Is Jerry Tipton the Dread Pirate Roberts?
There has been quite a controversy brewing in the last few days here in the Big Blue Nation over a couple of interviews that Marc Maggard of Kentucky Ink did with the parents of two of Kentucky's youngest and most recent verbal commitments -- Vinny Zollo and Michael Avery (Note: The Howard Avery interview is about 30 minutes long, and the relevant part does not appear until near the end). In these interviews, Maggard asked the mother of Zollo and the father of Avery to talk about the interviews Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald-Leader had with them, among many other things. Their answers created a firestorm of criticism and invective directed at Tipton and the Lexington Herald-Leader that have set the on-line blogs and message boards ablaze.
At this point, I think it is fair to warn you, Dear Reader, that this is going to be a long piece, essentially an essay. I am going to carefully examine this issue, and if you don't have the time to read it, stop now. Still here? Good. Here we go:
The facts of the case, as best I can glean them from Maggard's website, his interviews with Avery and Zollo's parents, and reading the numerous threads about the subject are these:
- Jerry Tipton interviewed the parents of Zollo and Avery about their commitments to UK. In them, he asked the usual questions about why committing so early, why Kentucky, etc. The sort of stuff that one would figure newspaper reporters would normally ask.
- In addition to 1 above, Tipton apparently asked both parents (and we do not know the wording of these questions) something along the lines of, "Are you concerned about the fact that Gillispie is considered to be arrogant and hard to play for?" and asked Avery something along the lines of, "There have been injuries at UK that some have attributed to the more difficult and numerous practices Gillispie holds, does that concern you?"
- Tipton allegedly mentioned or asked a question to Zollo's mother about "rumors" surrounding the coach, apparently including his two earlier arrests for suspicion of DUI. This allegation is a bit fuzzy in the recorded record, but Marc Maggard has insisted that Zollo's mother was more candid with him off the record about this subject, and even included an intimation that Lexington was a bad place to live.
- Mr. Avery explicitly denied that Tipton ever mentioned any drinking or womanizing rumors, or discussed Lexington's suitability.
- Both parents suggested that potentially negative aspects of Coach Gillispie's personality were discussed -- i.e. how "hard" he was on players, that he was arrogant, etc.
- Both parents stated that they were "uncomfortable" with some of Tipton's questions, ostensibly because of their perception of them as negative. Both of the parents declined to discuss the Tipton interview in detail, citing a desire to keep most of the details private.
First of all, let me say that I am not disputing anything Maggard is saying about what he was told. I don't know Marc, but I am familiar with his work and read his website and I think he does a fine job over at Kentucky Ink, especially when it comes to recruiting. With that said, I must point out that Marc Maggard has made it abundantly clear that he does not like Tipton, and considers him a threat to Kentucky's recruiting. I will have more on this point later, but the reason I mention it now is that we must accept that Maggard has chosen a side here against Tipton. That doesn't change Marc's facts in the least, but we do have to separate the facts he presents from his conclusions. Second, let me point out that I am not unbiased, either. I am not a journalist, and I don't play one on the Internet. Like Marc, I am a UK partisan, and anything that hurts UK recruiting is very much "Not OK" with me. Keep these two things firmly in mind while reading the rest.
Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, I want to examine the whole "hard and frequent practice creates injury" thing. First of all, the medical side. Here is a description of stress fractures from eMedicine.com:
- Kentucky suffered 3 stress fractures this year, and abnormally high number.
- Kentucky, by acclamation of various sources, practiced much harder under Gillispie this year than last -- game day practices, "boot camp," etc.
- Stress fractures are caused by "overuse."
- Gillispie's practice habits constitute an increased load on the bones in question that had not been experienced before by the players.
Is it logical to conclude that the additional frequency and intensity of Gillispie's practice routine produced the stress fractures? No. Is it logical to conclude that those same practice habits may have produced, or significantly contributed to, the overuse that cumulatively resulted in stress fracture? Absolutely. Can you connect Michael Porter's concussion to these practices and their frequency? No -- concussions are a part of basketball that can occur anytime -- Just ask Ramel Bradley.
