Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...College wrestlers dropped after nude pix appear on gay web site
08.13.2008 9:06am EDT
(Lincoln, Neb.) Two Nebraska wrestlers, including one who won an NCAA championship in 2007, have been dismissed from the team after posing naked for videos and photographs on an Internet pornography site.
Paul Donahoe and Kenny Jordan were let go Tuesday, three days after a blog posted images of them taken from Fratmentv.com, a Web site featuring naked or partially clothed male athletes.“The history of behavior of these men, including the current matter, does not reflect the standard of excellence we aspire to on and off the mat,” coach Mark Manning said in a statement. “We have outstanding student-athletes in our program and we will move forward in a positive manner toward our goals.
“I want to personally apologize for any embarrassment that may have been caused for our athletic department, the university and our fans.”
Manning didn’t address the nature of the wrestlers’ past transgressions, and didn’t immediately return a message left on his cell phone seeking comment.
Jordan and Donahoe have had a series of run-ins with the law in Lincoln. Jordan has paid fines for possessing or consuming alcohol as a minor, trespassing and assault, and Donahoe for maintaining a disorderly house and having an open alcohol container.
Donahoe did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. The Associated Press has requested interviews with the men through the athletic department. Personal phone numbers couldn’t be found.
The athletic department became aware of the images on the Internet late last week, assistant athletic director for compliance Josh White said. Donahoe and Jordan were declared ineligible because they violated an NCAA rule that prohibits athletes from appearing in pictures for commercial use, White said.
Donahoe and Jordan would have to apply to the NCAA for reinstatement if they choose to wrestle for another school, White said.
Donahoe, who would be a senior, won the Big 12 championship at 125 pounds in 2008 and placed third in the NCAA tournament after winning the title the year before.
Jordan, a junior 133-pounder, was fourth in the Big 12 and failed to place at nationals this past season.
The Scarlet Project, a blog that touts itself for reporting “news, scandal and gossip” at the university, posted the pictures online but altered them so that they didn’t show full nudity. The blog reported that they were obtained from an anonymous person.
John Marsh, who operates Fratmentv.com and two related Web sites catering to gay men, said he’s spoken with Donahoe and Jordan and that both indicated they want to continue as college wrestlers. He said Donahoe was a “dynamite” wrestler.
“If Nebraska is going to be pigheaded and kick him off unreasonably,” Marsh said, “there has to be another wrestling program that’s going to want him.”
Marsh said most photo and video shoots are done in Los Angeles, where Fratmentv.com is based, but that some are done at other locations. Members of Fratmentv.com pay $24.99 for access to hundreds of images and videos.
Marsh wouldn’t say how much he pays models or how he hires them.
“It’s not money that they would be making working as a waiter,” he said. “They get well-compensated. It’s better than beer money.”
Marsh said his models typically don’t care about videos and pictures of them being seen on the Web.
“I’m in my mid 40s, and my generation has a stigma about porn,” he said. “The kids, the generation of the student-athletes, don’t have that stigma. They really don’t care.
“They’ve come from a Paris Hilton, Tommy Lee-Pamela Anderson sex tape generation, Myspace pages. The shame and stigma aren’t there for them. They’re mostly worried about what their parents are going to think, because their parents think it’s horrifying.”
Its a victimless crime…. like tax evasion. North America has such a problem with nudity…saying its immoral… well, GOD CREATED us in our nudity..so then is GOD immoral??? NO! Its always the rednecks…ALWAYS!!!!
From ‘Doug’:
“…Breaks the NCAA rules. It’s so sad how so many argue that no one has the right to tell me what to do. WRONG. That way lays anarchy…”
You obviously don’t know what you are talking about. Anarchy is a policy by which Government is abolished do to Privatization. Kind of like what the Republicans would like to do with government. “Not telling ME what to do” is called ‘Minding your own business’ or ‘Freedom’. And I am free to Punch you in the nose if you insult or injur me.
“…Consider the policies regarding dorm cohabitation designed to officially prevent rampant sexual activity even while we know it goes on in private…”
It’s called Hypocrasy, ‘Doug’. That’s why we rebell angainst institutions. What you’re implying is, students are free to have their sex, cause they’re going to do it anyway, but we’ll put up rules that prevent it which won’t work anyway. There is no social restraint. Just a fool’s whim thinking it will work.
“…There will always have to be some type of social contract that delimits the boundaries of acceptable behavior…”
And what is ‘acceptible’ behavior? Who should decide? A church? A dictator? The Police? a God…
Nonsense.
It used to be acceptable to burn witches Doug! Times change. Obviously the human race wants the times to change again.
You are stuck in the 19th century with your views. Grow up and modernize. Sex and beauty are here and now and it’s what people want. And if we all understood that then maybe no one would give a shit about whether John Edwards had and affair…more or less take photos of it from across the street with a telephoto lense!
If these photo sessions had not been exposed, causing some potential embarrassment for the school, then I bet no action would have been taken against them.
I believe M1 is correct in that approved endorsements by star athletes are a different matter. If the University is not getting a cut of the money at least they have a say in the nature of the endorsement and reap the benefits of higher profile and exposure for the team and school.
However, in this case these athletes were not representing the school or team, unless they were, at some point in the photo shoot, wearing a team wrestling uniform or at least school crest or colors. This was a personal money making venture for them. Do student athletes need to get permission for every job they apply for? Or submit all their business dealing or investments for a review by the athletic department to see if they are involved in anything the department does not approve of? Were is the line drawn? Would it make a difference if they were not paid and had some revealing photos of them taken by their girl/boyfriends or drunken team mates posted on the Internet? I think not. This was indeed a moral police type decision. What if they were simply models who posed for a sexy underwear spread? David Beckham has done tha, and I don’t think he got the team’s permission to do so. I’m certain it was the fact that it was a gay website that they had a problem with. Quoting this rule they supposedly broke, since they did not do so as team representatives, is only a cover for the school, and a flimsy one at that.
