February 19, 2004 7:14 AM

Another DUMB@$$ AWARD wiener

Colorado president chastises Barnett

Colorado's Barnett placed on administrative leave

DUMB@$$ AWARD wiener #65: Gary Barnett

It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful ... Katie was not only a girl, she was terrible. OK? There's no other way to say it.

- Gary Barnett, University of Colorado football coach

I have told him in no uncertain terms that that was an unacceptable remark," she said. "You have a rape allegation here. That's a very serious criminal allegation. It's simply inappropriate to essentially blame the victim, which is what he did.

- Betsy Hoffman, University of Colorado President

Katie Hnida went through something that no woman should ever have to endure. Being a female placekicker on a Division I football team is difficult enough, but to have to endure being raped by one of her teammates is absolutely beyond the pale.

To make matters worse, her former coach, Gary Barnett, has come out and criticized her in very personal terms. Barnett, a man whom I've generally thought to be intelligent, capable, and well-spoken has succeeded in coming off like a complete jackass. Nicely done, Gary; spoken like a true DUMB@$$.

DENVER -- University of Colorado President Betsy Hoffman chastised football coach Gary Barnett on Wednesday for leveling "unacceptable" criticism at a former player who had just come forward to say she was raped by a teammate four years ago.

Former Colorado kicker Katie Hnida said this week she was sexually assaulted by a teammate in 2000, after her final season at Colorado. Hnida, now a student at the University of New Mexico, said she does not plan to file charges at this time.

Hoffman said she was shocked by the allegation and urged Hnida, 22, to tell police. Barnett told reporters Tuesday he knew of no evidence to back up Hnida's claim and said she had never told him about a sexual assault....

Hoffman said that remark prompted a talk with Barnett and her first public criticism of the coach since the school was plunged into its recruiting scandal three weeks ago.

This "blame the victim" philosophy was a major contributing factor to Dave Bliss' downfall at Baylor this past summer. You'd think that an intelligent and successful man like Barnett would have learned from Bliss' example. Of course, if he had, we wouldn't be bestowing a DUMB@$$ AWARD on him, would we?

Gary Barnett was likely not responsible for the reprehensible behavior of some of the players on Colorado's football team. Nonetheless, he is the captain of the ship, and, fair or not, he will be held at least partially responsible by the public and perhaps even by his employers. He certainly hasn't helped his case by heaping scorn on Katie Hnida.

After being placed on administrative leave, Barnett had the temerity to say that his comments were "misinterpreted". Say what?? I heard Barnett's comments, and there wasn't much there that could have been misinterpreted. The meaning of his statement was clear, unequivocal, and quite personal. The question about Hnida's abilities as a football player may have been inappropriate and ignorant, but Barnett's response is what truly proves his worthiness as the winner of our latest DUMB@$$ AWARD.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on February 19, 2004 7:14 AM.

Yep, we got unresolved issues up to the bitter end was the previous entry in this blog.

So when do I get to achieve my dreams? is the next entry in this blog.

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