Jaamal Berry Arrest: Ohio State's Swift Actions Not Enough To Save Face

Why, oh why, can't you keep yourselves out of trouble, Ohio State? And why don't you nip your issues in the bud when you have the chance?

The latest incident is brought to us by running back Jaamal Berry. From ABC News (via the Associated Press):

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Ohio State running back Jaamal Berry has been charged with misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct after police say he punched a man in the face then bragged about it.

Franklin County Municipal Court records show the 20-year-old Berry was charged Wednesday in the alleged Oct. 21 attack shortly before 2:30 a.m. in downtown Columbus.

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To their credit, Ohio State reacted quickly to the matter. From ESPN:

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"We are still working to confirm that the charges have indeed been filed," an Ohio State spokesman said Wednesday. "If Jaamal is charged he will immediately be suspended from the team until the outcome of the case."

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But surely Ohio State couldn't have seen this one coming. Wait, what's that? This isn't the first incident involving Berry this year? From 10TV.com:

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In September, Ohio State University police were called after a man and witnesses said Berry grabbed him as he was walking near the South Oval.

The alleged victim had minor scrapes but did not want to press charges.

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Shouldn't Berry have been suspended after that incident? Or did the fact that charges weren't pressed save Berry a suspension, allowing Ohio State to quietly sweep the issue under the rug?

The problem with the latter portion of thinking is that had they suspended Berry the first time, this second incident was probably less likely to happen. And even if it did, hey, Ohio State took disciplinary action and the kid still acted up—he's a lost cause.

Instead, many will continue to look at Ohio State as an institution that harbors troublemakers and can't control the behavior of its players. That's probably a broad and unfair conclusion to draw, but incidents like this one do nothing to change the opinions of people who feel that way.