ESPN's Outside the Lines had a special 1 hour edition on earlier tonight about coaches and sexual abuse. Really disturbing stuff. There is no punishment stiff enough for these predators. Bravo to ESPN and Bob Ley for tackling this difficult, heavy subject. Not sure if or when it will reair, but check ESPN.com if interested. ANybody who saw it, what did you think?

I thought it was very disturbing, but reasonably well-done. It's important for parents to know that their sons can be targets, and while this was a good job, Sports Illustrated did it better a couple of years ago. One thing I would have liked to see more mention of is the fact that often the male children of single mothers are the ones victimized. The mothers are so happy that their sons have a male role model that shows interest in them that they miss the warning signs. Also, I thought it was cheap to go after the hockey coach who has rebuilt his life in Spain; what he did was reprehensible, but he did serve his time, so should he be hounded forever?

[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: Ted ]

[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: Ted ]

ahh, how do you delete?? :eek:

Disturbing, indeed! Did they mention any name?

I don't mind being sexually abused by managers Bob Brenly and Bruce Botchy.

Ted, only moderators can delete.

I saw some of this. It disturbs me to no end that the hockey coach is back in the same situation that he was in when he abused his players in the past. I hope the people in Spain are keeping a CLOSE eye on him. (The coach is Graham James, who was convicted of abusing ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy and one other player when they were children. There are a couple of current NHL players who were coached by James in the past, if I'm not mistaken.)

The other scene that disturbed me was a clip of an abused boy speaking in court about his attacker (it appeared to me to be the victim statement that comes during the sentencing phase of trials) -- not only was there a camera in the courtroom for this, and his face not obscured, but they identified him by name! But 3 anonymous molesters were interviewed with faces hidden and voices altered. What a disgrace.

I am sick on two levels! First that coaches would try to force themselves on kids! Second that this kinda crap brings out the religious psychos who wish to paint pedophiles with the same brush that they paint the gay community!
These manipulator/rapists are a pariah to everyone, and there's no penalty stiff enough!
I just wish there was more outcry from the gay community against people that perpetrate stuff like this to show solidarity that we do not tolerate this behavior!

While it's difficult to separate sexual predators from sexually happy gays in some peoples' eyes, and these cases are awful, I for one would have welcomed such attention from my coaches in high school (track and wrestling). They were handsome, nice men and I fantasized about them all through the season, and even flirted with them in subtle ways. I would have been happy to have been deflowered by my coaches. Again, this is separate from the horrid abuse cases. I'm just saying that for me, having sex with an older man at that time would have been educational and fulfilling.

J.S.,

Fantasizing about having sex with an older person is standard fare for teenage boys. But when an adult takes advantage of what is inherently an unequal relationship, that's just plain wrong (and illegal). There's no way that a high school boy is emotionally ready for that kind of relationship. And no way that the adult would be thinking of the best interests of the kid if he decided to pursue things sexually.

But, hey, isn't that what buddies are for? My first guy was a senior when I was a junior in high school.

Ahhh. Despite the events of 9/11, there is reason to be hopeful for the future.