Seldom have I ever lost so much respect for somebody in such a short time as I have for Mary Lee Tracy over the last few days.
She defended Nassar after 50+ victims had come forward. This alone should have disqualified her from consideration for any sort of leadership role in USAG; however, I could understand that human nature is to resist realizations as horrifying as the one she was facing, and honestly I could forgive her as a person and as a coach if she had admitted error and apologized. Here is what she could have said:
"I was reluctant to face the possibility that this doctor, whom I trusted and to whom I had sent many of my athletes, may have been a serial abuser of children, possibly including my own athletes. I was wrong to defend him, and I apologize to those victims that were hurt by my defense of such a person."
Here's what she said instead:
"Here is my truth: I absolutely did that interview and spoke from my truth and experience only. I did this without ever negating anyone else's awful experience. I was fooled just like the survivors were along with many other coaches, he was a massive manipulator to ALL OF US! I am all about solutions and learning from the survivors, we can do this together!"
Short version: It's not my fault! Other people were fooled too! I was a victim!
(also, it irks me that, in a statement that should be about helping other people, literally every sentence starts with "I." It's all about her.)
When she was the recipient of massive backlash after being appointed to the position and was considering resigning the position, here is what she could have said:
"What's important now is that we listen to the athletes and the gymnastics community, in order to find a constructive way to move forward that puts our athletes' well-being first. If the victims, the athletes, and the coaching community feel that I am not the right person for this job, then I will listen to them and step down."
Here is what she said instead:
"“I’m at a point where – I’m strong lady, but I have a great family, and none of this is worth risking my family or watching what my family is going through right now while people are saying these awful things about me."
In short: I'm the victim here! It's not my fault!
(again, it's all about her)
When she made the (since-withdrawn) decision to resign her post, here's what she might have said:
"It has become clear that the victims and the broader coaching community feel that my appointment to this position keeps open certain wounds that must be allowed to heal. In defending Nassar in the past, I made the mistake of failing to listen to the victims and athletes; I will not repeat that mistake. I am therefore resigning."
Here is what she said instead:
"Kerry P gave me two options, to resign or be removed because I tried to contact Aly to apologize and hope we could work together to make our sport better and learn from all of the mistakes of the past. I was never informed that I was not permitted to speak to Ali or any of the survivors!"
In short: It's everybody else's fault but mine! I'm the victim here!
(are we detecting a pattern here?)