Rob Howe explains his side of the DJK deal

I'm going to side with Howe on this one. It's his job to ask questions. It's his job to ferret out the other side of the story. If DJK approached him with the belief that he was blacklisted, it is a story, at least it would be in any other market that cares about college football.

The stats Howe gives are very interesting. All of those kids got looks from the NFL but DJK didn't? I'm not sure DJK is an NFL caliber WR but he warranted a look. Surely he isn't in the same talent category as the other 8-9 kids who got passed over.

Maybe the questions could have been handled better but he explains why he asked them in the main presser. If Ferentz hunted him down afterwards, it's understandable that the exhange continued and more questions were asked.

I'm a huge fan of Ferentz but I have heard those close to him (including family) complain about the local media's treatment of the football team. It's no stretch to imagine that reporters are acutely aware that they have to mind their p's and q's to remain on good terms.

DJK is an idiot though. Don't give a rip about him. I wish he could keep his ego in check and focus on his next project rather than create friction in a team that no longer includes him.
 
I have known Rob for a decade. I understand some not liking the questions, or Ferentz's reactions.

I will say this with 100% certainty; Rob is a professional, I have never known him to carry a grudge, I don't believe this is a grudge at all, Rob has enormous integrity and I think this just happens to be something he thought was a worthy story.

I would hire Rob to work for me right now if I could, without a moment's hesitation, and Rob is on a very short list of people I would say that about.
 
Don't you guys dare question Coach....anyone who does so, we will drag your name through the mud. Most of you blind followers are a joke on here. Grow a set. None of the IA media will put his feet to the fire. $3M of your money and no accountability. Enjoy the 7-5/8-4 seasons suckers. Cause that's what you get with Coach "well I was just too scared to take a chance cause gosh what if things go bad".
 
I have known Rob for a decade. I understand some not liking the questions, or Ferentz's reactions.

I will say this with 100% certainty; Rob is a professional, I have never known him to carry a grudge, I don't believe this is a grudge at all, Rob has enormous integrity and I think this just happens to be something he thought was a worthy story.

I would hire Rob to work for me right now if I could, without a moment's hesitation, and Rob is on a very short list of people I would say that about.

I do not know Rob anywhere even close to the level that you do Jon. However, I have followed his writing for years and gotten to know him through his hawkeyecollectibles site and dealings offline with regard to that. No question that Rob is a good guy and very professional. I dont really agree with the timing of the questions but they were not unfair either. Really hard to say anthing bad about the guy other than his baseball team of choice, lol. He is someone that I respect and really enjoy his writing style. Any shots at him personally are just not fair.
 
While I believe the circumstances and thought process and "story" about why he asked I have trouble believing an intelligent person, especially a member of the media, would not realize the type of reaction he would get by asking the question, both from KF and other members of the media.

The "I didn't think it would cause this much trouble" is either dishonest or extremely naive.
Agreed.
 
Don't you guys dare question Coach....anyone who does so, we will drag your name through the mud. Most of you blind followers are a joke on here. Grow a set. None of the IA media will put his feet to the fire. $3M of your money and no accountability. Enjoy the 7-5/8-4 seasons suckers. Cause that's what you get with Coach

Sorry dude but the issue is timing and timing only. It's obvious that some of you are still butt hurt about his salary and chose to bring it up like irrelevant DJK questions during a sunny Tuesday presser.
 
Don't you guys dare question Coach....anyone who does so, we will drag your name through the mud. Most of you blind followers are a joke on here. Grow a set. None of the IA media will put his feet to the fire. $3M of your money and no accountability. Enjoy the 7-5/8-4 seasons suckers. Cause that's what you get with Coach "well I was just too scared to take a chance cause gosh what if things go bad".

After week 2, a loss to in-state rival ISU, you ask questions about DJK and if KF said anything to hurt his chances in the NFL? You don't find that strange? That isn't a tough question, is it a lack of judgement and bad timing on Rob's part. Now, if he was to ask a tough question about that game, I'm all for it.
 
I do not know Rob anywhere even close to the level that you do Jon. However, I have followed his writing for years and gotten to know him through his hawkeyecollectibles site and dealings offline with regard to that. No question that Rob is a good guy and very professional. I dont really agree with the timing of the questions but they were not unfair either. Really hard to say anthing bad about the guy other than his baseball team of choice, lol. He is someone that I respect and really enjoy his writing style. Any shots at him personally are just not fair.


I have to agree, I have nothing against Rob and enjoy his writing, that said I think in this case, this story, this situation I think all would agree he could have handled it differently. Hell that happens to all of us we just don't have it happen in the public eye.

I don't think that Rob was out to get KF, but what he heard from DJK was nothing more than a rumor, something I would think most people would look into a little more before asking the question.

Then throw in what DJK said on twitter it makes Rob and the story look worse, I am all for asking tough questions but in this case it wasn't the right time or place without a little more info, I also think Rob using senior starter stat as a way to say "look here, there has to be more to the story" rubbed KF the wrong way. I don't doubt that isn't what Rob meant to do just again a few things looking back that maybe should have been handled a little different.
 
For the most part, Rob Howe seems like a good guy and all. And I absolutely believe that the media should not have to avoid asking tough questions, etc.

BUT...

You don't walk into a press conference and accuse people of stuff without any evidence whatsoever. Rob Howe "explanation" is bull-crap. He has spent over a month on this, hasn't found anything to back up DJK's statement (even DJK is back-peddling from it), and feels the need to do this now - in this fashion. He is whoring for attention - nothing more. And if he can't actually investigate/confirm the questions, then he doesn't deserve any kind of press pass or extra access to the program.
 
