UND vs NAU - Go support the team at the Betty

[mksioux]

For the record, they're still making fun of UND on Barreiro's show on KFAN in the Twin Cities. Yesterday, they had a spoof of the radio call for the Omaha game during Ralston's two-game suspension and had many a laugh at UND's expense. And I get the feeling that this story is going to be a running joke for them on that show. The gift that keeps on giving apparently.

[Siouxperfan7]

Tom Miller's piece was pure UND brown-nosing. I thought the media's job was to be objective and to hold the establishment accountable?

Just like the national media is objective and holds the establishment (Obama) accountable!! This isn't a new thing for media these days, unfortunately.

[fightingsioux4life]

Just like the national media is objective and holds the establishment (Obama) accountable!! This isn't a new thing for media these days, unfortunately.

Okay, let's keep politics out of it or else this thread will get shut down and I don't want that to happen.

I guess I don't want the UND sports media to become tools of UND public relations. If that happens, I'll have to come here for all my sports info needs.

[Siouxperfan7]

Okay, let's keep politics out of it or else this thread will get shut down and I don't want that to happen.

I guess I don't want the UND sports media to become tools of UND public relations. If that happens, I'll have to come here for all my sports info needs.

Wasn't meaning to turn the thread political. Mostly just making the point that this is not something new in regards to the media. If the Herald wants to get stories with UND officials, coaches, players, etc they have to remain on their side with issues involving them. I have never really been a big fan of Tom Miller, but his latest response with the Ralson suspension confirmed it. Either you are going to be objective of the establishment or not. Tome obviously doesn't have the balls to be objective and say anything bad about the University, teams, players, coaches, etc. Major props to Paul Ralston for having the courage to call out Jones. I think most people are on his side!

[GeauxSioux]

The scandal that wasn't...http://deadspin.com/how-north-dakota-lost-its-mind-over-a-choke-job-504008586?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

How North Dakota Lost Its Mind Over A "Choke Job"

On Feb. 16, the Northern Arizona basketball team rallied to beat North Dakota in overtime, 74-72. In a postgame interview with North Dakota head coach Brian Jones, the team's radio guy, Paul Ralston, a university employee, called the loss a "choke job." What ensued was the most pitiful college sports "scandal" in recent memory. The broadcaster groveled before the coach. The school suspended him anyway. Fans and boosters sent angry letters. One of them blamed "political correctness." Another blamed the "left-wing agenda."

We've obtained those emails and more via an open records request. They offer a view from the inside of that rare sports scandal in which everyone manages to be ridiculous.

Let's start with the audio, which can be heard for the first time since the original live broadcast.

At end of the controversy, UND came out looking pretty good and by most accounts did the right thing.

[jdub27]

The scandal that wasn't...http://deadspin.com/...dium=socialflow

At end of the controversy, UND came out looking pretty good and by most accounts did the right thing.

Saw that earlier today and read through most of it, intereting stuff. It appears Ralston definitely thought that what he said was inappropriate regardless of what others thought. Also gives an insight into the relationship of the school-hired media, the schools themselves and what can happen when they are brought in house. Very similar situations to colleges across the country as is illustrated by e-mails received from other schools on how it was handled.

I thought it was amusing they got e-mails through the FOIA and posted them. I would guess that just gives a small glimpse of the kind of stuff that the AD, SID and coaches have to put up with.

[George M. Bluth]

I wonder why he is wrting about this now. Seems way too late to have a new story about it.

[jdub27]

I wonder why he is wrting about this now. Seems way too late to have a new story about it.

Likely took that long for them to get alot of the FOIA documents they requested and then go through them all. I do think it is strange they dug into it that much though. Seems a little tame compared to the investigative things they normally do.

[mksioux]

The scandal that wasn't...http://deadspin.com/...dium=socialflow

At end of the controversy, UND came out looking pretty good and by most accounts did the right thing.

I read the deadspin piece and I continue to think UND comes out of this looking ridiculous.

[darell1976]

That game was a classic choke job and Ralston didn't want to sugarcoat it like UND officials wanted him to. Suspending him was stupid, and does make the U look bad.

