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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Bill Splete added to this discussion on June 19, 2025
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This is he only place I would discuss the topic. That was a tough thing to watch.
I sat there, knowing these guys on the team, and thought, is this even possible? I was taught very young that those who are abused have very little power, and in this case, the tougher the guys, the more the shame. My mother told me about my aunt, who was powerless to stop an uncle who lived below them. They all knew he was creepy, remember; we are talking about the 1950s/1960s. She could never stop him until his brother did, but he didn't have to leave the house. Had to see him every day.
I have heard rumblings that some aren't victims, and no way that happens to me. I don't care about what isn't true or I can't disprove. What do we know or have at a civil level of proof? Dr. Strauss touched people in a way that was without their consent or knowledge that they were being abused. You consent to a hernia exam, but being thorough, we need to do it every time. The victim had no idea of his intent. I know what he said, but legally and medically, we know it was not acceptable.
I always thought of Russ as a dick, but in 2018 he meets with the guys, shows leadership and empathy... I believe he intended to help, but they got to him, as for Jim. I will go with Mark Coleman on this. "I like Jim, but he knew".
My favorite movie is A Man for All Seasons. The idea that silence is acceptance was clearly and effectively expressed by Sir Thomas Moore as false.
I think of my college coaches, Joe McFarland and Duane Goldman. I have to believe they would not be silent. Our room was our sanctuary. OSU showers - damn, it's so creepy to hear the doctor was taking showers with athletes.
For some, it's too much to risk coming forward; others judge them because they see dollar signs. This was not a one-off incident, and many people had to turn a blind eye. We know now they all knew. Doctors, administrators, trainers, officials.
I'm sorry, it's not a punishment. There is no way to send Strauss to prison or take his money. I understand that the current admin didn't do this, but it did happen, and it occurred at OSU.
This is a delicate conversation and my intent isn't to piss anyone off, but I feel strongly that abuse was sweep under the rug in the 20th century, so much so that it allowed predators to roam with little to no consequenses
I don't know all the details, but Strauss was a predator at OSU, whether assault or drugs, no one did anything to mitigate his behavior, except a woman, who happened to be a fencing coach. She spoke up. The rest are silent.
This is a lesson in what to teach others, especially young people, what it means to consent, and knowing that if something happens, shame doesn't have to be the driving force for silence.
This is the perfect group to either vent or explain your thoughts.
Be well
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Roe Fox added to this discussion on June 20, 2025
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What’s the name of the documentary?
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Bill Splete added to this discussion on June 20, 2025
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Mike Stann added to this discussion on June 22, 2025
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As an alum and fan I have bled Scarlet and Grey. However after watching this documentary I find it hard to think that relation will ever be the same. What an independent investigation found is simply sickening. That tOSU let it happen for 20 years is beyond comprehension. it involved athletes from various sports and students also. Some of the interviews with OSU wrestlers are both hard to watch and heartbreaking. That OSU still refuses to do right by these folk defies the idea of decency. The only coach who did right by their athletes was the fencing coach. We love our sports, teams and participants until confronted with the ugly underbelly of big money sports.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on June 22, 2025
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Mike said it best. I'll just add--Shame on Russ Hellickson and Jim Jordan.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Doug Gainous added to this discussion on June 23, 2025
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I turned it off thinking i knew the story, but finished it yesterday. The steroid storyline is interesting. B12? Haha. Russ and Jordan look guilty. They can deny all they want but cmon. Fred Feeney was a powerful interview.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on June 24, 2025
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Quote from Doug Gainous's post:
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"I turned it off thinking i knew the story, but finished it yesterday. The steroid storyline is interesting. B12? Haha. Russ and Jordan look guilty. They can deny all they want but cmon. Fred Feeney was a powerful interview."
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I thought I knew the story as well. But until you see precisely how Strauss operated, and what a prolific predator he was, you don't realize how monstrous this is.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Jim Behrens added to this discussion on June 25, 2025
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I agree with Bill in saying that I would not post this on any other forum.
