I agree with an earlier reviewer's observation that something is suspicious about the ratings of this episode. I find it brave of L&O:SVU to tackle head-on several controversial topics including football's dangerously macho culture, college sport's manipulative atmosphere, homophobia and the prank vs sexual assult issue. It spot-on reveals the true puppet-master/evildoer, the coach who's supposed to be both guiding and protecting young men and women, away from home for the first time. My guess is that the oddly low rating reveals homophobia in and of itself, many viewers uncomfortable with the many layers of deceit, peeled back to expose what is a messy outcome of manipulation gone awry. The episode may be from several years back but shining a light on the corruption enlisted by the coach now reflected by creeps like Larry Nassar of the US Gymnastics. And while the initial protagonist was the young man neing recruited, the surprising twist of the team's QB revealed at the end just made the whole story (what I call) three-dimensional. Great episode handled really well.
Review of Gridiron Soldier
