Star Article

[holidaysmore]

Sure enough. Driving into work today who should be on the First Team on ESPN U on Sirius XM...Jesse Newell. The two hosts loved the story so the Star and Newell have that going for them.

A lot to unpack here.
1. The Star knew what they were doing. Slow period in sports. Les Miles, still a hot button name. KU, is the lead collegiate story for a regional paper. They knew this story would get clicks and national recognition.
2. I don't believe the Star has some sort of secret vendetta against KU. I believe Newell has enough journalism credibility to not want to complete trash KU. Yes, the story comes off completely one sided but that is because (well at least I hope it is) that the other parties involved didn't want to comment. Hard to have a two sided story when only one half involved wants to cooperate.
3. Certainly have to ask questions why this family is choosing now to release this story? Why sign the NDA? Family seems affluent enough to have good legal representation to advise them on what they should or shouldn't have done in this scenario.
4. If you have been in a locker room at any level you know that fights happen. Guys don't get along. Rarely does it escalate outside of the locker room but in this case what in the world did this kid do to garner this type of response that someone loosened the lug nuts on his car. That is some wild shit. That is some I don't want to fight you I want to legit kill you.
5. Again, albeit this is slow period of sports and within a week or two this will be completely forgotten but this is just more bad PR for KU Athletics. I'm glad Lester and Long are long gone but anyone involved with the hiring of those two clown shows who are still currently employed by KUAD or the University directly should also have their walking papers today. What an embarrassment that fiasco has become.

[Deleted User 89]

“ what in the world did this kid do to garner this type of response ”

$64k question, in my mind

[PhDhawk]

makes you want to go check your lug nuts though, right?

[holidaysmore]

“ what in the world did this kid do to garner this type of response ”

$64k question, in my mind

I meant I would love to know what he did that pissed off so many players before he went to the coaches and athletic department threatening to tell what he had saw in regards to dealing weed. I saw that someone had mentioned BryBry thought Cape was a '45' supporter...

There has to be much, more more to this story. If Jesse did such a through job of investigation he couldn't find one player to speak about this dude even anonymously? There was no one he could find at the apartment complex that night? Seems rather odd the police were called but no police report was filed.

[jhawks99]

Seems odd that only one side of three is talking. By sides I mean Cape, Cape's team mates, and KU.
Would be interesting to hear from another side but without that, I'm less likely to victim-blame.

[JKLivin]

“ what in the world did this kid do to garner this type of response ”

$64k question, in my mind

I meant I would love to know what he did that pissed off so many players before he went to the coaches and athletic department threatening to tell what he had saw in regards to dealing weed. I saw that someone had mentioned BryBry thought Cape was a '45' supporter...

There has to be much, more more to this story. If Jesse did such a through job of investigation he couldn't find one player to speak about this dude even anonymously? There was no one he could find at the apartment complex that night? Seems rather odd the police were called but no police report was filed.

My older son played D1 football for another State institution that shall not be named, but which offered him a full ride when Coach DB couldn't seem to return a phone call or text message. Anyway, the experience gave me a window into that culture, and there are some factors that apply herein. Caveat: I am not excusing or condoning the alleged behaviors directed at the rich kid with the Jag, just offering possible context.

1.) There is a pecking order/hierarchy in the locker room that extends elsewhere. It is thrown into flux when transfers and new players come in, and there is a lot of woofing and attempts at physical intimidation until it is re-established. You either accept your place in the pecking order or prepare yourself for the need to defend yourself physically.

The holes in Newell's account make me wonder if the kid in question didn't run his mouth a lot and refer to his program connections as a way of gaining status without earning it.

2.) An inner-city/street code of ethics and conduct predominates. If you show disrespect, it will be met with physical violence. If you continue, you better bring your boys because it won't be a one on one situation anymore. Respect is earned by handling your own business. My son was 6'6" and 330 pounds, but he figured out pretty quick that he had no interest in taking on five kids from the 'hood at once and modified his behavior accordingly.

Again, the kid in question appears to be violating the cultural norms by calling for help from Daddy's friends and connections and by bringing law enforcement down on teammates.

