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Friday, February 20, 2004
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ATHLETIC SUPPORTERS
The scandal slowly cannabalizing the University of Colorado football program is moving right along. You'll notice I refrain from calling it a "sex scandal." I don't find allegations of rape to be particularly sexy. On the other hand, I do find stupidity adorable and this story is chock full of that. Of course, most things involving sports usually are. Who needs ESPN when I have Court TV on my cable package? I probably know more about professional sports than people who actually watch the games. And just as the sports fan does during the big Sunday game, I get drunk and scream at the television during the trials of the athletes. Lamentably, I'm often alone and don't consider beating my wife when she interrupts a particularly well-executed motion to dismiss.
But I digress. I do that sometimes.
You'll remember Coach Gary Barnett's little faux pas on Tuesday, wherein he deemed it appropriate to question the athletic prowess of an alleged victim of sexual assault. Well, today he took it in the neck for that. Of course, it took a sixth victim to come forward Following his suspension, Coach Barnett decided that he should speak to the media some more. Remember what I said about finding stupidity adorable?
"I sincerely regret that yesterday a portion of my remarks were either misinterpreted or aired out of context. And I apologize for answering that question in a manner where I must have come across as insensitive."
Didn't I tell you he'd try that "taken out of context thing?" God, I'm so media savvy!
"What I wanted to communicate was that regardless of Katie Hnida's abilities, I wanted Katie on our football team, I wanted to give her a chance to be a part of our program."
Well Coach, you did a piss poor job of communicating it. Besides, why would you want a sucky player in your program, anyway? What kind of a winning spirit is that? No wonder I've never heard of UC's football program before they ended up on Court TV.
There are other things the coach mentioned in his statement and, trust me, I'm getting to those. This guy is a classic schivosa. It turns out that Miss Hnida isn't the first alleged victim of the football team. She's the fourth. And apparently Barnett wasn't as clueless as he lead us to believe. A fifth victim approached the Barnett in October of 2001 and told him what happened.
His response, according to the police report, "The woman says coach Gary Barnett told her on Oct. 1, 2001, " 'he would back his player 100 percent if she took this forward in the criminal process.' The woman later decides not to press charges."
Christ, I may have been more right last night than I thought.
Now, according to MSNBC, the victim tally is up to seven. And I suspect that we're not even up to half-time yet.
Predictably, team alumni came forward and made semi-literate statements of support for Barnett. Let's look at some of these statements, keeping in mind that they are potential perpetrators, shall we?
"We're losing focus here. We have basketball, track, football and a number of athletes who are being bombarded by the media. They had nothing to do with anything, they don't know anything (and) we need to just let the kids get their education."
Yeah, rape is depressing. Let's talk about the track team! For the kids, Goddammit, for the kids!
"His rules were strictly applied. suspending players or adding additional discipline for being late, dressing out of uniform or displaying any sort of conduct that did not meet the standards discussed in the player book. Gary Barnett is an upright, honest and moral man and I stand by him as my coach, my leader and my mentor."
As I've said, I'm not much of a football fan and I've been out of school for a decade. But is rape and forcible sodomy really addressed in the player book?
"We believe coach Barnett is a man of high moral integrit. We believe he is doing the right things. A balanced story is not being told."
Yeah, do you think just anyone would obstruct justice for the good of the team? Doesn't that count for anything, anymore? What a guy!
And speaking of Barnett, let's go back to his statement.
"As to the police report released earlier this evening, all I can say is that I believe there are some inaccuracies in the police report. Otherwise I will address that in the future if it becomes appropriate."
There had better be some "inaccuracies in the police report" or you're fucked, son.
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