Winter Classic 2012: Flyers Fan Responsible for Viral Melee Arrested

An entertaining Winter Classic battle between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park that resulted in a 3-2 Rangers victory was marred by a melee between fans of the two teams following the contest. Now it looks as though the instigator has been identified.

According to Dan Stamm and Kelly Bayliss of NBC Philadelphia, 32-year-old Flyers fan Dennis Veteri turned himself in after meeting with his attorney. Veteri is suspected to have been the one who started a brawl outside of Geno's Steaks in South Philadelphia on Jan. 2.

New Jersey cop, war veteran and Rangers fan Neil Auricchio was reportedly incapacitated in the fight and had to get stitches. Fan violence in Philadelphia and in the sports world in general is certainly nothing new, but this particular skirmish gained fame after video was posted on YouTube.

The NBC Philadelphia report says that Veteri has a criminal record that includes drug possession, armed robbery and aggravated assault. With that in mind, I view this as the perfect opportunity to make an example of the suspect should he be found guilty.

While a hefty sentence may not deter future sports-related crimes as most of them are fueled by alcohol consumption, perhaps it would make some people think twice. The fact that Veteri reportedly has a criminal record will lend credence to a more stringent sentence if guilty.

I understand that this incident will only serve to enhance the reputation of Philadelphia as a city of thugs who like to push around opposing fans, but this type of thing happens in every sports city. It may seem as though it takes place in Philly more than anywhere, but that is likely because it is highly publicized.

I'm not sure that there is any way to end fan violence, but greater measures somehow need to be taken. It would be a shame if a few idiots cause alcohol to stop being served at sporting events, but if things continue this way, then we might be trending in that direction.

Investigation into this particular fight is still ongoing as police attempt to identify others involved. We can only hope that the perpetrators are found and punished in a timely manner because there is truly no room for this type of behavior in the world of sports.