Auston Matthews is not more important than security guard Fayola Dozithee.
When he puts on a military uniform and goes to war for his country, they will be equals.
No sports icon outranks any military veteran.
And no matter how much more power, money, fame and influential friends Matthews may have, there is one fact he can’t influence his way out of.
It’s wrong to treat a woman the way it has been reported. It’s horrendous to disrespect a veteran of any era.
It’s also selfish to allow for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization to hear about an alleged disorderly conduct incident that happened in May through twitter.
Security guard Fayola Dozithee, a U.S. military veteran, has accused Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews of disorderly conduct in May, 2019, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (social media)
However, that’s the past. The future is what matters. Some good decisions need to be made now.
What has to happen is for Matthews — who I still considered innocent until proven otherwise — to step up and properly apologize to security guard Fayola Dozithee for the alleged behaviour outside his Scottsdale, Ariz., condominium.
Make amends.
Forget any lawyers and agents trying to cover your butt, which you allegedly used to moon this veteran.
Stand up like a man and fix this.
None of this has to hurt his brilliant career or take anything away from what is a decent young man who is adored by millions of Maple Leafs fans in Canada and in his home country of the United States.
We still love Auston. But he needs some tough love here, not coddling.
He knows what he (allegedly) did. He needs to show contrition — not after it’s sorted out in court but now, before the NHL season begins.
What’s wrong is wrong.
From all the information I have been able to gather, not only did Dozithee serve in the American military in Iraq, she told police she had indicated to Matthews and his friends she suffered from PTSD.
She alleges Matthews dropped his drawers to his boxer shorts in response.
There’s no part of that a woman who has served her country should have to face and those suggesting otherwise have not walked a mile in her shoes.
“I regret my actions or whatever put a distraction on the team,” Number 34 told reporters Wednesday, adding his regret for “distress on the individual.”
Regret is not an apology. And, if the allegations are proven in court, one is warranted.
But Matthews and the Maple Leafs need to go further.
Tie Domi set the standard by inviting a fan he got into a fight with in the penalty box in 2001 in Philadelphia to come to Toronto for a game.
Classy.
And this is what needs to be done now.
Have Dozithee and her family flown up here first-class to attend both a Leafs game and a Raptors game.
In addition, when the teams announce the game’s veteran in attendance, introduce Dozithee so she can feel the love from a city that doesn’t put someone earning $11 million US a year over someone earning minimum wage.
Also, the team could consider suspending and fining Matthews and donate any withheld income to American and Canadian veterans suffering from PTSD.
Of course MLSE and Matthews have the power to not do any of this and just power through it. But it doesn’t mean they should.
Make this right Auston.
Don Cherry sits down with Joe Warmington for a summer coach’s corner on Tuesday, July 16, 2019. (Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network)
GRAPES COMES TO AUSTON MATTHEWS’ DEFENCE
Don Cherry has seven words for those who are coming down on Auston Matthews for his alleged disorderly conduct.
“He without sin cast the first stone.”
The coach has come to the Maple Leafs star’s defence.
“He’s just a kid,” said Grapes.
Cherry said the security guard should have never complained.
“I am flabbergasted she would report something like that,” said Grapes. “I just hope she wasn’t looking for publicity.”
That said, Cherry said he supports the idea of making John Tavares the Maple Leaf’s next captain.
“He has been one before and it is a tough job in Toronto. Mats Sundin started every interview with a sigh,” Cherry said. “Making Tavares the captain is the right call. This will allow Auston Matthews to focus solely on playing.”
— Joe Warmington
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September 27, 2019 at 10:14AM
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