Wow. On the eve of an NCAA appearance. Other writers have picked up on it. Am I surprised? No, knowing who they have for a head coach, but I can't believe the Prez or the AD sanctioned this.
Whether the writing is good or not you can debate, but the amount of coverage dedicated to Bradley sports by the PJ Star has always been very good. Even when the signature program stunk up the joint. And I've never expected a hometown writer to "promote the brand". Cover events yes, be fair in what they write, yes, but promoting the brand?
I talked about this earlier this week in another thread. This sadly happens way too often in small college towns where newspapers depend on coverage of that team. Either play nice and suck up or risk losing credentials. If you look at the Southern Illinoisan's coverage since the end of the 2000's, you kind of see what I'm talking about.
Major props to the Peoria Journal Star for having a sports journalist that's willing to risk a huge part of his job to be fair and balanced and cover their teams correctly.
Update (writer's access restored):
I might add that the Comments section for the link posted by the OP--
...is enlightening and revealing.
I wonder how many saluki-insiders agree with the sentiments of several of the posters at the link--namely, that the Journal-Star's Bradley beat writer's stories...as well as the entire Journal-Star...they are not worth the paper it is printed on.
This issue has been brewing at Bradley for several months. It is likely that the university President was more-or-less in the dark about what was clearly coming from Wardle and Wardle's office.
I enjoy reading saluki-insider but chuckle at some of what is posted--the movie 'Clueless' comes to mind, in terms of real knowledge of the process.
I have resorted, at times here, to asking specific questions about some of what is posited on this site.
Oftentimes, I get no real answers.
I have personal knowledge of one of SIU's most beloved coaches, in his effort to 'break in' one of the new DE writers...invited the youngster (who, in the coach's defense...was, as my Mom would say, a 'doozie!') into his office, and the first words out of the coach's mouth were: "Young man, sit down...I can make you or break you."
The above happened years and years ago.
But go back to the link and read the comments. Post here what you think. No snark. No hard feelings. At least from my perspective.
(1) US COVID-19 statistics (February 29, 2020-June 16, 2020): 2,124,000 reported cases and 115,052 deaths
(2) Donald Trump (June 15, 2020) told a group of senior citizens that there would be very few cases of COVID-19 if the US stopped its testing and contact tracing: "If we stop testing right now, we'd have very few cases, actually."
(3) Donald Trump [(Jan 20, 2020), when asked if he's worried about a pandemic]: “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s — going to be just fine.”
I agree with every word uttered by Steiner here:
(1) US COVID-19 statistics (February 29, 2020-June 16, 2020): 2,124,000 reported cases and 115,052 deaths
(2) Donald Trump (June 15, 2020) told a group of senior citizens that there would be very few cases of COVID-19 if the US stopped its testing and contact tracing: "If we stop testing right now, we'd have very few cases, actually."
(3) Donald Trump [(Jan 20, 2020), when asked if he's worried about a pandemic]: “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s — going to be just fine.”
I talked about this earlier this week in another thread. This sadly happens way too often in small college towns where newspapers depend on coverage of that team. Either play nice and suck up or risk losing credentials. If you look at the Southern Illinoisan's coverage since the end of the 2000's, you kind of see what I'm talking about.
Major props to the Peoria Journal Star for having a sports journalist that's willing to risk a huge part of his job to be fair and balanced and cover their teams correctly.
Sorry I didn't see your discussion in another thread. However, this isn't limited to small college towns. And, there is another side to these relationships ala Winkeler and his buddy HUCKY. All too often media people cross a line to be friends with coaches, then fail to report legitimate news or are fan boys of programs and fail to report legitimate news. E.g., Loren Tate of the Champaign News Gazette has long been a promoter of the Illini men's basketball program and allowed other publications to report things that the NG should have been on point with.
Update (writer's access restored):
I might add that the Comments section for the link posted by the OP--
...is enlightening and revealing.
I wonder how many saluki-insiders agree with the sentiments of several of the posters at the link--namely, that the Journal-Star's Bradley beat writer's stories...as well as the entire Journal-Star...they are not worth the paper it is printed on.
This issue has been brewing at Bradley for several months. It is likely that the university President was more-or-less in the dark about what was clearly coming from Wardle and Wardle's office.
I enjoy reading saluki-insider but chuckle at some of what is posted--the movie 'Clueless' comes to mind, in terms of real knowledge of the process.
I have resorted, at times here, to asking specific questions about some of what is posited on this site.
Oftentimes, I get no real answers.
I have personal knowledge of one of SIU's most beloved coaches, in his effort to 'break in' one of the new DE writers...invited the youngster (who, in the coach's defense...was, as my Mom would say, a 'doozie!') into his office, and the first words out of the coach's mouth were: "Young man, sit down...I can make you or break you."
The above happened years and years ago.
But go back to the link and read the comments. Post here what you think. No snark. No hard feelings. At least from my perspective.
Look, I don't think that Heffalump or Winkeler's stuff is worth what it is printed on, HOWEVER, I don't expect them to be the promotional arm of the Saluki program either. I expect them to report when reporting is required using facts and legitimate sources, when opinion is required in a column I expect them to base opinion on fact and logic. But being a bad writer doesn't warrant banishment. Unless Reynolds lied, printed false news or assaulted someone, not being a cheerleader doesn't warrant banishment.
