Wardle Update....

[IWB]

Here is an update on the Brian Wardle investigation, Wardle finally allowed to speak, issues press release.....


BRIAN WARDLE’S STATEMENT

MAY 24, 2013

I am happy this investigation has been completed and I accept the University's decision. I am focused on moving forward, as we are all excited about the possibilities for the upcoming season and the future of Green Bay basketball. Throughout this process, my primary concern was for my family, and the members of our program, who had to deal with allegations that the investigation has proven to be false. But I am also incredibly thankful for their support, and the support of so many others, while my cooperation with the investigation did not let me defend myself publicly.

I want to stress that I am grateful for the opportunity to represent this University and will continue to build a program of which it can be proud. As a head coach it is my responsibility to care for our student athletes as if they were my own children. Their personal development is very important to me. I have done a tremendous amount of reflection and self-examination over the past several months that will help me improve as a coach. I am confident that our players are in a healthy environment where they can reach their academic and athletic potential. I believe the University’s findings support my claim, and my family and I would like to express our gratitude to Chancellor Harden for his leadership in executing a thorough investigation.

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In reading this, it sounds to me like the investigator found either very little or no wrongdoing on Wardle's part.

[TheSultan]

Demovsky just tweeted that "he will face some disciplinary measures." Who knows what that means but yeah...I think it is safe to say that the allegations were not nearly as serious or widespread as the player would lead you to believe.

[Gato78]

Wardle mostly exonerated. Kevin O'Neill would have no chance at UWGB.

[TheSultan]

Gato, are you at liberty to say what the "disciplinary measures" are?

[Gato78]

It is now public record. IWB may post the Chancellor's statement so you can decide for yourself.

[IWB]

I have both releases in a story on front page, release from UWGB Chancellor details disciplinary measures.

[TheSultan]

Yeah, I just got done reading that. Basically they want him to stop swearing and do some other fluff stuff to make UWGB look good.

Slap on the wrist indeed.

[MUMac]

It may have been a slap on the wrist, though as it states nothing other than language was found. All the major points that Bross made were deemed either not to have happened that way or that there were logical reasons (as I stated there likely was to '72 in the discussion about the Wardle preventing Bross from taking a certain course). So, why is his contract not extended? All this because of "language"? Or a look good because someone complained - even though the basis of their complaint is not accepted?

As I stated previously, if I were a head coach at any college or university, I would stay as far away from Bross as possible.

[TheSultan]

It may have been a slap on the wrist, though as it states nothing other than language was found. All the major points that Bross made were deemed either not to have happened that way or that there were logical reasons (as I stated there likely was to '72 in the discussion about the Wardle preventing Bross from taking a certain course). So, why is his contract not extended?


He has four years left on this deal. If he has a good year coming up, I bet they do extend him. They aren't going to extend a coach they just "disciplined."

[Gato78]

Wardle acted in an exemplary fashion throughout. Never said a word, did his job and let the investigation play out. During the course, he picks up 2 recruits and may get another this weekend. Total class act.

[MUMac]

All I can say is WOW. Demonsky and the Green Bay Press Gazette really stick it to Wardle. No mention of the findings. Nothing from Harden's release that the allegations were deemed false. Just a rehash of the allegations and the punishment. Sure makes it look like he was guilty. Demonsky should be embarassed, but I know he is just an idiot who writes for the lowly Green Bay Press Gazette.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20130524/GPG020101/305240308/UWGB-chancellor-Wardle-keep-job-men-s-basketball-coach

[MUMac]

He has four years left on this deal. If he has a good year coming up, I bet they do extend him. They aren't going to extend a coach they just "disciplined."

Not the point. Bross and his mommy complain and Wardle is punished, even though their complaints were not accepted? Give me a break. I am sure that the Administration and AD have seen Wardle's practices. Have heard his language. Never said anything about it, but because this made national news, they needed to punish him for something. Sad, really. Bross created it all because of what? A fabrication? A dream?

Yes, he is likely extended with a good season next year. Imagine the uproar here, though, if the same happened to Buzz.

[Markedman]

Is it true that the the 3rd player who complained was Kam Cerroni?

[TheSultan]

Not the point. Bross and his mommy complain and Wardle is punished, even though their complaints were not accepted? Give me a break. I am sure that the Administration and AD have seen Wardle's practices. Have heard his language. Never said anything about it, but because this made national news, they needed to punish him for something. Sad, really. Bross created it all because of what? A fabrication? A dream?


