Black Heart Gold Pants - Hawkeye Football: Iowa’s Culture IssuesSwelling with Iowa Hawkeye pride since 2007https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47511/bhgp-fave.png2020-10-19T10:05:20-05:00http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/rss/stream/210473052020-10-19T10:05:20-05:002020-10-19T10:05:20-05:00Iowa Football: Former Players Issue Letter Demanding $20M, Ferentz Fired
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<img alt="Iowa v Wisconsin" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nSwmWWlJiKT_YPuPnXY6KRzffwk=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67654202/1187198498.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>8 former players are demanding Kirk Ferentz be fired. | Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The University of Iowa is declining the monetary and personnel demands.</p> <p id="JCj6gm">Late Sunday night Iowa football fans, who were preparing for their first game week of the 2020 season, were dealt another in a long list of shocking headlines. <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.desmoinesregister.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fiowa%2Ffootball%2F2020%2F10%2F18%2Feight-former-hawkeyes-demands-letter-seeks-kirk-ferentz-firing-racial-discrimination-gary-barta%2F3697431001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackheartgoldpants.com%2F2020%2F10%2F19%2F21523021%2Fiowa-hawkeye-football-former-players-issue-letter-demanding-20m-kirk-brian-ferentz-fired-bhgp" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register broke the news</a> Sunday evening that eight former Hawkeye football players had hired legal counsel to submit a letter to the University of Iowa.</p>
<p id="Xa4S27">The letter, which was not published in its entirety, is 21-pages long, dated October 5th and reportedly includes a list of demands from the University. The demands include the firings of both head coach Kirk Ferentz and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, as well as $20 million. The <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.desmoinesregister.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fiowa%2Ffootball%2F2020%2F10%2F18%2Feight-former-hawkeyes-demands-letter-seeks-kirk-ferentz-firing-racial-discrimination-gary-barta%2F3697431001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackheartgoldpants.com%2F2020%2F10%2F19%2F21523021%2Fiowa-hawkeye-football-former-players-issue-letter-demanding-20m-kirk-brian-ferentz-fired-bhgp" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Register reports</a> the $20M is to be split two ways.</p>
<blockquote><p id="m2bhur">$10 million is to compensate the eight plaintiffs for “the loss of earning capacity, the loss of professional opportunities, defamation, pain and suffering, mental conditions, mental anguish, PTSD, humiliation and overall emotional distress”; the other $10 million is to be allocated to other former Hawkeyes who were affected by the alleged discrimination.</p></blockquote>
<p id="MKNsBO">Additionally, the letter demands compensation for “attorney’s fees, the creation of a permanent Black male senior administrator position in Iowa athletics, mandatory anti-racist training for athletics staff, the establishment of a board of advisers including Black players and anti-racist professionals to oversee the football program and tuition waivers for any Black athlete who did not graduate with a degree during Ferentz’s tenure at Iowa.”</p>
<p id="B0CBe3">In their formal response, the UI notes many of those demands have already been met in some form. For instance, former player and personnel director <span>Broderick Binns</span> has been elevated to a newly created Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position over all of Iowa Athletics. While he is not technically part of the senior administration as demanded by the letter, Binns is part of a 13-member Hawkeye Leadership Team. </p>
<p id="zWwsB7">Following the Husch Blackwell report released in July, Ferentz also created an advisory committee made up of former players, led by <span>David Porter</span>, as well as shaken up the leadership council within the team, which now has a much more diverse makeup. More broadly, the athletics department already provides annual education on diversity.</p>
<p id="UhewmT">For his part, Kirk Ferentz issued a statement later Sunday evening in response to the letter:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="uUJoPi">“I am disappointed to receive this type of demand letter. Due to the threat of litigation, I am not able to address the specific comments made by our former players. As you may know, this past summer we made adjustments to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our student-athletes. These changes include both policies and rules, as well as an expanded leadership council of current players and a new advisory committee comprised of former players.</p>
<p id="3qiT08">I am deeply committed to helping everyone who joins the Hawkeye football program reach their full potential on and off the field. My focus is now on our current players who are preparing for our first game this Saturday.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="iMN1o3">The letter, submitted by Tulsa attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, was sent on behalf of eight former Iowa players. The players include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li id="314DGc">
<span>Maurice Fleming</span>, DB, 2012-2015</li>
<li id="oLtbtO">
<span>Andre Harris</span>, WR, 2013-2015</li>
<li id="QblwSA">
<span>Marcel Joly</span>, RB, 2014-2017</li>
<li id="4ySCZf">
<span>Kevonte Martin-Manley</span>, 2010-2014</li>
<li id="BukYrm">
<span>Aaron Mends</span>, LB, 2014-2018</li>
<li id="B8ECia">
<span>Jonathan Parker</span>, RB, 2013-2016</li>
<li id="jr27fV">
<span>Reggie Spearman</span>, LB, 2013-2014</li>
<li id="5Qsa4x">
<span>Akrum Wadley</span>, RB, 2013-2017</li>
</ul>
<p id="ppj29J">If the demands are not met by today, the first day in Iowa’s first game week of 2020, the letter indicates Solomon-Simmons and the players will be filing a lawsuit against the University of Iowa. The UI indicated in their response, “We respectfully decline your monetary and personnel demands.”</p>
<p id="S4fMbH">A full recap of the events and BHGP’s <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283264/iowa-hawkeye-football-iowas-culture-issues-kirk-brian-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgp">coverage of Iowa’s culture issues can be found here</a>.</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/10/19/21523021/iowa-hawkeye-football-former-players-issue-letter-demanding-20m-kirk-brian-ferentz-fired-bhgpJPinIC2020-07-30T10:11:16-05:002020-07-30T10:11:16-05:00DEVELOPING: Iowa Football Releases Findings of Independent Review
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 27 Holiday Bowl - USC v Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8i2sAnubdwLn3Mqc3dkQ_Zzd71k=/0x0:5222x3481/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67131984/1209102656.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>There will be a press conference this afternoon</p> <p id="LovT5s">The University of Iowa released the <a href="https://president.uiowa.edu/sites/president.uiowa.edu/files/4816-8136-3909.1%20FINAL%20Iowa%20Football%20Overall%20Climate%20Report.pdf">28-page report </a>from Kansas City law firm Husch Blackwell this morning, detailing its investigation of alleged racial biases and discrimination within the Iowa football program. </p>
<p id="n1keiC">Gary Barta and Kirk Ferentz will address the media this afternoon at 1pm CT. </p>
<p id="Kaks3Q">Following Husch Blackwell’s interviews with 111 individuals, including 45 current and 29 former players, the report does not recommend the firing of athletic director Gary Barta or head coach Kirk Ferentz. Rather, it recommends the two work to implement other changes to the culture of the program. That’s in large part due to the feedback received from players on coach Ferentz.</p>
<blockquote><p id="kEdsnB">While many players shared criticisms about the program generally or their personal experiences with certain coaches, most players commented positively about Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and his leadership of the program. Numerous players also praised their position coaches and described the beneficial impact those coaches have had on both their athletic and personal development. Players of all races also described forming good relationships with their teammates.</p></blockquote>
