Norfolk St- Horton Game

[DaveBird10]

I haven't said my thinking but this is kinda my thought. I don't think Jones is making anything up. Jones acted like anyone would have acted in that situation. Pedon acted like anyone would have acted in that situation because we have to remember where Pedon as with fans were upset at all the fouls called, to where Pedon thought he was standing up for his team in the heat of the battle. The refs messed up the entire situation by not telling the kids to go back to the bench and bringing both coaches together and telling them then. Without A (the comment), you don't get B (Jones reaction) and then you don't get C (Pedon reaction). All of which was mishandled by the refs.
After the game and in postgame I wish Pedon would've made a better comment whether told to or not told to. I wish Jones would've taken Pedon phone call and heard him out like an adult. Problem is with how loud Horton was and fans upset at the refs, Pedon upset and the refs and what's being alleged there isn't a way Pedon could've heard Jones bc Pedon was yelling back at Jones, 3,5000 fans screaming bouncing of the metal and Jones yelling at Pedon and it turned into a big mess.
All of this/that is over with though and whether we know what happened or not I can actually say I am ready to move on and move onto basketball and game Sunday vs NDSU. This team is fun to watch with how hard they play for each other and a lot of other reasons. We might not know or get told what happened with the fans and #6 and I am ok with that bc whatever ISU finds or posts, it won't look good. It's time to move on with basketball though and watch this team grow with how hard they play for each other.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

Anybody else think K-Lew's T for slapping the backboard really killed our momentum and completely changed the outcome of the game? Gotta keep that stuff in check!

 

[Shaftbird]

Sadly, none of this uncertainty probably happens if the game is played at Cefcu, because the 2,457 fans sitting quietly on their hands would've allowed any moderately loud comment to be heard throughout the arena.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

Am I wrong? Ask the guys that got punched by the Piston and Pacers how ever many years ago.

Especially at a college game. You look stupid. Getting into arguments with teens/early 20 year old players. Stupid.

Hold on. Comparing anything to Malice at the Palace is stupid.

 

[Phantom]

Anybody else think K-Lew's T for slapping the backboard really killed our momentum and completely changed the outcome of the game? Gotta keep that stuff in check!

I said about the same thing as it happened. Total momentum killer. Same with when we lost the ball out of bounds on that transition not long after that (Mal, I think?). We were trying so hard to make something happen to swing things our way that it led to costly mistakes. Felt like a game where if we just could get over the damned hump and take the lead we wouldn't have given it up. Just couldn't get there. Frustrating.

 

[Dmills]

I'm starting to question whether we will hear from the University this week. Winter commencement is on Saturday, and they may want to avoid dropping this the day before. I don't know what is taking so long. I hope they understand the sooner the findings are shared, the better.

 

[DWRedbird]

Anybody else think K-Lew's T for slapping the backboard really killed our momentum and completely changed the outcome of the game? Gotta keep that stuff in check!

I thought it was a rally killer, but I didn't mind this. He was hyped in the moment and trying to get the rest of the team hyped. It sucks that he got the T, but I'm not super mad about it.

I said about the same thing as it happened. Total momentum killer. Same with when we lost the ball out of bounds on that transition not long after that (Mal, I think?). We were trying so hard to make something happen to swing things our way that it led to costly mistakes. Felt like a game where if we just could get over the damned hump and take the lead we wouldn't have given it up. Just couldn't get there. Frustrating.

The ball of the leg was Banks. That was also a rally killer. It sucks and I'm a little more mad about that than K Lew's T, but it doesn't honestly bother me. There felt like there were half a dozen things we should have done better, and neither of those is the reason we lost.

 

[Scipio]

The quicker we forget about this episode and move on the better. I’m personally relieved it didn’t make the national sports news. This is a ‘no win’ scenario for ISU. The truth (whatever that is) doesn’t matter. You’ve got an allegation by a player and coach. That’s it. No proof that anything was said. The NS Coach will pursue his 15 minutes on the dimly lit stage. And that’s it. Forget about it and let’s move on. Hopefully we never see NS and that coach (small caps) again.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Maybe I’ve missed it, but the media attention on this has been less than I anticipated. Mostly local to regional, in Central Illinois and Virginia. Some national sports websites like ESPN, CBSSports, Yahoo Sports, SI. And race baiting sites that traffic in hatred. I don’t really watch cable news anymore, so not sure if this reached national
main stream media. The least path of resistance at this point would be banning a guilty fan. If ISU claims no finding of any guilt, it’ll be another round of finger pointing and bad press.

