Wadley article

[HaydenHawk56]

Former Iowa football player still seeking closure for racism within program

Akrum Wadley still feels the humiliation. The Iowa football team was drafting players for the annual Hawkeye Challenge, an intrasquad competition intended to re…

theundefeated.com

 

[Fryowa]

No way is this going on the football board.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

No way is this going on the football board.

Interesting. It is a very good read.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Just this in the latest posts sidebar and wondered why it wasn't in football... Probably for the best.

"The Iowa football team was drafting players for the annual Hawkeye Challenge, an intrasquad competition intended to reinforce the program’s culture of accountability. When the offseason began each January, players could earn points for things like good grades, strength and conditioning performance or volunteer work. They also could lose points for bad grades, missing target weights or lateness. At the end of each summer, when the offseason was over, the team with the most points won perks like skipping to the front of the meal line for the rest of the year.

Entering the draft, each player was assigned a point value based on coaches’ evaluations of their behavior during the first few weeks of the offseason. The squad gathered in a circle as the captains, who like the team itself were predominantly white, began to choose their guys. The pool of players dwindled until only Black players with negative point values were left in the middle.

“I would be last every single time,” said Wadley, one of 13 former Iowa players suing several football coaches and the university for racial discrimination. He left Iowa in 2017 as one of the most productive running backs in school history. “You can just imagine that feeling, being a guy that’s contributing to a lot of the team wins and being last. And it’s not due to anything with my performance or my work ethic.”"

Gee Akrum, I don't know, maybe show up to meetings on time and follow the rules? If the metrics are there ahead of time and you don't want to be last but still are, that seems to me like a you problem. That whole system was specifically evaluating off the field behavior, so by using his on-field production to suggest that he should have been weighted higher suggests to me that he missed the point entirely. Sort of a strange way to start the article.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Interesting. It is a very good read.

He doesn't want it to turn into a political discussion there

 

[HaydenHawk56]

He doesn't want it to turn into a political discussion there

I get what you mean, but it is most definitely football related. Although, I will say, it is not a topic that can be swept under the rug with a trial approaching. I would have kept it there, but no biggy. But, this topic is going to resurface so it going to get talked about again....and for good reason whatever way it turns out.

Again, reading those things, I don't see how Brian Ferentz can be the next coach in most programs. If true of course. But, I lean Wadley's version taking everything into context. There is to much there to completely dismiss it. Some racist, inappropriate things most likely did happen.

Taking how horrible this offense has been, perhaps this trial could be a blessing in disguise if it leads to Brian not being the next coach. But, above all, you don't want someone like that leading the program if even half of this is true.

 

[Fryowa]

Interesting. It is a very good read.

It’s nothing personal. People will read that article, take sides, and take huge offense to anything not their side.

The board devolved into total madness June of 2020 and we had a huge amount of people request that this stuff be kept separate.

If people could discuss this sort of stuff civilly it would be one thing, but they can’t. Ever. It’s why we can’t have nice things.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

It’s nothing personal. People will read that article, take sides, and take huge offense to anything not their side.

The board devolved into total madness June of 2020 and we had a huge amount of people request that this stuff be kept separate.

If people could discuss this sort of stuff civilly it would be one thing, but they can’t. Ever. It’s why we can’t have nice things.

I understand, I thought about that too....the site had it's issues with this topic.

I only wish that 100% of this was not true and would not happen within our program. The trial should be interesting in seeing how it all turns out.

Reading through that article though, man, Brian smells like a rotten egg....even worse than the offense he puts out on the field. The trial may do Iowa a favor when considering it's next coach. Actually it could be a win-win for the University.

They win the case, and they feel exonerated. Lose the case, it could give them the excuse to tell Kirk his son will not be the heir apparent.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I would also say Fry, a Woods hire, like you suggested, would also make sense from a race-relations perspective in addition to everything else you mentioned. It would be a more than decent PR move by the University...something they have been sorely lacking in.

 

[Fryowa]

I would also say Fry, a Woods hire, like you suggested, would also make sense from a race-relations perspective in addition to everything else you mentioned. It would be a more than decent PR move by the University...something they have been sorely lacking in.

Because I live in his stomping grounds, I’ve met him more than a handful of times, met his sister as well. Absolute top notch family. Played football against he and Vanden Bosch. I also coach in the same conference as West Lyon now and I know a lot of his former classmates and teammates who coach or have kids in sports. Woods is a total frickin stand up guy and family man through and through. He embodies Iowa football. I have never heard a single bad word about him from anyone and his players universally love him.