<p id="UyU0Sd">Perhaps most importantly, the report indicates the players believe changes already implemented by the staff are having a positive impact on the culture. </p>
<blockquote><p id="RRdUgO">Finally, the current players were uniform in their belief that the environment in the football program has improved significantly since the inception of this review — both in a general sense and through specific attempts to address or prevent racial inequities. The players expressed hopefulness that these improvements will continue and result in sustained action that will improve the program.</p></blockquote>
<p id="dZg3BP">The reports goes on to detail the background for the review, a look at “The Iowa Way” and a dive on a number of the examples that have come to light where former players have expressed concerns over the culture and treatment of Black players. </p>
<p id="1Ig5nC">Following the release of the summary findings, coach Kirk Ferentz released a statement apologizing for the “pain and frustration” felt by his players, citing the release of the findings as a “moment of truth” for him.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kirk Ferentz statement on external review which was released this morning. <br><br>He will meet with the media during a press conference today at 1:00 p.m. CT: <a href="https://t.co/H65uttRiLc">pic.twitter.com/H65uttRiLc</a></p>— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball/status/1288852863305879553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a>
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<p id="YBEQAI"><em>12:00p update: Here is an embed of the presser:</em></p>
<div id="hmCKRw"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CLdpkW2ek8k?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="GnL3bk">You can read the <a href="https://president.uiowa.edu/sites/president.uiowa.edu/files/4816-8136-3909.1%20FINAL%20Iowa%20Football%20Overall%20Climate%20Report.pdf">entirety of the report here.</a> You can catch up on some of the conversations on Iowa’s <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283264/iowa-hawkeye-football-iowas-culture-issues-kirk-brian-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgp">culture issues from past weeks here. </a></p>
<div id="vqxgVd"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 141.4214%;"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpresident.uiowa.edu%2Fsites%2Fpresident.uiowa.edu%2Ffiles%2F4816-8136-3909.1%2520FINAL%2520Iowa%2520Football%2520Overall%2520Climate%2520Report.pdf" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div>
<p id="3CK9zM"><em>Note: This story will continue to be updated throughout the day.</em></p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/30/21347930/developing-iowa-releases-findings-of-independent-review-kirk-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgpBenjaminRossJPinIC2020-07-29T06:31:00-05:002020-07-29T06:31:00-05:00Just how far will nepotism take Brian Ferentz?
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<figcaption>Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em>Questions beyond the playing field now surround Iowa’s fourth-year offensive coordinator</em></p> <p id="FIVeOJ">There is no football program in America more insular than the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/">Iowa Hawkeyes</a>.</p>
<p id="vEZXiU">Kirk Ferentz, a head coach for 21 years at the school, is the longest-tenured coach at the FBS level and amassed enough political capital to do just about anything, and has done so in order to create a culture of continuity.</p>
<p id="Lj2t7K">His son, Brian, is Iowa’s offensive coordinator. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker, quarterbacks coach Ken O’Keefe, and the now-departed strength & conditioning coordinator Chris Doyle all came to Iowa CIty with Ferentz in 1999 and have been around each other long enough to call themselves brothers.</p>
<p id="vAB9NS">Ferentz has <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29517486/iowa-football-kirk-ferentz-see-black-players-speak-program-racial-inequities">recently come under fire</a> as a result of the “<a href="https://www.hawkeyenation.com/features/19-athletic-department-study-showed-serious-racial-bias-in-iowa-football">serious racial bias</a>” in the program which has largely centered around Doyle. An independent investigation, led by Kansas City law firm Husch Blackwell, is examining <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283264/iowa-hawkeye-football-iowas-culture-issues-kirk-brian-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgp">the program’s culture</a>.</p>
<p id="Eh5Bnk">While Doyle bore the brunt of these allegations, Brian Ferentz has been named too many times to overlook, and his rise to power speaks to what Kirk has created. His relation to the head coach enabled him to be hired with minimum credentials to both roles he’s taken at Iowa — offensive line coach in 2012 and offensive coordinator in 2017. Without the relation, where would Brian Ferentz be?</p>
<p id="sBusbX">Documents obtained by SBNation reveal a previously unreported 2006 DUI, which highlights the genesis of his career — his lauded time with the New England Patriots — as not one of Brian’s aptitude but his father’s connections. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="smRRJU">
<p id="nzyrui">When Kirk accepted the Iowa job in 1999, Brian was a high school junior. He later joined the Hawkeye football team in 2001 and had a career marred by injuries, including a staph infection. <a href="https://www.thegazette.com/2012/02/18/moore-in-as-oc-in-staff-shuffle-ii">He was a good enough player</a>— he started his senior year — but off the field was a different story.</p>
<p id="g5isHz">Brian was among<a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2237493"> many scholarship Hawkeyes</a> who received subsidized housing despite having scholarship money cover the costs. According to<a href="https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame"> Iowa court records</a>, he accumulated seven tickets* between 2000 and 2005. None of them are particularly damning but certainly indicative of someone who did not adjust his actions based on the consequences of them.</p>
<p id="XeNv3n"><em>(Ed. note: these are not parking tickets but traffic violations like unlawful passing of a school bus)</em></p>
<p id="IYtH48">It culminated in a DUI while on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad during the fall of 2006. Documents obtained by SBNation from the Gwinnett County Sheriff confirm Brian Ferentz was charged with a misdemeanor DUI. After being pulled over for failure to maintain lane, Ferentz blew twice Georgia’s legal limit. He was later found guilty of the DUI in September 2007 according to the<a href="https://odyssey.gwinnettcourts.com/Portal/Home/WorkspaceMode?p=0"> Gwinnett County court database</a>. In a document relating to the 2007 arraignment, he listed his employer as the Atlanta Falcons despite “<a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_7ff4b0a0-8a51-5071-8e6a-749e483442d6.html">fizzling out</a>” with the New Orleans Saints earlier that summer.</p>
<p id="VPVfsg">His playing career was over.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Jtq13l">
<p id="YhzyXT">Back in Iowa City, Kirk Ferentz was managing his first round of culture issues.</p>
<p id="rUZlLc"><a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2010/1/27/1272439/great-moments-in-2000s-iowa">City Boyz, Inc. happened</a> just before the 2007 season. Each of <span>Dominique Douglas</span>, <span>Arvell Nelson</span>, and <span>Anthony Bowman</span> were arrested for a string of crimes, suspended from the team, and eventually dismissed.</p>
<p id="ehM6Xr">Yet the most heinous act was Iowa’s handling of the alleged sexual assault by two football players of a female student-athlete in October 2007. Patrick Vint of Go Iowa Awesome detailed the organizational response in “<a href="https://www.goiowaawesome.com/iowa-hawkeyes-news/2018/11/3435/the-chronicles-of-barta">The Chronicles of Gary Barta</a>:”</p>
