The Globe splashed the story of a college wrestler, Paul Donahoe, who got kicked off the team for posing nude for a gay-oriented website, all over its digital front page today, under the overheated headline "Grappling With Scandal".

The site Donahoe posed for is called fratmen.tv, and is dedicated to clean-cut all-American lads with names like Lane, Dustin, Jesse, and Quinn.  (Donahoe's nom du porn was Nash, by the way). The shots are terribly tasteful for that sort of thing. 

Whether posing nude, even in an, um, agitated state, is all that scandalous nowadays, when "sexting" is all the rage among teens and kids actually have to be nagged not to post nude cellphone pics on the internet, even threatened with incarceration for doing so, is a question.  But apparently the University of Nebraska thought it was scandalous enough to cut two of its top wrestlers from the team.  For his part, Donahoe insists "I didn't do anything illegal. I didn't hurt anyone. I don't think I did anything wrong. Who should I apologize to?"

I am, of course, inclined to agree with him, although if he weren't so yummy (just look at those peepers — the rest of him's well worth a peep, too — obviously NSFW), I probably wouldn't be so sympathetic.  In fact, his teammate, Kenny Jordan ("Chip," as he's known in the biz) is not nearly as good-looking or well-endowed (again, NSFW), poor thing, and no one seems to care one way or another about him.  That's how the world works, people, in case you were wondering.  

But it was bad enough that Donahoe had to transfer schools, and there's been a lot of talk about his "redemption" and "rehabilitation" amongst the responsible adults around him now.  His high school coach says "he's a great kid, but he doesn't always make the right choices."  "We've all made mistakes," the Athletic Director of his new school says. "Not that I condone what he did."  Even the Globe melodramatically calls his decision to pose nude for the website "fateful."    

The fates must be on his side, is all I can say.  Donahoe still doesn't see anything wrong with posing nude.  He's been offered a reality show, and still has a shot at making the Olympic team.  And the whole world — or anyone who cares — now knows he's got a big one.  He seems surprised at the positive feedback he's gotten, but if you have a look at the shoot, you won't be.  Again, funny how the world works, innit?

Boston.com readers who commented on the story had mixed reactions.  They seemed to fall into two categories: "Who cares he is HOT !!!" and "The Globe is obvisously [sic] loaded with Gays if they put this story out! Just like the movie industry that shows way more male crotches than female's!!"

Lots of societies down through the ages have felt differently about and dealt differently with male nudity, that's for sure.  I'm no nudist, if that means just anyone can run around with their junk on display.  Please people: only the cute ones.  For some males, like Donahoe, nudity works.  It suits him.  The problem is, the meme catches on (as it obviously has with "sexting") and everyone thinks they've got what it takes.  And that's when it gets offensive.

Odds are it's to your advantage to keep it covered.  Keep 'em guessing, guys.  If anyone wants to see it, they'll ask (just as they did Donahoe).  There's a long history of male enhancement, from phallocarps to codpieces to superhero tights.  Just remember: you can't make it look bigger than it is if people can actually see it.

And that's the issue here.  Paul Donahoe's not only adorable, and built like a brick shit-house, but on top of it all, he's got a big dick (again — remember he's all of 5'5", so there's some consolation).  Fact is, a lot of guys don't like to be reminded that there are a lot of other guys out there with bigger dicks than theirs.

I've quoted Jared Diamond before in this context, but he's always worth quoting again...

Other facts confirm the role of a large penis as a threat or status display toward other men. Recall all the phallic art created by men for men, and the widespread obsession of men with their penis size. Evolution of the human penis was effectively limited by the length of the female vagina: a man's penis would damage a woman if it were significantly larger. However, I can guess what the penis would look like if this practical constraint were removed and if men could design it themselves....

Who's laughin' now, bitch?

Embarrassed male anthropologists [Diamond goes on] interpret the phallocarp as something used for modesty or concealment, to which my wife had a succinct answer on seeing a phallocarp: 'The most immodest display of modesty I've ever seen!

Lesson: If you've got it, flaunt it (I mean, why not?).  If you don't, please keep it covered.