As exclusively reported in this column by this monthly newspaper, Bradley athletic director Michael Cross is going to be replaced. It was made official with the Cross resignation, Monday, Feb. 16. We also predicted that Bradley president Joanne Glasser was going to be replaced, though she officially announced her retirement.
No one in the electronic or printed media responded to our predictions either because they didn’t know because they were too busy reporting broken water mains, or they are incapable of having ears to the ground. We also suggested Chris Reynolds, the Peoria High and Indiana University graduate, now at Northwestern as associate athletic director, will be named the new athletic director at Bradley. Hopefully, due to the bad judgment of our local daily newspaper regarding Jerrance Howard, Reynolds is still possible.
We commend those Bradley trustees for making the badly needed changes to infuse the campus and the community with a new spirit of excited anticipation. Remember, you heard it first weeks and months ago in this newspaper!!!!!!!!!!
CLEARING THE RECORD
The recent articles in the Peoria Journal about Kansas University assistant basketball coach Jerrance Howard has caused a lot of anger in Peoria and central Illinois. Many have told me they think Kirk Wessler and the sports department were attempting to torpedo the possible hiring of Howard as the next coach at Bradley. While such accusations may be an over-reaction, the way the story developed at the newspaper does raise suspicions.
Consider the newspaper never reported in July of last year that Howard was charged for possession of a small amount of cannibus (pot), less than what will be sold for alleged medical reasons soon, in the 3100 block of North University.
Howard pleaded guilty, paid a little over $1,100 in fines and was handed six months court supervision that has since ended. Even the conviction has been dismissed. His life moved on as one of the top college basketball recruiters in the nation.
Rumors began circulating that Bradley coach Geno Ford could be fired and the top prospect for his job was Jerrance Howard. Howard, a Peoria guy, graduated from Peoria High and the University of Illinois where he was a player. His impressive resume includes working with some outstanding coaches at Illinois, Kentucky, Texas A&M, SMU, and currently Kansas.
Now the plot thickens as described by Wessler in an appearance on our FM 90.7 morning show. An unidentified snitch (although we think we know who he is), decided to call the sports department and Kirk Wessler to report that Howard had been charged with possession of cannabis last July.
Though the charge was a minor misdemeanor, Wessler proceeded to write an inaccurate story on the front page of the sports section. The story was forwarded to the Associated Press, and it became a story at Kansas.
Unfortunately for Howard, he failed to tell his boss, Coach Bill Self, about the charge. Howard was given a two week suspension. The Journal printed a banner headline about the suspension, but failed to quote Self, who said, “Jerrance has
been a part of our family for many years. I’m confident that he will take ownership of this and be better for it.”
Wessler’s account was false. The headline stated that Howard was placed on six months probation. Totally false. He was given court supervision which only means the court checks to see if he has any further arrests, and, if not, the original offense is removed from his record. That was a major goof by Wessler and his newspaper because probation requires supervision with a probation officer, mandatory drug testing, and other requirements such as travel requests and reports. Howard WAS NOT placed on probation.
Several callers to this writer said Wessler’s historical account of Bradley was also untrue. Wessler claimed attendance at Bradley games “has been declining for 15 years.” One source told me, “Wessler’s claim is not only untrue, it’s ridiculous.” He said Bradley’s regular attendance as recently as 2009 was near an all time high at 9,339 (hardly 15 years ago). In 2010 and 2011 it was 8,447 and in 2011-2012, 7,640 (the year Ford started coaching). Attendance dropped in Ford’s next year to 6,557 and the average today is 5,534.
Another caller said Wessler has forgotten the excitement of fans in 2006 when Bradley advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA and played in the 2007 NIT tournament. The caller said when Jim Les and Ken Kavanagh left, Bradley “was at an all time peak in ticket sales, TV appearances, and revenues.” Further, he said, “Bradley had five winning seasons in a row, 2006 to 2010, and averaged over 20 wins per season.”
The caller said Bradley is 45-81 under Ford in his fourth season. No coach in Bradley’s history has lost more than 67 games in any four year stretch and no team in the Missouri Valley Conference has ever had to play in a “pre-tournament” game three years in a row and Bradley will do so for the fourth year under Ford. Everyone knows change is needed whether it’s Jerrance Howard or someone else.
IS AM RADIO DYING?
Good question. Surveys across the country are sure indicating trouble on the AM dial. A long-time friend and veteran of radio who has worked in several major markets during his career, has emailed me numerous articles detailing the decline in AM audiences, especially “talk radio” stations. Survey results for last December include Chicago’s famous WLS dropping to 1.2 and WGN not much better at 2.8. WABC in New York slumped to 1.5 and WOR at 1.1. KABC in Los Angeles was among the worst at .6 and WSM in Nashville hit bottom at 1.5. In Peoria, of the top eight stations, seven were FM. The only AM was WMBD with an unusually low 5.9. Don’t look for the AM stations to drop their rates even with smaller audiences. TV anyone?
ANOTHER MEDIA LIAR
NBC’s Brian Williams joins the growing list of media liars. His phony story about riding in a helicopter that was hit by a rocket propelled grenade is as bad as Hillary Clinton’s fable about dodging sniper bullets or Richard Nixon’s, “I’m not a crook,” or Bill Clinton’s claim, “I did not have sex with that woman.”
What makes Williams look so foolish is his appearance on the David Letterman’s program where he dramatically described the (untrue) incident causing the host to exclaim, “Wow.” Too bad Letterman didn’t say, “Bulls—-,” which is what it was.
THE RACE IS ON
Let the campaigns begin for the two seats for the board of Peoria School District 150. Nine people are in the race. At the recent candidates’ debate, virtually everyone handled themselves well, sources tell me. We’re glad they were asked the question I maintain is the most important: “Is it
time for a new superintendent?” Most answered yes, others waffled including appointed member, Jon Bateman who should not be elected. It was a bad selection and even worse if voters retain him. Bateman appears to be a clone of Laura Petelle.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
—-Unknown