<blockquote><p id="3ffkfY">[A]<a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2008/7/21/575697/into-the-light#7525420"> letter from the victim’s mother to the UI on November 19, 2007</a>, detailed the following allegations: The day after the alleged assault, UI assistant athletic director Fred Mims met with the victim and her father. Also in attendance for meetings with the victim and her father that morning were Gary Barta, Kirk Ferentz, the victim’s coach and other UI Athletics staff. The victim was told that she could opt for criminal (i.e. call the police), ”formal” (i.e. a Title IX investigation), or “informal” (i.e. internal athletic department) action, and that UI Athletics would act “swiftly and effectively” to remedy the issue in the event she chose the informal process. The victim’s mother indicated that the victim was “really encouraged to try the informal route first.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="7Kzlzz">Kirk’s lack of patience at the time is evidenced by his <a href="https://mikegh.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/james-ferentz-a-harsh-penalty-that-had-to-be-doled-out/">response to the alcohol-related arrest</a> of his second son, James, in the fall of 2008:</p>
<blockquote><p id="SqQxZx">I was extremely disappointed to learn of James’ very poor decision making on several levels. This offense will be treated seriously and his punishment will include immediate and total suspension from all team activities. In addition, he will be required to attend counseling sessions and fulfill substantial community service obligations over the next six weekends. I realize this is a severe penalty but it’s just given our current circumstances. The fact that James is also my son only complicates an already tough situation.</p></blockquote>
<p id="afS8Sx">Ferentz’s political capital was at an all-time low, especially with three straight years (2005-07) of on-field mediocrity culminating in a 19-18 record. Now was not the time to risk any remaining bit of goodwill to bring Brian onto the staff as a grad assistant, the normal pipeline for young coaches under Ferentz, and risk a University background check raising the DUI flag.</p>
<p id="IfP39s">So Kirk did what he had to do. He set Brian up with a job outside of a crumbling Iowa infrastructure which allowed the timing on the DUI to lapse amid good behavior. (For reference, <span>Broderick Binns</span> had a DUI in 2010 but was hired as a GA in 2014.)</p>
<p id="m2ev78">In a <a href="http://nola.com/">NOLA.com</a> blog, Brian describes a call from Scott Pioli, then the Patriots’ head of personnel as the start of his new career. “I figured he was a guy who knew a lot about evaluating talent, and if he was offering me a job in scouting, then my playing days might be numbered,” Ferentz said.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="u2TRSM">
<p id="HfWizz">The plan worked. Brian progressed with the Patriots from scouting assistant in 2008 to, eventually, tight end coach - a group which included <span>Rob Gronkowski</span> and Aaron Hernandez. After the 2011 NFL season, which ended in another New England <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>, Brian’s coaching resume - 1 year as assistant TE and 1 as TE - had exceeded the <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11PH-Afq7ZrRcJ5-rKNyKd2e6OQvkfYe0bpxYTiQ03K8/edit?usp=sharing">bare minimum of past assistant coach hires by Kirk</a>.</p>
<p id="x83MKP">There were early hints that year of his eye looking towards Iowa, <a href="https://www.thegazette.com/2011/10/23/patriots-ferentz-rejoins-iowas-ferentzes-for-weekend">telling The Gazette</a>, “I get to do a lot of great things, be in the big arenas. But I’ll be chasing the feeling I had here the rest of my life.”</p>
<p id="Vkehm9">The timing of Iowa’s post-2011 staff changes was executed only to get Brian onboard. A recent <a href="https://twitter.com/KMM_11/status/1287770524118953984?s=20">Kevonte Martin-Manley tweet</a> detailed the unfair shake of then-wide receivers coach Erik Campbell, reigniting <a href="https://www.goiowaawesome.com/iowa-hawkeyes-football/2020/07/4844/lets-talk-about-that-kevonte-martin-manley-allegation">the debate</a>.</p>
<p id="LaV1FD">Ken O’Keefe<a href="https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2012/02/03/football-offensive-coordinator-o-keefe-resigns/"> departed on February 3rd</a> after several top coordinators were hired. Kirk Ferentz was never going to hire any of the<a href="https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-assistant-coach-hires-2012"> risers in 2012</a> — Matt Canada, Tom Herman, and Kliff Kingsbury — or even promote from within to grant someone like Campbell free reign to hire as he saw fit. Instead, Kirk hired Brian two weeks after New England’s season ended in the Super Bowl.</p>
<p id="HrRN9H">It wasn’t until<a href="https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2012/02/27/greg-davis-named-iowa-s-offensive-coordinator/"> February 27th</a>, a month before spring practice began, that <span>Greg Davis</span> was hired to lead Iowa’s offense to conclude hiring.</p>
<p id="mt8iiE">This is how nepotism works and the wheels were put in motion for what Iowa is faced with today.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="vzDHz3">
<p id="NoYPjd">Brian’s time as offensive line coach was somewhere between okay and good, if largely unremarkable. <a href="https://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2014/01/several-penn-state-assistants-will-join-obrien-with-texans/">He turned down an NFL offer</a> in 2014. Ahead of 2015, he was made <a href="https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/football/2015/04/15/brian-ferentz-explains-run-game-coordinator-title-iowa-hawkeyes-football/25837987/">run game coordinator</a> and Iowa showed a more diverse array of running plays in their 12-0 regular season. The offensive line won the Joe Moore Award in 2016 when LeShun Daniels and <span>Akrum Wadley</span> both exceeded 1,000 yards on the season. Three linemen were drafted over his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Iowa_Hawkeyes_in_the_NFL_Draft">five years at the position</a>, down from an average of one per year the prior 13.</p>
<p id="3IrfNP">Greg Davis retired at the conclusion of the 2016 season.</p>
<p id="LESHCO">In another nepotistic move, Brian was quickly named offensive coordinator with little outside consideration. His resume, in terms of length and accolades, is below all other coordinator hires Kirk has made.</p>
<p id="OPZP85">There’s a case to be made the backfill to Brian as OL coach, <a href="https://hawkeyesports.com/coach/tim-polasek/">Tim Polasek</a>, was more qualified than Ferentz. He had 14 years prior coaching experience including 5 as offensive coordinator. He was part of multiple FCS national championship teams. Closer to home, <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/matchup?gameId=400869656">his NDSU offense bludgeoned Iowa’s defense</a> in 2016 to the tune of 239 yards on 4.9 yards/carry. (Iowa had 34 on 1.4 in the 23-21 NDSU upset)</p>
<p id="P2jnyH">Ferentz’s tenure as offensive coordinator has been largely mediocre. By points and yards he is neither better nor worse than either of his predecessors. Iowa’s winning percentage is up to 69% with Brian as OC; they were 60% under Davis. Conference win percentage is down marginally to 56% from 60%.</p>
<p id="PNmw9X">Yet his behavior has been highly unusual and out of line with past coordinators.</p>
<p id="oD0J6e">In 2017, Brian had a <a href="https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/kirk-ferentz-calls-sons-outburst-unprofessional-act-20171031">rare press box blow-up</a> at the replay official during halftime of a game against Minnesota. He faced no consequences since Gary Barta, his direct supervisor, trusted the younger Ferentz “got it.”</p>
<p id="1zVY0Z">The rhetoric was fine and dandy but the end result? Brian<a href="https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/football/2018/05/02/iowa-football-brian-ferentz-offensive-coordinator-hawk-central-play-calling/575746002/"> returned to the field</a> where poor behavior is more easily contained.</p>
<p id="kNhMUs">And yet the behavior hasn’t changed. Brian has gotten no less than two<a href="https://twitter.com/BHGP/status/1188163794637377536?s=20"> unsportsmanlike</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Dox5/status/1167965052088930304?s=20"> conduct penaltie</a>s on the sideline. It’s more than I can remember from any assistant coach in the black and gold. How would Kirk Ferentz treat a player who cost his teammates 15 yards, let alone 30, for something completely controllable?</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="HbQgNg">
