SIAP....Band thing investigation is over??

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

They knew that the assaults occurred (DOH!) so there was proof of that. What they didn't know was who the perpetrator(s) were. Why the first statement wasn't joint may have more to do with Iowa wanting to get right on it while Pollard was dragging his feet - I can only guess about that. But generally the faster you get info like this to the public, the better chance you have of getting someone to remember.

So if they were trying to jog peoples' memories or get someone to come forward, why was the initial press release not clear in what happened? Why would they say there was an incident and be very vague about it, and why didn't they ask anyone to come forward directly in the initial press release? All it said is "We are aware of an incident, we contacted Iowa St., and we're investigating." Nothing about that tells anyone anything about what happened, let alone would prompt someone to logically think that something they saw needs to be reported.

Again, the initial press release was terrible both from a PR standpoint and as a tool if they were actually trying to get more info. It did absolutely nothing except create a story that no one knew about and offered absolutely no substance, only to be backtracked 3 days later in a press release that should have happened first.

 

[hawkfeever]

Are not any communications by and between Barta and Pollard subject to freedom of information by the press at some point?

 

[hoffmkr]

Do you honestly think that Gary doesn’t have a ton of support from iowa admins, staff, and fans?

The reality is that 75% of the people don’t give a crap and 20% see an athletic department that’s in a great spot right now. So congrats on being in that elite 5%.

If your numbers are close, we have a lot of stupid fans who can’t read the news.
Barta’s handling of field hockey was a disaster. He has repeatedly been in the news for incidents that “mediocre” is a favorable description.

Read the page and a half of “controversy at Iowa” section of Barta’s Wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Barta
Or BHGP article from February.
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2019/2/25/18238328/iowa-athletic-director-scandal-gary-barta

Anyone who thinks Barta is proper direction of department has low expectations for the public face of UofI.
He may not be cause of all problems, but his handling does not make Iowa look good.

The band situation is another item that hit national news and doesn’t come off as well handled.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

I really don't know why Barta has backed off so easily. That's the part that bothers me. As the events become more public, things could get very interesting.

This is my issue. If something did happen, and they are pursuing it, then I really don't care about the first press release.

The second release stating that they aren't going to do anything because it'll be too hard to prove makes this whole situation look like a circus and Barta is the ringleader. In no way shape or form does Barta look better after this last week. If there's something there, go after it. Don't talk a big game and then lay down when it gets tough.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

If your numbers are close, we have a lot of stupid fans who can’t read the news.
Barta’s handling of field hockey was a disaster. He has repeatedly been in the news for incidents that “mediocre” is a favorable description.

Read the page and a half of “controversy at Iowa” section of Barta’s Wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Barta
Or BHGP article from February.
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2019/2/25/18238328/iowa-athletic-director-scandal-gary-barta

Anyone who thinks Barta is proper direction of department has low expectations for the public face of UofI.
He may not be cause of all problems, but his handling does not make Iowa look good.

The band situation is another item that hit national news and doesn’t come off as well handled.

Lol

 

[L. Wade Childress]

How can you blame Barta for not defending the band while at the same time blaming him firing the field hockey coach?

TG was overrated and iowa is now back in the top ten.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is my issue. If something did happen, and they are pursuing it, then I really don't care about the first press release.

The second release stating that they aren't going to do anything because it'll be too hard to prove makes this whole situation look like a circus and Barta is the ringleader. In no way shape or form does Barta look better after this last week. If there's something there, go after it. Don't talk a big game and then lay down when it gets tough.

Honestly, I think it makes Pollard and ISU look far worse than Barta. I have an issue with giving up so easily, but, to a large extent, his hands are tied from an investigation perspective. He's pretty much dependent upon ISU and the Ames police on this. If it were me, I'd issue a follow up citing what happened and looking for info from the public. I'd also be getting the police involved by having affected band members file a formal complaint.

The situation in Ames was a powder keg. With the fans whipped into a frenzy by having a late afternoon game which evolved into a night game (and all the extra alcohol that entailed), plus Pollard's childish ways in general (twitter persona etc.) plus very high expectations for a victory, college gameday and the very frustrating loss, things could have gotten VIESHA-level ugly quite easily. Honestly, I think we're lucky it wasn't much worse.

If I had any say in the issue, I'd seriously consider dropping the series. I think it's just a matter of time before something horrendous happens and it gets dropped anyway. Why not shut it down before the disaster?

 

[David1979]

you know, for a former Gazette editor, it sure takes you a long time to answer a question.

It is nice of you to walk back your previous statements and admit you were wrong. You said previously, and I quote you, that it was a fact that ISU beat itself on Saturday.

Wrong.

Iowa beat Clown U. Iowa was the better team. Clown U did not beat itself.

Why are you so annoying?

 

[DodgerHawki]

I mean, what was the point of his press release? Either there was a complaint that should have been taken seriously or there was a complaint that shouldn't have been taken seriously. In the first, you gather information and make a press release. In the second, you gather facts and don't issue a press release.

