Colorado Coach Calls Rape Victim 'Terrible' PlayerBOULDER, Colo. (Reuters) - The president of the University of Colorado on Wednesday rebuked her head football coach for trying to explain the alleged rape of a woman player by saying she was not good enough to earn the respect of her male teammates. "I think everybody's job is on the line," university President Elizabeth Hoffman said on Denver radio station KOA in response to the remarks by coach Gary Barnett on Tuesday. "It was a totally inappropriate thing for him to say." Adding to the scandal swirling around the school's athletic program, Hoffman said a fifth woman had reported being raped by a football player. On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated on its Web page quoted former place kicker Katie Hnida as saying she had been subjected to lewd comments by other players, groped in team huddles and raped by a teammate. Barnett issued a statement saying he knew nothing about the rape and told television reporters she was an awful player who was not respected by the rest of the team. "You know what guys do, they respect your ability. Katie was a girl, and not only was she a girl, she was terrible. She couldn't kick the ball through the uprights," he said. The university has been embroiled in controversy over charges that star athletes were recruited with the lure of alcohol and sex parties. The school has been sued by three woman who said they were raped at or shortly after an off-campus recruiting party in 2001. Hoffman said an unidentified woman, who would be the fifth to complain about an attack by a football player, had reported to authorities that she had been raped. Boulder Detective Sgt Kerry Yamaguchi said a woman reported on Sept 30, 2001 that she had been attacked two days earlier by a football player. "The victim and suspect knew each other prior to the alleged assault," he said. A few days later the woman changed her mind about pressing charges, Yamaguchi said. Detective Katie McEldowney, who investigated the crime, said in a report that the woman had met with the coach and another athletic department official. "She was told that he (coach) would back his player 100 percent if she took this forward in the criminal process," the report said. Last week, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said it would review recruiting rules at universities and recommend possible new standards by late April. Hoffman and University Chancellor Richard Byyny have said they would hire a special assistant to serve as the liaison to the athletic department. 02/18/04 22:20 © Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.
BOULDER, Colo. (Reuters) - The president of the University of Colorado on Wednesday rebuked her head football coach for trying to explain the alleged rape of a woman player by saying she was not good enough to earn the respect of her male teammates.
"I think everybody's job is on the line," university President Elizabeth Hoffman said on Denver radio station KOA in response to the remarks by coach Gary Barnett on Tuesday. "It was a totally inappropriate thing for him to say."
Adding to the scandal swirling around the school's athletic program, Hoffman said a fifth woman had reported being raped by a football player.
On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated on its Web page quoted former place kicker Katie Hnida as saying she had been subjected to lewd comments by other players, groped in team huddles and raped by a teammate.
Barnett issued a statement saying he knew nothing about the rape and told television reporters she was an awful player who was not respected by the rest of the team.
"You know what guys do, they respect your ability. Katie was a girl, and not only was she a girl, she was terrible. She couldn't kick the ball through the uprights," he said.
The university has been embroiled in controversy over charges that star athletes were recruited with the lure of alcohol and sex parties. The school has been sued by three woman who said they were raped at or shortly after an off-campus recruiting party in 2001.
Hoffman said an unidentified woman, who would be the fifth to complain about an attack by a football player, had reported to authorities that she had been raped.
Boulder Detective Sgt Kerry Yamaguchi said a woman reported on Sept 30, 2001 that she had been attacked two days earlier by a football player. "The victim and suspect knew each other prior to the alleged assault," he said.
A few days later the woman changed her mind about pressing charges, Yamaguchi said.
Detective Katie McEldowney, who investigated the crime, said in a report that the woman had met with the coach and another athletic department official.
"She was told that he (coach) would back his player 100 percent if she took this forward in the criminal process," the report said.
Last week, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said it would review recruiting rules at universities and recommend possible new standards by late April.
Hoffman and University Chancellor Richard Byyny have said they would hire a special assistant to serve as the liaison to the athletic department.
02/18/04 22:20
© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.
― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― Chris V (Chris V), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)
― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)
― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― TOMBOT, Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)
― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)
These guys are yr typical morning team, one guy pretty intelligent and rational, the other guy all emotional 'bout everything.
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 19 February 2004 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 19 February 2004 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― Broheems (diamond), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:06 (twenty-two years ago)
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:06 (twenty-two years ago)
Anyway, yeah, I was very happy to see him get shit-canned. How could he be so stupid anyway? He must have been looking for a way out of his contract or something; that's the only thing I can think...
― Broheems (diamond), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:11 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)
I'm willing to bet he encouraged his players to try and run her off the team.
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)
they only good thing is that most of them are overweight, bbq-eating mongoloids who will die of heart attacks by the age of 52.
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― maura (maura), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:42 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― oops (Oops), Thursday, 19 February 2004 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)
INDIVIDUALS NOT GROUPS.
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)
even a group of Nobel laureates?
― hstencil, Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Bryan (Bryan), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:29 (twenty-two years ago)
(And Dan OTM; sad that it even needs to be said)
― Broheems (diamond), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)
I WAS GOING TO SAY.
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:38 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 19 February 2004 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)
the title was exactly what i meant to say. These thread is about some college football fuckheads, and their fuckhead coach.
― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)
actually what's funny is if you told me I had a choice to go back in time to my college years and go to a football party or an indie film student hipster party you better believe I'd choose the former.
― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:30 (twenty-two years ago)
I, for one, do not appreciate that society holds up brainless, moronic fuckheads - who offer ZERO to fucking progressing culture or society - such as David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne/ Cantona/ Ruddock before him (I could give a shit that's spelt wrongly, I don't watch football).
It's worse in America no doubt about it. If you don't play for the squad and work out and look like this or whatever then you're not going to score, you're not going to fit into some bogus "ideal" of masculinity". It's horseshit and it the eventual conclusion of such pressure from society is a tragedy such as Columbine. It's shameful, and a society weened on sports and turning athletes into Gods should be ashamed.
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:33 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)
I have met both types.
― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)
Sorry, I am bored and at work.
― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 19 February 2004 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)
― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 20 February 2004 03:24 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Friday, 20 February 2004 03:42 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)
― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 20 February 2004 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 20 February 2004 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)
Anybody know what question was asked that prompted this quote?
According to the Chicago Tribune, Barnett was asked why the woman left CU.
― Kerry (dymaxia), Friday, 20 February 2004 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― TOMBOT, Friday, 20 February 2004 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― TOMBOT, Friday, 20 February 2004 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― TOMBOT, Friday, 20 February 2004 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)
At this point, I'm not sure this is correct. I think he had just finished a prepared statement, and as he turned to go a press person said "Hey, excuse me, I've got a question..." and asked something along the lines of was Hnida a good kicker. It says a lot of things about the media that I can find 80 gazillion hits of commentary about what Barnett said, yet I'll be damned if I can find a transcript of his comments to read them myself. If I find them I'll post.
― Hunter (Hunter), Friday, 20 February 2004 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)
SI.com: How did your Hnida story come about?
Reilly: I live in Denver, and one night back in 1998 a local high school girl became the first person in history to kick a field goal the same night she was named homecoming queen. I just thought it was cool, so I wrote about her that week for the magazine. You talk about a bubbly kid who had the world on a string; that was Katie Hnida. She was an honor roll student, a state finalist for the forensics team, won best story in the state high school newspaper competition ... and she didn't miss an extra point or a field goal her senior year. She was just on top of world. So I wrote about her, and I've kept in touch with her ever since.
Two times during the last two years she said, "I have something big to tell you," but she decided both times that she couldn't go through with it. Last Tuesday she called me. I flew to Albuquerque to talk to her, and the story she told me was just horrific -- she said teammates cornered her in the hallway and threatened her with sex acts, calling her the C-word. She said that became her nickname on the team. She said she had been groped in the 100-man huddles at the end of practice, that players touched her breasts under her shoulder pads, groped her crotch. She said she had endured every kind of vulgar proposition -- "Why don't you come over to the house and do me?" One time she was sick and a player allegedly said, "Why don't you die already, bitch?" She said was eating lunch another day and a guy came up to her and asked, "Why haven't you quit yet, prom queen?" Just terribly degrading stuff, and then after the season she says she was raped by a teammate whom she had thought was her friend.
