Discussion
  • Read More
    yvanehtniojKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:33pm

    I hoped to present a more fully-rounded portrait of Mr. Holtzclaw than had appeared in the press. I hoped to explore the question of what had happened to this once-promising young man.

    Ugh, shades of Steubenville. Pardon me if I think this jackhole’s ~*~wasted promise~*~ is about the 84th most important element of the story.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      StillCopperboomyvanehtnioj
      2/22/16 3:36pm

      84th? Wow, you’re a super generous person. I would say at least 1,421st- just behind how long his toenails were at the times of the crimes, and just edging out any thoughts he may have on Donald Trump’s hair.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Steve DeBerg's Finger Castyvanehtnioj
      2/22/16 3:41pm

      84th is extremely generous of you. You’re a kind person.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    anyah8sbunniesKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:39pm

    I’ll never understand the reasoning behind people trying to give “well-rounded portraits”to monsters like Holtzclaw.

    Why should we care? I don’t care what his failed football career was like, what might have “snapped”. Victims are primarily talked about as 1 and 2 dimensional figures unless they are truly “outstanding” in some way or another.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Julie Christieanyah8sbunnies
      2/22/16 3:42pm

      Like if they’re white.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Hoyo Afrikaanyah8sbunnies
      2/22/16 3:44pm

      “well-rounded portraits”to monsters like Holtzclaw.

      It allows them to disavow the fact that white men in positions of authority have been violating the bodily dignity of women, especially those of colour.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    deerlady83Kara Brown
    2/22/16 3:41pm

    The man abused women he knew were vulnerable and wouldn't be able to say no. He is a predator. I don't think not going pro would have stopped him. It might have protected him more and offered him more victims. Failing football didn't turn him into a predator.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      thetallblonde loves twinjadeerlady83
      2/22/16 3:49pm

      It might have protected him more and offered him more victims.

      oh FUCK i didn’t even think about what might’ve happened had his football dreams been actualized. he would’ve had the entire nfl behind him. *shudders*

      fuckfuckfuckfuck that’s a scary thought

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      deerlady83thetallblonde loves twinja
      2/22/16 4:04pm

      I know. It freaked me out when I had it imagining if he had the support of the NFL.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    LynxKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:34pm

    I and my editor at SB Nation hoped to find possible answers as to what could have led to him to become a convicted rapist and sexual predator.

    This is an interesting question. Still not sure why a sports writer, presumably an expert in sports, would know how to answer this question.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      thenewcapLynx
      2/22/16 3:39pm

      Even if so, I’m pretty sure it has everything to do with sports and not upbringing, residual insecurities, deeply-seated attitudes on women, or culture within his police department or anything.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Hoyo AfrikaLynx
      2/22/16 3:42pm

      What they're saying is that we never saw the victims as people and our main concern was caping for a fellow white guy.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    bagoflettersKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:34pm

    “I AM SORRY I GOT CAUGHT SYMPATHIZING WITH A RAPIST, PLEASE ACCPET MY APOLOGY DEMONSTRATED HERE WITH MORE SYMPATHINZING OF SAID CONVICTED RAPIST."

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      thetallblonde loves twinjabagofletters
      2/22/16 3:47pm

      “YEAH BUT GUYS FOUR OTHER GUYS WHO ARE HIGHER UP THAN ME READ MY STORY GUYS SO IT’S NOT ALL MY FAULT OK GUYS”

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      bagoflettersthetallblonde loves twinja
      2/22/16 3:49pm

      “PLEASE NOTE HOW MY PREVIOUS ARTICLE RESULTED IN INTENSE REPROCUSSIONS FOR ME WHEN I WAS ONLY TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE HOW HE WAS MORE THAN JUST A CONVICTED RAPIST, HE WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER TOO"

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    festivusaziliKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:35pm

    I read the piece (it was as bad as everyone says), and the way he uses the word “convicted” bothered me there and it bothers me in his apology. The whole time, it felt like he was trying to put the whole responsibility for Holtzclaw’s conviction on the courts rather than on Holtzclaw’s actions. Just call him a rapist. Make the statement come from yourself.