<p id="F9HUai">With little staff turnover since the 2017 hires, Iowa’s continuity was spun as a positive on the recruiting trail, spearheaded by Iowa’s director of recruiting and Kirk’s son-in-law, <span>Tyler Barnes</span>. Instead, it had the opposite effect as Doyle became entrenched and apparently above reproach. The Doyle-centric culture enabled Brian to cater to his less professional tendencies.</p>
<p id="reCyEf">Accusations of Doyle’s behavior — crossing the line from demanding into demeaning, often across racial lines — led to his separation. Those levied against Brian have not faced similar scrutiny.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coach Doyle is the problem in that building. And so is Brian ferentz. Things won’t progress until those two fix themselves. They know they’re a problem. KF isn’t. I respect coach ferentz wholeheartedly. It’s the other in the building.</p>— Jaleel Johnson (@leellxvii) <a href="https://twitter.com/leellxvii/status/1269287521034350593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a>
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<p id="YzpgUs"><span>Akrum Wadley</span>’s mom, Sharonda Phelps, detailed incidents where Brian, then running backs coach, made untoward comments about robbing a store:</p>
<div id="BVJrCB">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mother of former Hawkeye RB Akrum Wadley, Sharonda Phelps, told HN that assistant coach Brian Ferentz twice asked her son if he was going to rob a gas station and a liquor store on another occasion. Phelps brought that to Brian's father, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, in Jan. '18</p>— Rob Howe (@RobHoweHN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobHoweHN/status/1269710082817867776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a>
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<p id="OStwoc">Phelps later mentioned Kirk <a href="https://twitter.com/RobHoweHN/status/1269713674933022724?s=20">brushed off these concerns</a> when brought to him. She recorded a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100013536193045/videos/948980268896504/">Facebook video</a> with additional accusations about how Ferentz <a href="https://twitter.com/adammcginnis/status/1270780220958576640?s=20">unnecessarily spoke ill</a> of Wadley to teammates and NFL teams.</p>
<p id="l9rwKr"><span>Cedric Boswell</span> mentioned a time Ferentz belittled him after Boswell got a tattoo <a href="https://twitter.com/cjboswell98/status/1269121916964614145?s=20">in tribute to his city.</a> </p>
<p id="xFzyx9">What has been uncovered puts <span>Noah Fant</span>’s limited playing time during the biggest moments of the 2018 season in a different light as well.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It felt like “big me, little you.” Heck of a thing to do when a division title is at stake.</p>— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottDochterman/status/1270866166223945737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a>
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<p id="QaVhUj">By naming Brian as the positional coaches of both Wadley and <span>Fant</span>, Kirk Ferentz was enabling a punitive environment against them.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="6TXEBQ">
<p id="9Mm4Ki">So what is there to make of Brian Ferentz’s coaching career? His first stop was one borne of the Ferentz-Belichick-Pioli ‘95 Browns connection. He was hired onto Iowa at a time which pigeonholed the staff and has seen himself promoted through attrition with limited on-field success.</p>
<p id="PS38Rn">Brian’s behavior reads, at minimum, like a guy with a sophomoric sense of humor who thinks it’s okay to bully his subordinates. He’s added to an environment where his <a href="https://twitter.com/GenoStone22/status/1269341472966479873?s=20">colleagues do not feel enabled</a> to raise player concerns. He has displayed rare outbursts beyond reproach. In his near-twenty years around high-level football, he’s chosen Chris Doyle as his emotional role model, <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283338/hawkeye-football-iowa-strength-conditioning-coach-chris-doyle-issues-statement-administrative-leave">whose tactics have had him separated from Iowa.</a></p>
<p id="NVVnZa">His toxicity, even if it is unconscious, has negatively impacted those around him. Yet he has continually skirted consequences because his boss is his father who enabled his behavior and career.</p>
<p id="KdtUHz">Ahead of the independent investigation concluding, it’s worth wondering: will Kirk have to cover again for his son’s inadequacies?</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/29/21287373/just-how-far-will-nepotism-take-brian-ferentz-kirk-ferentz-chris-doyle-iowa-hawkeyes-football-bhgpBoilerHawk2020-07-21T06:01:00-05:002020-07-21T06:01:00-05:00Lunch Links is 11:00 somewhere
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<img alt="Iowa v Nebraska" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g1MeRoWu0m02zCdy3uTtLYPeMSk=/4x0:3000x1997/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67085287/1185527393.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em>It seems wrong to post a jokey NCAA basketball blog when there’s real news breaking for Iowa Hawkeye football</em></p> <p id="QaACwS">Normally at this time, I’d be posting an <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/">Iowa Hawkeyes</a> basketball blog. It just doesn’t seem like the “right” thing to do given the news which spread across the Hawkeye landscape.</p>
<p id="aVlOZr">The snowball of Iowa’s racial inequities continues to move down the hill, most recently with a report from <a href="https://www.hawkeyenation.com/features/19-athletic-department-study-showed-serious-racial-bias-in-iowa-football">Hawkeye Nation (dot) com</a>.</p>
<p id="34xQNZ">In the link provided, Rob Howe more or less goes point by point through the report, which Howe obtained separately from the 5-page summary of findings report provided by the athletic department in response to a FOIA request. For the benefit of everyone here - mainly myself and proper attribution - I’ll reference that report. <a href="https://www.hawkeyenation.com/app/uploads/2020/07/Full-UI-Diversity-Task-Force-Report.pdf">It can be found here.</a></p>
<p id="L44ZGz">I’ll pull from an over-simplification as I go through this vis a vis “what? so what? now what?”</p>
<h1 id="YmEWTQ">“What?”</h1>
<p id="BSq5QU">The summary does not necessarily tell us anything new but it does provide a timestamp on many of the allegations uncovered over the last couple of months.</p>
<p id="dE4ZVU">11 people made up the committee, most notably, <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/10/21320142/broderick-binns-named-executive-director-diversity-equity-inclusion-iowa-hawkeyes-athletics-bhgp">the newly promoted</a> Broderick Binns. The other key name people will know is Iowa basketball’s Andrew Francis (who has since taken a job with Cal). The findings were broken into three categories - student-athletes; coaches; staff - and were primarily focused on football. As Barta said in a June 15th presser: “while no teams or individuals were singled out, it was reported verbally that many of these comments were coming from football.”</p>
<p id="O3LMqD"><em>The key point here is that no individuals were singled out, which I’ll get to in a bit.</em></p>
<p id="MuQ5GX">Anyways, 24 student-athletes were interviewed and about 50 individuals were, in total. On Friday, Kirk Ferentz estimated about 100 interviews have been conducted over the course of the independent review of the topic.</p>
<p id="9fj6Bv">So the scope of this is a little more wide-ranging and more surface-level than we might expect from Husch Blackwell. It did identify the key issues which exist(ed) in <s>UI Athletics</s> Iowa football, summarized by Howe:</p>
<ul>
<li id="GUkRxx">Expected to conform to White culture</li>
<li id="vDIpTU">Subjected to verbal harassment</li>
<li id="QNgKj0">Targeted for extra drug testing</li>
<li id="DCBSC6">Misled about resources available to them during the recruiting process</li>
<li id="IgT1kJ">Subjected to inequitable discipline policies and double standards</li>
<li id="2wbULa">Misunderstood by both coaches and White player</li>
<li id="AY6URX">Unsupported in their academic pursuits</li>
</ul>
<p id="1pk8Z9">If we are being serious about these accusations, the only one which is news here is the final bullet. Everything else has been addressed in some form or fashion on Twitter or in podcast form.</p>
<h1 id="AYVZkk">“So What?”</h1>