So while we don't have a straight "connect the dots" cause-and-effect conclusion, we do have what is essentially strong evidence that the team may not have been as physically prepared for the additional stress as Gillispie thought, and the stress fractures may have been partially due to that increased workload. Does this cast aspersions on Gillispie's character or his judgment? In no way. There is no way a reasonable person could have foreseen these injuries, and no thinking human being in Gillispie's position would knowingly risk injuries like this to his best players. But medically, and logically, it is possible to conclude in hindsight that UK's new tougher practices could have been a contributing factor. I encourage any medical professionals who read this blog to correct my reasoning if they see a flaw. To me, Tipton asking this question to the two new Wildcats' parents does not seem over the top. Tipton would be incorrect to suggest a straight-line logical conclusion that Gillispie's practices were the cause of the injuries, but it isn't at all clear from the record available to me that is what he did.
Moving along to the suggestions by Zollo's mother that Tipton discussed "rumors" with her that were "negative," I can only say this -- If Jerry Tipton asked about Gillispie's record of previous DUI related arrests, that is fair game. That is public record, not a rumor, and not subject to dispute. It is also public record that Gillispie was not convicted either time, so if he mentioned the arrests without also mentioning the lack of conviction, I would consider that a problem -- as I have pointed out before, Tipton sometimes writes articles that lack balance, and in almost every case, UK's or Gillispie's mitigating factors are the "balance" that gets left out. That could be Tipton simply being a curmudgeon and writing "defensively," i.e. he would rather be seen as a critic than a "homer," or it could be (and I don't believe this is the case) evidence of some kind of anti-UK agenda on Tipton's part.
The Herald-Leader editor Linda Austin defended Tipton in this post on the Herald-Leader's "Behind the Headlines" blog. In it, she denied that Tipton had asked Robyn Curry (Zollo's mother) about rumors surrounding Gillispie, or commented in any way about Lexington as a place to live. What we appear to have, therefore, is a conflict between off-the-air series of comments Marc Maggard claims Curry had with him (and I see no reason why Marc should dissemble about that) and Tipton's side of the story as related by Austin. While it is not out of the realm of possibility that any person in this chain of events is just flat lying, what is usually the case is that there is some sort of a misunderstanding or miscommunication between the parties. I think this is the strongest probability here.
So what are UK fans to make of all this? Well, I don't blame Kentucky fans for being angry. Even if we assume that Austin's defense of Tipton represents the objective facts and that much of this is a misunderstanding (which, by the way, I do), Tipton asking recruits' parents about injuries in this manner does not make me happy. As Cat fans, we don't want to see the potential negatives of our program, especially when the connection to the facts is not indisputable, paraded in front of the people who have the most influence on where their sons or daughters matriculate.
Marc Maggard recently said in a post on Kentucky Ink, "I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that Tipton is UK enemy #1." I can understand why he thinks so, even if I would demand a lot more proof of that statement than has been supplied so far, and from more than one verifiable source saying so without equivocation. Is Tipton deliberately setting out to sabotage Kentucky's basketball program? I don't believe so, but then again, I can't and won't attempt to prove he isn't. If he is, he is violating every tenet of journalism I know of, and probably should be disciplined by the Herald-Leader. If he isn't, which I believe, his questions are still a good reason for UK fans to be angry with him. While the injury thing is out there, it is far from being a cause-and-effect slam dunk, and I can't see why it should be mentioned in questioning for an article. In fact, Curry denied in the podcast that Tipton had asked any questions along the lines of "have you heard that Gillispie works his players to the point of injury." With respect to the rumors, I am dismissing that as a misunderstanding -- Curry did say that Tipton asked if she had heard any rumors about Gillispie, but that other reporters had also asked her the same thing. Avery flat out denied any questions about rumors from Tipton. With respect to Gillispie's "hard" attitude, I suppose that is a fair question, and we should just let that pass. Other coaches have had to endure similar, and nobody could mistake Billy Gillispie for Mother Theresa.
Kentucky fans over at Kentucky Ink and The Cats Pause have gone so far as to demand Tipton be fired, and are trying to organize a boycott of the Herald-Leader's advertisers. Quite frankly, I think that given the facts that we have to work with, and notwithstanding Maggard's admonition that Tipton is "UK enemy #1," that is over the top. Unless someone can provide verifiable evidence that Tipton is actively trying to sabotage UK recruiting (and folks, despite what some will tell you, what I have seen so far doesn't qualify), I see nothing professionally or ethically wrong with the questions Tipton is asking these people and the pieces he writes for the Herald-Leader. He is certainly not endearing himself to me by doing what he is doing, but when it comes to people who's jobs are to write stories about objective facts, it is hard to justify such extreme action just because we don't like the questions they are asking -- especially when those questions relate to issues that are not rumor and not innuendo. If Tipton legitimately believes the injury thing is an issue, I guess it is fair to ask about it, although I think the evidence supporting it is less than totally compelling.
