and tell the people living there that ni**er is just a word or that a noose is just a piece of rope. It doesn't work that way. And it is situations such as this one with Brady Quinn that ensure that words and many other things will have meaning far beyond what any of us would like them to have.

[Orange_Beard]

Broke Back Brady.

He was screaming "I can't quit you........................"

[Beantown Bronco]

I always found it a little odd that one man can call another man a f*g in public, and as long as the man receiving the insult is straight, there are no problems. However, if the man receiving the insult is actually gay (whether known or not known by the person doing the insulting), then that person could be tried for committing a hate crime.

[Beantown Bronco]

Originally Posted by Orange_Beard

Broke Back Brady.

He was screaming "I can't quit you........................"

Actually, this whole thing was a misunderstanding. I heard that he was just yelling at them because he was angry that none of the guys were buying his jersey. He has his sites set on cracking the top 10 in sales, you know.

[OABB]

Originally Posted by brncs_fan

So if I just use it more, and make it a standard part of my dialect, then it will be ok to use it?

I have had friends of many different races and sexual orientation and socioeconomic stations in life that have been greatly affected by words such as this. Not because of the word themselves, but the general attitude that goes along with them. When you use words that were created to degrade people, then you and subliminally making yourself believe that it is ok to harbor hate and prejudice in your heart. That is not the Christian or the American way.

Your theoretical notion that it is just a word is a solid point. The problem is going to be changing everyone's belief on the matter. Go down to Watts and tell the people living there that ni**er is just a word or that a noose is just a piece of rope. It doesn't work that way. And it is situations such as this one with Brady Quinn that ensure that words and many other things will have meaning far beyond what any of us would like them to have.

no. of course you shouldn't use it more, what I amsaying is you shouldn't ignore it. two completley different things.

And ****er is just a word. it is actually poor dialect from the spanish word negro wich means black. It is a word that is derived from whites with poor educations and severe problems.

noose, however is an actual item that was used to kill african americans. you see if you went to an african american and asked them what bothers them more, being called a ****er or being hung and dragged to death, I am pretty sure that being killed would be more offensive to them than the word.

I am sick of this argument anyway. I will use ****** or ****er when ever I want. It is my right as a man and as an american to speak the way I see fit. I have never used either words to upset or offend. I will never curb a homosexual or kill an african american.

I will never judge by race or orientation. I only care about the content of one's character. as MLK said, men should only be judged this way. so who you are is more important than what someone thinks you are.

Richard Pryor is still the greatest comedian of our time and this was his beleif as well. In fact, it was his use of ****er that opened my eyes to it's negetive power, and the fact that a word is ultimatley meaningless.

it is your reaction that gives something it's power.

make no mistake, I think our history is shamefull, but ultimatly human. We are creatures that fear someone different than us. It is tribal mentality and how we have survived through many millenia, but today a man's inner character should be all that we judge him by.

and this concludes my kike ramblings.

[alkemical]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

I always found it a little odd that one man can call another man a f*g in public, and as long as the man receiving the insult is straight, there are no problems. However, if the man receiving the insult is actually gay (whether known or not known by the person doing the insulting), then that person could be tried for committing a hate crime.

Hmm, when you write it out like that, lets see if I can re-write and see if the situation works:

Originally Posted by example

I always found it a little odd that one man can call another man [Nword] in public, and as long as the man receiving the insult is black, there are no problems. However, if the man receiving the insult is actually black (and the person insulting is NOT black), then that person could be tried for committing a hate crime.

[brncs_fan]

Originally Posted by orangeandblueblooded

I am sick of this argument anyway. I will use ****** or ****er when ever I want. It is my right as a man and as an american to speak the way I see fit. I have never used either words to upset or offend. I will never curb a homosexual or kill an african american.

If you were a man you would have the wherewithal to not use it.

Also, in America, freedom of speech is not absolute. Your freedom of speech ends where my personal security begins (can't scream FIRE in a crowded theater and all that).

Agree to disagree I guess.