Well, *some* of his complaints were accepted. But yeah, I doubt it was exactly news to them that he used obscene language. Their response to the allegations were basically PR related anyway.

Was he going to be extended prior to these allegations?

[IWB]

This whole thing is a freaking joke.

So, some kid's mommy complains about a coach, her allegations are over exaggerated and they launch a full scale investigation.

In that time, Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press Gazette makes it his mission to try and get Wardle fired while also trying to get himself a cameo on ESPN. Demovsky tells the world Bross' side of the story, but never tells the other side, even after two players appear on local radio saying the allegations were false. He takes it a step further, and calls Cougill in Sioux City for comments. Really? Cougill? The kid who was kicked out of Iowa faster than he could say "Go Hawkeyes", who is then given a second chance by Wardle, who later saves him from getting kicked out of school TWICE, but the kid joins the Bross fray and Demovsky allows him to tee off?

After all of that, the investigator finds that Bross' story of the crapping in his pants is exaggerated (forever to be known as "He Brossed Himself").... finds that the allegation of preventing him from taking a class was pretty freaking normal and oh...oh no....oh my God no.....he was guilty of swearing? Holy freaking crap, can you believe that? Find me a college coach that doesn't swear at his team and I'll show you a guy that was fired for losing.

Bross, and especially his mom, should be embarrassed. Demovsky should be ashamed. Hell, even in his new story he does not say that they allegations were crap, instead he lists the accusations again. Unreal.

But wait - out of all of this there could be a silver lining...... Wardle has been ordered to "take part in more campus activities"?

YO! BRIAN! DUDE! PLEDGE A FRAT - I WILL PLEDGE WITH YOU!!!

Can see it all now - IWB & Brian Wardle in Old School II. Made for TV as we are both old, married and won't be allowed to swear.

GAME ON! I just hope that during pledge week I don't accidentally Bross myself.

[IWB]

UW-GB should hire Kevin O'Neill on to be Wardle's swearing coach. We could even bring him in to the frat in Old School II, as he could take on a Frank The Tank-esque role.

[Gato78]

IWB's head would explode if he couldn't swear--especially in a collegiate situation.

[BLT]

The mom wouldn't let her adult son talk to the independent investigator that was assigned by UWGB immediately after she filed a written complaint? Bizarro

[Gato78]

And the same day he meets with the investigator he immediately thereafter speaks with the reporter. His name ends up in the paper and his Google fate is sealed.


The mom wouldn't let her adult son talk to the independent investigator that was assigned by UWGB immediately after she filed a written complaint? Bizarro

[Goose85]

That kid should go far, far away from mommy for the rest of his college experience.

Not sure who the heck wrote this, but the writer refers to Bross as "Bross, a 7-foot-1 walk-on rising freshman ..."
Rising freshman, who the heck thought that? Yeah, rising frosh at a D1 program normally transfer to schools like Concordia in Mequon.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/statecolleges/brian-wardle-to-retain-uw-green-bay-coaching-post-b9918652z1-208850101.html

[WarriorNich]

Forget the college level, most of my coaches swore in high school. Baseball, basketball...didn't matter...though I don't recall the cross country coach swearing. The class limits placed on college athletes is standard operating procedure. Sports are a special club that require a certain time commitment. So naturally, there are some things you won't be able to do that non-athletes are able to; there are certain sacrifices that an athlete must make. We each have the free will to set priorities in life.

If a certain priority, like taking a particular class or major, conflicts with another committment, like playing team sports, then a choice must be made. Which is a bigger priority? Bross made a choice, didn't like the results, so just move on. That's what happens in life all the time! Don't whine and complain about it while trying to do harm to someone else by dragging their name through the mud. (I admit, there seems to be a lot of parents who can't accept things like that happen to there kids. There is an over coddled generation entering the work place. I say that as a 32 year old, who grew up just as participation ribbons started to be handed out. I think I got my first one in 4th grade.)

But the one thing that leaves me dumbfounded is going public with an embarrassing story about your child. I understand what Bross's mommy was trying to do-- gain sympathy and support for her child while trumping up the allegations to destroy the career of the man who wronged her baby. But there is this thing called unintended consequences. The military calls it collateral damage. The collateral damage in this case is that Bross is now known as "the virgin who craps his pants." (AKA Brossing yourself, pulling a Bross, or my personal favorite, doing (blank) like a Bross!) Why go public with that story and embarrass your child instead of protecting them? Some parents must be going through life with blinders on and they can't see the forest for the trees!

