Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

ironpanther5 said:There was this wild story blowing up in the news over in the States about two women who basically trapped some guy in his car, handcuffed him, wouldn't let him out, and then went all in on him.

The comment section was a total circus; you had the guys acting like lucky bastards, wondering why they haven't had that kind of luck yet, while the women were busy chirping about how it’s physically impossible to rape a man—clearly making some snide little jab about an erection, I guess—and just giggling about it.
On the flip side, if you dared to point out that there are plenty of women who have experienced orgasms during sexual assaults, they’d probably lose their minds.

But honestly, nothing beats those infuriating cases where some teacher assaults a sixteen-year-old student, and everyone acts completely shocked that it's considered a criminal offense. That’s when you really see how twisted people can be.
The men are practically cheering because they’ve all fantasized about hooking up with their teachers, and the women act totally bewildered, claiming he got what he wanted, that he wasn't forced, or that he's old enough to know better.

That’s the moment you truly lose faith in humanity; they just don't seem to grasp that when you send your kid off to school—even if they're a senior in high school—you aren't sending them there to be screwed by someone in a position of authority.

It doesn't matter what any teenager might think they want in the heat of the moment. A school is meant for learning, not some freaking nightclub.

And double standards? Don't even get me started. There are plenty of guys out there paying child support for kids that aren't even theirs—kids from some lover's affair, for example. 🙄

ironpanther5 said:There was this wild story blowing up in the news over in the States about two women who basically trapped some guy in his car, handcuffed him, wouldn't let him out, and then went all in on him.

The comment section was a total circus; you had the guys acting like lucky bastards, wondering why they haven't had that kind of luck yet, while the women were busy chirping about how it’s physically impossible to rape a man—clearly making some snide little jab about an erection, I guess—and just giggling about it.
On the flip side, if you dared to point out that there are plenty of women who have experienced orgasms during sexual assaults, they’d probably lose their minds.

But honestly, nothing beats those infuriating cases where some teacher assaults a sixteen-year-old student, and everyone acts completely shocked that it's considered a criminal offense. That’s when you really see how twisted people can be.
The men are practically cheering because they’ve all fantasized about hooking up with their teachers, and the women act totally bewildered, claiming he got what he wanted, that he wasn't forced, or that he's old enough to know better.

That’s the moment you truly lose faith in humanity; they just don't seem to grasp that when you send your kid off to school—even if they're a senior in high school—you aren't sending them there to be screwed by someone in a position of authority.

It doesn't matter what any teenager might think they want in the heat of the moment. A school is meant for learning, not some freaking nightclub.

Of course you jumped straight to saying women are gross too and society is hypocritical. Even though 99% of sexual crimes are committed by men, and women account for 30% of reported sexual assaults (not necessarily rape), and 99% of sexual harassment cases involve women. But sure, society is hypocritical and women are terrible, let's not forget that.

wiredfalcon2 said:Of course you jumped straight to saying women are gross too and society is hypocritical. Even though 99% of sexual crimes are committed by men, and women account for 30% of reported sexual assaults (not necessarily rape), and 99% of sexual harassment cases involve women. But sure, society is hypocritical and women are terrible, let's not forget that.

🤣

wiredfalcon2 said:Of course you jumped straight to saying women are gross too and society is hypocritical. Even though 99% of sexual crimes are committed by men, and women account for 30% of reported sexual assaults (not necessarily rape), and 99% of sexual harassment cases involve women. But sure, society is hypocritical and women are terrible, let's not forget that.

Just because you’ve constructed this specific narrative in your own head doesn't make it reality. I'm always for the truth, regardless of who's at fault; honestly, if it were my own flesh and blood, I’d testify against them in a heartbeat if I had any knowledge regarding a hit-and-run or sexual abuse.

I was simply trying to point out how most people are incredibly narrow-minded and ask these moronic questions—like they did in the Kobe case, questioning why someone was sleeping with someone else to imply they're "easy," or claiming someone is unstable just because they attempted suicide, or asking why she was in a certain room or why she wore a short skirt, as if any of that matters when someone is ultimately coerced into sex.

