I was an athlete at the University of Tennessee once upon a time, and this trainer (Jamie) was always amazingly kind to me. When I ruptured my plantar fascia, she drove me to the doctor's office many times. I could not have even defined sexual harassment back then honestly. I was a dumb kid with a mullet, but i do remember her getting harassed by guys almost every day. I remember feeling uncomfortable, and even though she often "joked" back to the athletes, she never looked all that comfortable either. Either way, when Peyton Manning walked off the field yesterday dejected and demoralized, I thought of Jamie and how karma is a beeeeatch. Seriously though, women trainers shouldn't have to endure scumbag behaviors by privileged male athletes, however squeaky clean their public image happens to be.Here is a Wiki blurb, but just google for mainstream coverage of the settlement:
In 1996, while still quarterback at the University of Tennessee, Manning dropped his pants while being treated by assistant athletic trainer Jamie Ann Naughright. After an investigation, the university concluded the incident was a "mooning" gone awry and not sexual in nature, and Manning was disciplined and required to apologize in writing to Naughright. In 1997, the university settled Naughright's sexual harassment claims (which included the Manning incident) for $300,000. In 2003, Manning settled a 2002 lawsuit filed by Naughright, on confidential terms. In the suit Naughright had alleged that "Manning: A Father, His Sons and a Football Legacy", a book written by Manning, his father, and author John Underwood, defamed her.
I didn't even know who was in the superbowl until last night when I got home in time to see the very end of the game. I had some friends ask me which team I was rooting for. I chose the Saints specifically because of Manning's sexual indiscretion. NOW based on the Tiger Woods post, should what he chooses to do off the field impact the way I see him as a player? No. What he chooses to do when he is not playing for the colts is his own damn business. BUT I worked in an athletic treatment/training center for a while. As a female, I felt uncomfortable more often than not when the male athletes (specifically the football players, no offense) were there. I got hit on, invited to "pantie parties," had the players asking me to stretch their hamstrings (if you know how to stretch people, you know why they wanted me to do this). Over all, male athletes did not have the same respect for me as the women athletes do. So in Manning's situation I think it needs to be known that women do not deserve to be treated with disrespect, and deserve to be treated like professionals.
ReplyDeleteI think it is bullshit that professional athletes can get away with covering up significant happenings with the wads of cash they get paid to parade around and entertain drunk viewers.
After hearing about Peyton Manning and his sexual harassment incident i was even more motivated to root for the saints. or maybe just root against the colts. I find comical that so many viewers are foolish enough to think players are great guys because they can be nice or funny for 30 seconds in a commercial or 30 minutes in a interview. Hopefully in the near future the media will understand that it is not about what the athlete does in their personal life that matters but what they do in their arena. Because bluntly, many athletes are not fit to be role models in society and their personal lives should be censored by the media a little more often so children can have their parents as role models and more suitable people.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agreed. The question is why don't they fire the offenders and why didn't society ostracize them? When I was on the national team in Singapore, such things are not tolerated. if anyone violate the rules then they're fired and will never work again in the industry or any where else for that matter. I remember this guy on my team who sexually harassed another athlete and now he's working as a dishwasher in a roadside stall. This problem will continue to exist as long as American society as a whole imply tolerance. So don't just talk about how bad it is, boycott all of Peyton Manning games, start a petition to get him fired, and don't ever hire him for anything. Think about it, if the whole of America chooses not to watch the Superbowl because he was in it, then do you think that he would still be playing?
ReplyDeletei commented about this to my friend and he was shocked to hear it but surprinsingly he said "fuck that, Payne Manning is the shit...he represents everything that stands for pure and white." He said things like these would be on tv, like a scandal but he never heard about it before...I personally don't care what title any man holds, if he disrespects a woman that way, then I have no respect for him. He seems to be a great athlete and I never heard about it until this class but once again a man who disrespects a woman in any way, is not truly a man.
ReplyDeleteWomen athletic trainers have it bad.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable... Manning is a scumbag.
ReplyDeleteDespite his popularity as a potential "great" quarterback I feel that even though these celebrities or athletes you can say are highly idolize we have to think twice they too are human beings. Human beings are not perfect. Manning messed up big time on the field at the SuperBowl with that interception and off the field with the trainer.
How can a father of two sons... happen to drop his pants when he was a quarterback in college? What kind of father figure is this man? What kind of husband is he? What kind of being is he?
We can all treat him like crap.. but what we can do is move on from this douche and look forward into the future...
Educate our children of these issues and problems to better find solutions to rid of unwanted behavior.
2 cents from me
- Bobby Van
I didn't know which team I was going for until I found out that Manning was charged for sexual harrassment. It made it easier for me to go with the Saints. I am not really suprised that women trainers are harassed by male athletes, it just makes me sad that most male atheletes find it acceptable. Women have worked so hard to be recognized and accepted in this male dominated society, yet we are still disrespected and not credited for what men are credited for. For example, a women by the name of Mary Calkins joined a seminar at Harvard University and all of the men dropped out because the male professor allowed her to study with them. Later she finished all the requirements to have a Ph.D. and she outscored all of the men, but Harvard had denied her the degree and offered her a degree from their sister school. Although this story happened a long time ago, it just shows that women are still being disrespected and are not acknowledged for the hard work they portray.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend is studying to be an athletic trainer.. this has opened my eyes a lot and I'm worried ! not acceptable !
ReplyDeleteThis is not ok for anyone to do. Big mistake, with no real consequence. I wouldn't have known about this if it was not discussed in class. Shame on you Manning. Perv.
ReplyDeleteI have also known Dr. Naughright personally and agree that she is a kind person. She is extremely passionate about athletic training and caring for athletes. As another female in the athletic world, I can totally understand how "being one of the boys" can be pushed too far. Peyton needs to stop denying and start apologizing for what really happened!
ReplyDeleteI used to work as student athletic trainer at a local community college and the female student trainers would be hit on non stop by the male athletes. I don't understand why we can't treat people with respect. Treating someone like a sexual object and making them feel uncomfortable is bullshit, especially if this person is helping you. Peyton shouldn't be portrayed as this "All American" guy who is a role model for kids. More people should know what he did. Until this class, I thought Peyton was an all around great person. Now I know better.
ReplyDeleteHarassment of women in the workforce is a growing problem. In a male dominated industry such as professional sport it is likely that the amount of harassment faced by women is much higher because men dominate the industry.
ReplyDeleteManning is not alone in his inappropriate behavior towards women. Just this year a case was made about a female reporter who was harassed in the Jets locker room after a game while trying to conduct an interview. So it can be seen that harassment of women in sport is not uncommon.
Athletes in the pro leagues should be required to complete a training on sexual harassment and sexual assault. Perhaps if they understood what constituted harassment and the consequences of harassment they might be less inclined to harass women. In fact, such a training should be required for all staff and employees. Women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect especially in situations such as the one mentioned above in the locker room where it is already uncomfortable for them to be.