UPDATE, 6:29 p.m.: The Lions have apologized for Dominic Raiola's crude comments to college band members at the Lions-Packers game Sunday in Green Bay, according to the Cap Times in Madison, Wis.
University of Wiconsin dean of students Lori Berquam and band director Mike Leckrone issued a statement Monday afternoon. It reads:
"We were dismayed to hear reports of unprofessional and personal verbal attacks by a Detroit Lions player towards members of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band before the Packers vs. Lions game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Oct. 6.
"Earlier today, we received a call from Lions president Tom Lewand. He has apologized for the actions of his player and has assured us that further discussion will take place. We appreciate the Lions' efforts to investigate this further and are grateful to Mr. Lewand for his concern.
"Special opportunities such as playing before a Packers game are highlights for our band members: something they look forward to, and that we hope they will remember with pride. We are proud of the way members of the UW Band have brought this matter to our attention, and how they kept their focus on providing a great experience for the fans at Lambeau Field."
Earlier:
The Madison-based Cap Times reports the Lions are investigating charges on social media from University of Wisconsin band members that veteran center Dominic Raiola verbally abused them before and during Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.
One band member, Zach York, a junior trumpet player, wrote on Facebook:
Dominic Raiola is literally the worst person I have ever had the fortune to encounter. After marching down the field awaiting the national anthem, He went off on a verbal tirade, among other things, questioning my sexuality (as a band member) and then continued on to bring my sister and my recently deceased mother into the conversation. After I refused to give him the satisfaction of turning to look at him, he switched targets to a trombone ranting at him calling him overweight and saying he can't play a real sport. After our halftime show, the same fine gentleman called a female member of the band the "c" word.
The author of a football posted this report:
According to a Wisconsin tuba player, Raiola and his teammates were engaged in their pregame warm-ups on the field near the goal line when he turned around and called him and the other tubas “Fat mother f**kers” and told them that “they sucked.”
According to that tuba player no one in the band had done anything to provoke him, and no other band members I spoke with witnessed anything that could have provoked Raiola. The tuba player I spoke with made sure to point out that the rest of the band hadn’t even been on the field yet, and none of the tuba players said anything to him, so no one in the band could have provoked Raiola prior to him making those comments.
As the band was preparing to play the National Anthem another band member told me Raiola was yelling at him, saying such things such as “Hey fat guy, you want a hot dog?” When this band member did not acknowledge him, he continued to yell at other band members within earshot of him until the band began to play. A third band member told me Raiola was calling a band member near him a “fat fu**” prior to their pregame performance as well.
After the band’s halftime performance multiple band members I spoke with told me he and multiple other band members vividly heard Raiola ridicule a trombone player’s weight while they were performing. One band member reported hearing a female member of the band say “Hey number 51,” referring to Raiola, which multiple band members told me he responded to by calling her “the c-word” as they were walking back to their seats.
In a statement, the Lions said:
"We are aware of the reports involving Dominic Raiola and the University of Wisconsin Marching Band," the statement said. "Those reports are extremely inconsistent with the standard of behavior we expect from our players and from every member of our organization. We currently are gathering more information and will respond further when appropriate."
Dave Birkett of the Free Press reported Monday afternoon that Lions safety Louis Delmas apologized to the band after Raiola’s comments and “added that he enjoyed their performance.”
Raiola, whose brother, Donovan, played football at Wisconsin, has been fined at least twice before by the Lions for unbecoming conduct toward fans.
In 2008, he was fined $7,500 for giving the middle finger to hecklers at Ford Field. Two years later, he was fined $15,000 for giving Dolphins fans a vulgar directive after a Lions win in Miami.
