Denver Post article about Rocky from Jan. 98

So we go back and forth on whether Rocky Hoffschneider has any true relevance to NBK or not. I think he does, in the sense that he was the biggest asshole at the school during Eric and Dylan's worst year at Columbine. Whatever bullying they experienced peaked during late 1997 and early 1998. They started acting out big-time, their escalating pattern of misbehavior culminating in the van break-in.

Here is a very interesting article that was published in The Denver Post on Thursday, January 8, 1998 - a few weeks before the van break-in. On this date, Rocky and his buddies were at the apex of their high-school-bully prowess. Everyone in the school knew how much of a raging asshole he was. And his coaches were slobbering all over his ass with fulsome praise.

Quote :

Rocky has overcome trouble

By Michael Chambers

Jan. 8 - It's only fitting that his name is Rocky, and that the slogan on the back of his Columbine wrestling shirt says, "Built To Last.''

After all, this Rebels teenager - just like the fictional silver-screen Rocky - is well-equipped to go the distance.

The only problem is, Rocky Hoffschneider might never prove it, because for him, six minutes on the mat is like chopping wood with a pocket knife.
He doesn't often extend his duty, although those close to him believe he could go forever.

"A lot of big kids have problems going six minutes,'' Columbine coach Craig Place said of Hoffschneider, who pinned his way to the Class 5A 215-pound state championship last season. "Not Rocky. He could go forever. He just doesn't wear down.''

Still, it has been a while since Place really found out how much endurance Hoffschneider has. Through his final 11 matches of last season and seven this season, Hoffschneider is 18-0 with 18 falls.

This season, nobody has made it past the first period against Hoffschneider - his longest bout going 1:17 - and he has given up just one point (a penalty point). More impressive, Hoffschneider, who stands 6-foot-4 and bench presses 350 pounds, usually gives up as much as 10 pounds every bout (he weighs between 200-205).

"You got to see it to believe it, but when he gets into a zone, look out,'' Place said of Hoffschneider, who is actually 9-0 this season (with two forfeits). "He's just an awesome competitor, and there is nobody who works harder than him.''

Last season, Hoffschneider finished 31-2 with 25 pins, including one in his last bout, a stunning 5:48 fall over former Overland standout Mike Nincehelser in the 215 state final. Hoffschneider, who had never previously placed at state, toyed with the top-ranked and favored Nincehelser, who came into the bout 35-1 but trailed 8-0 when he was pinned.

Two days earlier, Hoffschneider weighed in at 195 pounds, while Nincehelser took advantage of the 2-pound state-tournament weight allowance and came in at 217.

"A lot of people thought I was going to get my butt kicked,'' Hoffschneider said.

True, but aside from the weight issue, those same people didn't know Hoffschneider never came close to getting beat last season. His two losses came from disqualification and forfeit - the DQ because he slammed a Pomona wrestler, and the forfeit because he vomited during a match.

"He's one of the strongest kids I've ever seen, and he has balance that's just unbelievable,'' Place said. "He's easily one of the best we've ever had.''

Some others also call him one of the most dominating upper-division wrestlers this decade. But if that's true, why didn't people hear more of him as a freshman and sophomore?

Well, Hoffschneider began high school at Mullen, from which he was expelled as a sophomore during the wrestling season. His first season for the Mustangs, he qualified for state at 160 pounds, but lost his first two matches. As a sophomore, he built a 27-2 record for the Mustangs until the school expelled him shortly before the regional.

"I was causing trouble a lot and I got into a fight,'' Hoffschneider said. "Some girl went and told the dean, and I had been in trouble a few times before. So they had a big board meeting and decided to kick me out. You could say the (fight) was the straw that broke the camel's back.''

His troubles didn't go away after he transferred to Columbine, which is in the area where he grew up.

"I've done the same stupid stuff over and over,'' he said. "But I've been out of trouble for a while and I plan to keep it that way.''

Said Place: "He's not a bad kid, but every once in a while he gets influenced easily and can make a bad decision.''

Similar to his volatile behavior both on and off the mat, Hoffschneider has been a man among boys on the football field.

"He's the most intense player I've ever coached,'' Rebels football coach Andy Lowry said of the unanimous 5A all-state and All-Colorado defensive end. "And there isn't anyone more dominating out there. He can go forever, partly because he's so naturally strong. He's physically strong in the weight room, but naturally strong more than anybody else.''

