Hardee Placed on Leave

[CAS4127]

Sorry, but Faison does not deserve any credit in this whole incident. The AD dropped the ball by not verifying Hardee's word when it came to his license.

Wow, a breath of fresh air and sanity-->thanks!!

[WYOBISONMAN]

First time posting and yes I am what my login says.

What I know.

Two different stories from two different players in car. All agree: coach overslept and team was running 20 minutes late. Other coaches: I have no idea what they did or did not know.

Player 1: Coach was under the influence, hit car in parking lot, drove off and then drove us to airport. SCAREY RIDE ALL THE WAY

Player 2: Coach probably had hangover and overslept; he hit a car in parking lot while we were rushing to get to airport, left the scene, we were all now on heightened alert and all SCARED the entire ride because we were racing to get there

Girls in other vans did not see anything, but a lot of texts flying between the vans. And the stories grew bigger and bigger.

As for me, I think Hardee was a great coach. Lots of garbage though in his past which I was unaware of. I tend to forgive mistakes, as long as it does not involve putting the players or anyone else in danger. He has an excellent family, now being dragged into all of this as well. Hardee made a terrible mistake in Portland when he got into the drivers seat and backed into a car in the parking lot, with five girls in the van, and then took off. WHY did he do that? No idea. You can speculate all you want and make stories up, but overall he made a REALLY bad decision. With his past history, he had to be let go.

As for NINE players leaving, they planned on leaving prior to the tournament. THREE SENIORS, who were leaving anyways, and a possible 6 more players who get limited playing time. I do not know of any future starters planning on leaving at this time, but now with this mess they possibly could. The door is wide open to move without penalty. So let us move forward and find a new coach quickly. The girls we have for 2014 deserve this and can WIN THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE NEXT YEAR AND GO TO THE NCAA!

I think all fans, Bison, UND and other can respect this position. Faison screwed up the first time he handled this. The DUI should have been public, the reprimand should have been written, he should followed up. The GF media is as slanted as usual. But, it is time to do what is right for the players. Get a good coach, move on.

[jdub27]

How am I butthurt or being hypocritcal--enlighten me please.

As for Hardee being forced to resign, I agree. I am talking about how Faison ... ahem ... handled things with respect to his dealing with Hardee, his DUI, his driving privileges and otherwise. A "verbal" reprimand" with no mention of it to the press or otherwise?!?! Give me a break already. Faison has not missed the chance to call a presser when it may shed positive light on UN_ or to poke fun at NDSU (Thing 2011 Natty banner--how completely unprofessional was that btw?!).

Well, comments like this are pretty interesting:

Yep, flip and bait for Sic!!

Thank you!!

Whatever happened, justification will ensue.

Dismiss as nothing say tey hockey recruits getting whatever shoved up their ass--kinda like the guy who was brutally murdered outside the Drum!! Good, very Good sources tell me of connection with teh hockey in Grand Spoons!! Anyone ever consider y that was a buried thread on who.Com?!

That said--gonna do blow snow with flip flips on!! Snow drifts are calling my name.

Hakstol is THE Bomb btw!!

Not all incidents have been reported in the press at NDSU, so not sure what your point on that is. And Faison had zero to do with the banner thing and I'd like for you to point out a single time he has called a press conference to poke fun at NDSU?

[Sioux-cia]

When is the last time you purchased or rented a car? No dealer or rental outfit has access to your state driving record.

True but you do have to show them a valid driver's license. If he didn't possess one, he wasn't the person whose credentials were used to rent the car.

[darell1976]

How am I butthurt or being hypocritcal--enlighten me please.

As for Hardee being forced to resign, I agree. I am talking about how Faison ... ahem ... handled things with respect to his dealing with Hardee, his DUI, his driving privileges and otherwise. A "verbal" reprimand" with no mention of it to the press or otherwise?!?! Give me a break already. Faison has not missed the chance to call a presser when it may shed positive light on UN_ or to poke fun at NDSU (Thing 2011 Natty banner--how completely unprofessional was that btw?!).

