RD Mitchell Miller - Tri-City Storm, USHL (2020, 111th, ARI, rights renounced)

[majormajor]

That there has never been a personal apology nor restitution between the families tells me that Miller hasn't progressed enough. He shouldn't have been drafted.

I'm also disturbed by

- The Coyotes never contacted the Meyer-Crothers family, yet issued a lengthy statement about "being a part of the solution".

- GM Armstrong is among many to refer to the bullying as "an incident that occurred in 2016" when it was a years long process of bullying, involving repeated assaults and racial taunts.

 

[57special]

The article almost reads like an Onion article- Gutierrez is head of a NHL "Diversity and Inclusion" initiative? I was not aware that the victim was AA. Shouldn't matter, but that's the cherry on top of this whole mess. I always found the quotes from one of his coach's about him "not running away from it", laughable, when it seems like that is exactly what he is doing by not addressing it publicly, and having it handled by lawyers.

A bigger, stronger, white, hockey player bullying a developmentally challenged African American. You have to be really tone deaf to consider drafting this guy. Coyotes fans have to be shaking their heads, and wondering what's next.

 

[Bood12]

He will be forgiven after an apology, meanwhile Ho-Sang was late 1 time and has a "reputation" and is black-balled from the league

 

[Bood12]

And there is zero reason why this guy should be anywhere near an NHL team, I do not care what phony apology or amends he has, if you want to give the Coyotes a compensary pick that is fine but if the NHL is real serious about "racism" or whatever he needs to be shunned from the NHL regardless of the stats he is putting up in the minors, if he had a 1 off incident I would say "f him", but it seems he is a complete ingrained and spoiled degenerate who needs a lesson and he needs to be made an example of

 

[FerklundCGY]

Good article on Miller being drafted by the Coyotes: Mitchell Miller, a Coyotes' draft pick, bullied Black, disabled teen

The guy is one of the most genuine pieces of s*** I've ever read about.

That article is so disturbing to read and yet there's people here who are actually willing to cut that psychotic, racist, trash human some slack.

 

[seafoam]

What a racist coward. He did not even apologize personally, just provided a letter of apology because he was demanded to via his court sentence.

 

[rt]

Either the Miller camp is lying or they aren’t. If their narrative is the truth, then of course a person shouldn’t be condemned for the rest of their lives for what they did as a 14 year old. That should go without saying.

If the Miller camp is just saying what they have to say and they don’t mean any of it, than we’re talking about a deeply disturbing group of people. Nightmare stuff.

Who knows? The Tri-City Storm, The University of North Dakota, and The Arizona Coyotes all seem to believe that that Miller camp is being genuine. I have to suspect they have more access to contextual details of the situation than we do.

Having said that, they also have something to gain. So may be biased. It’s not as though they have nothing to lose, however. Is is the willingness of these three organizations to take a chance on Miller, indicative of the veracity of his claims to have grown and changed and become an agent of progress?

I guess we’ll most likely never know.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

This is a massive indictment of the Coyotes organization. This guy is a total piece of shit human being, and he is beyond reprehensible; the article makes that clear.

 

[KapG]

The article almost reads like an Onion article- Gutierrez is head of a NHL "Diversity and Inclusion" initiative? I was not aware that the victim was AA. Shouldn't matter, but that's the cherry on top of this whole mess. I always found the quotes from one of his coach's about him "not running away from it", laughable, when it seems like that is exactly what he is doing by not addressing it publicly, and having it handled by lawyers.

A bigger, stronger, white, hockey player bullying a developmentally challenged African American. You have to be really tone deaf to consider drafting this guy. Coyotes fans have to be shaking their heads, and wondering what's next.

Coyotes fans here on HFBoards seem to be all ready to support this scum bag lol. Seemed that way on their board when I read his draft thread at least

if there is any justice he will never sniff NHL hockey and will fizzle out somewhere overseas

 

[rt]

What a racist coward. He did not even apologize personally, just provided a letter of apology because he was demanded to via his court sentence.

The fact that the other boy was able to apologize in person and that his apology was welcomed by the victim’s family is certainly very disappointing when considering the Miller family’s actions. I could see being hesitant to make further contact, for fear of deepening the pain and anger felt by the other family. But upon learning that the other boy offered his apologies in-person and that it seemed to have age at least some positive impact, that should have compelled the Miller family to leap at the chance to do the same.

That component of this story is undeniably worrying. I’m able to come up with all kinds of semi-plausible explanations for much in this story. But only one boy apologizing in-person is tough to explain.

 

[Mobiandi]

The sad, honest truth in sports is that a club will always be interested in a guy that can play or coach, regardless of his character

 

[Static]

There is just too much smoke for this kid having minimal contrition for such a horrible, lengthy transgression that I would never feel comfortable bringing him on.

