Paul Donahoe
Collegiate wrestler Paul Donahoe, kicked off the University of Nebraska team after posing nude on a gay porn site, was unapologetic about what he did and also is totally cool with gay people. Donahoe gave an extensive interview to the Boston Globe, where he discussed posing nude, being booted from Nebraska and his rebirth at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Donahoe is favored to win the 125-pound class at the NCAA wrestling finals this weekend.
“I am straight, but on the forums people make a lot of gay jokes about me,” he says. “I’m not too concerned. They can talk about me all they want, it doesn’t matter. If a guy wants to be with a guy, who cares? … “Obviously, I did it for the money. We kept thinking no one would ever find out because it was a gay website and we really wanted that money.”
Donahoe’s troubles started when he was paid several thousands dollars and flown to Los Angeles to appear naked solo on Fratmen.tv. He was contacted several times through his MySpace page before he agreed to pose (”They left me a lot of messages, so I thought, ‘What the heck?’ People do worse for money, so . . .”). In some of his images, an “N wrestling” tattoo (standing for Nebraska) was visible, on his left thigh. This is when his identity became known and his troubles began.
“They were supposed to cover it up but obviously they left it,” he says. “Gay kids in Lincoln [Neb.] wrote, ‘Hey, nice website. I saw you.’ I wrote back, ‘Don’t tell anyone,’ but with word of mouth, people found out.”
Donahoe was tossed off the team but not out of the university. Nebraska self-reported the violation to the NCAA.
“They said I promoted my image,” says Donahoe. “That’s illegal in the NCAA rules. I had to pay all the money back, a couple of thousand, to a nonprofit.
“I believe it was unfair for Nebraska to dismiss me from the team. For one, there’s plenty of athletes throughout the University of Nebraska who have had DUIs and who have been in fights and are still playing. But I guess that’s OK. Posing nude, I guess, is worse than someone drinking and driving and risking someone’s life, in their eyes.”
Donahoe is unapologetic about posing for Fratmen as “Nash” (along with fellow Husker wrestler Kenny Jordan, also kicked off the team), though he did describe the whole experience as weird. He comes from a family torn apart by his parent’s divorce and economically described his upbringing as lower middle class. He wound up at Edinboro University, but fell behind academically being 24 credits short, but is set to graduate in July. Initially, his Edinboro teammates were a bit leery, but Donahoe won them over.
“He’s really cool,” says Gillespie. “Before the season, a lot of people were talking bad about him. Like, ‘We don’t want him at our school.’ Right now, he’s proving people wrong. He’s had to switch coaches, schools, friends, that had to be a pain. He’s heard people yelling stuff like ‘homo,’ but none of that bothers him, he just brushes that all off.”
Fortunately, the public was more understanding and forgiving than Nebraska officials. Donahoe says the reaction is more positive than negative and he has more than 1,400 friends on Facebook.
“I’ve had a ton of people Myspace me and say, ‘I hope everything works out,’ ” he says. “I read them all. I’m thankful for people supporting me. The plan is to win this weekend. Watch ESPN. I’m pretty tough. Just say I’m a survivor.”
Donahoe, 5-5 and 125 pounds, has used his dismissal as motivation, which helped him go 31-0 this season. If you want to watch him go for the title, tune into ESPN, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Donahoe will face Cornell’s Troy Nickerson in the finals.
I was so impressed by his answers to the Globe and his flatly not feeling at all sorry for posing nude. He did nothing wrong and brought a lot of smiles to gay men everywhere, and I’m not being snarky when I say that. He has zero to apologize for and I imagine no wrestler this weekend will have such an extended rooting section.
Read the entire Globe piece.
Check out the Globe’s photo gallery of Donahoe.
on Mar 18th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Great article. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve seen Paul’s pictures and they’re great. I don’t really care what Nebraska said, they lost an awesome athlete.
And hey, I like how he shrugs things off. He’s got a cool head and sounds like a super nice guy. He’s also 5-5, I was only asking about his height recently. He’s short, but very strong and quick on his legs. I’m about 6-3 myself so he’s about chest high, I think. Great height to give a nuggie to him. LOL
Great article, Jim. Fratmen.tv has actually become my 2nd favorite site. Is that a bad thing? Having favorite sites?
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I am pulling (rooting) for him in the NCAAs.
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 10:06 am
He did nothing wrong?
That’s just ridiculous - he obviously did something wrong and it was reported to the NCAA as it should have been. I mean we can debate the merits of driving drunk vs. having node photos posted on the internet but they both violate NCAA rules. He did something wrong and suffered the consequences.
