Unsportsmanlike Conduct : College Football and the Politics of Rape download ebook FB2
9781617754913 English 1617754919 "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change."--Rachel Nichols, ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life, ' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity."--Jemele Hill, ESPN columnist ""Unsportsmanlike Conduct" is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible."--Bomani Jones, ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike."--Katie Nolan, host of Fox Sports' "Garbage Time" "Jessica Luther is one of the most important voices on gender issues in sports. And this book does not disappoint: it is essential reading for anyone who hopes to better understand the intersection of gender and our sports landscape."--Kate Fagan, EspnW The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., "Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "We as a society owe a great debt to Jessica Luther. She has spent the last several years of her professional life dedicated primarily to reporting on the epidemic of sexual assault in college sports--football in particular. Her debut book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape, published on Dave Zirin's "Edge of Sports" imprint at Akashic Books, isn't simply a tell-all; she has rewritten the playbook for collegiate sports culture, giving survivors and supporters a reason to be hopeful about rooting for our teams without further sacrificing who we are." -- The Establishment "Luther's book . . . will be a must read for fans not just of college football but all sport. As well as a vital, pragmatic text for everyday feminism. Unsportsmanlike Conduct is a hard, steady look at the heart of rape culture and how it's perpetuated . . . She is writing about something that implicates her at nearly every level as well as each of us reading. Luther doesn't do so to tear down programs or sport, but to get us all to rectify our actions, allegiances, and excuses." -- Misanthropester "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change." -- Rachel Nichols , ESPN "Jessica Luther is one of the most important voices on gender issues in sports. And this book does not disappoint: it is essential reading for anyone who hopes to better understand the intersection of gender and our sports landscape." -- Kate Fagan , EspnW "The maxim of the law is silence gives consent. Back when nobody was talking about AIDS, the maxim was silence equals death. There exists in our major sports a malignant culture of sexual assault and bureaucratic indifference. There is nothing this culture resists more than plain talk, and Jessica Luther has been speaking more plainly about this ongoing obscenity than almost anyone else. This is a hard, necessary, and important book, a book by someone who refuses to be silent, and damn surerefuses to consent." -- Charles P. Pierce , author of Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs his play well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by, "Luther's research into rape on campuses is an important expose demonstrating that the problem still lies within the male locker room...Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses."--"Kirkus Reviews" "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change."--Rachel Nichols, ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life, ' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity."--Jemele Hill, ESPN columnist ""Unsportsmanlike Conduct" is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible."--Bomani Jones, ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike."--Katie Nolan, host of Fox Sports' "Garbage Time" The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue.", "Luther's research into rape on campuses is an important exposé demonstrating that the problem still lies within the male locker room...Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change." -- Rachel Nichols , ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life,' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity." -- Jemele Hill , ESPN columnist " Unsportsmanlike Conduct is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible." -- Bomani Jones , ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike." -- Katie Nolan , host of Fox Sports' Garbage Time The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., "Of all the many problems facing college football, the most severe by far is the shocking number of rape cases involving athletes. And, as Luther makes abundantly clear in this impeccably researched volume, those numbers are only the tip of the iceberg, thanks to the contagion of cover-ups instigated by coaches and university officials, often with the support of police . . . Most important, Luther devotes part two of her book to changing the playbook, offering specific suggestions like 'fire people' and 'hire women' that throw down a gauntlet to those in power. Unsportsmanlike Conduct is not always easy to read--the text necessarily relies on numerous statistics and detailed summaries of court cases--but, nevertheless, it is almost certainly the most important sports book of the year." -- Booklist , Starred Review "Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "Included in This Fall's Most Anticipated Nonfiction" -- Kirkus Reviews "We as a society owe a great debt to Jessica Luther. She has spent the last several years of her professional life dedicated primarily to reporting on the epidemic of sexual assault in college sports--football in particular. Her debut book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape , published on Dave Zirin's 'Edge of Sports' imprint at Akashic Books, isn't simply a tell-all; she has rewritten the playbook for collegiate sports culture, giving survivors and supporters a reason to be hopeful about rooting for our teams without further sacrificing who we are." -- The Establishment The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs his play well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue. Political sportswriter and Edge of Sports imprint curator Dave Zirin (the Nation) has never shied away from criticizing that which die-hard sports fans hold dear. The Edge of Sports titles will address issues across many different sports--football, basketball, swimming, tennis, etc.--and at both the professional and nonprofessional/collegiate levels. Furthermore, Zirin brings to the table select stories of athletes' journeys and what they are facing and how they evolve both intheir sport as well as against the greater backdrop of one's life's odyssey., A meticulously researched and powerful expose on the epidemic of cover-up that surrounds sexual assault and college football players.Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that result in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense.This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutionsthe NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the mediarun the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes."Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, it suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue.Jessica Luther is a writer and investigative journalist living in Austin, Texas. Her work on sports and culture has appeared in the "Texas Observer" and the "Austin Chronicle," and at "Sports Illustrated, Texas Monthly, Vice Sports, Guardian Sport," and "Bleacher Report."", Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions run the same plays over and over again when these stories break., The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., This book explores the playbook that coaches, teams, universities, the NCAA, police, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused, charged, or convicted of sexual assault. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly. Luther unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and suggests new plays that will force much-needed change.