 

[Slats432]

The one thing I believe that Pavel might be right in this thread is his resolve that most people don't know what Miller is today. He could currently be a bully and racist. He could also currently be someone who looks in the mirror and says "I can't believe I was that guy."

I am 51. When I look at the things I did when I was 15 to 25, it plays like a movie. When I watch it, I find it hard to believe it actually happened. I also know that my resolve to be a good person came in my early 20s when I decided to no longer be a piece of shit. The difference between Miller and myself is that there is no record of the things I said, the things I did.

I have no position on who Miller is today. I don't know him. As someone that was bullied in school, I think his actions were despicable, moreso than the average bully since it was a long standing series of actions.

I do think that we have to allow for people to change. I don't know enough about Miller to know if he deserves that chance, but when I think of people in sport that have done some awful things and then move on to be better people, it is a very long list. (Vick, Woods, Ray Lewis, A-Rod, Phelps, Heatley, MacTavish just off the top of my head)

I would think for a minute that at worst, everyone who wants to bury the kid, should think about those who change for the better. Those who support the kid should think that because of his long standing terrible behaviour there is also a chance he is still a bully and racist. I think that time will tell.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

The fact that the other boy was able to apologize in person and that his apology was welcomed by the victim’s family is certainly very disappointing when considering the Miller family’s actions. I could see being hesitant to make further contact, for fear of deepening the pain and anger felt by the other family. But upon learning that the other boy offered his apologies in-person and that it seemed to have age at least some positive impact, that should have compelled the Miller family to leap at the chance to do the same.

That component of this story is undeniably worrying. I’m able to come up with all kinds of semi-plausible explanations for much in this story. But only one boy apologizing in-person is tough to explain.

Miller still roller-bladed by the victim’s house after the incident, which means this theory is dead on arrival.

 

[rt]

This is a massive indictment of the Coyotes organization. This guy is a total piece of shit human being, and he is beyond reprehensible; the article makes that clear.

I agree to an extent that the Coyotes made a huge mistake, here. They are the one team that absolutely should have taken a pass. They’re the least credible, most controversial team in the league. They really can’t afford further embarrassment. They’ve had just so, so much of it already.

Perhaps their brand equity already being in the trash, and not having a pick in the first three rounds, made gamblers out of them. Assuming Miller would have gone a round or two earlier if not for this controversy. Perhaps they were only worried about mitigating the league sanction for cheating. And decided to gamble, like their once disgraced head coach Rick Tocchet.

So I agree that it shows poor judgement for the Coyotes, of all teams, to be the ones to finally decide to take a chance on Miller.

Condemning a 14 year old as irredeemable is not something I agree with, however. Miller may not really have changed and may be just as awful as he showed he could be when he was 14. But that’s not certainly true. It’s absolutely possible that he has changed and has become a young man with a high level of character who is committed to doing better and helping the cause of progress. Of course that’s possible. He was a child when it happened.

I’d handicap this rehabilitation versus just a ruse as being about 50/50 in terms of likelihood. I just don’t know enough to say which I think is true. It’s perfectly reasonable to believe it could be either.

 

[rt]

Miller still roller-bladed by the victim’s house after the incident, which means this theory is dead on arrival.

If you read the rest of my post, you would see that I’m not suggesting the theory actually holds water. But not for reasons of roller blading paths. I haven’t plugged this town into Google maps to see what such a roller blade route might actually indicate. And I don’t intend to because it’s seems an utterly absurd piece of evidence.

 

[LeafChief]

Absolutely sickening to read this stuff again. The new article is just repulsive.

 

[rt]

The one thing I believe that Pavel might be right in this thread is his resolve that most people don't know what Miller is today. He could currently be a bully and racist. He could also currently be someone who looks in the mirror and says "I can't believe I was that guy."

I am 51. When I look at the things I did when I was 15 to 25, it plays like a movie. When I watch it, I find it hard to believe it actually happened. I also know that my resolve to be a good person came in my early 20s when I decided to no longer be a piece of shit. The difference between Miller and myself is that there is no record of the things I said, the things I did.

I have no position on who Miller is today. I don't know him. As someone that was bullied in school, I think his actions were despicable, moreso than the average bully since it was a long standing series of actions.

I do think that we have to allow for people to change. I don't know enough about Miller to know if he deserves that chance, but when I think of people in sport that have done some awful things and then move on to be better people, it is a very long list. (Vick, Woods, Ray Lewis, A-Rod, Phelps, Heatley, MacTavish just off the top of my head)

I would think for a minute that at worst, everyone who wants to bury the kid, should think about those who change for the better. Those who support the kid should think that because of his long standing terrible behaviour there is also a chance he is still a bully and racist. I think that time will tell.

