Bradley's beat writer barred by BU

[VUGrad1314]

Be careful Braves fans Wardle might catch wind of your negative unhelpful posting and ban you for life from Carver.

[CheeseheadCrusader]

Only reason some Bradley fans are defending this is because they won. If this happened after a 10 win season they’d use it as an excuse for a firing.

[Mikovio]

The Valpo fan posted the article about the accusations against Wardle, but didn't mention the results of the independent investigation Green Bay later commissioned. Basically it only confirmed that he used profane language and encouraged a player to have sex. No physical abuse.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... n/2358557/

I don't care how long Dave Reynolds has been doing this, I've never been that impressed. I see errors in his articles regularly that the quickest of proofreadings would catch. And he's generally glass-half-empty with his coverage. Even in today's article, in an attempt to be gracious about what happened, he dwells on how IF Bradley gets a 15 seed it would be the worst in Valley history, detailing that history. And most of the rest is just a cut-and-paste from a Bradley release about when to show up for the selection party and the presence of a cash bar and bouncy house.

Also, it's pathetic how so many of our fans are worshipful of this guy. Did I really see a suggestion a championship coach should be fired because he wouldn't let a newspaper reporter interview his players?? Are you out of your mind??

All this talk about journalistic ethics -- I've even seen the Constitution and freedom of the press brought up, as if that has any bearing on anything -- is silly. I'm sure Thomas Jefferson really had in mind Dave Reynolds being denied access to Nate Kennell. This is midmajor basketball. You're not on the front lines in Yemen. Quit being such a dour jeez.

I will say it wasn't Reynolds's fault that the PJS ran a headline on his story that had "Fire Wardle" in it. That's some idiot copy editor. But regardless the PJS needs to get its s*** together and realize this town needs some good news and Edward R Murrow won't roll in his grave if you're a bit enthusiastic. Christ.

Couldn't disagree more.

If you think Dave Reynolds has a glass half empty take, then maybe Bradley shouldn't have been so terrible at basketball for the past 30 years. You can only write so much positive stuff about a program in down years before it looks like you're pandering to them. Dave isn't a perfect writer, but his body of work speaks for itself and I have always found his writing to be looking for the silver lining rather than focusing on the negative.

Hahahaha you are complaining about him pointing out that most bracketologists think Bradley will get a 15 seed and that it would be the worst in Bradley history? Do you work for the Bradley media relations department? Those are called FACTS my dude. People like to hear FACTS in stories and how this team compares against other Bradley teams of the past. I suggest you keep getting your news from bradleyfans.com and the Bradley social media pages because you can't handle an objective news source.

I'm not saying it's not factual-- I'm saying he picks facts that paint a dour picture, even in a time that by their own admission should be celebratory. It's a classic example of the glass half empty reporting we get from the PJS. Another example. The day after BU won Arch Madness, Nick Vlahos wrote a column that winning Arch Madness wasn't enough because they didn't win the regular season. I'd say that's the opposite of looking for silver linings. And it's systemic. Phil Theobald would relentlessly attack Jim Molinari (the nicest guy you'll ever meet), then he and Wessler were on Les from the beginning to the end. Eminian has always been anti Bradley because he sees them as competition for his Rivermen (though not as much anymore since Saurs passed and they were demoted). Granted, Reynolds is more passive than the others because he knows he's not an opinion columnist, so there's that.

I know I should go back to Bradleyfans, read only press releases, blah blah. But I just don't see how you can dismiss all this as simply "objectivity".

[VUGrad1314]

So you don't like the facts he reports even though they are facts and because you don't like those facts you support the restrictions on Reynolds. Seems a little totalitarian but whatever man. Maybe he doesn't like Wardle because he's kind of a jerk as his past and present actions have shown but that's justifiable. The funny thing about objectivity is that people's views on what constitutes it are highly subjective. As long as he is reporting factually his access should not be restricted and to do so looks petulant and pedantic. End of story.

[Mikovio]

Let me be clear. I think Wardle made a tactical mistake and shouldn't have gone this far. I think he should have fought passive aggressiveness with passive aggressiveness. If you don't like his reporting make your interviews short and curt, be polite, but don't cut him off. That said, it's Wardle's prerogative who has access to his team and players. There's no inherent right to it being a newspaper reporter. This isn't the White House with public employees. It's a private institution.

Sure what I pointed out were facts. He could have also mentioned Bradley's 1950 pointshaving scandal. That would be a fact too. But when you cherrypick facts that paint the program in a negative light, people aren't going to like it. Especially the head coach.

If there's a negative fact, he'll report it. If there's a positive fact, he might. That's my beef in a nutshell. I guess you'd have to read this stuff for over a decade to begin to see where I'm coming from. And I know journalism well. I know well the old adage "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable," but again, that really doesn't apply to beat reporting for midmajor basketball.

[BradleyFan71]

That said, it's Wardle's prerogative who has access to his team and players.

I'm not sure that's what President Roberts stated yesterday.

Going forward, all employees of Bradley University will be informed that it is Bradley’s policy that all members of the media are to be treated on a non-discriminatory basis when it comes to access to information and people.

[Mikovio]

Well, it was at the time lol.

The media circled their wagons and President Roberts had little choice.

[BradleyFan71]

Well, it was at the time lol.

The media circled their wagons and President Roberts had little choice.

So, the policy up until yesterday afternoon was that head coaches decide who has media access to their respective teams?

[Mikovio]

I'm under the impression there was no university-wide policy.

[BradleyFan71]

I'm under the impression there was no university-wide policy.

If that's the case, then something positive came out of this whole ordeal.