Rhabdo document dump

[tweeterhawk]

So Tom Witosky and other writers had 24 hours or so to digest the hundreds of e-mails released by the university at their request and this is what they came up with? My reaction is probably best summed up by the Peggy Lee song "Is That All There Is?"

I hardly think it is news to say that university officials were concerned about what to release about the hospitalized athletes. It would be news if they weren't. Also understandable that a number of parties would be involved in developing the releases and the response.

A couple points of note:

- Contrary to the suggestion by the good ol' AP a couple days ago, the head of UI sports medicine, Ned Amendola, appeared to be involved in discussions of the athletes' treatment at the outset even while attending the Costa Rica conference of the group he heads.

- Amendola's e-mail comment that "This is a very uncommon diagnosis ..." contradicts what some people have been saying, that the disorder is NOT uncommon among athletes involved in strenuous exercise.

Also not surprising that two faculty members expressed their concerns about the athletic department's transparency. There's a natural tension between athletic departments and faculty oversight groups at virtually all college campuses, and that has been particularly true at Iowa. I don't read too much into their comments, and the Register understandably put them at the bottom of the story.

Documents cite U of I concerns on what to release about hospitalized athletes | Hawk Central

 

[jameskalina]

I continue to totally support Ferentz, Barta and other athletic officials in how and when they responded to the media on this topic.

I'm sure considerable thought and preparation were done to make sure the athletic department got it right when going public in responding to the hospitalizations.

About a week after the admissions, Ferentz publicly addressed the situation and folks were blown over by how well he responded and how well he explained things. Do you think Ferentz' comments were off the cuff? Hardly. Rather, I believe his respose was a result of a combination of University lawyers, public relations personnel, medial experts and others working together to gather the facts and carefully consider legal ramifications prior to pubicly addressing the issue.

Had Ferentz and/or Barta came out with comments several days earlier laws could have been broken and falsehoods stated. Imagine what that would have done to the University's image?

Again, I totally support how and when the University publicly responded to this highly sensitive medial and legal issue.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Ha you don't expect the "journalists" to actually sift through all that do ya? They'll move on to something easier that doesn't involve doing any sort of research.

 

[jameskalina]

Ha you don't expect the "journalists" to actually sift through all that do ya? They'll move on to something easier that doesn't involve doing any sort of research.

Some journalists are so hell-bent on berating Ferentz and the University it wouldn't surprise me if some go over these documents in great detail in an attempt to find a negative to report on and spin/inflate the importance of it to ridiculous levels.