SI.com: What was her demeanor as she told you her story?
Reilly: I've noticed that the last two years she hasn't been the same person she was in high school. She's more cautious, her face is just sadder. She's more serious than she was. Throughout the interview, she was pretty strong. She cried a couple of times. A few times I could see her just gulping for a breath of air to give her strength.
SI.com: Do you believe her story?
Reilly: I've been writing about sports and people for 25 years, so I've learned not to believe everything I hear, but I have to say Katie's story was very believable. Her tears, the details, the depth of her recollection were all very believable. When she said she never felt welcome at Colorado, that it felt like her teammates were trying to drive her out ... you can see now, after hearing Gary Barnett talk about it, that it was the case. Barnett said she was "terrible" -- plus she was "a girl!" -- as if being a girl was bad enough? The Buffs have had some bad kickers on their team recently -- were those guys harassed and tormented? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard a coach say.
SI.com: Did you foresee the dramatic chain of events that have taken place since your story was published Tuesday?
Reilly: I knew it would be bad, because there had been so much frustration in Colorado about the fact that nothing had happened to Barnett or Dick Tharp, the CU athletic director, when so much was going on -- allegations of rape, strippers, escort services. This is just another log on the fire. There are now six alleged assaults. If those six are all true -- or if any of those allegations are true -- it's shameful. It makes you ashamed of your school.
SI.com: Did the university take the right course of action in placing Barnett on paid leave following his comments about Hnida?
Reilly: The university wants to fire Barnett. But because of the pending lawsuit [filed by a woman who alleges she was raped at a recruiting party in 2001], CU can't fire him, because he deserves due process from his employer. Plus, it's the university that's being sued. If Colorado officials admit, "Look, we now admit our football program was out of control under this guy," that'd be a sure way to lose that lawsuit pretty quickly. They're stuck, so they found this middle ground. But if he comes back, I'm Eleanor Roosevelt, because I don't think there's any way he's going to.
In interviews I did while working on the story, I asked both Barnett and Tharp flat out about the alleged fifth victim [whose allegations were made public for the first time Wednesday], whom I understood to be part of the football program and who said she was raped in 2001 but never filed a police report. I asked them both if they knew about the allegations, and they both said no. But now, according to the police report, it appears Barnett did know. So if you believe the head coach wasn't aware of any of this, you have to therefore admit you have a head coach who is clueless. I don't think you want either.
SI.com: Is Barnett ultimately to blame for the state of affairs at Colorado, or does it reach beyond him?
Reilly: I think the way we treat women in the culture in this country, especially among athletes, is problematic. I think athletes have trouble hearing the word "no." They don't hear it very often. Instead, they hear "yes," "it's free" and "we love you." That's a problem within the athletic culture. But, like it or not, in college football the head coach is responsible for his players' actions. He has to be accountable. What this head coach has been saying is, "No, I didn't know anything about it." And it think that's stretching believability to a snapping point.
SI.com: What can Colorado do to restore your faith in its football program?
Reilly: I think the program should get a new athletic director. I believe it needs a new head coach. And I think the head coach should be a guy named Dave Logan, who is one of the finest people ever to come out of Colorado. Dave is the play-by-play voice for the Denver Broncos, he was a big star in the state who later played for the Cleveland Browns, and he's a fantastic coach for Denver's JK Mullen High School who always gets his team to the state tournament. He's ready for the job.
― Gear! (Gear!), Friday, 20 February 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 20 February 2004 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)
Will some Times Select subscriber kindly post it, or must I type the whole thing (which I will do)?
― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)
― mark 0 (mark 0), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)
― Allyzay lives aprox. 200 feet away from a stadium (allyzay), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:39 (nineteen years ago)
Rutgers Football: A Case Study in Winning and Losing
― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:42 (nineteen years ago)