So, I threw in those other examples where this behavior is even more apparent, specifically when the victims are men, because society tends to be much less sensitive toward them. I wasn't trying to claim that men and women are equal in this context; I know women are far more frequent victims, which is also why people rarely dare to report these things—because they want to avoid the judgment and having their dirty laundry aired out in public.

I never once said that women aren't significantly more frequent victims of domestic or sexual violence, regardless of how statistics sometimes get manipulated.

But hey, everyone scratches where it itches, and politics is a nasty business; just as right-wing dogmatists have their unshakeable talking points, the left is stuck on the exact same intellectual level.

That's why I find myself giving them a metaphorical slap in the face every now and then. 🙂

wiredfalcon2 said:Kobe Bryant basically admitted to the assault, so there’s really nothing left to debate. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter. Plus, he settled with her for 2.5 million bucks. He wasn't exactly great at explaining why she had those strangulation marks on her neck either.

This whole thing—just like so much other garbage in sports, business, and politics—really exposes the dark side of human nature. Nobody actually gives a damn about how you got there as long as you're winning. Corruption only becomes an issue when it stops benefiting the people you're rooting for, and then suddenly "let's play fair, if we have to". Silvio Berlusconi, Eric Adams, Jerry Maguire, Roman Abramovich, Luka Modrić... money from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, whatever. No one cares about any of it as long as everything looks shiny on the surface and we're all too drunk on the illusion of success.

Fair enough, you seem convinced, though I find myself feeling a bit more hesitant. I tend to harbor a certain level of skepticism when it comes to allegations where women are allegedly entering the hotel rooms of superstars of their own volition. While it is entirely possible that an assault occurred, I suppose I leave room for the possibility that it didn't.

If it did happen, then shame on him, plain and simple. I certainly won't be making any excuses for him by suggesting his on-court greatness grants him some kind of pass.

Perhaps he was a terrible human being, yet he was also a legendary basketball player who left us far too soon, and right now, we're all just dealing with the shock of it. That's really all there is to say. Let's move on.

wiredrider9 said:🤣

Back when I was just some kid in fifth or sixth grade, there was always that group of boys who would relentlessly mess with every single girl during class changes—though a lucky few managed to dodge the chaos. Eventually, things settled down as we got older, but if you look at it objectively, it's still technically harassment. So, honestly, he might actually have a point here. 🙂

I mean, let’s be real, even the boys weren't exactly escaping the brunt of the drama back then either. 🙂

ironpanther5 said:Just because you’ve constructed this specific narrative in your own head doesn't make it reality. I'm always for the truth, regardless of who's at fault; honestly, if it were my own flesh and blood, I’d testify against them in a heartbeat if I had any knowledge regarding a hit-and-run or sexual abuse.

I was simply trying to point out how most people are incredibly narrow-minded and ask these moronic questions—like they did in the Kobe case, questioning why someone was sleeping with someone else to imply they're "easy," or claiming someone is unstable just because they attempted suicide, or asking why she was in a certain room or why she wore a short skirt, as if any of that matters when someone is ultimately coerced into sex.

So, I threw in those other examples where this behavior is even more apparent, specifically when the victims are men, because society tends to be much less sensitive toward them. I wasn't trying to claim that men and women are equal in this context; I know women are far more frequent victims, which is also why people rarely dare to report these things—because they want to avoid the judgment and having their dirty laundry aired out in public.

I never once said that women aren't significantly more frequent victims of domestic or sexual violence, regardless of how statistics sometimes get manipulated.

But hey, everyone scratches where it itches, and politics is a nasty business; just as right-wing dogmatists have their unshakeable talking points, the left is stuck on the exact same intellectual level.

That's why I find myself giving them a metaphorical slap in the face every now and then. 🙂

My bad for the assumptions.

wiredfalcon2 said:My bad for the assumptions.

Honestly, even though I’ve been pretty skeptical about the whole Me Too movement, this was a bit much. I guess we’re never going to see eye to eye on that, but really, this specific topic didn't even warrant half this much drama. 🙂

wiredrider9 said:And double standards? Don't even get me started. There are plenty of guys out there paying child support for kids that aren't even theirs—kids from some lover's affair, for example. 🙄

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head there. We see those kinds of cases all over the US. Besides, more often than not, the whole post-divorce process and custody battles seem heavily weighted in favor of the mothers.