If you were Faison (thank God you aren't) how would you have handled it?

[CAS4127]

Well, comments like this are pretty interesting:

Not all incidents have been reported in the press at NDSU, so not sure what your point on that is. And Faison had zero to do with the banner thing and I'd like for you to point out a single time he has called a press conference to poke fun at NDSU?

Yes Faison was involved in the Banner deal, don't run and hide. As for my post that you quoted, what about it is hypocritacal or indicative of butthurt. The gist of it, don't claim to be holier than thou and transparent, when in fact you are not, but rip on NDSu when you think it handled things wrongly.

Pretty simple really.

[CAS4127]

If you were Faison (thank God you aren't) how would you have handled it?

I haven't given that a great deal of thought, but I can tell you I wouldn't have tried to hide it like he did. If Faison claims transparency, then he should live it. Clearly he did not here, and got luck because the Beck thing was being hammered by everyone. Meanwhile, Faison just ducked his head and smiled because nobody was lucking at his programs. But, alas, he got caught. BTW, did you Prez sanction the verbal reprimand, or did he not know the DUI even happened?!

[MafiaMan]

What I know.

Two different stories from two different players in car. All agree: coach overslept and team was running 20 minutes late. Other coaches: I have no idea what they did or did not know.

Player 1: Coach was under the influence, hit car in parking lot, drove off and then drove us to airport. SCAREY RIDE ALL THE WAY

Player 2: Coach probably had hangover and overslept; he hit a car in parking lot while we were rushing to get to airport, left the scene, we were all now on heightened alert and all SCARED the entire ride because we were racing to get there

Girls in other vans did not see anything, but a lot of texts flying between the vans. And the stories grew bigger and bigger.

What an absolute shame that nobody thought of having the coach pull the vehicle over. Thank God nobody got hurt - in the player/coach vehicle or another vehicle.

[jdub27]

Yes Faison was involved in the Banner deal, don't run and hide. As for my post that you quoted, what about it is hypocritacal or indicative of butthurt. The gist of it, don't claim to be holier than thou and transparent, when in fact you are not, but rip on NDSu when you think it handled things wrongly.

Pretty simple really.

Explain to me how Faison was involved? He was in meetings when the package showed up, someone else opened it and tweeted a picture. When he found out about it, he called Taylor and told him about it.

As for the second part, not sure where to start, but making completely false comments about the hockey team being related to a murder seem to indicate you have issues of some sort.

[darell1976]

This spring. All rental company's disclose that they reserve the right to check your driver's license history when you sign the rental agreement. They have access to a database with traffic violations in them. Whether they run it or not every time is up to them.

There was something put in his file, so I guess there is that, so I'm not sure in the grand scheme of things if there is a huge difference. And I can guarantee you that every incident in Fargo has not made the media. A simple records search can verify that.

Could the rental car be under the University of North Dakota and not specifically Ashlee Hardee? So maybe they wouldn't need to check "his" license.

[darell1976]

Explain to me how Faison was involved? He was in meetings when the package showed up, someone else opened it and tweeted a picture. When he found out about it, he called Taylor and told him about it.

As for the second part, not sure where to start, but making completely false comments about the hockey team being related to a murder seem to indicate you have issues of some sort.

I think CAS and Bison fans are upset someone other than Faison opened "his" mail. But I am sure Faison gets a lot of mail and its the job of an assistant or secretary to open some if not all of it. Besides its not Faison's fault it happened, it was the fault of the NCAA because they thought UND and NDSU was one of the same.

[Sioux-cia]

Is it public record that there is no written reprimand in Hardee's record related to the DUI? I find it hard to believe a state employee would not follow state mandated requirements of documentation when stating warning another state employee, 'happens again, you're outta here', contract or no.

[Sioux-cia]

Could the rental car be under the University of North Dakota and not specifically Ashlee Hardee? So maybe they wouldn't need to check "his" license.