[TulsaWarrior]

Everything turned against the Bross Family when they went public and didn't let the independent investigation work its course. They lost 95 percent of public support when that happened. It made it look like the family was trying to destroy Wardle's career without a fair hearing. True or not that was the perception. Now they have a public cloud hanging over their son. The off colored jokes and stuff on the Internet will not go away. It's sad. The bottom line -- the way they pursued this did more damage to their son then anything Wardle might have done.

[Nukem2]

Wonder if there might be a civil lawsuit coming out of this as the Brosses obviously have not received much satisfaction from the investigation, which does not really completely exonerate Wardle......?

[TulsaWarrior]

Wouldn't the Bross' have to establish that damage has been done to their son? The same with Wardle. He would have to establish that damage was done to his career. Wardle may have more of a tangible case at this point unless there is a smoking gun that didn't turn up in a six week long independent investigation.

[Gato78]

A lawsuit would not be a good idea if anyone is so inclined. That would get ugly. Wardle was exonerated in every single area of any consequence. The only "infractions" that caused there to be any administrative action were use of language and kidding a student-athlete about sex. Nothing else. In fact it was found he was not abusive towards his players. Many players said they had far more difficult coaches in high school and AAU than Wardle. He was only deemed "harsh" in the words of the investigator. The Chancellor has apparently commissioned the Athletic Director (top shelf guy btw) to prepare uniform standards for all coaches. The use of language will be one of the prime areas of coverage. I am telling you, Brian Wardle's language and tactics were no different than any of his coaches at MU, and the coaches he has worked for in the past. I have watched five practice tapes and he swore 2 times in those tapes and the words were not despicable terms. I ask rhetorically as this goes to a big part of the issue: Can a D1 coach use F-bombs?


Wonder if there might be a civil lawsuit coming out of this as the Brosses obviously have not received much satisfaction from the investigation, which does not really completely exonerate Wardle......?

[MUMac]

A lawsuit would not be a good idea if anyone is so inclined. That would get ugly. Wardle was exonerated in every single area of any consequence. The only "infractions" that caused there to be any administrative action were use of language and kidding a student-athlete about sex. Nothing else. In fact it was found he was not abusive towards his players. Many players said they had far more difficult coaches in high school and AAU than Wardle. He was only deemed "harsh" in the words of the investigator. The Chancellor has apparently commissioned the Athletic Director (top shelf guy btw) to prepare uniform standards for all coaches. The use of language will be one of the prime areas of coverage. I am telling you, Brian Wardle's language and tactics were no different than any of his coaches at MU, and the coaches he has worked for in the past. I have watched five practice tapes and he swore 2 times in those tapes and the words were not despicable terms. I ask rhetorically as this goes to a big part of the issue: Can a D1 coach use F-bombs?

Dick Bennett is an icon at GB. He is a devout Catholic. He also uses vernacular that would make a Sailor blush, when he coaches.

[Gato78]

And Vince Lombardi, IIRC well regarded in that community, could take the paint off the wall.


Dick Bennett is an icon at GB. He is a devout Catholic. He also uses vernacular that would make a Sailor blush, when he coaches.

[ValiantSailor]

He also uses vernacular that would make a Sailor blush, when he coaches.

And I don't blush easily! :cool:

VS

[TulsaWarrior]

Reading the entire independent report it amazes me that such thin allegations got so much coverage. The times we live in? Virtually every allegation was shot down and the complaining parties look like helicopter parents who have done their children a great disservice. Once those two students get out in the big bad world there will be a harsh wake up call.

The university chancellor did what he had to do and should now send the bill to those parents. Coach Wardle needed a bit of a wake up call himself but never deserved this measure of negative publicity.

[Gato78]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=katz_andy&id=9309259

Katz interview

[Goose85]

Cream told him he needed the right attorney to navigate through this, yet no mention of the attorney that did just that.

[Hamostradamus]

Cream told him he needed the right attorney to navigate through this, yet no mention of the attorney that did just that.

563
"I have lots of conjecture and hearsay. Those are kinds of evidence." - Lionel Hutz

[TulsaWarrior]

When I read the Bross Family comments and what I fear coach Wardle's feelings may be I'm reminded of this quote from Nelson Mandela, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”