Quarterback Levy, who led Cal to victories over Stanford in the 2005 edition
of the Big Game and against BYU is the Las Vegas Bowl, had been suspended from
participating in all team activities after he was arrested for involvement
in a bar brawl in San Francisco. That suspension, along with a ban on playing
in the season opener against Tennessee, could well have ended his career at
Cal, or at least relegated him to a backup role with little chance for playing
time.
Levy is competing for the starting quarterback assignment against Nate Longshore,
Joe Ayoob, and Kyle Reed, and is probably not the leading candidate. Thus fall
camp was his last shot at earning a solid look by the coaches, making an inability
to practice fatal to his hopes.
With today’s announcement, Levy will be allowed to participate in fall
camp and to keep his hopes alive. The ban on playing in the game against
Tennessee remains in place, and he will not make the trip east with the team.
“We are pleased that Steve’s situation has been resolved, said
coach Tedford. Other sources indicate that the Levy matter was legally
settled yesterday, and charges were reduced to a misdemeanor.
Steve apologized for is actions, saying, “I understand my actions were
not appropriate for a Cal student-athlete.”
Rumors have circulated about the exact events of the brawl, in one case
labeling a thrown beer mug a mere slip of the hand and therefore unintentional,
but this has not been confirmed or denied. The finding that a misdemeanor occurred,
a finding accepted by Levy, indicates there was some degree of culpability.
“I have learned from the experience; I just want to put this behind
me and move on with my life and do anything I can to help the 2006 Bears,” said
Levy.
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