In neither situation does it make sense to issue a press release about investigating incidents and then a second one saying nothing happened. It's PR common sense, don't create a news story if there isn't one, there was no need for the Iowa athletic dept. to get out ahead of this.

And that's not to say I believe nothing happened, but if Barta would have taken the time to talk to Pollard first, investigate in another day or so, and then along with Pollard release something, that would have looked much better. So parents/band members go to the media first, so what? You respond with you are investigating. Do we honestly think him issuing a press release right away placated the band/families?

Agreed. There was zero point on the press release. It accomplished nothing, and if anything just made the ISU administration defensive. Do your damn job and investigate the issue with the people who can do something about it, the ISU administration and ISU/Ames police. If Iowa really did issue a press release to placate the Iowa band members, then the Iowa administration is far worse than I thought they were (and that's saying something).

All this does now is make is set it up so that Iowa gets lambasted next year when the Iowa State band is here and the inevitable drunk fan does something ridiculous.

I am not saying I don't believe the social media posts by band members about what happened. I find it rather believable. But if the people who did it can't be identified and if there is no proof/evidence to be able to move forward in a court of law, I'm not sure what else can be done at this point. Sue Iowa State for unsafe environment? I suppose so, but you pretty much end the series at that point and open up Iowa to being sued by every fan/band that comes to Kinnick in the future.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

How can you blame Barta for not defending the band while at the same time blaming him firing the field hockey coach?

TG was overrated and iowa is now back in the top ten.

I don't blame him for the firing. I do blame him for not having common sense and looking incompetent by not documenting anything leading up to the firing, which is something you learn like your first 3 years in a professional world. Like, it's insane how terribly he handled that as an athletic director at a major university.

 

[Jack Slice]

I didn't see the exit of the band but I did see them walk in at the beginning. They walked, in loose formation, through the heart of tailgate land. They weren't playing or performing on the walk. No way four security people could cover or witness anything along the whole column. I was in Lot 85E and it looked like they marched up from South 4th, making way through bathroom lines.. Again, I didn't see how they exited but it seems like they could/should get a bus closer to the stadium.

 

[BAJDHawkeye]

My daughter is one of the po’d band members. For those who don’t know, the HMB is now part of athletics and overseen by them. If you look at Hawkeye Sports website you’ll see that the band is listed. I think this has to do with Nike sponsoring the band and providing their various shirts hats pants warmups etc. Si, it was up to Athletics to investigate. The band members weren’t expecting arrests, just a strong public statement describing what happened and how this is much more than the standard drunk fan harassment

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I don't blame him for the firing. I do blame him for not having common sense and looking incompetent by not documenting anything leading up to the firing, which is something you learn like your first 3 years in a professional world. Like, it's insane how terribly he handled that as an athletic director at a major university.

So you wanted him to disobey his superiors?

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

So you wanted him to disobey his superiors?

He was told to not document any incidents, complaints, or conversations? If so, then a whole lot more people should be fired...

 

[L. Wade Childress]

He was told to not document any incidents, complaints, or conversations? If so, then a whole lot more people should be fired...

He fired her per the terms of the employment agreement in place.

 

[hawkfeever]

To this point, the U of I Prez has had GB's back on matters. They stated as such on the local ESPN show yesterday afternoon. Some donors went to Prez after the Dolph issue last year when Barta suspended Dolph and they went to Prez to support Dolph and they were told by Prez he had Barta's back. End of story.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

He fired her per the terms of the employment agreement in place.

Yes, and that's why Iowa didn't pay millions of dollars in a lawsuit settlement...ohhhh wait...

 

[anon_bb9wlf9kj42py]

How can you blame Barta for not defending the band while at the same time blaming him firing the field hockey coach?

TG was overrated and iowa is now back in the top ten.

Has anybody ever complained about the firing? What they are complaining about his him not doing his job as a supervisor, documenting everything so that when a change needed to be made he didn't cost the university millions.

 

[hawkfeever]

He was told to not document any incidents, complaints, or conversations? If so, then a whole lot more people should be fired...

What Barta hoped is that she would interview and leave. She did interview but was not hired. Wasn't it like 20 something times? Had she been hired and left end of story everybody lives happily ever after. You make your own assumptions as to why someone can interview that many times and not get one offer.

 

[gojojo]

Iowans need more things to talk about as this event sure has gotten more attention than it has deserved. Seems like it's time to put it to bed.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

What Barta hoped is that she would interview and leave. She did interview but was not hired. Wasn't it like 20 something times? Had she been hired and left end of story everybody lives happily ever after. You make your own assumptions as to why someone can interview that many times and not get one offer.

That may be but it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that any basic HR course or even the HR person at a 5 person company would tell you that if you are planning to fire someone to document everything, especially if there are any conversations or incidents leading up to the firing. It doesn't matter if her firing was warranted, an employer can't just fire someone without any support (documentation) and expect not to be countered by the employee for wrongful termination. This is like business 101 stuff. There is absolutely no reason not to document things other than incompetence.