9781617754913 English 1617754919 "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change."--Rachel Nichols, ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life, ' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity."--Jemele Hill, ESPN columnist ""Unsportsmanlike Conduct" is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible."--Bomani Jones, ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike."--Katie Nolan, host of Fox Sports' "Garbage Time" "Jessica Luther is one of the most important voices on gender issues in sports. And this book does not disappoint: it is essential reading for anyone who hopes to better understand the intersection of gender and our sports landscape."--Kate Fagan, EspnW The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., "Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "We as a society owe a great debt to Jessica Luther. She has spent the last several years of her professional life dedicated primarily to reporting on the epidemic of sexual assault in college sports--football in particular. Her debut book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape, published on Dave Zirin's "Edge of Sports" imprint at Akashic Books, isn't simply a tell-all; she has rewritten the playbook for collegiate sports culture, giving survivors and supporters a reason to be hopeful about rooting for our teams without further sacrificing who we are." -- The Establishment "Luther's book . . . will be a must read for fans not just of college football but all sport. As well as a vital, pragmatic text for everyday feminism. Unsportsmanlike Conduct is a hard, steady look at the heart of rape culture and how it's perpetuated . . . She is writing about something that implicates her at nearly every level as well as each of us reading. Luther doesn't do so to tear down programs or sport, but to get us all to rectify our actions, allegiances, and excuses." -- Misanthropester "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change." -- Rachel Nichols , ESPN "Jessica Luther is one of the most important voices on gender issues in sports. And this book does not disappoint: it is essential reading for anyone who hopes to better understand the intersection of gender and our sports landscape." -- Kate Fagan , EspnW "The maxim of the law is silence gives consent. Back when nobody was talking about AIDS, the maxim was silence equals death. There exists in our major sports a malignant culture of sexual assault and bureaucratic indifference. There is nothing this culture resists more than plain talk, and Jessica Luther has been speaking more plainly about this ongoing obscenity than almost anyone else. This is a hard, necessary, and important book, a book by someone who refuses to be silent, and damn surerefuses to consent." -- Charles P. Pierce , author of Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs his play well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by, "Luther's research into rape on campuses is an important expose demonstrating that the problem still lies within the male locker room...Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses."--"Kirkus Reviews" "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change."--Rachel Nichols, ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life, ' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity."--Jemele Hill, ESPN columnist ""Unsportsmanlike Conduct" is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible."--Bomani Jones, ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike."--Katie Nolan, host of Fox Sports' "Garbage Time" The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue.", "Luther's research into rape on campuses is an important exposé demonstrating that the problem still lies within the male locker room...Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "Few subjects are as difficult, or as important, as this one, and Jessica Luther handles it flawlessly. We have to demand that schools take better care of our kids; it's that simple. Luther gives us the tools to do so, breaking down exactly where we are, how we got here, and--most importantly--how the system can change." -- Rachel Nichols , ESPN anchor "In painstaking and passionate detail, Jessica Luther challenges those of us who have become seduced by the emotion and ritual of sport to stop being willfully ignorant about the significant problem of sexual assault and sexual violence. Sports, for many of us, always have been characterized as a lighthearted escape from the problems that dominate 'real life,' but this book reminds us that our ability to compartmentalize and rationalize these terrible crimes has cost us our collective humanity." -- Jemele Hill , ESPN columnist " Unsportsmanlike Conduct is an important book by an important writer. Jessica Luther's place as both sports fan and empathetic observer make her perfect to explore the shameful ways universities and their athletic programs address sexual assault, as no one could say she doesn't love football. She just loves people more, as she should, and this book is an important mirror to make us question how sports became more important to the world than the women who make life possible." -- Bomani Jones , ESPN host and analyst "Luther uses the language and framework of college athletics--a playbook--to demonstrate the industry's systemic problems with sexual violence. This book should be handed to every incoming