3.) The amount of shenanigans and the level to which they escalate are a direct reflection on the coaching staff. Some untoward behavior is going to happen behind the scenes, but coaches have to clamp down, which means they have to instill a certain level of fear in the kids.

My son played the last two years of the Snyder era. Say what you will about him as a person, but as a coach, the kids hated/were terrified of him. He chose the music that played in the locker room, during workouts, and during pregame - i.e. country music and lots of Top 40 hits from the 1980's and 90's. When the team sent their captains to request a voice in those choices, he told them this was not a democracy and that he wouldn't allow rap music or music with profanity in his program.

They avoided him in the hallways and on campus because he made no bones about the fact that he was not their friend and was there to wreck them if they stepped even the tiniest bit out of line. The kids knew that if they passed him inside the facility, he would likely find a violation of some kind - shirt not tucked in, wearing an earring, hat on indoors, two minutes late to tutoring - and they would get a text telling them to report the field an hour before practice for "character development".

I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that players sometimes abandoned their scholarships rather than go through the experience. My son, who was one of the most stubborn, defiant people ever to walk the planet, saw the aftermath of one teammates' experience and decided on the spot he was now a rule-follower.

It seems like Miles wanted everyone to like him and didn't want to be perceived as mean. Case in point the "Come on, boys, let's just apologize, shake hands, and forget about all of this" approach before things blew up. I don't know if he did that at LSU, but it seems like the failure to establish respect led to things going sideways.

[Sparko]

The Star, vendetta or not, just keeps destroying its credibility. Who buys the damned thing any more? Honestly, taking a shot at a program that is the worst in FBS ? Dead horse shot 75 more times.

[sdoyel]

Reed, a long-time family friend gets Caperton to KU and also drafts the document that sends him home... Ironic?

[jfish26]

The Star, vendetta or not, just keeps destroying its credibility. Who buys the damned thing any more? Honestly, taking a shot at a program that is the worst in FBS ? Dead horse shot 75 more times.

Seems pretty newsworthy to me.

[Sparko]

The Star, vendetta or not, just keeps destroying its credibility. Who buys the damned thing any more? Honestly, taking a shot at a program that is the worst in FBS ? Dead horse shot 75 more times.

Seems pretty newsworthy to me.

Looks like a barely sourced grievance piece to me.

[NewtonHawk11]

Newell did enjoy his tour today though. ESPNU, Dan LeBatard Show and many others.

I mean, it probably all did happen. There’s not much debate there. Locker room stuff happens alllll the time. Lug nuts loose and all that is a bit much, but arguments on the field and over into the locker room sometimes do spill over to off the field.

Newell said it took months to interview, write and edit the story. Just a really poorly written article with all that time it took to write and edit. He contacted the 4 players, all the players family, his ex girlfriend, other players on the team and administrators. Only one side talked. Just odd.

[jfish26]

The Star, vendetta or not, just keeps destroying its credibility. Who buys the damned thing any more? Honestly, taking a shot at a program that is the worst in FBS ? Dead horse shot 75 more times.

Seems pretty newsworthy to me.

Looks like a barely sourced grievance piece to me.

I think clearly there's grievance coming out of Caperton's camp.

But there's tons of obviously-newsworthy stuff in the story (trial by combat; Miles ignoring misconduct based on the relative football worth of players; athletics entering into a contract to give value in exchange for silence; etc.), and there's nothing the reporter can really do about this:

The Star reached out to Miles, former KU athletic director Jeff Long, KU compliance director David Reed and KU Athletics for comment on this story. Miles and Long didn’t respond and Reed and KU Athletics didn’t comment.

or this:

The Star contacted each of the four teammates for their comments about the Humphreys’ allegations. Two did not respond and two declined to comment.

There's not even a denial - of anything! - in there.

Newell did what he could. He got public records that at least broadly corroborate (and certainly do not conflict with) the claims. He got lots of contemporaneous text messages that support the claims (including with an athletics official). He talked to an ex-girlfriend, who substantiated the claims.

[sdoyel]

Why did Newell not mention Reed was a friend of the family???

[jfish26]

Huh?