Reynolds has been there a long time and while some former Star reporters were just A$$holes I've never heard that about Reynolds or witnessed it in his work.
What Wardle did does not surprise me. He was lucky to even find a job, and Bradley wasn't scraping the top of the barrel when they got him. Now he thinks he's hot stuff and going to pull a Nixon by punishing those on the enemies list. What bothers me most is that the University admins are not coming down hard on him for such a stupid move made at an inopportune time.
Imagine his pressers leading up to the NCAA.
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I believe Wardle did this on his own and demanded the media relations people do what he told them to. I am not convinced Gary Roberts knew what was going on ahead of time, thus the initial "no comment". When the administration looked into it and talked to the lawyers, I do believe that is when the University Prez had an "informative" meeting with certain people.
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I believe Wardle did this on his own and demanded the media relations people do what he told them to. I am not convinced Gary Roberts knew what was going on ahead of time, thus the initial "no comment". When the administration looked into it and talked to the lawyers, I do believe that is when the University Prez had an "informative" meeting with certain people.
Yep. Makes you wonder what kind of a defensive dumbsh*t Wardle is.
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I believe Wardle did this on his own and demanded the media relations people do what he told them to. I am not convinced Gary Roberts knew what was going on ahead of time, thus the initial "no comment". When the administration looked into it and talked to the lawyers, I do believe that is when the University Prez had an "informative" meeting with certain people.
Yep. Makes you wonder what kind of a defensive dumbsh*t Wardle is.
You can substitute a great number of coaching names for Wardle's, in terms of being 'defensive'.
The dumbsh*t?! These guys get paid large sums of money to coach college basketball. I'd like to be dumb like that...and get five year contracts etc.
You can argue, really, that SIU's two most-recent coaches fit the profile, though...particularly the 'defensive' part.
That sort of thing (the defensiveness) has to filter up (to their superiors) and down (to their players).
Not good.
(1) US COVID-19 statistics (February 29, 2020-June 16, 2020): 2,124,000 reported cases and 115,052 deaths
(2) Donald Trump (June 15, 2020) told a group of senior citizens that there would be very few cases of COVID-19 if the US stopped its testing and contact tracing: "If we stop testing right now, we'd have very few cases, actually."
(3) Donald Trump [(Jan 20, 2020), when asked if he's worried about a pandemic]: “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s — going to be just fine.”
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I believe Wardle did this on his own and demanded the media relations people do what he told them to. I am not convinced Gary Roberts knew what was going on ahead of time, thus the initial "no comment". When the administration looked into it and talked to the lawyers, I do believe that is when the University Prez had an "informative" meeting with certain people.
Yep. Makes you wonder what kind of a defensive dumbsh*t Wardle is.
You can substitute a great number of coaching names for Wardle's, in terms of being 'defensive'.
The dumbsh*t?! These guys get paid large sums of money to coach college basketball. I'd like to be dumb like that...and get five year contracts etc.
You can argue, really, that SIU's two most-recent coaches fit the profile, though...particularly the 'defensive' part.
That sort of thing (the defensiveness) has to filter up (to their superiors) and down (to their players).
Not good.
What he did qualifies as big time dumbsh**t in my book, I don't care how much overpaid he is. Most college D1 basketball and football coaches are way overpaid IMHO. Adam Sandler gets $20 mill a movie, but I wouldn't want him piloting my rocket ship. LOL
I think the only reason the athletic dept. changed their tune is that thin-skinned Wardle got spanked by the boss. A small, private school like Bradley can't survive with bad press like Wardle generated.
From the PJS: Bradley University president Gary Roberts followed with his own statement in which, notably, he said, “There is certainly no formal policy at Bradley University that allows for barring or limiting access to any member of the media or any media outlet. If that has occurred, it was inconsistent with Bradley’s general attitude toward the media and what I would regard as the implicit policy of the University.
“Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.”
I believe Wardle did this on his own and demanded the media relations people do what he told them to. I am not convinced Gary Roberts knew what was going on ahead of time, thus the initial "no comment". When the administration looked into it and talked to the lawyers, I do believe that is when the University Prez had an "informative" meeting with certain people.
Yep. Makes you wonder what kind of a defensive dumbsh*t Wardle is.
You can substitute a great number of coaching names for Wardle's, in terms of being 'defensive'.
The dumbsh*t?! These guys get paid large sums of money to coach college basketball. I'd like to be dumb like that...and get five year contracts etc.
You can argue, really, that SIU's two most-recent coaches fit the profile, though...particularly the 'defensive' part.
That sort of thing (the defensiveness) has to filter up (to their superiors) and down (to their players).
Not good.
What he did qualifies as big time dumbsh**t in my book, I don't care how much overpaid he is. Most college D1 basketball and football coaches are way overpaid IMHO. Adam Sandler gets $20 mill a movie, but I wouldn't want him piloting my rocket ship. LOL
And if you read some of the latest, was definitely not sanctioned by his superiors. AD Chris Reynolds was away when this took place for his duties on the Selection Committee. He had to LEAVE EARLY to come back and try to take care of this mess.
