[And boom goes the dynamite!] College columnist calls out spoiled athletes, gets banned … then unbanned
April 23rd, 2009 by Dave StudinskiThe head coach for University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s football program is no longer mad at the Royal Purple, the school’s student newspaper, for printing a column blasting a few athletes for their behavior at the gym. The decision to stop his temper tantrum comes just one day after banning the paper from direct access to the coaches and players as a result of the column’s publishing.
Student Michael Daly outlines the gym rats’ attitudes in the piece:
While I was in the Williams Center weight room April 10, three athletes from one of UW-Whitewater’s elite programs attempted to work out, independent of their team, without handing over their student IDs. They had their IDs, they just simply didn’t want to perform the laborious task of handing them over to the Williams Center employees. One athlete was cooperative, a second eventually forked over his ID, but the third refused until the police were called. That’s right; the police were summoned because an athlete wouldn’t take his ID out of his wallet and hand it to the employee. Nothing really happened, and all three were allowed to stay after wasting everyone’s time.
The column angered coach Lance Leipold to the point of a hastly written e-mail with foul language. Something you never, ever want to send a journalist, as the Purple confirms:
“This is [expletive deleted] bullshit,” Leipold said. “It’s going to be a bitch to try to cover football next season.”
Moreover, Leipold made it clear anyone affiliated with the student-run newspaper could not call anyone associated with the football team unless he approves. Furthermore, his athletes and coaches will not be allowed to answer questions from student reporters at games for the 2009 season, Leipold threatened.
“The door is shut,” Leipold said. “Go cover soccer, I have [head coach] Greg Henschel’s number, I’m sure that will be fun.”
Don’t worry, he’s sorry now though. He’s also keeping his job.
Seems the players aren’t the only spoiled ones in athletics.
[via Romenesko]
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