Long term, either way, this will be used against ISU in recruiting.

I’m retired and my degree is of lesser importance now, but feel that this incident has probably devalued it. Much like what’s happening at Ivy League schools that are having difficulty denouncing anti-Semitism. Many companies are up front about not hiring people from schools associated with racism on any level. It’s hard to imagine any scenario that doesn’t leave that stain on this institution.

 

[Dmills]

Illinois State coach's response to racism is exactly why racism still flourishes in our country

An opposing player was allegedly called the n-word during a game, but Ryan Pedon didn't want to hear about it until it was too late

deadspin.com

Great click baiting headline from someone who wasn't at the game and refuses to gain an understanding of the context.

 

[Adunk33]

I'm starting to question whether we will hear from the University this week. Winter commencement is on Saturday, and they may want to avoid dropping this the day before. I don't know what is taking so long. I hope they understand the sooner the findings are shared, the better.

Honestly, I would be surprised if we hear anything at all. Ever. It is seemingly out of the news cycle and as others have pointed out, there's no way to craft a message without it sounding like a cover up if it is deemed nothing was said. If they find something was said, it brings the story back up and we do this song and dance again.

The court of public opinion has already made up their mind on this and it's a damn hard thing to change if nothing was found.

The best way I see a formal statement coming out would be from the MVC, but then you get into murkier waters by formally associating the MVC brand with a "cover up."

As everyone has said. Refs should've handled it in real time. They didn't. After that, ISU should've had a response ready after the game. They waited too long. Jones got his 15 minutes. Not sure those P5s he's clamoring for are going to be answering his calls any time soon...

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Illinois State coach's response to racism is exactly why racism still flourishes in our country

An opposing player was allegedly called the n-word during a game, but Ryan Pedon didn't want to hear about it until it was too late

deadspin.com

Great click baiting headline from someone who wasn't at the game and refuses to gain an understanding of the context.

Deadspin is the same outlet that tried to claim racism by a 9 year old Native American Chiefs fan that painted his face for a game. Such media outlet have been exposed as echo chambers for hatred, IMO.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Honestly, I would be surprised if we hear anything at all. Ever. It is seemingly out of the news cycle and as others have pointed out, there's no way to craft a message without it sounding like a cover up if it is deemed nothing was said. If they find something was said, it brings the story back up and we do this song and dance again.

The court of public opinion has already made up their mind on this and it's a damn hard thing to change if nothing was found.

The best way I see a formal statement coming out would be from the MVC, but then you get into murkier waters by formally associating the MVC brand with a "cover up."

As everyone has said. Refs should've handled it in real time. They didn't. After that, ISU should've had a response ready after the game. They waited too long. Jones got his 15 minutes. Not sure those P5s he's clamoring for are going to be answering his calls any time soon...

It seems unlikely, but I have wondered if silence offers the least blowback potential. Or, some statement that the issue has been investigated and dealt with internally. The more details offered, the more the click whores and internet trolls have to twist.

 

[GratefulRed]

I would have to think at least one of the accused fans is going to need a public statement at some point given his, sort of,
public figure status. Maybe he does that on his own, but I would think ISU needs to be involved in that statement.

 

[isuquinndog]

I must be the only person on the board who has no idea who the fans are.

 

[stielowp]

I 100% agree that coach Pedon had no awareness of the accused racial slur until after the game and before the press conference. I understand the university attempting to give coach Pedon guidance on what to say and what not to say. At the same time, the constructive criticism that @Redbird222 gave has merit. We had a missed opportunity to show up better and coach Pedon has already acknowledged this. I've made plenty of mistakes in my life, especially when emotionally triggered and caught up in the heat of the moment.

As much as I want to believe nothing was said, if I'm given a choice to believe either a coach who is on the record saying he heard this directly from the ref or people with anonymous screen names that thus far have not been willing to disclose their names or the specific sources that validate this is not true, I'm choosing to give the benefit of the doubt to the coach.

It would be insane to me to think that he would make up a lie knowing full well that the ref would deny ever saying this. I have 100% trust that the administration is doing an investigation and they have already spoken with the refs and witnesses. I also trust they will transparently disclose what they discover. If the coach was proven to be lying and a racially charged comment wasn't made to the player, then I trust the university will make reference to this.