Rob, The only thing that bothered me was that you badgered the coach. Ask him once; wait for his response and then move on. DJK as much as we love him has not proven to be very reliable.
 
For the most part, Rob Howe seems like a good guy and all. And I absolutely believe that the media should not have to avoid asking tough questions, etc.

BUT...

You don't walk into a press conference and accuse people of stuff without any evidence whatsoever. Rob Howe "explanation" is bull-crap. He has spent over a month on this, hasn't found anything to back up DJK's statement (even DJK is back-peddling from it), and feels the need to do this now - in this fashion. He is whoring for attention - nothing more. And if he can't actually investigate/confirm the questions, then he doesn't deserve any kind of press pass or extra access to the program.

He's not accusing Ferentz of anything. He was asking for his side of the story. Some of you people are idiots.
 
Investigating is what he was doing. He heard DJK's side and he wanted KF's side. I'm not sure why people are so uptight about this. Well, actually I know why.

KF gave his answer, what more did he have to say? Do you really think it is KF place to answer a question of why DJK isn't playing in the NFL? Wouldn't NFL scouts or GM's be the best persons to ask, or what about the 3 teams DJK worked out for privately? Honestly, did Rob really think KF was going to say anything other than what he did?
 
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Jon, is it true that Kirk brought back up the topic in the "On the Side" portion? It just seemed in the video we saw that it started right with a KF response. Did Howe ask something or was he starting to ask another question or anything of that sort? If KF initiated, I can see some sort of justification for a follow up, assuming KF initiated it. If not, then Howe's only evidence is a few stats about Hawks in the league and whatever DJK told him. Howe said himself, he had enough info during the presser, but in the "On the Side" portion, he just wouldn't let it go. I think KF handled it very well IMHO. I think Howe did a good job of doing his job, and asking the tough question is tough to do and I respect that. Think he could have let it go sooner, considering all he was really doing was grasping at straws and hoping for a response. He didn't have, or didn't say he had, any pertinent information regarding the topic other than it just doesn't seem right, and DJK "thinks" this.

I also think that if this altercation happened following a good Iowa win as opposed to an Iowa loss, the outcry on these boards would be more in favor of Ferentz, and Howe wouldn't be praised near as much as he is. Maybe this is why Howe decided to ask it following a loss, because he possibly knew there would already be a strong disapproval for Ferentz, and he could ask a tougher question without a huge public bashing from Hawk fans, like he would possibly get following wins, when people tend to hoist the coach back up on there shoulders. Just a thought.
 
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From the video, you can tell that KF was very uncomfortable and agitated by the question. I believe there is more to the story and Rob Howe was just trying to get questions answered! KF said he never talked to anyone in the NFL regarding DJK after December. Really???
 
I have known Rob for a decade. I understand some not liking the questions, or Ferentz's reactions.

I will say this with 100% certainty; Rob is a professional, I have never known him to carry a grudge, I don't believe this is a grudge at all, Rob has enormous integrity and I think this just happens to be something he thought was a worthy story.

I would hire Rob to work for me right now if I could, without a moment's hesitation, and Rob is on a very short list of people I would say that about.

LOL! Howe is a professional?

The appropriate statement is that Howe is your bud.

In Howe's rebuttal he claimed to be a "journalist" ... and yet he has left a trail of poorly timed and/or informed "tweets" and an awful sloppy "investigative" article to show for it!

If he truly was a "journalist" he would have done his homework ... he DIDN'T. He was LAZY.

Lazy, sloppy journalism is BAD ... and, as such, is quite the opposite of PROFESSIONAL.

Howe is a hack.

Don't get me wrong ... he's probably a great guy ... Miller and Spank love the dude ... so that is probably the case. However, Howe also has demonstrated a tendency to be irresponsible ... I don't think that is cool.
 
LOL! Howe is a professional?

The appropriate statement is that Howe is your bud.

In Howe's rebuttal he claimed to be a "journalist" ... and yet he has left a trail of poorly timed and/or informed "tweets" and an awful sloppy "investigative" article to show for it!

If he truly was a "journalist" he would have done his homework ... he DIDN'T. He was LAZY.

Lazy, sloppy journalism is BAD ... and, as such, is quite the opposite of PROFESSIONAL.

Howe is a hack.

Don't get me wrong ... he's probably a great guy ... Miller and Spank love the dude ... so that is probably the case. However, Howe also has demonstrated a tendency to be irresponsible ... I don't think that is cool.


agreed here.
 
LOL! Howe is a professional?

The appropriate statement is that Howe is your bud.

In Howe's rebuttal he claimed to be a "journalist" ... and yet he has left a trail of poorly timed and/or informed "tweets" and an awful sloppy "investigative" article to show for it!

If he truly was a "journalist" he would have done his homework ... he DIDN'T. He was LAZY.

Lazy, sloppy journalism is BAD ... and, as such, is quite the opposite of PROFESSIONAL.

Howe is a hack.

Don't get me wrong ... he's probably a great guy ... Miller and Spank love the dude ... so that is probably the case. However, Howe also has demonstrated a tendency to be irresponsible ... I don't think that is cool.

I gotta agree with this. He also reported Norm Parker was retiring and AJ Derby had switched to linebacker a few years ago. The guy is a hack
 
Investigating is what he was doing. He heard DJK's side and he wanted KF's side. I'm not sure why people are so uptight about this. Well, actually I know why.

what investigating did he do?? Took a call from DJK? He never spoke to any NFL personel and never spoke with his agent. Yet, he comes to a PC guns blazing with the info he had from of all people DJK?? And goes at Kirk Ferentz with that?? Talk about shady journalism at best and just plain stupidity.
 

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