In the final analysis, I think what we have here is a couple of things: Tipton has been asking questions that probe issues most UK fans would not want probed. Further, I question whether some of these issues are really solidly grounded enough in fact to be considered issues at all, but that is a judgment call that is certainly within the province of the reporter to make. I think from listening closely to these interviews that Tipton's reputation is preceding him in at least one of them (Robyn Curry), and that makes me question whether or not some anti-Tipton bias may be responsible for some of the comments made by Curry in particular. Curry stated in her interview that Tipton first called Zollo's high school coach, who subsequently called her and warned her Tipton was "an ass."
In the end, though, what I think we will wind up with is what we have had for a long time now -- Kentucky fans at odds with Jerry Tipton, and to some extent, the Herald-Leader. That is nothing new. We at A Sea of Blue have taken media types, Tipton included, to task many times and will continue to do so when circumstances warrant. But what I have seen so far about this situation is a lot more heat than light.

Update [2008-5-8 15:17:24 by Truzenzuzex]: Matt Jones holds forth on the Tipton controversy. Interesting read -- don't miss it.
Update [2008-5-8 19:18:38 by Truzenzuzex]: Fake Gimel strikes! If you haven't read this post at Firebilly.com, drop what you are doing and get thee hence.
Update [2008-5-8 19:23:41 by Truzenzuzex]: UK Wildcat Country has thoughts. No shrinking violet, this guy.
0 recs |
76
comments
| Add your comment
Comments
While I agree with mos
by uky01 on
May 8, 2008 10:28 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Did he?
It could be an agenda. It could be a reporter being thorough and making sure the implications of his question were completely understood.
Your mileage may vary. I'm not a journalist either, so my opinion doesn't count for any more than yours.
:-)
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 10:38 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
I believe he was
by uky01 on
May 8, 2008 10:50 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Keep in mind ...
But your conclusion may also be correct.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 10:59 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
I agree
by uky01 on
May 8, 2008 11:18 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
I appreciate ...
Thank you.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 11:24 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
In my opinion
by btcoop71 on
May 8, 2008 10:37 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
When you have time ...
The problem is that there is a lot of equivocation going on in both interviews.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 10:40 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Can we bar him from talking to recruits?
by GoCats on
May 8, 2008 10:53 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
My take
That being said, I have and do believe that he has gone above and beyond "objective" reporting multiple times. I don't think he wants to sabotage Kentucky necessarily or even recruiting, but I do believe he is firmly against Gillispie, and firmly against him on a personal level. I think Gillispie could win the championship next year, and Tipton would still be at odds with him.
Conclusion - Tipon wants Gillispie gone, and his stabs at Gillipie and his style (personal and professional) have become more over the top and more blatant of late. I think he wants Kentucky to succeed, just without Gillipie at the helm. Should Tipton be censured or fired? Maybe not just yet - but surely he should temper his personal issues. Let him post on KSR, etc. his personal dislike bordering on hatred of BCG, but keep that out of his columns. Personal grudges do not equal objective journalism.
by blbskue on
May 8, 2008 10:46 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Fire Him
Tipton better pray I never hit the Lottery. One time after some buddies and I were griping about him one guy said "If I ever hit the mega millions I'm buyin' the HL jus to put his butt on the street." That stuck in my brain enough that one day I tried to figure out how much it would take to do such a thing. Less than I thought it would....still a lot though, gotta hit a big jackpot :). Any way, those guys and I have a pact. If we hit a big one the HL is OURS! Bwahahahahahahahah!
by sylvar on
May 8, 2008 10:53 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
My Friends
That "my friends" may very well sum it up in a "nutshell"!
by lccat on
May 8, 2008 10:53 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
listen to Mr Avery's interview
by uky01 on
May 8, 2008 10:59 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Regarding this:
Maybe I didn't hear correctly, but I thought that Robyn Curry actually said that Tipton had tried to call Vinny's high school coach, who was not cooperative with Tipton and that he (Tipton) basically said that the high school coach was an ass and wouldn't provide any information. I could have misunderstood of course, but that is what I took away from that particular part of the interview.