I believe they still require a licensed driver on record.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

I haven't given that a great deal of thought, but I can tell you I wouldn't have tried to hide it like he did. If Faison claims transparency, then he should live it. Clearly he did not here, and got luck because the Beck thing was being hammered by everyone. Meanwhile, Faison just ducked his head and smiled because nobody was lucking at his programs. But, alas, he got caught. BTW, did you Prez sanction the verbal reprimand, or did he not know the DUI even happened?!

The Beck thing happened this summer (2013) and Hardee's DUI was in June of 2012. Nice try though.

[dmksioux]

I believe they still require a licensed driver on record.

Yes, you have to provide a drivers license. At least I have when using rental cars under my employer.

[bincitysioux]

An assistant wrestling coach got a DUI a few years ago...he was suspended for five days without pay and was told another DUI and he is done. Oh and it was all over the media as well.

I don't think there was a cover up...the GF media is just inept.

Did NDSU call a press conference to announce that coach's DUI and suspension as CAS is implying UND should have done in Hardee's case?

I don't think it is the AD's responsibility make something like that public, if it didn't involve University property, personnel, or student athletes. Hardee's DUI happened in June, the off-season, likely on his own time.

It would be a totally different story if it happened while at a University sanctioned event, during the season, and involved UND players. That is what happened this weekend, and Hardee is now gone. I suspect the outcome would be the same even if Hardee didn't have the prior DUI.

[FargoBison]

Did NDSU call a press conference to announce that coach's DUI and suspension as CAS is implying UND should have done in Hardee's case?

I don't think it is the AD's responsibility make something like that public, if it didn't involve University property, personnel, or student athletes. Hardee's DUI happened in June, the off-season, likely on his own time.

It would be a totally different story if it happened while at a University sanctioned event, during the season, and involved UND players. That is what happened this weekend, and Hardee is now gone. I suspect the outcome would be the same even if Hardee didn't have the prior DUI.

I never said Faison needed to call a press conference, I said the Herald needs to do its job. Hence calling them inept. It wasn't like the DUI happened in some far away state, it was right in GF. But looking back I would have liked to see an initial stiffer punishment from Faison other than just a verbal reprimand and telling him to never do it again or he is fired. At the very least the coach should have been suspended without pay for a week or so.

Yes, DUI or no DUI if you are driving a car with student athletes in it and are visibly intoxicated your coaching career is finished. There are no second chances for that offense.

[MafiaMan]

I don't think it is the AD's responsibility make something like that public, if it didn't involve University property, personnel, or student athletes. Hardee's DUI happened in June, the off-season, likely on his own time.

It would be a totally different story if it happened while at a University sanctioned event, during the season, and involved UND players. That is what happened this weekend, and Hardee is now gone. I suspect the outcome would be the same even if Hardee didn't have the prior DUI.

Bret Maughan's incident happened on July 14, 2011. His 5-day suspension was announced on August 25, 2011. That's also off-season. Just sayin'...

http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/10241/

[darell1976]

Bret Maughan's incident happened on July 14, 2011. His 5-day suspension was announced on August 25, 2011. That's also off-season. Just sayin'...

http://www.wdaz.com/...ticle/id/10241/

Its just wrestling, its okay to suspend him, but if it was football, nothing would have happened.

[darell1976]

Yes, you have to provide a drivers license. At least I have when using rental cars under my employer.

Okay, I didn't know how it worked when renting under an employer.

[CAS4127]

UND athletic director Brian Faison said he was made aware of the incident Sunday afternoon while driving back from a wedding in Minot. The school put Hardee on paid administrative leave Monday

This is the second incident UND has had with Hardee.

In June 2012, Hardee was arrested for driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty to the offense and was ordered to pay a fine of $501, according to the Grand Forks Municipal Court.

Faison said the school was made aware of that incident by Hardee, and he was disciplined internally at the time. Faison said that Hardee was verbally reprimanded and put on notice that his contract would be terminated if there was another incident.

“He had protocols that he had to go through with the state with the DUI issue,” Faison said. “He confirmed to me as he went through the process.”