<p id="hwIG1N">As mentioned above, the report confirms what we learned in June 2020 was meandering around the Athletics Department/Football Complex ahead of the 2019 football season. Kirk Ferentz eased the restrictions on earrings, hoodies, hats, rap music, etc. ahead of last season. He admittedly “dropped the ball” in ensuring the diversity group he had put in place met throughout the season but really, there’s reason to believe a lot of this does not happen without the public accountability Twitter provided.</p>
<p id="t33Urt">The report detailed how the conundrum whistleblowers often face when uncovering improper behavior would have the negative effect. From the report:</p>
<blockquote><p id="xWc3Mh">“African <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> student-athletes may be more distrustful of coaches and administrators, and avoid talking openly about negative experiences because of the authority coaches and administrators have over playing time and scholarships.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="nHDiK9">All that is missing from the above quote is “Chris Doyle” in place of “coaches and administrators.”</p>
<p id="p5Jrgt">It is highlighted by the only block-quote in the report, which discusses the “short period of time to make a good impression” and the smaller perceived margin of error for Black athletes.</p>
<p id="OvGfDO">In a way, Howe’s summary softens the blow of some of the quotes. One player describes “being a slave to the system” due to changing his hair and overall need to conform to the standard of “the White student-athlete.”</p>
<p id="mgMFmV">White student-athletes concurred, saying there “is a certain mold that students must fit into here at Iowa, and for student-athletes from Iowa it is easier for the to fit the mold.” (Geographic euphemisms are a theme throughout the report) When interviewing coaches, the report concluded “assimilation into Iowa culture is a barrier for African American male student-athlete persistence” as if it is the players’ fault for failing to conform and not the coaches’ for creating such a mold they feel the need to which they assimilate.</p>
<p id="a3psRm">Particularly concerning is the sense that it means players “do not do anything to draw unwarranted attention to yourself athletically or socially.”</p>
<p id="hhIB3D"><em>Editorializing: what does it even mean to draw unwarranted social attention to one’s self? Maybe...</em><a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2018/7/24/17604508/lunch-links-is-two-deep-iowa-football-big-ten-media-days-bhgp"><em>mistaking a cop car for an Uber?</em></a></p>
<p id="CvM1Ra">Point is: that type of standard is rife for people of power to misconstrue, which is why what was initially most disheartening for me is actually the most damning (as former <a href="https://twitter.com/jordyhansen/status/1285312803742470144?s=20">BHGPer Jordan Hansen rightfully corrected</a>):</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The most disheartening thing is this collective shoulder-shrug of a passage: <a href="https://t.co/7m45lwp8SI">pic.twitter.com/7m45lwp8SI</a></p>— Harrison (@HD_starr) <a href="https://twitter.com/HD_starr/status/1285304973635379200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a>
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<p id="1IrqGw">Basically, it was not the Iowa Way’s fault for Black players not to like Iowa.<strong> A direct line: the staff was too lazy to accept any responsibility for making Iowa more palatable.</strong></p>
<h1 id="Y0HP18">“Now What?”</h1>
<p id="NYFS8n"><a href="https://twitter.com/HD_starr/status/1285303413006143489?s=20">As I concluded on Twitter</a>, Kirk Ferentz is in a potentially-not-horrible position since Doyle was never actually named in the report. As Scott Dochterman surmised, Kirk is not above “<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottDochterman/status/1285232504530665474?s=20">scrutiny nationally or locally.</a>” None of this makes his ignorance right, but there remains plausible deniability here for him to claim the only issues holding his program back from a “strong culture” he’s continually referenced were rules he changed as a result of these findings.</p>
<p id="BGZPyz"><a href="https://www.hawkeyenation.com/opinion/howe-iowa-football-players-feeling-freedom-to-be-themselves">By all accounts</a>, Iowa football is in a better place socially than they were three months ago. Kirk got Iowa here and though the journey was a little...wayward...it was paved with, I think, the best intentions. There is no critical mass calling for Kirk’s job.</p>
<p id="gFbGVZ">So it is really going to come down to what the independent reporting uncovers. What this shows is that Kirk knew there were issues in fall of 2018, when the interviews were conducted, and that he minimally adjusted as a result of them.</p>
<p id="tyIJdB">His biggest “crime” remains: the biggest concerns players took issue with, they did not feel comfortable voicing. If the law firm concludes that Kirk knew the root cause of these issues was Chris Doyle and that he acted (at minimum) a year and a half late, then he may have coached his last game in the black and gold.</p>
<p id="o5Gq5x">Time will tell.</p>
<p id="NhRZQq">(<a href="https://www.hawkeyenation.com/app/uploads/2020/07/Full-UI-Diversity-Task-Force-Report.pdf">Again, you can read the report’s findings here.</a>)</p>
<h1 id="xOPJ1a">Other links</h1>
<ul>
<li id="O8v2Yk">Former Hawk <a href="http://www.leansixsigmaforgood.com/racial-differences-in-football-player-retention-at-the-university-of-iowa/">Brion Hurley six sigma’d the situation</a>. He concluded there’s statistically lower chance Black players concluded their careers at Iowa than White players.</li>
<li id="6RKcEY">What former QB’s personality does <span>Spencer Petras</span> most resemble? I think we have to go outside Kirk Ferentz’s tenure...</li>
</ul>
<div id="CB0eQB">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hawkeye QB Spencer Petras - The Bill Walton of Iowa Football. <a href="https://t.co/Yfr266IC0G">pic.twitter.com/Yfr266IC0G</a></p>— Rob Howe (@RobHoweHN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobHoweHN/status/1284481462792790016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a>
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<ul>
<li id="RV7Fjh">The Athletic’s <a href="http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=29504975">Scott Dochterman took a trip below the Mason-Dixon</a> to discuss his <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F1936696%2F2020%2F07%2F20%2Fcollege-football-revenue-funding-athletic-budget%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackheartgoldpants.com%2F2020%2F7%2F21%2F21332168%2Flunch-links-is-11-00-somewhere-iowa-hawkeyes-football-kirk-ferentz-chris-doyle-broderick-binns-bhgp" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">budget piece with Paul Finebaum</a>.</li>
<li id="PrpqHr">Some self-referential foodstuff getting me through the quarantine with a pregnant wife, whom I love deeply: </li>
</ul>
<div id="eXkKRT">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The America’s Test Kitchen cookbook is chock full of “extra” recipes but the way the grilled cheese is cooked is absolutely worth it.<br><br>Combining honey mustard with the softened butter before putting it on the bread? *chef’s kiss*</p>— Harrison (@HD_starr) <a href="https://twitter.com/HD_starr/status/1283818851680112641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2020</a>
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<div id="TWhb6E">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Obviously coffee as a singular product has successfully pulled off a rebrand of a normally cheap product but may I suggest that "cold brew" benefitted even more?<br><br>I mean, did somebody just repurpose old coffee at the end of the day by putting it on ice and upcharging it further?</p>— Harrison (@HD_starr) <a href="https://twitter.com/HD_starr/status/1285327811952009216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a>
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<div id="oRtNAu">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Current alcohol power rankings:<br>1) rum, amber<br>2) mezcal<br>3) tequila<br>4) rum, white<br>5) gin</p>— Harrison (@HD_starr) <a href="https://twitter.com/HD_starr/status/1278135256428748805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2020</a>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/21/21332168/lunch-links-is-11-00-somewhere-iowa-hawkeyes-football-kirk-ferentz-chris-doyle-broderick-binns-bhgpBoilerHawk2020-07-10T11:46:45-05:002020-07-10T11:46:45-05:00Broderick Binns named Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for UI Athletics