This is a level headed post that I think most people would actually agree with if they weren’t too busy being outraged online. I think this is what Pavel Buchnevich was saying all along.

 

[Static]

This is a level headed post that I think most people would actually agree with if they weren’t too busy being outraged online. I think this is what Pavel Buchnevich was saying all along.

That would make sense in the context of him being forthright and showing contrition during the biggest job interviews of his life. He had multiple, multiple shots to get it right. By all counts, he did neither. Does that sound like someone who has grown to you?

 

[StevenF1919]

No one should be written off for the rest of their lives for the things they did when they were 14.

With that being said, this kid better be going the extra mile from now on to show that he's changed. He's lucky a team gave him a second chance, he better not f*** it up. Anything but perfect behaviour and he needs be dropped from the organization.

 

[rt]

That would make sense in the context of him being forthright and showing contrition during the biggest job interviews of his life. He had multiple, multiple shots to get it right. By all counts, he did neither. Does that sound like someone who has grown to you?

But this obviously isn’t an accurate representation. It’s not “by all accounts” that he’s failed to demonstrate remorse and rehabilitation. There are conflicting accounts. Tri-City, NoDaK and AZ give differing accounts. So does the Miller camp.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

I agree to an extent that the Coyotes made a huge mistake, here. They are the one team that absolutely should have taken a pass. They’re the least credible, most controversial team in the league. They really can’t afford further embarrassment. They’ve had just so, so much of it already.

Perhaps their brand equity already being in the trash, and not having a pick in the first three rounds, made gamblers out of them. Assuming Miller would have gone a round or two earlier if not for this controversy. Perhaps they were only worried about mitigating the league sanction for cheating. And decided to gamble, like their once disgraced head coach Rick Tocchet.

So I agree that it shows poor judgement for the Coyotes, of all teams, to be the ones to finally decide to take a chance on Miller.

Condemning a 14 year old as irredeemable is not something I agree with, however. Miller may not really have changed and may be just as awful as he showed he could be when he was 14. But that’s not certainly true. It’s absolutely possible that he has changed and has become a young man with a high level of character who is committed to doing better and helping the cause of progress. Of course that’s possible. He was a child when it happened.

I’d handicap this rehabilitation versus just a ruse as being about 50/50 in terms of likelihood. I just don’t know enough to say which I think is true. It’s perfectly reasonable to believe it could be either.

He is eighteen years old now. His behavior from ages 15 through 18 in addition to his behavior through age 14 is what makes it clear that he is not reprehensible.

If you read the rest of my post, you would see that I’m not suggesting the theory actually holds water. But not for reasons of roller blading paths. I haven’t plugged this town into Google maps to see what such a roller blade route might actually indicate. And I don’t intend to because it’s seems an utterly absurd piece of evidence.

The mother of this disabled tormenting victim called this a taunt.

"I truly believe Hunter is remorseful. I don't think Mitchell is remorseful at all, in my opinion. Him rollerblading by our house is a taunt. It's like him saying, 'I may not be at school, but I'm still here.'

Good to know you think her opinion is absurd. I’m sure you know the situation better than she does.

 

[Static]

But this obviously isn’t an accurate representation. It’s not “by all accounts” that he’s failed to demonstrate remorse and rehabilitation. There are conflicting accounts. Tri-City, NoDaK and AZ give differing accounts. So does the Miller camp.

Maybe I have missed it, but I have to see any third party with access to the kid say they get the sense he's remorseful. Of course the coyotes and miller's rep is going to say he is.

 

[rt]

He is eighteen years old now. His behavior from ages 15 through 18 in addition to his behavior through age 14 is what makes it clear that he is not reprehensible.



The mother of this disabled tormenting victim called this a taunt.

"I truly believe Hunter is remorseful. I don't think Mitchell is remorseful at all, in my opinion. Him rollerblading by our house is a taunt. It's like him saying, 'I may not be at school, but I'm still here.'

Good to know you think her opinion is absurd. I’m sure you know the situation better than she does.

You’ve got information I don’t have. Where are these quotes?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Obviously his actions were abhorrent and go well beyond just a kid doing stupid things. First of all, it wasn't a one time event. It was many years of torment and abuse. But also, Miller's friend did all the same things and was able to show remorse and make amends with the victim's family. All Miller did was a court mandated apology and even continued to taunt the victim and his family afterwards. To me, that's the difference between a kid doing horrible things and an irredeemable piece of garbage.

It also reflects absolutely terribly on the Coyotes organization. If they absolutely had to draft Miller, they should have made much more of an effort to reach out to the victim and make sure things were okay on that front