Two University of
Nebraska-Lincoln wrestlers, including one who won an
NCAA championship in 2007, have been dismissed from the team
after posing naked for videos and photographs on an
Internet pornography site.
Paul Donahoe and
Kenny Jordan were let go Tuesday, three days after a
blog posted images of them taken from FratMenTV.com, a Web
site featuring naked or partially clothed male
athletes.
"The history of
behavior of these men, including the current matter,
does not reflect the standard of excellence we aspire to on
and off the mat," coach Mark Manning said in a
statement. "We have outstanding student-athletes in
our program, and we will move forward in a positive
manner toward our goals.
"I want to
personally apologize for any embarrassment that may have
been caused for our athletic department, the university, and
our fans."
Manning didn't
address the nature of the wrestlers' past transgressions
and didn't immediately return a message left on his cell
phone seeking comment.
Jordan and
Donahoe have had a series of run-ins with the law in
Lincoln. Jordan has paid fines for possessing or
consuming alcohol as a minor, trespassing, and
assault; and Donahoe for maintaining a disorderly house
and having an open alcohol container.
Donahoe did not
respond to an e-mail seeking comment. The Associated
Press has requested interviews with the men through the
athletic department. Personal phone numbers couldn't
be found.
The athletic
department became aware of the images on the Internet late
last week, assistant athletic director for compliance Josh
White said. Donahoe and Jordan were declared
ineligible because they violated an NCAA rule that
prohibits athletes from appearing in pictures for commercial
use, White said.
Donahoe and
Jordan would have to apply to the NCAA for reinstatement if
they choose to wrestle for another school, White said.
Donahoe, who
would be a senior, won the Big 12 championship at 125 pounds
in 2008 and placed third in the NCAA tournament after
winning the title the year before.
Jordan, a junior
133-pounder, was fourth in the Big 12 and failed to
place at nationals this past season.
The Scarlet
Project, a blog that touts itself for reporting "news,
scandal, and gossip" at the university, posted the pictures
online but altered them so that they didn't show full
nudity. The blog reported that they were obtained from
an anonymous person.
John Marsh, who
operates FratMenTV.com and two related Web sites catering
to gay men, said he's spoken with Donahoe and Jordan, noting
that both indicated they want to continue as college
wrestlers. He said Donahoe was a "dynamite" wrestler.
"If Nebraska is
going to be pigheaded and kick him off unreasonably,"
Marsh said, "there has to be another wrestling program
that's going to want him."
Marsh said most
photo and video shoots are done in Los Angeles, where
FratMenTV.com is based, but that some are done at other
locations. Members of FratMenTV.com pay $24.99 for
access to hundreds of images and videos.
Marsh wouldn't
say how much he pays models or how he hires them.
"It's not money
that they would be making working as a waiter," he
said. "They get well-compensated. It's better than beer
money."
Marsh said his
models typically don't care about videos and pictures of
them being seen on the Web.
"I'm in my mid
40s, and my generation has a stigma about porn," he
said. "The kids, the generation of the student-athletes,
don't have that stigma. They really don't care.
"They've come
from a Paris Hilton, Tommy Lee-Pamela Anderson sex tape
generation, MySpace pages. The shame and stigma aren't there
for them. They're mostly worried about what their
parents are going to think, because their parents
think it's horrifying." (AP)