freshman, and left on the seats of stadiums across the country. A must-read for athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists, and fans alike." -- Katie Nolan , host of Fox Sports' Garbage Time The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., "Of all the many problems facing college football, the most severe by far is the shocking number of rape cases involving athletes. And, as Luther makes abundantly clear in this impeccably researched volume, those numbers are only the tip of the iceberg, thanks to the contagion of cover-ups instigated by coaches and university officials, often with the support of police . . . Most important, Luther devotes part two of her book to changing the playbook, offering specific suggestions like 'fire people' and 'hire women' that throw down a gauntlet to those in power. Unsportsmanlike Conduct is not always easy to read--the text necessarily relies on numerous statistics and detailed summaries of court cases--but, nevertheless, it is almost certainly the most important sports book of the year." -- Booklist , Starred Review "Highly relevant, hard-hitting, much-needed information that reveals the widespread existence of rape by sports players on college campuses." -- Kirkus Reviews "Included in This Fall's Most Anticipated Nonfiction" -- Kirkus Reviews "We as a society owe a great debt to Jessica Luther. She has spent the last several years of her professional life dedicated primarily to reporting on the epidemic of sexual assault in college sports--football in particular. Her debut book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape , published on Dave Zirin's 'Edge of Sports' imprint at Akashic Books, isn't simply a tell-all; she has rewritten the playbook for collegiate sports culture, giving survivors and supporters a reason to be hopeful about rooting for our teams without further sacrificing who we are." -- The Establishment The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs his play well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue. Political sportswriter and Edge of Sports imprint curator Dave Zirin (the Nation) has never shied away from criticizing that which die-hard sports fans hold dear. The Edge of Sports titles will address issues across many different sports--football, basketball, swimming, tennis, etc.--and at both the professional and nonprofessional/collegiate levels. Furthermore, Zirin brings to the table select stories of athletes' journeys and what they are facing and how they evolve both intheir sport as well as against the greater backdrop of one's life's odyssey., A meticulously researched and powerful expose on the epidemic of cover-up that surrounds sexual assault and college football players.Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that result in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense.This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutionsthe NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the mediarun the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes."Unsportsmanlike Conduct" unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, it suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue.Jessica Luther is a writer and investigative journalist living in Austin, Texas. Her work on sports and culture has appeared in the "Texas Observer" and the "Austin Chronicle," and at "Sports Illustrated, Texas Monthly, Vice Sports, Guardian Sport," and "Bleacher Report."", Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions run the same plays over and over again when these stories break., The latest from Akashic's Edge of Sports imprint. Football teams create playbooks, in which they draw up the plays they will use on the field. If all goes well, the large amount of work that goes into a single play suddenly looks like a natural flow of bodies moving in unison that results in the movement of the ball down the field or the successful stop of the other team's offense. Playbooks are how teams work and why they win. This book is about a different kind of playbook. Over the last three years, sexual assault on college campuses has been a hot topic as people are wondering aloud and often about it, especially when it involves star football players. Unsportsmanlike Conduct explores that playbook: the one coaches, teams, universities, police, communities, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused of sexual assault. It's a deep dive into how different institutions--the NCAA, athletic departments, universities, the media--run the same plays over and over again when these stories break. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly, no institution ever has to change how it operates, and the evaporation of these cases into nothingness looks natural. In short, this playbook is why nothing ever changes. Unsportsmanlike Conduct unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and not only advocates that we destroy the old plays, but also suggests we replace them with ones that will force us to finally do something about this issue., This book explores the playbook that coaches, teams, universities, the NCAA, police, the media, and fans seem to follow whenever a college football player is accused, charged, or convicted of sexual assault. If everyone runs their plays well, scrutiny dies down quickly. Luther unpacks this societal playbook piece by piece, and suggests new plays that will force much-needed change.