Should WHOTV 13 have aired the Ferentz video?

[kmajhawk]

Be honest Jon, is the reason you wouldn't have shared it because you would put yourself at risk of losing your closeness and ties to the program, and not wanting to upset King Hawkeye?

It amazes me how many people now believe that if the media actually goes and looks for more information on a story, they are "creating the news", instead of just towing the company line and believing whatever is thrown out to them. No wonder nobody takes journalists serious anymore, I am so glad I got out of that as my field of study early enough to get into a nice, respected industry like mortgage underwriting!

If I could multiple "like" this, I would.

Meanwhile, Jon, as a TV sports reporter or news director, you can either air that video first or let tens of thousands of viewers find it on YouTube, then ultimately be forced to run an excerpt of it because Ferentz's rare cursing of a reporter generated considerable discussion on message boards and sports talk shows. Which one are you going to do?

 

[9YRPLAN]

Why is it pertinent to ask Kirk Ferentz if Kirk Ferentz told his player to cut ties with Gray? That's a tough one.

Meredith never suggested Ferentz had ANYTHING to do with the hiring/resigning/rehiring/re-resigning of Gray, or that Ferentz had knowledge of inappropriate behavior.

Meredith wasn't asking WHY Kirk gave the order for his players to cut ties. All he wanted was to confirm that the order was given or prove otherwise.

If Kirk just answers it and says "Yes, I did," and then the follow up is "Why did you do that," he can say "No comment," and that's the end of it.

If he simply says "No, I didn't," that's the end of it.

If he says "I don't think I can comment on that situation," again, that's the end of it.

All Meredith wanted was confirmation one way or the other. Would people prefer that he check the facts and get it from Kirk, or just run with it because KCJJ reported it (and apparently got it wrong)?

the issue is that KF has CONSISTENTLY responded the same way over the years. he wont elaborate on rumors. thats his entire point.

 

[wartknight]

The more important question is this. If this was Paul Rhoads doing the exact same thing would it have made the news segment? I mean, lets not fool ourselves here. The DM media has their collective heads buried so far up Rhoads' *** I doubt a Rhoads blow up would have seen the light of day. Face it, the media is tired of King Ferentz and the way that he treated the media. Now that he is showing weakness, the media is going to take a little revenge.

I don't think there any way Rhoads gets in that situation because he is much more "salemanish" than Ferentz and instead of getting all defensive and boarding up the windows like Ferentz did, I imagine it would have been something much more like "You know I can't answer that question right now <insert name here>. " I've covered press conferences for both coaches and the best way I can describe the general feeling in the air of a Ferentz one is "uncomfortable." Seems like all the reporters are tip/toeing around on pins and needles afraid of asking the wrong question. I was in the media day presser around 2002 or so when the Benny Sapp thing went down and some *** clown reporter from KWWL was trying to get as much info as he could from Ferentz that day and I think the old school Iowa media types were taken aback by that.

 

[JonDMiller]

Not trying to be a butthead or anything Jon, but can you elaborate a little more on why you "wouldn't have shared it," in regards to the video, but DID share it in terms of saying things got heated and directing to other tweets "reporting" the f-bomb?



Why would it be OK to share it in this manner, but not the video?

You "reported" it, in text, through your medium, a message board.
Morehouse reported it through twitter and in the newspaper, which is his medium, Gazette item linked here

Hassel reports it in his medium, which is video, but he is wrong, the first two are not?
If Hassel had simply recited was Ferentz said, with no audio and video, would that have been OK?

Just trying to see what the difference is, or should Morehouse not have written the linked item as well, since neither Morehouse nor Hassel were directly involved with the situation.

I think it's a fair question.

If the decision were mine to release the video or not release it, I would not have released it because I am uncertain as to whether Ferentz realized he was on camera. I don't think he realized he was on camera. I could be wrong. If he knew he was on camera, then it's a different story to me. But this was after the main presser, then after the on the side presser. Protocol at that time is that Kirk then occasionally will sit down with hawkeyesports.com or a local TV station for a one on one, or he leaves. There isn't another general media session at that time.