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<img alt="Arizona v Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_l4re6nnMGBLquP56ewxwFDtCPU=/0x0:3582x2388/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67041950/91306146.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em>The former Hawkeye defensive lineman has spent the last three years as director of player development</em></p> <p id="Kc2F8G">In a press release earlier today, the University of Iowa named <span>Broderick Binns</span> the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for UI Athletics. It makes permanent the interim role he had when the position was created in August 2019.</p>
<p id="CfwXWt">Within the Hawkeye athletic department, few are as qualified as Binns. After rejoining the football team as a graduate assistant in 2014, he was named director of player development in April 2016. In a <a href="https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/2019/08/21/iowa-football-broderick-binns-goes-former-hawkeye-player-brother-figure-current-athletes/2067460001/">Hawk Central profile</a> last summer, his role was described as “honorary older sibling” for new Hawkeyes. In it, he described his prior role as “what he was born to do.”</p>
<p id="Ko7dUU">Now his focus will not be on just those on the football team but within the athletic department as a whole. This is particularly important because his new boss, associate AD Liz Tovar, is outside of the football infrastructure which should enable the athletic department to be more capable of addressing student-athlete complaints.</p>
<p id="1fdlQJ">It marks another step the athletic department has made after player complaints of racially-based insensitivities led to the dismissal of strength and conditioning coordinator Chris Doyle, among other administrative changes.</p>
<p id="pCy6Bz">As confirmed by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadLeistikow/status/1281624911568674821?s=20">Chad Leistikow</a>, the move opens up the football team’s director of player development. Before Binns, it was occupied by Chic Ejiasi from 2008-2016.</p>
<p id="5MwTeo">Full <a href="https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2020/07/10/binns-named-dei-executive-director/">details of the release below</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="okUIEZ"><strong>IOWA CITY, Iowa —</strong> Broderick Binns, a former University of Iowa football player who has served on the Hawkeye football staff for the past six years, has been named Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for UI Athletics. The announcement was made Friday by Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Gary Barta.</p>
<p id="qLJjQL">Binns was named director of player development for Iowa football in April, 2016. A four-year football letterman at Iowa, Binns served on the Iowa coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach in 2014 and 2015, assisting with Hawkeye special teams.</p>
<p id="ADKJR5">Along with his role with Iowa football, Binns played an instrumental role in spearheading the UI Athletics Diversity Taskforce, diversity initiatives for student-athletes, and educational trainings for coaches and staff over the past year. He was named Interim Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in August, 2019 when the position was created.</p>
<p id="XSJQy0">The position within UI Athletics reports to Liz Tovar, associate athletics director for student-athlete academic services. Binns will be responsible for assisting all Iowa student athletes (with an emphasis on underrepresented students) with making a smooth transition into college life socially, academically, and athletically; the implementation of diversity initiatives for student-athletes, coaches, and staff, and oversight of the UI Athletics Diversity Taskforce and Action Plan; ensuring that the strategic goals within the Action Plan are in alignment with campus-wide diversity policies and practices.</p>
<p id="S2ULSK">“Broderick has been involved in our program as a student-athlete or staff member the past 12 years,” said Barta. “His strong understanding of Hawkeye Athletics and the University of Iowa, combined with his passion for helping student-athletes grow and have a great experience, make him a perfect fit for this position.”</p>
<p id="J3qmGD">Binns earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in sport and recreation management, both from Iowa.</p>
<p id="OOMqJ5">Binns enjoyed a very successful playing career as a defensive end for the Hawkeyes from 2008-11. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior and earned the Roy J. Carver Most Valuable Player Award for defense. He was a three-year member of the Iowa Leadership Group during his career.</p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/10/21320142/broderick-binns-named-executive-director-diversity-equity-inclusion-iowa-hawkeyes-athletics-bhgpBoilerHawk2020-07-06T06:31:00-05:002020-07-06T06:31:00-05:00Overreaction Monday: An Open Letter to Iowa Hawkeye Players Past, Present and Future
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 12 Penn State at Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/52NC_Q7J5F0WL3OaQXztaM1QdgM=/0x0:5400x3600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67020510/1175940974.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>All voices must be heard. | Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The dynamic has shifted in the story of racial injustice at the University of Iowa.</p> <p id="BrC2C5">As an Iowa fan and an Iowa football fan in particular, the last several weeks have felt like some painful version of Groundhog Day. There has been some good news in terms of recruiting momentum and transfers coming into the program, but it feels like every week any potential good news is far overshadowed by two repeat stories that continue to take twists and turns.</p>
<p id="bz6a3D">The first being the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, where we see cases rising to record levels around the country as things reopen. We’ve see the University of Iowa release their budget for the next year with steep cuts due to anticipated lower revenues. They’ve limited football ticket sales, indicating at best we’re likely to see stadiums that are far from full capacity. In short, a 2020 football season is entirely in doubt.</p>
<p id="nrifli">As miserable as that potential seems, the second topic is perhaps equally painful for Iowa fans as we continue to see a slow trickle of news and stories from former players expressing their grievances. To date, <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/15/21291721/iowa-football-program-reaches-separation-agreement-with-chris-doyle-hawkeyes-kirk-ferentz-gary-barta">Chris Doyle is gone from the football program</a>. <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/15/21291180/overreaction-monday-kirk-ferentz-iowa-hawkeyes-football-has-told-us-has-been-the-right-move-bhgp">Kirk Ferentz has addressed the media</a> multiple times. Gary Barta has addressed the media. Three current players have spoken with the media. The entire team is now on social media. A council of former players has been formed to guide the program going forward. According to multiple accounts, <a href="https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2020/06/12/hawkeyes-look-to-set-standard-in-college-football/">difficult conversations have been had in heated exchanges</a> between players and coaches. Things are changing. </p>
<p id="37FhAg">That was the stated goal of those players who initially came forward. Over the last few weeks, a growing number of players have come forward through a third party, <a href="http://Twitter.com/ThePlayersRep1">Robert T. Green</a> of <a href="https://pre-postgame.com/">Pre-Postgame</a>. The anectdotes from <span>Akrum Wadley</span>, Maurice Flemming, <span>Jonathan Parker</span> and others have been of a very different tune than the 50+ former players who initially came forward. The stories have included some already known details and stories that are clearly in line with what we’ve grown to understand as an underlying issue within the program, but they’re also laced with stories and comments that run counter to the narrative or are entirely unrelated.</p>