But, whatever, I suppose it doesn't really matter, I like the Tipton is "an ass" translation better anyway! ; )
by BigSkyCat on
May 8, 2008 12:10 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Go Jerry!
We already have enough Rah Rah reporting concerning the follies at the University.
Apparently he not in anyone's 'pocket' and can see the foolishness of the program's recent events.
by Paris10 on
May 8, 2008 11:01 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Well ...
But I think your comment about "foolishnes ..." certainly deserves some explaining, and how Tipton's approach is valuable to UK, or to anyone else, for that matter.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 11:05 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
What are you referring too?
What does that mean?
by GoCats on
May 8, 2008 11:08 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
We know the type
by sylvar on
May 8, 2008 11:23 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Tru
And like Mr Gump once said "thats all I got to say about that" :)
by String Music on
May 8, 2008 11:19 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
I understand ...
As long as people behave with decorum, it is my task to keep the conversation moving and to ask for justification. We try to inform as well as opine, and I see that as part of my job.
:-)
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 11:26 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Regardless
If UK fans feel that Tipton is out to damage the UK Basketball program or its coach under the aegis of the Herald-Leader, then by all means, they should express their displeasure with the advertisers and the editors. The HL is a product, and if the readership is not happy with it, the only way to remedy its shortcomings are with feedback.
That said, any allegations that Tipton is doing things to harm UK should be rigorously investigated for factual basis, being careful to avoid bias of stakeholders on both sides (Maggard and Linda Austin). That said, this is far from the first time Tipton has drawn the ire of the UK fanbase.
by EEWildcat on
May 8, 2008 11:27 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Absolutely ...
I don't think there are enough facts to warrant any kind of an investigation other than an interview with Tipton, a review of his notes and recordings to ensure there is no obvious problem. That seems to have been done. Much of this looks to me like less a matter of demonstrable agenda-pushing and more a matter of perception on the part of the principles.
It seems clear, though, that Jerry Tipton's people skills aren't the greatest. He managed to make both parents uncomfortable, and that seems passing strange to me under the circumstances.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 11:35 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
This is the first
by rockatao on
May 8, 2008 1:25 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Tipton has agenda
If I remember correctly, Tipton was the one who reported about Buike's dad and caused him to leave the team early.
I have read more than enough to conclude Tipton is trying hard to use controversy, create havoc in our program for his personal gain.
I also have reason to believe Maggard heard some dissatisfaction from people high up in our team. That could be Maggard's very basis of calling Tipton as "UK basketball No. 1 enemy." It is just absurd that Tipton trying to stir up doubt in recruits (parents) head right after they commit to UK.
by khlim2 on
May 8, 2008 11:33 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Azubuike's dad
Dr. Azubuike was not only in trouble with the feds, but in poor health as well, having had a heart transplant around the same time as his indictment. I don't think that was ever mentioned, but the combination of the federal fine and medical bills undoubtedly contributed more to Azubuike's decision than anything else.
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 11:51 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Missing the point
The job of the former is to hold institutions (such as the government) accountable to the readers/taxpayers, etc.... which is what the readers want. It's what they "commission", so to speak, the reporter to do. In that case, it makes sense to take a cynical approach and expose the seedy underbelly of whatever institution is being covered.
The sports writer, on the other hand, exists to cover the sport for the FANS who follow the team. It doesn't mean they have to check their journalistic credentials at the door, but they shouldn't be constantly trying to dig up dirt either.
There is a place for digging up dirt in sports, whether it's steroid use or illegal recruiting. But leave that to the investigative journalists and social commentators. Keep it out of the sports pages.
by tzuzaki on
May 8, 2008 11:39 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Exactly...
I see his title as UK beat writer.
While there may be occasion where the two coincide, it is not by definition his role to dig up dirt, particularly when he's covering a story such as a recruit's verbal commitment.
Where would his probing questioning of the parents (which I listened to the description of closely from MM's podcast) have any part in the "story" of Zollo or Avery's commitment? Did they initiate the subject?
If not, then HE is instigating the question, betraying clearly a preconceived agenda to his story.
He can write whatever he wants to write, but I fully encourage the readership to pursue whatever ends they feel appropriate, as democracy plays itself out.