Unless, of course, you happen to be Milan Popović and the judge just happens to bump into you at the same luxury ski resort in Aspen after the trial is over—the world is a surprisingly small place. 🙂

ironpanther5 said:Back when I was just some kid in fifth or sixth grade, there was always that group of boys who would relentlessly mess with every single girl during class changes—though a lucky few managed to dodge the chaos. Eventually, things settled down as we got older, but if you look at it objectively, it's still technically harassment. So, honestly, he might actually have a point here. 🙂

I mean, let’s be real, even the boys weren't exactly escaping the brunt of the drama back then either. 🙂

Sure, that's one thing for middle school, but what happens when you're in your 20s at work and some coworker slaps you on the ass while walking by and just laughs about it? 😁 🤣

brightpilot6 said:Fair enough, you seem convinced, though I find myself feeling a bit more hesitant. I tend to harbor a certain level of skepticism when it comes to allegations where women are allegedly entering the hotel rooms of superstars of their own volition. While it is entirely possible that an assault occurred, I suppose I leave room for the possibility that it didn't.

If it did happen, then shame on him, plain and simple. I certainly won't be making any excuses for him by suggesting his on-court greatness grants him some kind of pass.

Perhaps he was a terrible human being, yet he was also a legendary basketball player who left us far too soon, and right now, we're all just dealing with the shock of it. That's really all there is to say. Let's move on.

In our society, sexual crimes are still basically taboo—meaning if it doesn't escalate to full-blown rape involving physical injury or extreme violations of freedom, women usually just endure it and move on. You don't necessarily go to a celebrity athlete's room looking for trouble. Stories I've heard from former roommates and friends clearly show how these things play out: you go on a date, everything seems fine, you end up in a room, kissing, everything's cool, foreplay, all good, penetration starts, all good—then suddenly, without any prior agreement, the guy starts choking, hitting, being overly aggressive, or slapping (not necessarily all at once, just giving examples) because that's what turns him on. And they find themselves in a spot where they initially agreed to sex, but not *that* kind of sex, and frankly, the guy doesn't give a damn. They get scared and just "go through the motions" until it's over so he doesn't get even more violent, and then afterward, you're left feeling violated and confused about what actually happened. Now, someone might say, "What did she expect when sleeping with just anyone?" while those same people will cry about her being "frigid" or whatever because she didn't give in by the fifth date (because she learned from past experiences).

I wouldn't easily believe someone accusing a wealthy person either, but through my work in journalism and personal experiences with acquaintances and friends, I've realized this is a very common occurrence. Whether someone is rich or not is irrelevant to whether they'll do it or not. The difference is that when it's not a wealthy person, it stays under the radar or goes unreported. Besides, there's a massive risk for her in making a false accusation too—if it turns out to be fake, she's permanently disgraced, not to mention the insane legal costs involved.

wiredrider9 said:Sure, that's one thing for middle school, but what happens when you're in your 20s at work and some coworker slaps you on the ass while walking by and just laughs about it? 😁 🤣

Now, I’m going to be a little cheeky here 😁, but honestly, that sounds pretty friendly of her. 🤣

All jokes aside, though, you really have to look at the whole context; if you guys are actually cool with each other and that kind of vibe is just part of your friendship, then I don't see the big deal—if there's mutual interest, why not?
But look at it this way: imagine you're married, and some supervisor starts constantly touching you or dropping heavy sexual hints, and even after you explicitly ask them to stop, they just keep pushing it.

In that scenario, you're definitely being sexually harassed.

Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this office drama unfolds ...... 😁

Honestly, look at what he’s been crushing off the field for the last 18 years. He’s put in so much work and stayed so successful that it shouldn't surprise anyone why people only have good things to say about him now.

He basically got lucky that the whole scandal involving those potential assault allegations went down before social media was even a thing, so most people have pretty much moved on and forgotten all about it.

