If you go back and read, you'll see that I did answer your question. I said I think that a big part of what makes this a big story is how much of a shock the verdict was. I will admit that I never thought it would go this way. Iowa is an at will employment state. That provides a lot of cover for employers. Before the verdict, there didn't seem to be much to talk about, because it seemed like no more than a nuisance lawsuit. Our own women's basketball coach just went through one where there was an initial thread on it, then not much was said again until he was exonerated. So, it's not exactly unprecedented, here.
As to whether or not there would have been a thread if the outcome was different, it's impossible to tell. I suspect there would have been something, but not as big, because it was expected to go that way, by a lot of people. I think you're really underestimating how surprised people were by the verdict. That alone makes it a bigger story, that people are interested in.