    Like this line you quoted before “just another college student and certainly not as the sexual predator he would later be convicted of becoming.” No, not convicted of becoming. Became. He became a sexual predator.

    I honestly think the author spent so much time with Holtzclaw’s father that he doesn’t believe he is guilty. He’s too chickenshit to come right out and say it, so he just avoids ever stating he is guilty in his own words.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      yvanehtniojfestivusazili
      2/22/16 3:39pm

      Same vibe. All the “convicted” language distances him from calling the guy a rapist himself.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Cherith Cutestoryfestivusazili
      2/22/16 3:49pm

      I was about to comment on the “convicted rapist” part. I think you are totally right.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    darleeeeeene aka deraaiilleeeeeeneKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:46pm

    Doesn’t this article make the case for how sick football culture is? The fact that they even tried this redemption narrative, or like...sympathizing narrative, or whatever the fuck this trash was, goes to show how much behavior is excused as long as you are good at sports. And if you are mediocre at sports and don’t get picked to be on a team, it excuses your decisions to rape dozens of people.

    And I have no trouble believing that he raped women while he was a football player, and got away with it. Much like he thought he could get away with it as a police officer. This man was seeking out positions that would put him above reproach. I’m surprised he didn’t become a priest too.

    This man was a predator from the start, and if anything, probably enabled by his football career then his position as a police officer.

    I also might easily jump to this conclusion because of my hatred for football culture and all that bullshit.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      deerlady83darleeeeeene aka deraaiilleeeeeene
      2/22/16 5:30pm

      Someone posted a comment where a member of their family played on the same team as him. None of them were surprised by what he did.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      cdavis17darleeeeeene aka deraaiilleeeeeene
      2/22/16 7:20pm

      In the piece this sportwriter actually tried to blame football (at least indirectly) for making this guy a rapist. He cites both brain trauma and potential steroid use (suspected but not confirmed in this case) as possible motivating factors. He never goes so far as to make the link directly, but he spent a good chunk of his word count musing about each theory. One of the themes of the piece (to the extent this incoherent dreck had a theme) seemed to be “this otherwise normal guy was turned into a monster by football”.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    hercules q. einsteinKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:39pm

    “I and my editor” He fucking wrote “I and my editor”. A person who makes his living writing wrote that.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      benjaminalloverhercules q. einstein
      2/22/16 4:03pm

      He is bad and his ideas are bad and he should feel badly about it. He should probably look for an alternative career, too.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      AmeliaEbenjaminallover
      2/22/16 4:12pm

      His ideas are extremely bad. As a scribe myself, however, I can testify that his writing is much worse.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    SpringSprungKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:37pm

    I hoped to present a more fully-rounded portrait of Mr. Holtzclaw than had appeared in the press.

    Jeff Arnold, hero. The world needs more “well rounded rapist” stories.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      suzannesomersthighmasterSpringSprung
      2/23/16 12:39am

      The ole “OJ won the Heisman! Phil Spector invented the wall of sound!” defense. Works every other time.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    JujyMonkey: Clever tagline goes hereKara Brown
    2/22/16 3:32pm
    GIF

    By not spending more time reaching out to victims or their families as a way of accounting for the horrific abuse they suffered, I made a grave mistake

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      anyah8sbunniesJujyMonkey: Clever tagline goes here
      2/22/16 3:40pm

      that picture freaks me out every time.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      AmeliaEJujyMonkey: Clever tagline goes here
      2/22/16 4:05pm

      ‘Abuse’, Mr. Arnold? These women were not merely ‘abused’ by your beloved football player/cop. This nightmare-made-real selected a dozen-plus women specifically for their sociological vulnerability. He brutally raped them. And then he used his position of weapon-endowed position to intimidate them into not reporting the violent crimes to the proper authority, which—coincidence!—was also his employer. ‘Abuse’ is a mealy-mouthed euphemism to make you feel better, faux-journalist boy, about the sick serial predation you felt compelled to mansplain.

      Reply
      <