Two things to this: 1) With Sunday’s practice and comments on Brady Quinn, it’s now the third weird story surrounding University of Kansas football head coach Charlie Weis… this week; 2) This sort of thing always ends well.
According to KU’s student newspaper, the University Daily Kansan (which drew national attention last week after being called out by Weis on Twitter for its artwork and story leading up to the Kansas State game) says in a story that its reporter was cautioned by KU Athletics officials to not ask questions.
“Sports writer Blake Schuster, a junior from Chicago, said the conversation was meant to interfere with his work,” the story said.
Below that, director of football communications Katy Lonergan’s take was different.
“Lonergan said she did not tell Schuster to refrain from asking questions,” the story said. “‘I just simply advised him that if he did ask questions, he should be prepared for any kind of tone in [Weis'] answer.’”
Conversations like this take place from time to time between media outlets and programs. It happens. But, generally, it isn’t in a meeting setting; it’s done in extremely off-record casual fashion, or maybe in an email if someone is brave enough to allow a paper trail to exist.
That said, it has been pretty amazing to watch the football program go to extended lengths to put the clamps on the campus newspaper… and has had about as much success in doing so as trying to pick up its second win of the season.
And, as far as Lonergan saying she would have that same conversation with any other media over something like this? Sure you would. Please have folks believe you would tell ESPN, FOX Sports, or even the Lawrence Journal-World that they should watch what they ask or be prepared for a change in tone.
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