<div id="Qc1daf">
<div id="fb-root"></div>
<script async="1" defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v7.0" nonce="2JVNkN5f"></script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2628877667431270&id=100009271863582&sfnsn=mo" data-width="640"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/ThePlayersRep1/posts/2628877667431270" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
<p>Statement form former #IowaHawkeye Mr. Jonathan Parker
"My time at Iowa was extremely difficult right from the...</p>Posted by <a href="#" role="button">Robert T Green</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePlayersRep1/posts/2628877667431270">Thursday, July 2, 2020</a>
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<p id="Yb1jWg">The shift from stories told by players, from their social media accounts, to statements posted through a third party has come with a very different tone and apparently different motives. Within the fanbase, there seems to be a similar ongoing shift, from unity in support of the players coming forward to division on who is telling the truth and what should be done. </p>
<p id="bGjqRs">It’s with this changing dynamic in mind that I feel compelled to draft an open letter to <span>James Daniels</span>, <span>Faith Ekakitie</span>, <span>Jordan Lomax</span> and the myriad other former players who have come forward to share their stories of racial inequality in the Iowa football program.</p>
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<p id="Tp98hI"><em>To all current and former Iowa players:</em></p>
<p id="NMC7v2"><em>First and foremost, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for putting your bodies and minds on the line for all of us to enjoy an entertainment product from the stands and on TV. To those of you who have been brave enough to come forward and tell your stories, thank you. To James Daniels and </em><span><em>Faith Ekakitie</em></span><em> in particular, who were among the first to start the conversation, thank you. </em></p>
<p id="N4Ey4m"><em>I, like most Hawkeye fans and most people in the state of Iowa, am white. Worse, I’m a white man. I was born with perhaps as much privilege as is possible in this world. It’s impossible for me to ever fully understand what it’s like to be a Black man in this country. But I think I speak for a significant portion of the fanbase when I say I’d like to do my best. I’d like to try.</em></p>
<p id="OXhceD"><em>The 50+ former players who have come forward deserve to have their voices heard. EVERY player deserves to have their voice heard. If there are, or have been, improprieties perpetuated by anyone involved with Iowa athletics on any level at any time, we NEED to know about it. You don’t owe it to us. You don’t owe us anything. But you owe it to yourselves. Your voices need to be heard and your experiences need to be learned from.</em></p>
<p id="LIujvk"><em>As the people who buy the tickets, pay for the conference TV network subscriptions, scoop up jerseys and write the donation checks, we support the program we love. We pay for the people in charge. But the vast majority of us have no access to the program whatsoever. We have no idea what is said or done behind closed doors. We will never know how hard you all work or what your experience is like. Unless you tell us. </em></p>
<p id="xhp8BY"><em>Racism, whether outright or via unconscious bias or any other means, is not acceptable. Not in the Hawkeye football complex, not in this country. The sad reality is we’ve come to learn through your sharing that it has been an ongoing issue in the Iowa football program for some time. That’s unacceptable and it must change. But it’s not just an Iowa football problem. </em></p>
<p id="zUlFZ0"><em>I don’t have to tell any of you that racism is a much bigger problem than Iowa football or college football. Racism is a national problem that as a white man I can only begin to understand. But I understand enough to know it cannot be tolerated and it must be addressed by listening and learning from those with different backgrounds and experiences than our own. To grow and make the necessary changes, we need to hear your stories.</em></p>
<p id="THPguW"><em>We need to know what the issues inside the football complex and our nation truly are. To do that, we need to be able to separate the cases of truly racist, biased or otherwise inappropriate behavior from the exaggerated, fabricated or unrelated anecdotes that may also be shared. </em></p>
<p id="dGv122"><em>There have been stories of utterly unacceptable behavior by Chris Doyle and other members of the Iowa staff. Doyle is no longer with the program. The others remain in place. If some of the stories we’ve seen are true, it’s imperative the players who can corroborate them speak up. If Brian Ferentz truly said, in front of players and coaches that, “only a dumb ass Black player would do it like that,” he should be held accountable. If Kirk Ferentz heard that comment or was told of it later and did nothing, he should be held accountable. But if that claim is not factual, the former player and his representative who put out the statement should be held accountable.</em></p>
<p id="QTfiMx"><em>It is not standing up for your brothers or supporting them to stand by while falsehoods and stories of personal vendettas overshadow the many, very real, stories of racial disparities and mistreatment in the program. Supporting your teammates is doing what it takes to drive the positive changes that are needed; sharing your stories and either confirming or denying others so that those responsible for the past can be held accountable and those best suited to guide the needed change can be elevated and heard for the future.</em></p>
<p id="t8KX0n"><em>It is completely understandable to not want to put yourself out there on social media and open yourself up to criticism from a vocal minority. There are truly bad people out there. But the truth matters. As a people, we can unite around the need for change. But right now, within our fanbase, there is a divide driven in part by white privilege, ignorance and misunderstanding, but in part by the demonstrably false claims and personal grievances that are distracting from the real story. Without the people who were in the room speaking up, we will remain divided, rather than united behind a common goal of change.</em></p>
<p id="udgjG2"><em>Don’t stop coming forward. Don’t stop telling your truth. But be clear in your message. If there are individuals who need to be removed from the program, bring that to light. If there are falsehoods being told for ulterior motives, shine light on that as well.</em></p>
<p id="bILyF2"><em>If not for football, most fans wouldn’t know who most players are, but because of football we do. That doesn’t mean we don’t care about you as human beings. To the contrary, because of football, we’ve gotten to know more about you than we otherwise would have. And because of football, you have a platform few others are afforded. You have the opportunity to truly be heard and affect change. </em></p>
<p id="vkWZPD"><em>Please treat that opportunity as a responsibility. Not for the fans, but for yourselves, your teammates past, present and future, and for this country. We will be better.</em></p>
<p id="vVBPBJ"><em>-White Iowa Fan, JPinIC</em></p>
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<p id="8lS6pE">Over the next several weeks, there are sure to be more stories coming to light. That’s a good thing for the program and for the nation. As fans, we should be listening and learning with open minds. We can’t let the stories we don’t believe or the things we disagree with take away from the ultimate message: there have been underlying problems within the Iowa football program and there remain underlying issues within our nation. We can come together to resolve them, but the first step is acknowledging they exist.</p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/7/6/21311629/overreaction-monday-open-letter-iowa-hawkeye-football-players-past-present-future-kirk-ferentz-bhgpJPinIC2020-06-22T06:31:00-05:002020-06-22T06:31:00-05:00Overreaction Monday: Iowa’s Problems With Racial Injustice an Opportunity for Broader Change