Now, the fact that some other media members tweeted about it, the fbomb, I made sure to contact them before I retweeted or reported Ferentz did that, citing where I first saw it. In this case I DM'd Morehouse. I also texted Rob Howe, who was in the room, to make sure what was being tweeted is what happened. Being that Morehouse has close to 10K followers, it's not like the genie is going back into the tube.

Morehouse wrote about it yesterday and framed it in its context, similar to what I wrote; Kirk wasn't ticked off about the Peter Gray question....which is a very, very important thing to underscore an make clear. He was not happy with the phrasing of a question, or introducing a question by saying 'It's out there...' That's pretty weak. In the OTS, Kirk said just ask the question. I agree with him.

I think how WHO then went about sharing the video, in the fashion they did, didn't establish the context for the flare up. That's just my take.

 

[Eda]

The reporter is Busch league for asking the question like he did. WHO is Busch league for airing it at all (much less as a news story).
It seems to be that KF was letting this guy know he didn't appreciate the question/how it was asked, and the reporter got all butt hurt for getting scolded by KF.
Some folks on here bust in KF because he's "snarky" with media. Instances like this help me to understand why he would. I side with Kurt on this one.

 

[JonDMiller]

Be honest Jon, is the reason you wouldn't have shared it because you would put yourself at risk of losing your closeness and ties to the program, and not wanting to upset King Hawkeye?

Here is the reality as it relates to the Iowa football program: I don't know of any one reporter who has more or less access to Kirk Ferentz...and at this point, I think that extends to most of the coaching staff. Early on in the Ferentz era, I had a good relationship with Bielema and another assistant. Got some good nuggets from them. But as time has gone on, the wagons have circled tighter over there..most of us angle for relationships with people who are certainly not major players on the coaching staff because those guys don't talk.

So there really is no benefit or penalty for what is written or said related to Kirk. He is not vindictive professionally...everyone gets the same access.

With Alford? That was a free for all. Certain writers ingratiated themselves with him and his coaching staff, me included. I also vowed never to do that again because it clouded my objectivity...which is why he flipped out in 2006 when I basically called him on lying, which led to he and Neal 'inviting me over' to 'clear the air'. That one didn't go so well either

With football, Kirk keeps everyone at the same arm's length as it relates to info about the program.

All that said, I have a hell of a lot of respect for the man, what he does for people, the time he gives to people and the impact he makes in people's lives.

When I have written or said critical things, I haven't enjoyed it. But there have been football related things to be critical about. I have talked with him about that at green rooms and such at speaking engagements and he has been fine with it. All any coach wants is for people to be fair..they don't expect hosannas all the time..just fairness...which I don't think is too much to expect or deliver on.

 

[hawkeyeguy85]

I think it's a fair question.

If the decision were mine to release the video or not release it, I would not have released it because I am uncertain as to whether Ferentz realized he was on camera. I don't think he realized he was on camera. I could be wrong. If he knew he was on camera, then it's a different story to me. But this was after the main presser, then after the on the side presser. Protocol at that time is that Kirk then occasionally will sit down with hawkeyesports.com or a local TV station for a one on one, or he leaves. There isn't another general media session at that time.

Now, the fact that some other media members tweeted about it, the fbomb, I made sure to contact them before I retweeted or reported Ferentz did that, citing where I first saw it. In this case I DM'd Morehouse. I also texted Rob Howe, who was in the room, to make sure what was being tweeted is what happened. Being that Morehouse has close to 10K followers, it's not like the genie is going back into the tube.

Morehouse wrote about it yesterday and framed it in its context, similar to what I wrote; Kirk wasn't ticked off about the Peter Gray question....which is a very, very important thing to underscore an make clear. He was not happy with the phrasing of a question, or introducing a question by saying 'It's out there...' That's pretty weak. In the OTS, Kirk said just ask the question. I agree with him.

I think how WHO then went about sharing the video, in the fashion they did, didn't establish the context for the flare up. That's just my take.

Thanks Jon. Fair answer.

 

[JonDMiller]

Also, if you watch the video again, I will guarantee you Ferentz didn't know he was on camera. Look at the angle of the camera...its low to high..which suggests Chris pressed record, was standing near the action, walked closer and was holding it near his waist one handed like you would be carrying a briefcase, angled to get the shot...no way was that off the shoulder.

