# Would you re-sign Ched Evans? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 12, 2014, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434 "2014-11-12T10:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/41 "2014-11-14T11:15:33Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > You bent over backwards to call it anything apart from what it was: rape. You sound like an apologist. An apologist for what? Please stop with the insinuations and speak openly and freely. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/42 "2014-11-14T17:05:34Z")
I would not sign him back to the team, for the reasons given above largely - that his presence would be a public relations liability for a business that relies on it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/43 "2014-11-14T17:13:30Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > That’s as close as I’ve seen anyone come to explaining it but it’s still unsatisfactory. I don’t think I’m going to be able to relate to rabid sports fans. Unsatisfactory in what way? Team sports clubs rely on their popularity on their income. Their popularity depends on fans adopting the club—its failures, successes, symbology—as part of their identity. Otherwise, there would never be such a thing as a “follower” or “supporter” or “fan” or “loyalist” for individual clubs. People would feel free to cheer for whatever club seems to be playing better. If you want people to dedicate at least part of their personal identities to your business entity, then you have to ensure that the people who make up 99 percent of your corporate identity are people that the public can identify with without reservation. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/44 "2014-11-14T17:41:05Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Unsatisfactory in what way? Team sports clubs rely on their popularity on their income. Their popularity depends on fans adopting the club—its failures, successes, symbology—as part of their identity. > > Otherwise, there would never be such a thing as a “follower” or “supporter” or “fan” or “loyalist” for individual clubs. People would feel free to cheer for whatever club seems to be playing better. > > If you want people to dedicate at least part of their personal identities to your business entity, then you have to ensure that the people who make up 99 percent of your corporate identity are people that the public can identify with without reservation. I think what I find vaguely unsatisfying is that people always explain this from a third person perspective when what I really want is for them to tell me why \* they’re \*opposed to it personally. Yes, rationally I understand that lots of people are opposed to their teams’ signing ne’er-do-wells and therefore the teams won’t sign ne’er-do-wells; I want the people who are opposed to signing the ne’er-do-wells tell me why they personally don’t want them. Why, I want to ask them, is a jail sentence served not satisfactory from your point of view? This may be annoying as hell on my part but I don’t want people taking things for granted because no one ever asks them to examine their actions. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/45 "2016-06-23T20:33:20Z")
Bumped Ched Evan’s Appeal against [his conviction was successful](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/21/ched-evans-wins-appeal-against-conviction). He has now signed a contract [with a small club.](http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36575406). He faces a retrial. Would you sign him now. Considering he is facing a retrial? ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/46 "2016-06-23T22:10:30Z")
No. Fuck him. He should still be in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/47 "2016-06-24T13:40:34Z")
Already voted the first time round, but I still say yes on principle. I don’t understand responses like the one above, unless you were personally at all the relevant court cases, and have examined all the evidence - just like the judge/jury that allowed the appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/48 "2016-06-24T14:46:20Z")
I voted no. That’s just a massive PR headache waiting to happen. I am curious how his co-defendant was acquitted at the original trial, but he was convicted. Either way, follow the money. Even if he’s acquitted at his second trial, there will be a lot of outcry, and thus sponsors pulling out. Less money in the club’s pocket, and even the nicest people can start looking for ways to boot you. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/49 "2016-06-24T15:33:17Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > I think what I find vaguely unsatisfying is that people always explain this from a third person perspective when what I really want is for them to tell me why \* they’re \*opposed to it personally. Yes, rationally I understand that lots of people are opposed to their teams’ signing ne’er-do-wells and therefore the teams won’t sign ne’er-do-wells; I want the people who are opposed to signing the ne’er-do-wells tell me why they personally don’t want them. Why, I want to ask them, is a jail sentence served not satisfactory from your point of view? > > This may be annoying as hell on my part but I don’t want people taking things for granted because no one ever asks them to examine their actions. I don’t quite understand what you’re asking me to do. Should I recast what I said in first person? If I were the owner of a business that had a significant component dependent on pubic relations or public goodwill, I would not hire a convicted rapist—one that had served his due punishment even—for one of those public-facing roles, or even a behind the scenes role with significant decision making authority. I might consider him for a background role for having served his debt to society, but not in any role in which he is essentially the face of my venture or a significant decision-maker. That better? ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/50 "2016-06-24T17:00:36Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Already voted the first time round, but I still say yes on principle. I don’t understand responses like the one above, unless you were personally at all the relevant court cases, and have examined all the evidence - just like the judge/jury that allowed the appeal. All the relevant information was in the papers. Evans’ sentence was obscenely lenient. He should still be in prison, and, if he wasn’t a professional footballer, he probably would be. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/51 "2016-06-24T17:50:57Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Either way, follow the money. Even if he’s acquitted at his second trial, there will be a lot of outcry, and thus sponsors pulling out. Less money in the club’s pocket, and even the nicest people can start looking for ways to boot you. When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Mike Dog-Killer Vick, I decided I could do without Steeler football. Haven’t missed it, and I’ve found other places to spend my money. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/52 "2016-06-25T05:47:13Z")
> [@Tithonus](#): > > All the relevant information was in the papers. Evans’ sentence was obscenely lenient. He should still be in prison, and, if he wasn’t a professional footballer, he probably would be. The ins and outs of the need for a retrial are being kept from the press ‘for legal reasons’. Right now all we know is that there is new evidence. So, basically, we have no idea what is going on. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/53 "2016-06-28T17:56:13Z")
> [@Tithonus](#): > > All the relevant information was in the papers. I doubt that. The papers rarely print even a fraction of the relevant information, in any matter whatsoever. > [@amanset](#): > > The ins and outs of the need for a retrial are being kept from the press ‘for legal reasons’. Right now all we know is that there is new evidence. > > So, basically, we have no idea what is going on. Exactly my point. I have faith in our justice system and from what I have read of the incident, it seemed the evidence to convict him was rather thin, basically amounting to her word against his. I’m no apologist for rape but I’d rather see a rapist walk free than 10 innocent people jailed when the ‘victim’ regrets having consented and changes their version of events to suit their claim. Unfortunately these cases are rarely clear cut and I do feel for the complainant in this case even if she is outright lying. But the whole point of a trial is to try the evidence, otherwise we should just lock people up as soon as an accusation is made. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/54 "2016-06-28T18:08:56Z")
In my opinion his original conviction was bullshit, it stunk to high heaven and he shouldn’t have been convicted, so I hope he gets the chance at his new club to start contributing to society again. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434/55 "2016-06-28T23:44:48Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Who the hell is Ched Evans? He was a footballer (soccer player) for the English club Sheffield F.C. I say _was_, because he’s just got out of prison having been convicted of rape for two and a half years. That is a horrifyingly long rape. That’s even worse than Irreversible. I’m suitably horrified but at the same time in awe of his stamina and dedication to his craft. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-re-sign-ched-evans/704434.md?page=2)