Score a point for the puritanical zealots who have nothing better to do with their time, than to catch someone having a better time. That’s really their biggest fear: others having more and better sex, and generally giving into their desires. Is there a website where young college guys wrestle Greek style? That would be hot!
The rule “Glenn” listed only mentions “…without Knowledge of…” Clearly the two men had the knowledge but is this saying the rule is the school had to know about it an approve? Also, I just read a CNN about how swimming has gone professional with Phelps and Persoil(sp?) make hundreds of thousands, even millions but Phelps at least still swims at an NCAA school. Does this mean they approved the deal, or might even be getting a cut?
What hypocrisy on the part of Nebraska! Girly magazines are everywhere and no one cares. Males have a right to pose in any magazine or online websites whether straight or gay just as much as females. Nebraska seems to be in the stone age regarding sex and morality. Maybe its the frigid winter and spring weather there that makes so many Nebraskans ice cold. The two wrestlers must be reinstated with apologies from the administration.
They got what they deserved. They DID break the rules, rules they had agreed to upon joining the team. NCAA rules say amateur, aka school, athletes may not participate in COMMERCIAL photo/video shoots. They were paid directly, that makes it commercial.
Like it or not, any institution, company, organization DOES have a legitimate right to protect the image it seeks to project to the public. For this reason, employees, team members, volunteers and others associated can and will have their official affiliate severed if what they have done adversely affects that image. Obviously, no school wants to have the official public image of sanctioning that their students learn and aspire to be paid exhibitionists or sex workers. Consider the policies regarding dorm cohabitation designed to officially prevent rampant sexual activity even while we know it goes on in private.
There’s the key — this was not a private act. It was a public commercial (paid) performance. Breaks the NCAA rules.
It’s so sad how so many argue that no one has the right to tell me what to do. WRONG. That way lays anarchy. There will always have to be some type of social contract that delimits the boundaries of acceptable behavior. This contract will and should always be under constant negotiation, but to call for total freedom is totally irresponsible. Yes, you have the right to take a swing at my nose, but that right ends where my nose begins. Where my nose begins in terms of social conduct is the the difficult matter to define.
We demand R-E-S-P-E-C-T from the world. But does our behavior engender respect? Nebraska was not being “pigheaded” but merely exercising it’s right to demand that its athletes respect and abide by the rules, that they bring respect to the institution. In breaking the rules and disrespecting their school, these young men received their just due.
To argue that this generation has different standards is merely creating a straw-man argument. One must step back and evaluate those new standards in light of their long term consequences to society and the individuals involved. As our youth become ever more narcissistic, will our society be the better or the worst for it?
We need to teach a healthy respect that both questions and accepts: for self, for the rules, for the norms, for society.
Just because you can, doesn’t me you should.
Im sorry , But I dont AGREE with the nebraska way of thinking. I am No Athletic God or model, but I am nicely put together and I enjoy strutting My stuff. Eye candy is eye candy and if these young men feel comfortable going Full Montey then “Hale Hale, the Gangs all here.” I think its time that We as a society loosen up on our “Puritanical values” I mean come on in Europe its not given a second glance, in fact I wonder if either MAN is B.M.O.C.?? Also if teh economy was better or they each had substantial Scholarships maybe they Would Not Have to Enjoy Showing every one for money ( and you guys rock BTW ) lets face it the Economy Sucks and College Aint Cheap!!!!
12.5.2.2 Use of a Student-Athlete’s Name or Picture without Knowledge or
Permission. If a student-athlete’s name or picture appears on commercial items (e.g., Tshirts, sweatshirts, serving trays, playing cards, posters, photographs) or is used to
promote a commercial product sold by an individual or agency without the studentathlete’s knowledge or permission, the student-athlete (or the institution acting on behalf of the student-athlete) is required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain his or her eligibility for intercollegiate athletics.
IF this rule applies, well, then our boys do have to play by the rules if they want to be NCAA eligible.
It is correct to state that the Christian/Puritan sex ethic is no longer relevant to the younger generations and in time, won’t be much of a concern for even their parents. This is actually a good thing. You come into this world buck-ass naked and nudity is not something to be ashamed of. The only people who seem so upset by it are those with some sort of head trip trying to force eveyone else to live by their standards. I hope these two guys come out swinging, state they are completely condifent in what they did at Fraternity.com and why, slam their coach and school and move on – heads held up high.
I have to say, if the NCAA rule about not being in commercial pictures is rue and uniformly enforced they are done wrestling.
This conduct MAY be news worthy, but should not interfere with an athelets’s ability to compete in a legitimate demonstration of talent and performance.
Glenn said: Are we going to begin to list actions that will automatically make a person less than successful as an athelete? or an actor? or a politician?
Sorry GLENN ‘we’ meaning society always has and always will, remember a book called the Scarlet Letter? Well this is the new morality police.
Its a good article though and I for one am glad that they interveiwed John Marsh. He gave a very sensible answer quite relevant to 2008.
The Mormon calendar boys are also getting disciplined by their Faith … a faith of polygamists!
Hear! Hear! Thanks Glenn
What people do with their personal life, as long as it is legal and hurts no one, is their business and should not be held against them. Are there limits on our tolerance? Are we going to begin to list actions that will automatically make a person less than successful as an athelete? or an actor? or a politician?