Wyoming and a handful of Division II schools are recruiting Hoffschneider to play football, but his real desire is to wrestle at the next level.

"I love football and all, but you get more out of wrestling,'' he said. "When you lose, you can't blame anybody. You got to carry your own weight. It's a lot of pressure, but it makes you a better person.''

At this point, that's one of the few areas where Hoffschneider can improve.

Nevertheless, he'll continue in his "Built To Last'' ways.

"I'll never quit a match, and I'll always wrestle my hardest, and I never take anybody lightly,'' said Hoffschneider, who has been given a long look by Wisconsin wrestling coaches.

"I'm looking forward to some better matches, but I can't get it in my head that I'm so great, because I, like everyone out there, can get beat.''

Anyone out there want to try?

Suppose you've had the chance to meet Rocky Hoffschneider, the Columbine senior who might be Colorado's premier upper-weight wrestler. Now, meet younger brother Dusty, who certainly is a chip off the old "Rock.''

Dusty Hoffschneider, a Rebels freshman who is 9-1 at 189 pounds, is bigger (5-foot-8, 190 pounds), stronger (295-pound bench press) and probably a lot wiser than Rocky was as a 15-year old.

"He's probably my best match,'' Rocky said of his wrestling partner. "He's capable of doing a lot. He's doing real great as a freshman, more than any freshman I've seen. But he needs to learn how to handle the pressure better. It's just all experience right now.''

Dusty, who started beside his brother on the Rebels' defensive line in football, said he's lucky to have an older brother like Rocky.

"He's made a lot of stupid mistakes, and I just try not to make the same ones,'' Dusty said. "And on the mat, he gives me a lot of motivation. I can wrestle him and he's a state champion - so there's not much to fear.''

Asked if he can beat the state champ, Dusty avoided the question and said, "I can do pretty good, but he usually has the upper hand.''

On the gridiron, the intense brotherly competition might be tighter.

"Dusty probably made as big an impact as a freshman since (all-Big 12 University of Colorado senior defensive tackle) Ryan Olson did at Green Mountain,'' Rebels coach Andy Lowry said.

In retrospect, this article is grimly hilarious, given the stuff that came out about him after the massacre.

You have to love all the cute little euphemisms - "He's 'made mistakes.'" "He's not a bad kid - he just likes to beat the shit out of terrified little freshmen every once in a while." "You know, I really do enjoy sucking on his balls."

Keep in mind that, in April 1998, Rocky and some of his buds were arrested after they trashed a guy's apartment. Dylan was reportedly pissed that he got off with a relative slap on the wrist.

I had a guy at my school named Rocky as well. Maybe it's having to grow up with that name? Lol. He was a 'Tough guy'. Big arms. Crappy tribal tattoos. Always mouthing off. Real piece of shit. After he graduated he went to do MMA and got his ass kicked then was arrested a couple of times for hitting women (one time it was his pregnant girlfriend). Last I heard he had a warrant out for his arrest for kicking a woman in the stomach.

HanShotFirst wrote:

I had a guy at my school named Rocky as well. Maybe it's having to grow up with that name? Lol. He was a 'Tough guy'. Big arms. Crappy tribal tattoos. Always mouthing off. Real piece of shit. After he graduated he went to do MMA and got his ass kicked then was arrested a couple of times for hitting women (one time it was his pregnant girlfriend). Last I heard he had a warrant out for his arrest for kicking a woman in the stomach.

The moral is, don't name your kid Rocky.

Rocky's brother Dusty was, by all accounts, a decent guy. He was a meathead jock, but he didn't go around causing unnecessary problems.

I know a half-Mexican guy named Dusty. He's pretty nice.

So Dusty is a good name, but Rocky is a bad one. Good to know.

I think it is safe to assume that Dylan and Eric were at least aware of Rocky and certainly were thinking of him when they spoke of getting revenge and how the jocks treated all the outcasts at the school. Whether Rocky ever came in contact with Dylan and Eric we probably won't know for sure, but I say that it was very likely.

hvernon wrote:

I think it is safe to assume that Dylan and Eric were at least aware of Rocky and certainly were thinking of him when they spoke of getting revenge and how the jocks treated all the outcasts at the school. Whether Rocky ever came in contact with Dylan and Eric we probably won't know for sure, but I say that it was very likely.

Reportedly, Rocky was at the top of one of Eric's shit lists. (Presumably it was the "Class of '98 Should Have Died" list.)