Earlier this week, Portland State spokesperson Scott Gallagher told the Herald, “At 5:05 Sunday morning, we had a report from our University Center Hotel of a hit-and-run accident. Our Campus Public Safety office is investigating. Witnesses alleged the UND volleyball coach was driving the car that struck the other unoccupied vehicle. Nobody was injured.”

When asked whether alcohol was a factor in the Portland incident, Faison said, “At this juncture, I’ve heard all kinds of different things. Our ability to verify. . . I can’t do that. All I know is that we’ve had an alleged hit-and-run and Portland police are investigating it as a hit-and-run.”

No charges have yet been filed in the Portland incident, but Faison was informed that there may be an issue with Hardee’s driver’s license, too.

“My understanding is that he was supposed to have that addressed and he did not get it addressed,” Faison said. “My understanding is that there is an issue with his driver’s license. We didn’t know about that until this morning.”

Asked how Hardee was allowed to drive the team around if there’s an issue with his driver’s license, Faison said the athletic department is trying to figure that out, too.

“I don’t know where the breakdown was,” Faison said. “Honestly, I think that he thought he had it, too. When we had this conversation this morning, he was surprised. But that’s not something that is, in any way, shape or form, OK.”

Yep, good ol' Faison stays right on top of things, doesn't he.

So, Hardee as been driving under suspension for over a year and a half--wow!!

Did Hardee get his contract extension in the Summer of 2012 before or after he got his DUI. Nice little reward for the DUI if after!!

Do any of you know the timing. It would be interesting if he got the extension AFTer the DUI, don't you think?!

[MafiaMan]

Its just wrestling, its okay to suspend him, but if it was football, nothing would have happened.

The point the previous poster was making with Hardee's DWI is that it happened in the off-season and therefore there was no obligation for the AD to report it. I realize I'm a heretic for sticking up for NDSU when one of their own assistant coaches, the son of the former long-time head wrestling coach, no less, in a similar incident, did announce the suspension.

UND fans can't have it both ways - they want the hammer put down on NDSU coaches for unpaid parking tickets just because it's NDSU but will defend UND at all costs. Don't believe me? Go re-read some of the Joe Finley/Matt Frattin/TJ Oshie/Danny Kristo 'boys will be boys' threads from years gone by in the hockey forum.

[Siouxper Kev]

I haven't given that a great deal of thought, but I can tell you I wouldn't have tried to hide it like he did. If Faison claims transparency, then he should live it. Clearly he did not here, and got luck because the Beck thing was being hammered by everyone. Meanwhile, Faison just ducked his head and smiled because nobody was lucking at his programs. But, alas, he got caught. BTW, did you Prez sanction the verbal reprimand, or did he not know the DUI even happened?!

You've had 24 hours to think about it now and with all the opinions you are spewing, I'd think you'd have come up with something better than this.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

Yep, good ol' Faison stays right on top of things, doesn't he.

So, Hardee as been driving under suspension for over a year and a half--wow!!

Did Hardee get his contract extension in the Summer of 2012 before or after he got his DUI. Nice little reward for the DUI if after!!

Do any of you know the timing. It would be interesting if he got the extension AFTer the DUI, don't you think?!

Hardee's contract was extended in July of 2012 but you already knew that because you know how to operate the interwebs.

[darell1976]

The point the previous poster was making with Hardee's DWI is that it happened in the off-season and therefore there was no obligation for the AD to report it. I realize I'm a heretic for sticking up for NDSU when one of their own assistant coaches, the son of the former long-time head wrestling coach, no less, in a similar incident, did announce the suspension.

UND fans can't have it both ways - they want the hammer put down on NDSU coaches for unpaid parking tickets just because it's NDSU but will defend UND at all costs. Don't believe me? Go re-read some of the Joe Finley/Matt Frattin/TJ Oshie/Danny Kristo 'boys will be boys' threads from years gone by in the hockey forum.

I'm sick of the lack of suspension, punishment, what have you related to NDSU football, while they drop the hammer on the lesser sports, (e.g. softball, wrestling, baseball). That was where my smack post was going. If this coach had to do with football he would have had to do laps around the Fargodome instead of a unpaid suspension.