That said, Kirk should have known better than to handle it the way he did in the media room with a bunch of reporters present.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Also, if you watch the video again, I will guarantee you Ferentz didn't know he was on camera. Look at the angle of the camera...its low to high..which suggests Chris pressed record, was standing near the action, walked closer and was holding it near his waist one handed like you would be carrying a briefcase, angled to get the shot...no way was that off the shoulder.

That said, Kirk should have known better than to handle it the way he did in the media room with a bunch of reporters present.

If this is true and Chris was filming the incident in a sneaky manner do you think Kirk says something to him next week?

 

[JonDMiller]

If this is true and Chris was filming the incident in a sneaky manner do you think Kirk says something to him next week?

No idea. CHris didn't do anything illegal and I doubt there are any rules that were broken....its the media room, and ultimately Kirk Ferentz should know better than to say things like that in a room filled with 10 or more reporters. It just comes down to what people feel is fair, and there are a lot of opinions on that matter, none being absolute right or wrong.

 

[clicheusername3]

Is Murph calling JDM out right now?

 

[bighawkeyedaddy]

Keith Murphy just called Jon out for being a hypocrite without saying his name. Said you are being a hypocrite if you transcribe word for word what took place but then admonish WHO for airing the same thing, saying this other person would have ran the video if they had it.

 

[JonDMiller]

Is Murph calling JDM out right now?

He may be, probably is, and certainly well within his right to do so. I can understand it. I disagree that their 6PM package put it all into context, and Keith and I disagree on why Kirk was ticked off. He thinks its because Kirk was surprised that the Gray question came up, and I am highly confident that Kirk was prepared the question would arise.

 

[JonDMiller]

Keith Murphy just called Jon out for being a hypocrite without saying his name. Said you are being a hypocrite if you transcribe word for word what took place but then admonish WHO for airing the same thing, saying this other person would have ran the video if they had it.

The OTS that I transcribe each week didn't include the fbomb breakdown. Once WHO aired the fbomb section and posted the video on their site, I posted it here and typed up the interaction, followed up by this, which is what I thought was being missed and still is, but this is just my take:

I am still of the opinion that I shared early this afternoon that Ferentz wasn't irritated about being asked about Peter Gray, rather, that the reporter chose to ask it in the fashion he did, as in "It's out there...." I think what Kirk was saying about with regards to the 'some guy sitting the stands' comment is if you are going to start asking questions that are 'out there', where does it stop? Are you going to ask questions based on what someone sitting in the stands has to say about play calling, etc.

As for Keith's saying those who are irritated by their airing it either have their head in the sand, are an apologist or wish they had the video to air themselves...he's entitled to his opinions. Keith is a good guy, one of the best guys I know in the media and one of my favorite people. This won't change any of that.

 

[bighawkeyedaddy]

He did a very poor job of responding if he was prepared for that question. I hate to think what he would act like if he was surprised by a question.

 

[bighawkeyedaddy]

Man, Murph and Andy are just going line by line through what has been discussed on HN today. They just brought up the fact that people say they have a hard time taking Hassel seriously after seeing his Soundoff skits.

 

[JonDMiller]

He did a very poor job of responding if he was prepared for that question. I hate to think what he would act like if he was surprised by a question.

He was ticked how it was presented. I believe that wholeheartedly. I also think Kirk handled it very poorly and turned it into something that it otherwise wouldn't have been.

 

[bighawkeyedaddy]

He was ticked how it was presented. I believe that wholeheartedly. I also think Kirk handled it very poorly and turned it into something that it otherwise wouldn't have been.

It isn't as big a deal as everyone is making it out to be I don't believe, but to me it kind of tarnishes that Ferentz image a little more. All we ever hear about is what a saint Kirk is. Fart jokes and F bombs kind of make me question if we really know the guy at all.

 

[Clark]

It isn't as big a deal as everyone is making it out to be I don't believe, but to me it kind of tarnishes that Ferentz image a little more. All we ever hear about is what a saint Kirk is. Fart jokes and F bombs kind of make me question if we really know the guy at all.

Really? The pope couldn't live up to your standards apparantly.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Can someone let me know what the Round Guy thinks of this? I saw him at Urbandale Hy-Vee once. Pwoud moment in my life. Let's just get his two cents and move on.