In the even small possibility she would have sued because of the circumstances you laid out, all Barta had to do was present evidence of the multiple conversations, complaints, and failures on her part that led to the firing. He couldn't, so Iowa lost.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Has anybody ever complained about the firing? What they are complaining about his him not doing his job as a supervisor, documenting everything so that when a change needed to be made he didn't cost the university millions.

Again, knowing the background of the individuals involved Gary asked for advice on the proper way to proceed and followed it.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

Again, knowing the background of the individuals involved Gary asked for advice on the proper way to proceed and followed it.

Anyone that advised him not to document anything is dumb and I don't want running anything in my university. Just because they advised him of that doesn't mean Barta had to be dumb enough not to.

Again, documenting this stuff is common sense. There was absolutely no reason to not document anything unless he was directly told not to, in which case something shady is going on and he should have been smart enough to realize it.

 

[mtdew_fever]

Barta probably had info, but he is absolutely terrible in handling the public relations part of his job. Honestly, very few are worse than him and it happens every single year.

Definitely needs someone to come in to write out what he should say and how to do it.

Stupid. Barta never should have issued a statement w/o having some data. He needs a PR manager, or if he has a personal PR person, they need to be fired.

That said, at least he isn’t a douchey troll who claims his winless coach “owns” his in-state rival’s color.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

The only terrible about our PR is the fans instant negativity towards god damned everything.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

The only terrible about our PR is the fans instant negativity towards god damned everything.

Do you honestly think Barta and the university look better today than they did Sunday morning? Seriously?

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Do you honestly think Barta and the university look better today than they did Sunday morning? Seriously?

In my eyes? I don’t think any of this is a big deal because I do not overreact to everything and the iowa athletic department does not control my self image.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

In my eyes? I don’t think any of this is a big deal because I do not overreact to everything and the iowa athletic department does not control my self image.

In the public's eyes. Like it or not, our team and university are affected by public perception. Is this going to have drastic negative effects? No way. But the more stories that come out about how an athletic dept. mishandled something is going to have effects on prospective athletes, students, and potentially donors, whether you agree with it or not. That's reality.

 

[ghostpony]

In my eyes? I don’t think any of this is a big deal because I do not overreact to everything and the iowa athletic department does not control my self image.

That’s the UNI athletics department’s job. Amirite? ;D

 

[L. Wade Childress]

In the public's eyes. Like it or not, our team and university are affected by public perception. Is this going to have drastic negative effects? No way. But the more stories that come out about how an athletic dept. mishandled something is going to have effects on prospective athletes, students, and potentially donors, whether you agree with it or not. That's reality.

Yeah...so why don’t our fans stop assuming the worst? Read the often linked story about bartas alleged mistakes...most of them are so trivial it’s a joke. But we eat our own here.

 

[BigOHawk]

Not over yet folks...this is moving into new territory, very sad and troubling.
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/n...ysical-sexual-assault-allegations/2384185001/

 

[ghostpony]

Yeah...so why don’t our fans stop assuming the worst? Read the often linked story about bartas alleged mistakes...most of them are so trivial it’s a joke. But we eat our own here.

I swear a large part of it is Barta kind of looks like a slow dork, but he’s not at all.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

Yeah...so why don’t our fans stop assuming the worst? Read the often linked story about bartas alleged mistakes...most of them are so trivial it’s a joke. But we eat our own here.

Sorry, I just feel that losing $6.5M for wrongful termination or discrimination (take your pick) is not trivial.

Point to Barta following orders, but that's the point. If he followed orders and it's cost us millions, he's an idiot.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Sorry, I just feel that losing $6.5M for wrongful termination or discrimination (take your pick) is not trivial.

Point to Barta following orders, but that's the point. If he followed orders and it's cost us millions, he's an idiot.

Key words “most of them”

 

[Pepperman]

Not over yet folks...this is moving into new territory, very sad and troubling.
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/n...ysical-sexual-assault-allegations/2384185001/

We have a responsibility to keep this going as well. It is unacceptable that there are many ill-informed fans (mostly ISU fans) that are saying "well, nothing was reported to the police, and there were four officers with the band, so clearly nothing happened"...

 

[Burbank84]

Read the Des Moines Register article. Lone Clone. You must be so proud! I’m sure you would be just as casual about this if your daughter was groped.

 

[Burbank84]

Read the Des Moines Register article. Lone Clone — You must be so proud! I’m sure you would be just as casual about this if your daughter was groped.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

Key words “most of them”

Fair enough. I guess only time will tell which one this is. *shrugs*

 

[hknation]

Per Pollard, "if it happened, it would be on our video, it is everywhere". Well, now Pollard knows where and what allegedly happened......what does the video show?

I find it hard to believe if what is alleged happened, it's also recorded on someone's cell phone.

Now, do these new FB posts by band members, keep the story in the news and "reopen" the investigation?

 

[JStandefer]

Band-gate is not over
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...ysical-sexual-assault-allegations/2384185001/