Tipton has a lot of friends and admirers in the national print media -- the Decourceys and Feinsteins -- for his work in unmasking the cheating and shenanigans of the Sutton era.
But at some point, he seemed to become obsessed with this role, to the obvious ire of the UK fanbase, and in my opinion, to the detriment of the overall image and atmosphere of the program.
As many on here have noted, if Gillispie is boinking coeds and drinking himself to sleep, so long as he's not causing the institution disrepute or breaking the law, he's single and free to do this.
Whether Tipton feels it's right is immaterial. Cover the fucking ballgames and quit trying to win a Pulitzer to make yourself feel less hollow.
The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...
by JL Blue on
May 8, 2008 11:57 AM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Tipton
I dont and havent liked Tipton for some time. Im not totally convinced that he is completely unethical but regardless my distate for him is equaling loathsome troll porportions.
I think it's quite clear that he definitley has an agenda of some sort and to me that is not proper reporting at all.
by davw83 on
May 8, 2008 11:39 AM EDT
reply
0 recs
Online Petition
by IndyCat644 on
May 8, 2008 12:04 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
I listened to both the Curry and Avery interview.
What bothers me most about that interview is the fact that Mr. Avery actually says that he felt uncomfortable at times during the interview and that with some of the questions; he and Tipton had actually gotten into a "discussion." When the parent of a newly committed recruit says that he felt uncomfortable in an interview with a journalist reporting on UK basketball and that he admittedly stepped back and questioned his son's decision to commit to UK, for me that is a problem and hurts UK basketball and everything that the coaching staff is trying to accomplish. Mr. Avery himself stated that he didn't think the interview was positive for UK. Being a journalist is one thing, but do the questions have to escalate into "discussions" resulting in doubts being placed in the minds of the parents and recruits in their decision to commit to UK?
by BigSkyCat on
May 8, 2008 12:05 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Mr. Avery
by chirop1 on
May 8, 2008 1:37 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Avery ...
I listened closely to the interview.
:-)
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 1:42 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Tipton / agenda
Tipton is a failed journalist as are all "sportswriters". You flunk out of journalism school, you look for a job as a "sportswriter". There is no substiation for that remark but one needs to only read the guys "work". There are many who would qualify but Jerry case is unique in that he works for what is probably one of the worst "rags" in the business.
I digress---I was exposed to the crap written by two "sportswriters" for most of my adult life. One was named Mariotti, the other Rosenbloom.
Old Jer is simply cast in their mould ( yeah I know ). His problem is that his stage is so small he has to try harder so he lies.
When you live in the same camp as does the likes of Kelley, Gallman, Pett, and Keeling that's a way of life.
by Blujean on
May 8, 2008 12:26 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Lame...
As the person who began this site, and its predecessor, your comment rather offends me, and anyone who has given you analysis and a forum to voice this thoughtless drivel.
The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...
by JL Blue on
May 8, 2008 12:37 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
The "Ass" comment
by keidahg on
May 8, 2008 12:38 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Yeah
To the BCG remark, I think she said something like, "I'm sure everyone can be an ass sometimes!" Go Robyn! She sounds awesome!
by BigSkyCat on
May 8, 2008 1:07 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Do You Really Want Your Eyes Closed?
by SoCalCat on
May 8, 2008 12:40 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Living with eyes closed
The entire point of the discussion centers on the appropriateness of a beat reporter for the local paper approaching recruits who have not signed a National Letter of Intent with questionable motives. I don't see the relevance in your statement.
by chirop1 on
May 8, 2008 2:44 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
lol ... MM is pissed off
take it easy Truz... I have read you long enough to know you are not directing you attack to MM. And I have read MM long enough to know that' just his personality.
by khlim2 on
May 8, 2008 12:46 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
I left ...
But, that's how this medium is sometimes, and this kind of thing happens. Comes with the territory.
:-)
by Truzenzuzex on
May 8, 2008 1:32 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
You should take him up on the raido invite
by IndyCat644 on
May 8, 2008 2:41 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
MM
by Clandestine on
May 8, 2008 2:46 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Chirop1
by kentuckygirl0724 on
May 8, 2008 12:48 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Awww shucks
With the upgrades to the site delayed to tomorrow, my "change induced" stress will be shifted back a day! ;-)
by chirop1 on
May 8, 2008 1:39 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
ASS Comment
by davw83 on
May 8, 2008 12:56 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
I disagree...
by rockatao on
May 8, 2008 1:41 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
I just listened again
by funkadelic on
May 8, 2008 2:29 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
Kentucky fans
Well, maybe the whole Oklahoma State/Mike Gundy explosion on their team's reporter (I'm a man! I'm forty!). Actually I'd kind of like to see Marc Maggard go off Gundy style on Tipton. That'd be a sight for sore eyes.