He will be an elite P5 head coach some day. That’s not debatable whatsoever. If Iowa chooses not to continue his career path as a Hawkeye someone else will be glad to do so. Failure to retain him will be the final nail in the coffin of the Hayden Fry culture. There is literally no one available now or in the next 10 years who would be able to continue it. Unfortunately, I think Kirk is blinded by the dull glow of his son and can’t see the shining star in the room.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Because I live in his stomping grounds, I’ve met him more than a handful of times, met his sister as well. Absolute top notch family. Played football against he and Vanden Bosch. I also coach in the same conference as West Lyon now and I know a lot of his former classmates and teammates who coach or have kids in sports. Woods is a total frickin stand up guy and family man through and through. He embodies Iowa football. I have never heard a single bad word about him from anyone and his players universally love him.

He will be an elite P5 head coach some day. That’s not debatable whatsoever. If Iowa chooses not to continue his career path as a Hawkeye someone else will be glad to do so. Failure to retain him will be the final nail in the coffin of the Hayden Fry culture. There is literally no one available now or in the next 10 years who would be able to continue it. Unfortunately, I think Kirk is blinded by the dull glow of his son and can’t see the shining star in the room.

Good deal....I do like he bridges between the Fry and Ferentz cultures.

 

[HuckFinn]

We have had this discussion. When you look down and your horse is dead, dismount.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

We have had this discussion. When you look down and your horse is dead, dismount.

Yes, but it was a new article on this topic today. And, it won't be such a dead horse when the trial approaches. Can't really call it a deadhorse with an upcoming trial right?

I guess maybe a taboo topic for HN though.

 

[Fryowa]

Yes, but it was a new article on this topic today. And, it won't be such a dead horse when the trial approaches. Can't really call it a deadhorse with an upcoming trial right?

I guess maybe a taboo topic for HN though.

Not a taboo topic at all. It just goes on the OT board.

 

[HuckFinn]

Yes, but it was a new article on this topic today. And, it won't be such a dead horse when the trial approaches. Can't really call it a deadhorse with an upcoming trial right?

I guess maybe a taboo topic for HN though.

The horse is dead, in my view, until the trial or an out of court settlement. I am referring to repetitive comments on the topic on this, or any other forum, which is a waste of time. We have been through this time and again.Dead horse.

BTW, no trial, out of court settlement instead, no public details.
Then lots of meaningless, unsubstantiated, blame game extravaganza. He said, she said.

The big news will ultimately be BF moves on and will never be the head coach at Iowa. NB. We will never know if he was guilty of racist behavior.

Book it.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

The horse is dead, in my view, until the trial or an out of court settlement. I am referring to repetitive comments on the topic on this, or any other forum, which is a waste of time. We have been through this time and again.Dead horse.

BTW, no trial, out of court settlement instead, no public details.
Then lots of meaningless, unsubstantiated, blame game extravaganza. He said, she said.

The big news will ultimately be BF moves on and will never be the head coach at Iowa. NB. We will never know if he was guilty of racist behavior.

Book it.

Gotcha.

 

[Hillcrest1981]

BF was accused of racist comments and somewhat apologies came from the staff. If there is an incident of racism that is admitted to then then that's all I need to know. His admitted behavior is most likely the tip of the iceberg. BF needs to move on and KF needs to retire. Hell, BF should be out based on his performance.

 

[guffus]

Barta should just tell BF he is fired based on performance. BF should start looking for an NFL job before his rep is entirely shot. Its time to clean house on offense. KOK should be out too.

If KF does not like it, KF can retire if he wants. Phil Parker can step up as the new head coach unless Bob Stoops is interested.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Barta should just tell BF he is fired based on performance. BF should start looking for an NFL job before his rep is entirely shot. Its time to clean house on offense. KOK should be out too.

If KF does not like it, KF can retire if he wants. Phil Parker can step up as the new head coach unless Bob Stoops is interested.

Fryowa made a pretty good point elsewhere that if Stoops (If he were even interested) only wants to do three or four years, a HC carousel would be damaging. If he were going to commit to 8-10 years, this would be the best possible option, so long as he retains Phil. That said, KF isn't going anywhere.

 

[GesterHawk]

I get what you mean, but it is most definitely football related. Although, I will say, it is not a topic that can be swept under the rug with a trial approaching. I would have kept it there, but no biggy. But, this topic is going to resurface so it going to get talked about again....and for good reason whatever way it turns out.

Again, reading those things, I don't see how Brian Ferentz can be the next coach in most programs. If true of course. But, I lean Wadley's version taking everything into context. There is to much there to completely dismiss it. Some racist, inappropriate things most likely did happen.

Taking how horrible this offense has been, perhaps this trial could be a blessing in disguise if it leads to Brian not being the next coach. But, above all, you don't want someone like that leading the program if even half of this is true.

If we want to have an actual discussion on race, equality, and inclusion within the Iowa football program, talk of on field performance is counter-productive. Because by saying the trial is a blessing in disguise for offensive production, it implies that there is a point of offensive production that any wrong doing is acceptable.