[jdub27]

That game was a classic choke job and Ralston didn't want to sugarcoat it like UND officials wanted him to. Suspending him was stupid, and does make the U look bad.

It is tough to argue against what UND did when Ralston is on record for regretting what he did/how the situation was handled and completely in agreeance with the suspension. The Deadspin article gives more insight than what was known before.

[Risky]

This just seems like kind of a non- story. Mistakes were definitely made on both sides. The more you talk about it seems like it is bigger than it is. It is sort of old news as far I am concerned. The bottom line to me is that I respect Jones for passionately standing up for his team. Ralston made a mistake but I don't think he should of been suspended. Suspending him made the story larger than it needed to be.

[mksioux]

It is tough to argue against what UND did when Ralston is on record for regretting what he did/how the situation was handled and completely in agreeance with the suspension. The Deadspin article gives more insight than what was known before.

Disagree. It's still very easy to argue with how UND handled this. It doesn't really matter that Ralston felt bad about it. In fact, that makes the administration look worse.

If any punishment was warranted (a point that can be debated), it should have been handled in a normal employer-employee manner, such as a warning and a corrective interview. A public two-game suspension that invited media attention, which ultimately resulted in national mockery of the University, was a stupid and self-inflicted media blunder. Ralston is not an athlete or a coach. Just because he is an employee in the athletic department does not mean he needed to be punished under the customary player punishment system of the game suspension, particularly over a relatively trivial transgression where he immediately apologized.

[jdub27]

Disagree. It's still very easy to argue with how UND handled this. It doesn't really matter that Ralston felt bad about it. In fact, that makes the administration look worse.

If any punishment was warranted (a point that can be debated), it should have been handled in a normal employer-employee manner, such as a warning and a corrective interview. A public two-game suspension that invited media attention, which ultimately resulted in national mockery of the University, was a stupid and self-inflicted media blunder. Ralston is not an athlete or a coach. Just because he is an employee in the athletic department does not mean he needed to be punished under the customary player punishment system of the game suspension, particularly over a relatively trivial transgression where he immediately apologized.

How it was handled and what the punishment were are separate issues. I probably wouldn't have suspended him, but won't fault UND for their reasoning. Both parties involved thought it was the appropriate punishment. However I agre with you, I don't think the public announcment of the suspension and fallout from that part of it was not handled properly and not really necessary particularly because as you said he immediately apologized and took full responsibility for it, including sending the audio to Faison. That point I believe we agree on.

[Herd]

It is tough to argue against what UND did when Ralston is on record for regretting what he did/how the situation was handled and completely in agreeance with the suspension. The Deadspin article gives more insight than what was known before.

What else is Ralston going to say? He had to either suck up, or lose his job. Ralston begging for his job and speaking the company line doesn't make what UND did right.

In my opinion, Jones having thin skin in the issue. Jones being confrontational during the interview was the problem instead of being mature enough to handle objective criticism from someone who is supposed to be objective in his opinion. Jones saying, "you are supposed to be one of us", was all I had to hear.

Also, would kill this board to have a thread on said topic, or is negative a no-no here? Does Jones control this board too? (ha-ha) Throwing this in the game thread, really?

[UND1983]

What else is Ralston going to say? He had to either suck up, or lose his job. Ralston begging for his job and speaking the company line doesn't make what UND did right.

In my opinion, Jones having thin skin in the issue. Jones being confrontational during the interview was the problem instead of being mature enough to handle objective criticism from someone who is supposed to be objective in his opinion. Jones saying, "you are supposed to be one of us", was all I had to hear.

Also, would kill this board to have a thread on said topic, or is negative a no-no here? Does Jones control this board too? (ha-ha) Throwing this in the game thread, really?

Thanks for sharing. Lots of good stuff there.

[UND-FB-FAN]

I believe the only reason this became an issue is due to how Jones reacted. If he had remained calm and simply made no issue with the "choke job" phrase, then there would not have been any disciplinary action. However, since Jones reacted the way he did and radio listeners heard it, the athletic department decided it was in their best interest to issue a politically correct 2-game suspension. It's that simple in my opinion. Ralston couldn't come up with a better phrase or word at the time of the interview and Jones lost his cool when he probably should not have.

