PlayerRep said:
Does anyone actually know what the coaches said to Parker and Pflug?
Personally, I don't think it's a good idea for a coach confirm to the media or announce to the media, a day or so after discussions like this have been held with players, that they have been cut or told they won't play or told they should probably move on. The players can say and do what they want, but I think the coach should be silent, for at least a decent period of time.
I almost always agree with you, but on this, in an age of social media, this is no longer useful, and leads to precisely the kind of outcomes as evidenced here. I'm speaking from a good deal of experience on this point, and the actual facts, in this new era, are that as soon as something happens, and there is no official confirmation, the rumor machine starts because there is an "appearance" that "something is going on" that someone "wants to hide."
This is no longer a question of "if." In an age of instant communication and requirements of transparency, anything like this will --
"will" -- result in speculation, and all the more so when it involves 100 or more young people, their friends, families and cohorts at the first level, 50,000 or more fans at the next level, and the general public after that.
I've also been on all sides of this question, as a reporter, an editor, a coach, and a sport administrator. "News cycles" are incredibly rapid these days.
You sit down with the affected players, you discuss the situation with them. You show them the proposed press release. You thank them. You ask them if the press release is something that they find acceptable. You don't leave them hanging out to dry in the public, because when you do, I've seen the speculation -- caused entirely by "silence" -- range from "cut for chemistry," to "grades," to "criminal charges," to "violation of rules," to "drinking," to "inappropriate behavior," all of which can be as false as false can be, but anyone who fails to recognize the nature of that beast is simply naive. And once those rumors get out there, as is well known, the allegation gets society's attention; the correction is on page 23.
You can't take that risk with young people's lives. It is careless and entirely inappropriate to take that risk. The duty of loyalty to the kids and to the institution is to avoid damage to both, and there is only one way in modern society, dealing with young people subject to speculation and imagination, and fan bases driven almost entirely by it, to do otherwise. The modern "best practice" is to protect the athlete by direct and public communication, the assurance that the athlete committed no infractions resulting in the termination. The most difficult part of that public process is ensuring that the athlete does not go out to be re-recruited with the implied cloud that he "just wasn't good enough" which is the kiss of death for future college play, as opposed to ensuring that everyone knows that it was the coach's game that changed, not the athlete's inadequacy. Delicate area indeed for the athlete seeking to complete a career elsewhere.
So much so that the NCAA is attempting to resolve those dilemmas and protect those athletes by possibly shifting to five year scholarship guarantees, just to protect the athletes from the kind of fallout of what happened here at UM this week because of a badly handled roster cut. These aren't imaginary problems. The NCAA is taking them seriously. I have used the word "proactive." That should be the watchword any time dealing with young people who, above all, rarely have the resources to protect themselves, and in the process, to protect the image of the University as a caring and protective institution for the young people entrusted to its care.
Indeed, it is a contractual obligation at UM to avoid damaging the public image and reputation of UM:
4. CONDUCT OF THE UM FOOTBALL PROGRAM
a. Coach shall act at all times in accordance with and fully comply with the laws, regulations, rules, policies, and guidelines of the United States, State of Montana, UM, the Big Sky Conference, NCAA and in a manner that reflects positively on the image and reputation of UM. Coach's failure to act in full compliance with these laws, regulations, rules and guidelines may result in disciplinary or corrective action as may be appropriate in light of the severity of the conduct.