I don’t think posing nude on a porn site is a reprehensible or immoral act, but let’s be honest - when you represent your school as the best NCAA wrestler in your weight class you should not be posing nude. When you are in positions of responsibility, or in a position where the way you act reflects on your school, you should not behave in an unacceptable manner. What he did was wrong.
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Kind of nice turn of events in this kids life. I am glad things shook out well for him. Plus, you’ve gotta love them pocket hotties. Kids got nice junk too.
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
i have friends in St louis (including one who works at the venue) who will all be shouting for him.
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
What has happened to Kenny “Cal” Jordan, the other wrestler? Has his life and story turned out as well as Paul’s has, at least to this point? Or will that one have a sad ending?
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Jordan got “sideswiped” months ago in the news. He was also dismissed from Nebraska’s team but not much about what happened after has hit the news. I’ll look into it though.
on Mar 19th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Donahoe won both matches Thursday and if he wins 2 Friday, he will wrestle for the title on Saturday.
on Mar 20th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
ESPN just told the whole Donohoe story before his semifinal match. They even mentioned that the site was mainly for gay men. I’m pleasantly surprised that they didn’t dodge the issue.
Donohoe is wrestling right now.
on Mar 20th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Did ESPN have a taped piece or did the announcers just discuss it?
Cornell’s unbeaten Troy Nickerson will face top-seeded and undefeated Paul Donahoe from Edinboro University on Saturday in the final.
on Mar 20th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Whichever form it may have been, it will definitely have been recorded to be put up online later.
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
The claim that he violated NCAA rules is a stretch at best.
The rules are against promotion, and the spirit of this is that you can’t go out and sell endorsements or make money of your sporting stature. Obviously, fratpad wasn’t saying ‘this is paul donahoe, a star ncaa wrestler!” He wasn’t promoting products, or trading in on his sporting accomplishments. The only thing he was selling was his personal physique, which is certainly NOT in the NCAA rules.
It’s just a bunch of misapplied prudishness, essentially. But the prudishness is what encourages scarcity of product which resulted in money for Paul, so hopefully he at least profited from the nonsense.
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 5:38 pm
NCAA regulations for athletes are annoying. I was actually wondering a while ago if I can do 1-on-1 tutor sessions for younger kids until I realized I could end up in the same boat as Paul. As a wise man once said, “The NCAA should just be abolished.”
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Saturday night’s finals matchups
125 pounds
1-Paul Donahoe (Edinboro) vs. 2-Troy Nickerson (Cornell)
I think he already beat Nickerson once this season…..
Paul is a class act.
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
…. and I am 5′5″ so watch your comments about height…
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Damn! I was wrong …they never wrestled in the season, and now it is over!
on Mar 21st, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Donahoe lost, 2-1, to Nickerson in the final.
on Mar 25th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I appreciate Outsports coverage of Paul Donahoe, but why do you have to use the tacky headline “NCAA porn wrestler”?
Mr. Donahoe has shown he is a serious student-athlete.
on Mar 25th, 2009 at 10:06 am
i really have a hard time wondering why people feel that the porn thing was the only reason the Team kicked him off. Leaving school was his choice like it is with many athletes. He was inviolation of the NCAA rule as i told some a few months ago although the didnt think i was telling the truth and i would like for people to really understand wrestling is a sport where it is cutt all the time because of cost and IX.
I have found freinds are very open and really dont care if you can kick ass sure you have some jerks but the porn thing i hear alot of guys just find it funny while from a media stand point Nebraska felt after a situation about 8 years ago just could not risk getting kicked in the face again. I really with i could tell more but just look back 8 years and you can find a pattern for your self.
on Apr 25th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I think you are a guy with guts Paul. You are and will be a great sportman!!!
Amsterdam, Holland/ Best and beat them all /Bert
on Apr 26th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
His friend said Paul will do anything for money. Now that he’s lost & done w/ the NCAA, perhaps he’ll look at his economic situation now & decide he really needs money after all.
If he goes all the way for money. I have some money to spare. Does he have a secret pimp?
on Apr 27th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Dear Frank,
I think that prostitution is illegal in most states. Please beware of what you post Post Patriot Act!
on May 31st, 2009 at 12:25 am
I really like the guy and i wish him luck with his wrestling career … but come on the guy is obviously gay or at least bisexual … which straight guy would go pose for a gay website even if its for the money come on … he’s hiding it cuz he’s trying to save his wrestling career … that’s it … but deep inside the guy is obviously gay or maybe bisexual … he will come out i’m sure after the end of his career … but good luck man … come out and you’ll see paul … you feel much better and people will accept you maybe it will take time but the faster you come out of the closet … the faster people will accept you and you’ll feel much better
take care Paul ! ! !
on Oct 16th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
He could wrestle me to the floor, anytime.