Strange news release

Anybody ever got a "news" release like this? ...

The following is an official statement that should be attributed the University of New Mexico Athletic Department:

“In response to a concern addressed to the athletic department, we researched an alleged dialogue that occurred between our football coach Michael Locksley and a member of the media. In the course of our research, we obtained a surveillance video of the dialogue owned by the establishment where this occurred.

After viewing the 22 minute video, we voluntarily allowed the Albuquerque Journal access to the video, and after viewing it with the Journal, they came to the identical conclusion of the athletic department that there was nothing to the dialogue, and there was no story or wrongdoing on the part of coach Locksley, or the reporter. We have encouraged the Journal and other media outlets to contact the establishment to obtain a copy of the video.

We consider this matter closed and look forward to watching coach Locksley’s team battle Utah this Saturday.”

 

I would like to watch the video!

 

Yeah. UNM encourages the media to get a copy of the video, but it tells a local TV station that it doesn't have a copy.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1748628.shtml?cat=500

 

What is this even about? "Alleged dialogue?"

 

Maybe it was his birthday. And maybe the reporter heard him yell, "I"m a man! I'm 40!"

 

Edit after reading story that was just posted by the Albuquerque Journal...

So Locksley was not happy that the student writer did a column about the football team after simulating the opener at Oregon (turned out better on the video game, 72-3).

The coach approached him and harassed him, say the student writer and his friend. School got a surveillance tape from the bar, showed to the beat writer and no other media, and then the beat writer agreed that nothing happened. Now there's a big squabble about the tape.

 

And why exactly does anybody give a fuck about New Mexico football or what some kid wrote about the coach or the team in the campus newspaper?
One more paranoid control freak college coach who thinks he's a whole lot more important that he really is.

 

To me it seems about immaturity on Locksley's part -- something we've seen plenty of before. Every coach in the nation gets negative stuff written about them, so why read it and let if get to you? And even if it does bother you, why approach a guy at a sports bar? Call him at the office, or e-mail him.

 

Obviously you did not read the release. There was nothing to it! No story or wrongdoing!


Weirdest part of this whole deal is partnering with the Albuquerque Journal to try the case.

 

As it's a state school, I'd immediately file an FOIA for the video and any correspondence to and from the AD and the coach on the subject. The discussion back and forth may be more interesting than the video itself.

 

According to the Daily Lobo they did FOIA the school for the tape but they claimed that after they got the tape adn watched it, they destroyed it. Now the bar owner doesn't want to give the tape to anyone else and the bar owner spewed a bunch of crap about being positive about the football team adn negative stories only hurt the team.

It's a really, really bizarre situation. The sports editor also said he was afraid to ask questions in press conferences after the coach confronted him.

 

If the coach intimidated the cheeky college sports editor to the point that he was afraid to ask questions in press conferences, I imagine the coach would chalk that up as a W.