Any who, I don't really like Tipton, but I need to see a lot more before I say the man needs to be removed from his job and the paper's advertisers boycotted.
Also, I can't believe Maggard called Tipton "UK enemy #1." Does anyone have any proof that Tipton has caused ANY damage to the program's recruiting efforts? Furthermore, if a recruit elects to matriculate elsewhere because of what a beat reporter told him, it is unlikely he had strong convictions to attend to begin with. With as much negative recruiting that goes on, I can't believe that any potential recruit hasn't heard the allegations about Gillispie from a host of rival schools. Nothing Tipton said to these kids was groundbreaking.
In sum, we can dislike Tipton for many things, but I know of nothing we can blame him for.
"That's why I don't read the newspaper. Because it's garbage! And the editor that let it come out is garbage! Makes me want to puke!" --M. Gundy
by Thomas Hunt Morgan on
May 8, 2008 1:21 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
stress fractures and Gillispie practices...
Patrick Patterson himself said that while in high school he always had ankle problems.
by kirwanhallcat on
May 8, 2008 1:58 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Stress Fractures
As a chiropractor, I do get the occaisional patient that comes through my front door with fractures of varying degrees and types. Tru's research is factual where it regards the stress fracture. A sudden increase in exercise habits can lead to injuries of this nature. Is it in any way predictable who will succomb to this or how much exercise is too much? Not in the least.
The toughest part about dealing with a stress fracture is that it often does not show up on a routine x-ray in the early stages and therefore is often confused with a chronic sprain/strain type injury. By the time you can see it on film, it is generally quite advanced. MRI (relatively expensive) or a Bone Scan (relatively cost effective) would be the diagnostic procedures of choice for these. The reason it will show up on these studies is because they are looking for fluid/soft tissue as opposed to osseous (boney) structures. These studies are diagnostic for the injury because they pick-up the increased blood flow to the area of injury as the body attempts to heal.
Bottom line... could the increased practices have caused the stress fractures? Possibly. In all likelihood they were caused by the sudden increase in practices after the players had been in state of less-than-optimum conditioning. Therefore, I blame Tubby and his piss-poor conditioning program prior to Gillispie's arrival. ;-)
by chirop1 on
May 8, 2008 2:28 PM EDT
up
reply
0 recs
"Journalism"
A lot of this discussion about journalism falls under a similar context of the talk all over the national sports scene regarding the Boston Herald and "Spygate." IMO. Mike and Mike this morning were talking about the responsibilities of writers and the difference between doing analysis and "breaking a story." I think Tipton sees his roll as to break a story and most of us see it as an analyst (and not a very good one in my mind). Whatever his roll, he is not endearing himself to the readership of the LHJ.
The second issue that stands out for me is that he is harassing the parents of the very same children that so much of the "respected media" says are too young to be approached with these issues. "Let them be kids." "Coaches are ruining their childhood." I hear these things from all corners... well what about Tipton causing problems for them? Even if it is through their parents, so is the recruiting! Where is the uproar about the mistreatment of these 14-15 year old kids by Jerry Tipton???
Lastly, Coach Gillispie is prohibited from talking about these kids for at least 3 more years. Where is the fairness in all of that? Tipton and his ilk are allowed to criticize Gillispie's choice in recruits, but the coach can't respond in any way, shape, or form. Tipton can call up the parents at anytime to say "Hey... pssst... didja hear that Billy was seen downtown with a Bud Light in his hand last night?" and Gillispie is not allowed to call them up and say "Actually it was a Miller Lite." Tipton is picking a fight with a man who's hands are tied behind his back in regards to both communicating with the parents and with the public at large.
There may be nothing "unethical" about what Tipton has done with these interviews, but it is certainly beyond the point of social decorum. IMHO.
by chirop1 on
May 8, 2008 2:19 PM EDT
reply
0 recs
Evidence
I agree with those that think he's a detriment to UK's recruiting.
by Clandestine on
May 8, 2008 2:41 PM EDT
reply
0 recs

