January 29, 2008
Times' Series on Washington Huskies Turning (Most) Stomachs, Changing (Some) Minds
Last week we were taking Husky football with a friend who was upset that the University hadn't fired coach Ty Willingham. We mentioned that, though he hadn't won many games, Willingham had restored integrity to the football program.
She was unmoved.
"The university does a lot of good," she said. "The football team's job is to win games."
But now our friend has read the Seattle Times' stomach-turning series about the alleged rape, attempted murder, and domestic violence committed by players on the Rose Bowl champion 2000 Huskies--players who, cops allege, got special treatment from prosecutors because they were stars.
Today we got a text message from her.
Friend: These articles are so depressing. I am not for winning at the cost being described in the paper.In the wake of the Times' story, many Husky fans are viewing the "win/cost" equation a little differently.Us: That's not what you said two weeks ago.
Friend: I never said I was ok with dudes raping and beating women to a pulp and prosecutors letting them go.
Us: You said "the football team's job is to win games."
Friend: True, and it's the prosecutor's job to not let rapists/murderers/abusive husbands go.
But others instead question the Times' motivations. Derek Johnson, author of Husky Football in the Don James Era, writes on his blog:
What purpose do these articles serve? First, they sell newspapers. Secondly, by the Times’ own admission, they attempt to put in greater perspective the cesspool that current coach Tyrone Willingham inherited when he arrived in Seatte in December 2004. Why such a fervent defense is put forth to defend a coach with an 11-25 record, I can’t fathom.P-I blogger Nathan Ware calls the series "cheap, tabloid-style journalism" that's "all about selling papers."
What no one's questioning, at least not yet, is the veracity of the Times' story. Reporters Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry provide copies of letters and extensive source notes. They've interviewed cops, prosecutors and victims.
Meanwhile, Fox Sports Northwest, in a special that aired before the series came out, named the 2000 Huskies #7 on their list of Top Northwest Sports Teams.
Husky fans (and, presumably, school administrators) are left to ask themselves--was it worth it? Even after reading the articles, my friend still wants Willingham fired.
His 2008 Huskies could get straight A's, start a shelter for unwanted rabbits, and each donate a kidney to a dying Guatemalan child--if they don't win a game, Willingham will be out.
And then, aren't we right back where we started? "The football team's job is to win games."
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I find it depressing people are trotting out the whole "they are just trying to sell papers" meme. Isn't that what Republicans say every time they are exposed for some humilitation?
If the allegations are true, they are a huge embarrassment for the UW, unfortunately this is nothing new at the D1 football level. Remember Lawrence Phillips repeatedly beating his girlfriend at Nebraska and still playing?
Husky fans that instantly try to deflect the shame as opposed to internalizing it make the college look no better than one of those Big 10 or Big 12 Universities that are famous for treating athletes like they are above the law.
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PS- for the record, the Dawg Blawg is pathetic. I just checked it out now.
Wow. The premise that the UW would never recruit thugs because the UW is above that and thugs aren't good at football is either a bold-faced lie or just a pathetic writer grasping at straws.
Apparently the Dawg Blawg is not familiar with the successful track record of Miami and their propensity to turn thugs into first round draft picks. Ray Lewis, Sean Taylor...
The excuses and the deflection on display at Dawg Blawg are an embarrassment. Wow.
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I refuse to imagine a world where Derek Johnson's opinions are the rule rather than the exception.
I can't get the word "douchebag" out of my head now.
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Wow, I'm surprised Seth didn't try to twist this around somehow and disparage WSU again. Sigh.
Regardless, this kind of behavior isn't limited to UW -- it's actually pretty common at all major universities. Athletes tend to get preferential treatment and bad things (not to make light of any this) tend to get swept under the rug.
Willingham is a good coach and exactly the kind of guy you need to make sure that the events that took place in and around 2000 don't happen again.
Yes, a coach's job is to win games -- but they're also responsible for making sure that the people under his tutelage are good "people" and not just good athletes.
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Of course the times is in business to sell newspapers. But this is hardly "tabloid style" journalism.
There are facts in these reports that went unreported or glossed over 8 years ago. These are serious issues with a program that seemed to have a "lack of institutional control" (words that the NCAA loves to throw around). Coaches, the AD, even seemingly the prosecutors and the judges apparently turned a blind eye to these serious issues with some players.
No one is arguing that other programs in the NCAA have these issues (or worse), like the reader blog at the PI is insinuating.
But this is something that NEEDED to be reported. I didn't go to UW but you bet that I would be embarassed if my alma mater had played players like this. Luckily the only issue we've had lately is a few players who were pulled over for having drugs in their car. The UW issues make that look like nothing.
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You can count me as one UW alum and Huskies fan whose opinion of whether Coach Willingham should stay has been changed by the article. I knew things were questionable under Rick but what I am reading is awful. If Coach Willingham has cleaned up the program then he deserves to serve out his contract without public sniping. I note that Don James ran a clean program (Billy Jo Hobart notwithstanding) and won a lot of games.