After playing a year at Eastern Kentucky, Humphrey transferred to KU as a walk-on, wanting to prove himself at a higher level. KU’s compliance director Reed helped him on that path. Reed, a neighborhood friend of Caperton’s father in West Virginia, shared Caperton’s video with the team’s coaches.

[JKLivin]

Newell did enjoy his tour today though. ESPNU, Dan LeBatard Show and many others.

I mean, it probably all did happen. There’s not much debate there. Locker room stuff happens alllll the time. Lug nuts loose and all that is a bit much, but arguments on the field and over into the locker room sometimes do spill over to off the field.

Newell said it took months to interview, write and edit the story. Just a really poorly written article with all that time it took to write and edit. He contacted the 4 players, all the players family, his ex girlfriend, other players on the team and administrators. Only one side talked. Just odd.

The Star accomplished its objective, namely to drive traffic to their site and get people talking about the article. Never mind whether or not it is accurate or true or needlessly harmful to the program.

[jfish26]

Newell did enjoy his tour today though. ESPNU, Dan LeBatard Show and many others.

I mean, it probably all did happen. There’s not much debate there. Locker room stuff happens alllll the time. Lug nuts loose and all that is a bit much, but arguments on the field and over into the locker room sometimes do spill over to off the field.

Newell said it took months to interview, write and edit the story. Just a really poorly written article with all that time it took to write and edit. He contacted the 4 players, all the players family, his ex girlfriend, other players on the team and administrators. Only one side talked. Just odd.

The Star accomplished its objective, namely to drive traffic to their site and get people talking about the article. Never mind whether or not it is accurate or true or needlessly harmful to the program.

This is just a weird way to look at it. The Star gave everyone involved ample opportunity to deny/clarify/contextualize etc. They clearly went to reasonable efforts to verify the claims (which they clearly call "claims") through primary sources and records of contemporaneous communications. And it's not the Star's job to hold newsworthy stuff (which this clearly is) on the basis of the reporting being "harmful to the program".

Which, by the way, it's probably not anyway!

[JKLivin]

Newell did enjoy his tour today though. ESPNU, Dan LeBatard Show and many others.

I mean, it probably all did happen. There’s not much debate there. Locker room stuff happens alllll the time. Lug nuts loose and all that is a bit much, but arguments on the field and over into the locker room sometimes do spill over to off the field.

Newell said it took months to interview, write and edit the story. Just a really poorly written article with all that time it took to write and edit. He contacted the 4 players, all the players family, his ex girlfriend, other players on the team and administrators. Only one side talked. Just odd.

The Star accomplished its objective, namely to drive traffic to their site and get people talking about the article. Never mind whether or not it is accurate or true or needlessly harmful to the program.

This is just a weird way to look at it. The Star gave everyone involved ample opportunity to deny/clarify/contextualize etc. They clearly went to reasonable efforts to verify the claims (which they clearly call "claims") through primary sources and records of contemporaneous communications. And it's not the Star's job to hold newsworthy stuff (which this clearly is) on the basis of the reporting being "harmful to the program".

Which, by the way, it's probably not anyway!

I think it is an example of the "gotcha" approach that the media takes these days: "Just letting you know that we're going to print this. Do you want to comment?"

The bottom line is getting clicks.

[jfish26]

What are they supposed to do? Just not report anything that everyone involved doesn't agree to or that isn't in 4K with perfect sound? Good grief.

For nobody else involved to even issue a denial...what else do you want?

[JKLivin]

What are they supposed to do? Just not report anything that everyone involved doesn't agree to or that isn't in 4K with perfect sound? Good grief.

For nobody else involved to even issue a denial...what else do you want?

I think in cases where a person's livelihood and well-being are involved, you need to be perfect. I'm sensitive because I was nearly a victim of a situation where a person was telling an untrue story to try to make me lose my job. Luckily, I retained an attorney who told them "If you print that, we're going through it with a fine-toothed comb. If there is even the smallest inconsistency, we'll be suing you for everything you have." Thankfully, they backed down. I've never liked the press after that.

[NewtonHawk11]

You're both right. It needed to be reported, but it just seems a bit incomplete. Could be a lot of he said, he said type of thing.