Irrevelant to the present discussion, but, I thought Rocky was short?

LPorter101 wrote:

More impressive, Hoffschneider, who stands 6-foot-4 and bench presses 350 pounds, usually gives up as much as 10 pounds every bout (he weighs between 200-205).

That article doesn't surprise me, since Chad could burn down an orphanage while playing a Hitler speech on a loudspeaker and still be loved and respected by all.

Take the Chad pill.

thelmar wrote:

Irrevelant to the present discussion, but, I thought Rocky was short?

LPorter101 wrote:

More impressive, Hoffschneider, who stands 6-foot-4 and bench presses 350 pounds, usually gives up as much as 10 pounds every bout (he weighs between 200-205).

Closer to 6’.

LPorter101 wrote:

You have to love all the cute little euphemisms - "He's 'made mistakes.'" "He's not a bad kid - he just likes to beat the shit out of terrified little freshmen every once in a while." "You know, I really do enjoy sucking on his balls."

Keep in mind that, in April 1998, Rocky and some of his buds were arrested after they trashed a guy's apartment. Dylan was reportedly pissed that he got off with a relative slap on the wrist.

This should be a really big red flag:

Quote :

Hoffschneider began high school at Mullen, from which he was expelled as a sophomore during the wrestling season.

Though I'd like to add that it's really rich that Dylan's complaining that Rocky got off easy when he himself got a remarkably light sentence for stealing electronic equipment. I've said it before and I'll say it again, no-one at Jefferson County wanted to deal with their youths running around flagrantly disobeying authority.

QuestionMark wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

You have to love all the cute little euphemisms - "He's 'made mistakes.'" "He's not a bad kid - he just likes to beat the shit out of terrified little freshmen every once in a while." "You know, I really do enjoy sucking on his balls."

Keep in mind that, in April 1998, Rocky and some of his buds were arrested after they trashed a guy's apartment. Dylan was reportedly pissed that he got off with a relative slap on the wrist.

This should be a really big red flag:

Quote :

Hoffschneider began high school at Mullen, from which he was expelled as a sophomore during the wrestling season.

Though I'd like to add that it's really rich that Dylan's complaining that Rocky got off easy when he himself got a remarkably light sentence for stealing electronic equipment. I've said it before and I'll say it again, no-one at Jefferson County wanted to deal with their youths running around flagrantly disobeying authority.

QuestionMark, that's something that always got me too. It sounds like Dylan and Eric got off easy many times.

Screamingophelia wrote:

QuestionMark, that's something that always got me too. It sounds like Dylan and Eric got off easy many times.

Yeah, that's why I think teenage delinquency was a problem that the adults didn't really give a shit about. I mean, if Rocky and his buddies had gotten off easy but Eric and Dylan did hard time for the van break-in, I'd think that yeah, the region was giving blatantly preferential treatment to athletes. But Eric and Dylan got diversion, and then got to leave diversion early on top of that. It makes the school administration and the police department look like a total joke.

Eric and Dyldo were complaining about Rocky's delinquencies because Eric and Dyldo were a couple of hypocritical little pissants. I found the Ricky Becker story completely hilarious the first time I read it, bursting out laughing at Eric's Bart Simpson act of writing that letter of apology to Becker while turning right around and writing in his journal about how bad he had it. The little piss.

Not that Rocky Hoffschneider (or Evan Todd, for that matter) are probably anything other than total douches.

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard and 2)Beavis & Butthead. Columbine changed all that.

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

Eric and Dylan really were a couple of hypocritical pissants lol. They all got off easy, but Eric and Dylan if anything got off more easy than Rocky and his goons. Not to mention they both got off Diversion sooner than they weer supposed to, and that is hilarious to me, because Dylan didn't give a shit about Diversion. I have no idea how that kid got off early. He always showed up late. His letters reeked of sarcastic bullshit and he just simply didn't care. The officer kept stating how Dylan just does not care. Somehow the kid gets off early. Seems legit.

Also Rocky was definitely not 6'4. He was more like 6' to 6'1.

Rocky most likely saw Eric and Dylan in school. And both Eric and Dylan most likely saw him. He definitely would've said a few things to them as they passed by seeing how the guy he was. But again, in their journals or any of their writings they never complained about getting bullied by Rocky unlike other outcasts. If anything they were jealous of him. Dylan writes it in his sophomore year how he's jealous of jocks, and Rocky came to Columbine High School in their sophomore year. Eric's website he never mentions of Rocky messing with him or anything. He just writes how Rocky is a liar and how his stories of his Hummer breaking down because of how fast he was going was BS. It reeked of jealousy.