I hate a lot of the culture on online message boards with anonymous people or burner accounts making attacking statements and claims against people, including in this example those that are on the NSU side that are attacking our players and fans and ISU fans that are making bold claims as a matter of fact. I have higher standards of what I want to represent as an individual and also for our university. If you're going to go so far as to make a definitive claim about someone, at least have the courage to disclose your identity and anyone that has given you information to validate the claim. Not doing this makes you and us look weak and petty.

I have read you saying multiple times that you trust the NSU Coach because why would he lie about a ref telling him this, because the ref would obviously deny that he said it. Tell me when ANY ref has done a press conference or even had to publicly say anything. The coach never says the name of the ref, the refs don't have to answer to the press and are actually discouraged to do so. That ref relies on a reputation amongst coaches and if he were to "rat" out another coach, that reputation would be ruined. What would he have to gain to come out and make a statement that none of what the NSU Coach said was true. He has no skin in the game. He is BEST served to stay out of it completely.

As for your giving the NSU Coach the benefit of the doubt, you are entitled to that, but I ask on what grounds? Just because he is a College Head Coach? Is it because he is a POC? Because he is an adult? My observation of these events and his responses (well after the game) cause me to lean the other way. He has been changing his story, and adding to it every interview. He adds the previous incident at ISU (that he forgot about), he seems to add more "facts" each time he tells the story. He wants to play the victim and he is getting all the attention he has never had, he seems to have plenty to gain by embellishing this story.

 

[Dmills]

Honestly, I would be surprised if we hear anything at all. Ever. It is seemingly out of the news cycle and as others have pointed out, there's no way to craft a message without it sounding like a cover up if it is deemed nothing was said. If they find something was said, it brings the story back up and we do this song and dance again.

The court of public opinion has already made up their mind on this and it's a damn hard thing to change if nothing was found.

The best way I see a formal statement coming out would be from the MVC, but then you get into murkier waters by formally associating the MVC brand with a "cover up."

As everyone has said. Refs should've handled it in real time. They didn't. After that, ISU should've had a response ready after the game. They waited too long. Jones got his 15 minutes. Not sure those P5s he's clamoring for are going to be answering his calls any time soon...

I get what you're saying, but I don't think silence is an option. There was an ISU professor that went on a tangent on social media about the situation and there are a lot of alums who have said online the fan "definitely" said the slur (based on their personal experiences, not on evidence). Further, there is a contingent of students that will not be satisfied with that.

I believe this controversy is going to cost the University hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions. Legal fees, damage to reputation, loss of advertisers, loss of donors, etc. What if CEFCU pulls out its naming rights deal, for example? I don't think the University has a choice but to be as transparent as possible with the stakes.

These consequences will probably happen regardless, but personally, I think you can limit them more if you release the conclusions.

 

[DWRedbird]

I must be the only person on the board who has no idea who the fans are.

I don't either if it makes you feel any better.

It seems unlikely, but I have wondered if silence offers the least blowback potential. Or, some statement that the issue has been investigated and dealt with internally. The more details offered, the more the click whores and internet trolls have to twist.

I think in the short term silence offers the chance to not have it pop up again. But, long term silence gives the perception that we didn't investigate and ultimately didn't care. And without a statement of some kind about it, any time we do anything good in the future it will likely come up again and be tied to us. Especially if we say absolutely nothing.

In my opinion we have failed from a PR standpoint from start to finish on this one. I'm hoping we can remain scandal free for a while, but if we don't we have to absolutely do better.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

]

This is what I was going to say. It reminds me a bit of a situation with the Colorado Rockies, where a fan sounds an awful lot like he is screaming the n-word at players. Its even what I heard when I just caught the audio on twitter. But, when it was looked into the fan was yelling out for Digger, who is the mascot of the Rox.

At the risk of saying something that rhymes with an offensive word, or unknowingly flashing the wrong hand signal, I think I’ll just stay home.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

I would have to think at least one of the accused fans is going to need a public statement at some point given his, sort of,
public figure status. Maybe he does that on his own, but I would think ISU needs to be involved in that statement.

Why? None of their names have gone public. Why would you put your name publicly out there to invite hate over something you maintain you didn’t say?