[Herd]

Thanks for sharing. Lots of good stuff there.

Gee, you didn't thank UND-FB-Fan for sharing, and he and I are to totoal agreement. You better thank him so he doesn't feel left out.

[82SiouxGuy]

Gee, you didn't thank UND-FB-Fan for sharing, and he and I are to totoal agreement. You better thank him so he doesn't feel left out.

He isn't trolling another school's fan site, so probably doesn't need the attention or validation that you appear to need.

[homer]

What else is Ralston going to say? He had to either suck up, or lose his job. Ralston begging for his job and speaking the company line doesn't make what UND did right.

In my opinion, Jones having thin skin in the issue. Jones being confrontational during the interview was the problem instead of being mature enough to handle objective criticism from someone who is supposed to be objective in his opinion. Jones saying, "you are supposed to be one of us", was all I had to hear.

Also, would kill this board to have a thread on said topic, or is negative a no-no here? Does Jones control this board too? (ha-ha) Throwing this in the game thread, really?

Its a coaches job to stick up for his players. You would never hear Scott Miller talk to Coach Bohl or Coach Phillips that way and if he did Coach Bohl would be as defensive. I think back to Coach Bohl correcting a TV announcer when the team was called "North Dakota" instead of Fargo University. Coach Bohl got defensive and stood up for his team, which he should as the team leader. I look at this situation it the other way and think about what the players on the team would have thought if they would have heard their coach agreeing with the choke job statement on air.

All I needed to hear was other people who are actually in the profession agreeing with the punishment. You can spin it as Rolston pleading for his job but I think he actually realized he made mistake. TV announcers are supposed to be objective but there is also a line they don't cross. There have been many choke jobs over time in sports but I don't think I have heard any brought up in the post game interview.

[MoSiouxFan]

That's a game that we played without two of our regulars (Brekke and Schuler) and, as a result, four of our players played between 38 and 43 minutes. Against a good No. Arizona team. To accuse our team of "choking" under those circumstances is a little over the top and shows little compassion for a team that played heroically while shorthanded most of the season.

[Herd]

He isn't trolling another school's fan site, so probably doesn't need the attention or validation that you appear to need.

I guess it's not the message, but who the message comes from that makes it Ok or not Ok, does that sound about right SiouxGuy? I guess I can't express that opinion, although the same opinion is perfectly fine coming from someone/anyone with UND in their name. Jones said it best, "I thought you were one of us". Poor choice of words by the radio guy for sure, but probably a good idea for the HC to deal with it off the air, not create a firestorm.

As for Bohl correcting a ND reference . . . he just corrected it, he didn't get angry about or create a problem, just corrected it. Would a reporter call Michigan State, Michigan, without being corrected? Of course not. Really not related to this topic at all.

[82SiouxGuy]

I guess it's not the message, but who the message comes from that makes it Ok or not Ok, does that sound about right SiouxGuy?

You come on a UND fan site and consistently talk trash about UND, yet you seem to be surprised that people aren't going to agree with you. Even you can't be that dense.

And I didn't agree with either of you. Paul made a mistake. Jones could have handled things better, but it doesn't change the fact that Paul made a mistake. If he worked for a different company things would have been handled differently, although he still would have made a poor choice of words. But the fact is that he works for the University. What he said was not acceptable for an employee on live radio.

[homer]

As for Bohl correcting a ND reference . . . he just corrected it, he didn't get angry about or create a problem, just corrected it. Would a reporter call Michigan State, Michigan, without being corrected? Of course not. Really not related to this topic at all.

Because Coah Bohl is standing up for his team, similar to what Coach Jones was doing. While I'm disappointed with the entire situation, I would have been very disappointed if Jones would have not stuck up for his team in that situation. Did the team let one slip, yes. Is that a reason for a coach to throw his team under the bus in a live interview? Not in my opinion.