Football coach bans Royal Purple from covering team

Two-time coach of the year upset over recent editorial

By: Christopher Kuhagen

Posted: 4/22/09

Following a column written in Wednesday's paper, football head coach Lance Leipold has barred Royal Purple reporters from interviewing players and coaches.

Leipold was angered over former sports editor Michael Daly's editorial, titled "Spoiled athletes need reality check."

"This is [expletive deleted] bullshit," Leipold said. "It's going to be a bitch to try to cover football next season."

Moreover, Leipold made it clear anyone affiliated with the student-run newspaper could not call anyone associated with the football team unless he approves. Furthermore, his athletes and coaches will not be allowed to answer questions from student reporters at games for the 2009 season, Leipold threatened.

"The door is shut," Leipold said. "If this is the type of journalism our paper is going to have, they can cover someone else - we will get along just fine. Go cover soccer, I have [head coach] Greg Henschel's number, I'm sure that will be fun. They would appreciate that coverage."

"The Royal Purple will no longer have access to student-athletes or coaches in the football program until further notice," Leipold wrote in an e-mail Wednesday night sent to Chancellor Richard Telfer, athletic director Paul Plinske and sports information director Tom Fick.

Daly, now the managing editor, wrote how an athlete on one of the elite athletic programs at UW-Whitewater caused a police officer to be summoned to the weight room after refusing to give his student ID to a Williams Center employee April 10. Two other athletes also initially refused to give up their IDs.

Daly tried to contact the student-athletes but did not receive a response. He did not contact Leipold.

The two-time national coach of the year said Daly did not represent the situation in the correct manner.

Leipold told sports editor Chris Kuhagen last Wednesday he had disciplined his athletes for their actions.

"The situation was handled within the program and [sic] apologizes were made," Leipold wrote in the e-mail Wednesday.

Since the article was published, some students have sent e-mails to the Royal Purple supporting the column.

An upset Leipold called Kuhagen twice Wednesday to discuss the situation and frequently used foul language to express his disappointment.

"I know it seems like I'm being portrayed as bullying you," Leipold said.

Leipold said the editorial, which did not mention that it was football players who made the infraction, will strengthen the team.

"You're trying to blow this up," Leipold said. "This will only tighten our team."

Leipold demanded each time he called Kuhagen that the Royal Purple adviser Sam Martino, Daly and Kuhagen meet with him. Daly later confirmed the three athletes were football players.

Martino said he was disappointed over the emotional outburst heaped on Kuhagen and the Royal Purple for telling students of apparent misconduct of the athletes.

"This is not about the Royal Purple, but about the behavior of three athletes," Martino said.

Martino said he hoped Leipold would not go through with preventing student reporters from covering athletic events.

Daly was reflecting on what apparently was an embarrassing situation at the campus weight room frequented by students, Martino said.

Leipold, who has been accessible to the Royal Purple since arriving as head coach in 2007, accused Daly of being jealous of the team and trying to "make a last stand" before graduation.

Daly graduates in May.