Again maybe some motivation from these two clowns were because of bullying, but it sure as hell was not the main reason. And we know this because why didn't these two shoot up their school when CHS was at their worst with bullying? In their junior year. Both Eric and Dylan dealt with bullying apparently at their worst in 1997-1998. They shot up their school in their senior year...when most of the TCM graduated, all the Steroid Poster Boys graduated, and bullying definitely went down a lot when they all left. And when they did shoot up the school, why didn't they go to the gym? Why didn't they go to the locker room? That wasn't even their target. They went straight to the library.

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

*Conservatives* argue that it's because the parents aren't hitting the kids hard enough. They did then and they do now. That never changes. They never change.

Anyway the duo's main inspiration for NBK, the film NBK itself, has Juliette Lewis' character getting abused by RODNEY DANGERFIELD, this was the basic pop psychology in the 90s. Every movie about serial killers was "they were abused as a kid." Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. Hell I'm pretty sure one of the Jonesboro shooters in 1997 or 1998 had a parent suddenly pop up sobbing about how he was hit as a kid.

As fascinating as the Rocky Hoffschneider material is, I don't think it's really why the massacre happened. Just like I'm not sure that awesomely creepy poem scribbled on the bottom of that desk in 1966 was necessarily the Zodiac Killer or that it has anything to do with the murders.

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

*Conservatives* argue that it's because the parents aren't hitting the kids hard enough.  They did then and they do now.  That never changes.  They never change.  

Anyway the duo's main inspiration for NBK, the film NBK itself, has Juliette Lewis' character getting abused by RODNEY DANGERFIELD, this was the basic pop psychology in the 90s.  Every movie about serial killers was "they were abused as a kid."  Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.  Hell I'm pretty sure one of the Jonesboro shooters in 1997 or 1998 had a parent suddenly pop up sobbing about how he was hit as a kid.  

As fascinating as the Rocky Hoffschneider material is, I don't think it's really why the massacre happened.  Just like I'm not sure that awesomely creepy poem scribbled on the bottom of that desk in 1966 was necessarily the Zodiac Killer or that it has anything to do with the murders.  

Yes. Because they did the school shooting in 1999. Rocky and his entire goon squad graduated in 1998.

lol wrote:

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

*Conservatives* argue that it's because the parents aren't hitting the kids hard enough.  They did then and they do now.  That never changes.  They never change.  

Anyway the duo's main inspiration for NBK, the film NBK itself, has Juliette Lewis' character getting abused by RODNEY DANGERFIELD, this was the basic pop psychology in the 90s.  Every movie about serial killers was "they were abused as a kid."  Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.  Hell I'm pretty sure one of the Jonesboro shooters in 1997 or 1998 had a parent suddenly pop up sobbing about how he was hit as a kid.  

As fascinating as the Rocky Hoffschneider material is, I don't think it's really why the massacre happened.  Just like I'm not sure that awesomely creepy poem scribbled on the bottom of that desk in 1966 was necessarily the Zodiac Killer or that it has anything to do with the murders.  

Yes. Because they did the school shooting in 1999. Rocky and his entire goon squad graduated in 1998.

I know, but there are still plenty of people who have tried to blame Rocky (not Cullen, who didn't even mention Rocky in his book.)

Frankly, the Mark Ames article that LPorter posted--the one that got a nasty, threatening response from Rocky himself--was pathetic; not only did it not make a convincing case, but Ames didn't even get Rocky's name right, saying "Dusty" was Rocky's nickname, as opposed to the name of Rocky's younger brother.

Rocky and his wife, 2007:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

He just reeks of douche canoe.

Though he is interesting as are people like Chris and Zach...

Rocky was in trouble with the law off and on since High School. He was violent and threatening and mean but he didn't murder anyone.

Chris and Zach were absolutely not Rocky's but they had their own issues with anger and violence in their own way but did not do what Eric and Dylan did..

LPorter101 wrote:

Rocky and his wife, 2007:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yeah I saw that picture. Well, his wife doesn't have a black eye!!

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Rocky and his wife, 2007:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yeah I saw that picture.  Well, his wife doesn't have a black eye!!  

Yet...

lol wrote:

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Rocky and his wife, 2007:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yeah I saw that picture.  Well, his wife doesn't have a black eye!!  