Let me start by saying that I have not seen this documentary yet . Also, I am not a fan of Jim Jordan. To me, he is a typical politician who talks a lot (usually very fast) and yet gets nothing done. Honestly he is a lot like my Congressman who keeps getting elected in spite of the fact that he has done nothing. It seems to be a common theme in the US Congress.
That said, I have to wonder why NONE of the other assistants are mentioned in any "news" story I have watched or read? Were there none? That is rhetorical, I know the answer. Heck, even Hellickson, as head coach, is rarely mentioned.
IMO they are all in the same boat. Either everyone has to answer or none of them do. Because Jordan now holds a higher profile position should not make him a target any more than any other coaches in any of the sports involved. Realistically if he wasn't who he is now, we wouldn't even be discussing this.
This is not to excuse anyone for their actions or their failure to act. From what I can tell, there is a LOT of blame to pass around.
Just my $.02.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Ben Golden added to this discussion on June 25, 2025
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I watched the doc. Crazy. Kind of reminds me of slavery or that short story The Lottery. You see this and you think... how could all these people let this pass? But, for the most part those people walked into a situation where this has been happening for a long time and so they just kind of think it's accepted in some way shape or form, and they passively coexist with it.
Jim: I agree with your comments about Jordan's high profile political career being an amplifier for this, and that if it weren't for his political career, he probably wouldn't even be mentioned in this. Not totally fair in some way, but that's part of the scrutiny that a politician implicitly takes on, I suppose.
Another thing I find interesting here... I think this scandal is the first thing non-wrestling people now think of when they hear the name Jim Jordan. I was at the NCAA tournament in Philadelphia. I took an uber the day after the finals, and mentioned to the driver that Trump had been there along with Elon and Jim Jordan. The driver's comment was "Oh, Jim Jordan knew about that abuse at Ohio State and didn't do anything about it."
Then the next week, I was talking with someone at work about that trip and told them the same thing: Trump/Elon/Jordan were there, Hendrickson saluted Trump after knocking off Gable Steveson... He had the same comment as the Uber driver: "Oh, Jim Jordan knew about that abuse at Ohio State and didn't do anything about it."
Kind of surprising that of all the things Jordan could be known for (superstar wrestler of yesteryear, firebrand conservative congressman, Trump loyalist), the thing that's most present in the everyday person's mind is that he knew about abuse at Ohio State and did nothing.
Another observation I had from some of the wrestlers in the documentary: They seemed forgiving/understanding toward Hellickson and Jordan for doing nothing back in the 1990s, but felt deeply betrayed that Jordan denies knowing anything about it and Russ has been silent now that it's gone public.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Rex Holman added to this discussion on July 5, 2025
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Ben Golden added to this discussion on July 6, 2025
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Those are great interviews
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Eddie Jayne added to this discussion on July 7, 2025
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Zeb is the best interviewer in the wrestling world. Both Disabato interviews were outstanding. Zeb asked the tough questions and Disabato gave answers to them.
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Discussion Topic: HBO Doc.
Roe Fox added to this discussion on July 11, 2025
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Since I don’t have HBO I watched the two videos above and read the full report. The report was very thorough.
I found the Disabito discussion about not blaming Jordan for not specifically reporting the activity when he was a coach interesting, particularly when it went to
the semantics argument about Jordan ultimately saying he did not know know about “sexual abuse” going on.
It made me think about how far sexual assault awareness has come in the last 40 years. It is not meant as a defense of Jordan to what Disabato was so upset about. Extensive “genital exams,” sometimes to erection/ejaculation were glossed over. When “Me Too” hit around 2018, an unwanted kiss on the lips was ground for job loss, lawsuits and public shaming.
It was ridiculous that such a level sexual activity/ voyuerism was so prevalent for so long at that facility, plus, of course the rampant deviancy of Strauss.
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