And hey, Dave Chappelle actually gives a solid explanation as to why his reputation was such a mess during the trial.

ironpanther5 said:Now, I’m going to be a little cheeky here 😁, but honestly, that sounds pretty friendly of her. 🤣

All jokes aside, though, you really have to look at the whole context; if you guys are actually cool with each other and that kind of vibe is just part of your friendship, then I don't see the big deal—if there's mutual interest, why not?
But look at it this way: imagine you're married, and some supervisor starts constantly touching you or dropping heavy sexual hints, and even after you explicitly ask them to stop, they just keep pushing it.

In that scenario, you're definitely being sexually harassed.

Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this office drama unfolds ...... 😁

Because let's be real, we aren't exactly close enough to be slapping each other's butts 🤣 (we don't work in those kinds of offices)

#mitu 😁

wiredrider9 said:Sure, that's one thing for middle school, but what happens when you're in your 20s at work and some coworker slaps you on the ass while walking by and just laughs about it? 😁 🤣

🙂

William Gomez5 said:

🙂

Screw that🤣

ironpanther5, you've completely lost the plot—you're way out of line here.

Look, I get it, we have to protect everyone regardless of their gender, strength, or skin color, and obviously any kind of violence against others needs to be punished, but this direction you're heading in is just way too much.

Peter Thompson4 said:ironpanther5, you've completely lost the plot—you're way out of line here.

Look, I get it, we have to protect everyone regardless of their gender, strength, or skin color, and obviously any kind of violence against others needs to be punished, but this direction you're heading in is just way too much.

I honestly have no idea what you're getting at. wiredrider9 opens up about dealing with workplace abuse, and then you just swoop in with this random tangent. 👎

wiredrider9 said:Because let's be real, we aren't exactly close enough to be slapping each other's butts 🤣 (we don't work in those kinds of offices)

#mitu 😁

When you talk about sexual harassment, the whole thing boils down to power dynamics. That’s what dictates whether someone feels okay or totally violated. If some random person "touches your shoulder" and they don't pose any physical threat—or say, a career threat because they aren't your boss—that’s one context. But if resisting that kind of behavior could actually cost you your job? That's a completely different ballgame. Since in 99% of these cases, the women being harassed aren't facing an actual physical threat (we're not talking about psychopaths here), people tend to classify this stuff as much milder than it is. When the roles are reversed and a man is harassing a woman, the power is almost always on his side because, let's face it, he can physically overpower her. It makes it way too easy for a "harmless joke" to turn into a veiled threat just by shifting the tone or the setting slightly.

brightpilot6 said:Fair enough, you seem convinced, though I find myself feeling a bit more hesitant. I tend to harbor a certain level of skepticism when it comes to allegations where women are allegedly entering the hotel rooms of superstars of their own volition. While it is entirely possible that an assault occurred, I suppose I leave room for the possibility that it didn't.

If it did happen, then shame on him, plain and simple. I certainly won't be making any excuses for him by suggesting his on-court greatness grants him some kind of pass.

Perhaps he was a terrible human being, yet he was also a legendary basketball player who left us far too soon, and right now, we're all just dealing with the shock of it. That's really all there is to say. Let's move on.

So, if I'm following this correctly, this woman was working the front desk at the hotel, and he asked her to escort him and some guests to their rooms, promising she could come back later for a tour of the place, but then he basically trapped her inside after she turned him down.
We can't know for sure, but if you ask me, I'd bet 90 percent he's guilty.

ironpanther5 said:I honestly have no idea what you're getting at. wiredrider9 opens up about dealing with workplace abuse, and then you just swoop in with this random tangent. 👎

My bad, I totally misspoke—I was actually thinking about wiredfalcon2, who’s basically gone off the deep end now and making zero sense. According to him, any kind of interaction between a man and a woman is basically assault.

Look, I'm going to say this one more time because I can already see the absolute shitstorm brewing: any form of abuse deserves the maximum punishment, period, but the world isn't black and white, and these specific situations aren't always simple either.

Personally, I've dealt with enough crap from women that I wouldn't just write them all off, but again, while it's wrong when any woman (or any person, really) faces injustice, claiming that men are the sole aggressors against women might be statistically true, but in my view, it's more complicated than that—though obviously, that's no excuse for violence against them.