Yet...

There seems to be an epidemic of pretty women dating / marrying douchey guys
Something gives me the feeling that this dude hasn't changed much over the years

Only accounts that Im aware of is from Comprehending Columbine and other internet articles.

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

*Conservatives* argue that it's because the parents aren't hitting the kids hard enough.  They did then and they do now.  That never changes.  They never change.  

Anyway the duo's main inspiration for NBK, the film NBK itself, has Juliette Lewis' character getting abused by RODNEY DANGERFIELD, this was the basic pop psychology in the 90s.  Every movie about serial killers was "they were abused as a kid."  Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.  Hell I'm pretty sure one of the Jonesboro shooters in 1997 or 1998 had a parent suddenly pop up sobbing about how he was hit as a kid.  

As fascinating as the Rocky Hoffschneider material is, I don't think it's really why the massacre happened.  Just like I'm not sure that awesomely creepy poem scribbled on the bottom of that desk in 1966 was necessarily the Zodiac Killer or that it has anything to do with the murders.  

This may seem absurd, but after starting resarching Columbine, Dylan did strike me as a nice kid. Even though what he did was absolutely horrible. I believe that if he had been stopped he could have been helped.

Norwegian wrote:

This may seem absurd, but after starting resarching Columbine, Dylan did strike me as a nice kid. Even though what he did was absolutely horrible. I believe that if he had been stopped he could have been helped.

I don't think it's absurd. They lived for 17 and 18 yrs, respectively. In that time, I'm sure that their family and friends can point to countless acts of kindness on both of their parts. It seems to be difficult for people to view Eric and Dylan as people because of the monstrous acts they committed. I don't know exactly when or why their disconnect with society occurred, but at one point they were just ordinary kids. It's ok to recognize that; important, even.

thelmar wrote:

Norwegian wrote:

This may seem absurd, but after starting resarching Columbine, Dylan did strike me as a nice kid. Even though what he did was absolutely horrible. I believe that if he had been stopped he could have been helped.

I don't think it's absurd. They lived for 17 and 18 yrs, respectively. In that time, I'm sure that their family and friends can point to countless acts of kindness on both of their parts. It seems to be difficult for people to view Eric and Dylan as people because of the monstrous acts they committed. I don't know exactly when or why their disconnect with society occurred, but at one point they were just ordinary kids. It's ok to recognize that; important, even.

I dont feel much for Eric. He seemed very narssistic in my book. The reason why I feel a sense of sympathy for Dylan is because he had a very miserable perspective in general. Added to it, Ive gone through serious depression, so this may help explain it. I believe that he wouldnt have done it if they had been picked up on, and Dylan had been helped. I believe that he was in a desperate situation. Most accounts Ive seen describe him as a nice sweet kid.

For the most part I wouldnt have felt much of anything. But Dylan I do actually feel kind of sorry for, in spite of what he did. Which I could never ever condone by a long shot, and I do feel sorry that theres still a problem with mass shootings in the US, in particular.

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

When kids behaved badly in the 1990s the two things most frequently blamed were 1)your parents hitting you or spanking or belting you too hard

I was always told that it was because the parents weren't hitting the kids hard enough. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Even today, I still hear boomers lamenting the good old days when you could give your unruly kid a few hard smacks on the ass without incurring the wrath of Child Protective Services.

.

While Im not an expert plenty of people that end up becoming violent tend to have a history of being abused as a child. You never lay a violent hand on a child, though. Unfortunately, child abuse is legal in too many countries throughout the world. Including the US. Where I come from its illegal to spank children. I think the end result is bad, nevertheless.

slippy123 wrote:

lol wrote:

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Rocky and his wife, 2007:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yeah I saw that picture.  Well, his wife doesn't have a black eye!!  

Yet...

There seems to be an epidemic of pretty women dating / marrying douchey guys  
Something gives me the feeling that this dude hasn't changed much over the years

A lot of the times its because they believe that they dont deserve better. I think they tend to see a kind of fathers figure in them, too. A lot of the times theres some kind of trauma underneath from what Ive learned.

"I'm looking forward to some better matches, but I can't get it in my head that I'm so great, because I, like everyone out there, can get beat.''

The doucheness just oozes from his pores. He’s one of those dudes you hope turns out to be a bum or a gas station attendant.

Fuck the Denver Post. They are a bunch of dirty spammers.