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<img alt="Iowa v Wisconsin" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xghoq7fHU5E6FAgwbylHnygPcxA=/0x0:3504x2336/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66964686/77039425.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>As Kirk Ferentz begins to implement change, the Hawkeyes look to come together. | Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Hawkeyes have been painted in a bad light by the national media, but the underlying issues are bigger than the Iowa and the staff has an opportunity to capitalize on this moment.</p> <p id="2fkHCd">The <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283264/iowa-hawkeye-football-iowas-culture-issues-kirk-brian-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgp">revelations of racial inequality within the University of Iowa’s football program</a> over the last several weeks have been troubling. They’ve been difficult to swallow as fans and have clearly given the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/">Iowa Hawkeyes</a> a black eye. While the local media has done some introspection and questioned themselves for not sniffing things out sooner, the national media has spent no such time looking in the mirror. Rather, all efforts appear to have been focused the failings within the program and assigning blame to virtually all members of the staff and administration.</p>
<p id="fIwe3T">It was universally agreed upon almost as soon as the stories began to come out that Chris Doyle needed to go. Kirk Ferentz wasted no time in placing Doyle on administrative leave and Barta seemed to work quite quickly to secure an agreement to part ways with him a week ago. </p>
<p id="NCAaWR">But the national media seemed to ignore the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/8/21284428/hawkeye-football-iowa-players-return-to-twitter-to-call-for-change-kirk-ferentz-bhgp">words of nearly every former player who came forward</a>. The stories and comments largely were targeted toward Doyle, but there were also a handful of unacceptable accounts of incidents involving Brian Ferentz, as well as at least one incident each involving Seth Wallace and Phil Parker. With the exception of DJK, <span>Akrum Wadley</span>’s mother, and perhaps one or two others, very few called out Kirk Ferentz.</p>
<p id="qVxTrN">Rather, outside of those few critics, nearly every player to came forward has stated they feel like Ferentz is the right man to correct the problem, that he should not be fired. The national media, however, seemed to not actually take the time to read all the tweets and stories. Instead, they read headlines and the select tweets that were shared more broadly, which of course were the most notable and offensive of the group, and ran to grab pitchforks. They called not only for Chris Doyle’s head, but for those of nearly everyone in the program. Brian Ferentz needed to go. Seth Wallace needed to go. Kirk Ferentz needed to go. </p>
<p id="iPus9f">Never mind that his worst transgression reported was telling NFL scouts that <span>Akrum Wadley</span> refused to add weight (which the NFL discovered on their own when he made a practice squad, was able to show for himself what he could do and was cut) and being honest with those same scouts about his difficulties with DJK, who has admitted to being on drugs during his time with the team and was arrested in season on drug charges. Never mind that the players actually in the football facility, actually showing the courage to come forward for change and actually living the experiences have virtually all said the best person to lead Iowa through this time is Kirk Ferentz.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">culture. I have much respect for KF and other coaches on the staff as men of great integrity, principles, & morals and I am confident they have the ability be a part of the solution. As my brother <a href="https://twitter.com/Faith_Joseph?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Faith_Joseph</a> already mentioned, “the change starts in the weight room”</p>— Jordan Lomax (@jordanlomax27) <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanlomax27/status/1269084300265295874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a>
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<p id="Krjmwo">Again and again, from <a href="https://247sports.com/Article/paul-finebaum-kirk-ferentz-needs-to-answer-for-racism-chris-doyle-iowa-hawkeyes-football-148220991/Amp/">Paul Finebaum</a> to <a href="https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/5329678002">Dan Wolken</a>, members of the media called for mass changes to the coaching staff at Iowa and acted as if this was some sort of appalling thing that is only happening in Iowa City. There was no discussion about the broader circumstances or the history, there was only finger pointing and faux outrage.</p>
<p id="cUKjyK">It is completely fair to ask how this could have gone on for what is now believed to be the better part of a decade without the head coach knowing. It’s fair to question his response to the allegations from Diaunte Morrow that <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-iowa-football-kirk-ferentz-racism-allegations-20200613-5aydp63ilfg3ficwsfumy2ncjm-story.html">Doyle said he would “send him back to the ghetto.</a>” It’s fair to question what specific actions were taken in response to the allegations against Brian Ferentz and why they may have differed from those taken against Doyle. All of that is not only fair, but necessary.</p>
<p id="ndGbb7">What’s not necessary is calling for a gutting of the Iowa staff. This is not a problem exclusive to Chris Doyle, Brian Ferentz, Seth Wallace, Phil Parker, Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Football or the state of Iowa. This is a cultural problem that has been propagated for hundreds of years. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, for the people impacted by systemic racism, it’s a very real issue across this entire country.</p>
<p id="BzfzZk">That has not been addressed by the pundits and talking heads who were quick to label Iowa after skimming headlines and anecdotes. Over the last few weeks, the focus has slowly shifted away from Iowa. The 24 hour news cycle has moved on. Since then, we’ve come to learn that there have been similar issues at schools such as <a href="https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/3160011001">Utah</a>, <a href="https://www.tomahawknation.com/platform/amp/florida-state-football-fsu-noles/2020/6/4/21280072/players-threaten-boycott-mike-norvell-workouts-response-football-fsu-seminoles-george-floyd-protests">Florida State</a>, <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29284312/clemson-dabo-swinney-defends-response-assistant-coach-use-racial-slur?platform=amp">Clemson</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/06/19/oklahoma-states-mike-gundy-alleged-have-used-racial-slurs-1989-game/">Oklahoma State</a>. We’ve learned that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/13/us/eyes-texas-racist-longhorn-football.html">players at Texas dread singing</a> the traditional “The Eyes of Texas” due to its racist history. We’ve learned that the University of Florida will discontinue its traditional “Gator Bait” chant because, and this comes with a graphic content warning, it originates from a practice of <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/gator-bait-cheer-university-of-florida-canceled/">using Black babies as live bait to catch alligators</a>.</p>
<p id="vNl6lv">Again, this is not an Iowa football problem, this is a racism in this country problem. While the national media was quick to pin a label of the Iowa program, the changes happening in Iowa City have been of the variety needed both in other programs around the country and in our nation as a whole. The calls to listen and learn are not just for coaches in the football complex or fans on a team website, they’re for all people in all places.</p>
<p id="BksmKx">The first step to fixing a problem is identifying you have one. The Hawkeyes have done that. Now, they have a program-defining opportunity to address the problem and be at the forefront of a broader cultural shift. The coaching staff and athletics administration can embrace the discussions and conversations that are ongoing, especially those really uncomfortable ones, and grow as a program.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">“There was screaming, there was yelling, there was crying. Myself included."<br><br>LeVar Woods describes the scene of the volatile June 8 meeting and seems to be perfectly placed during a pivotal period for <a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawkeyeFootball</a>.<a href="https://t.co/9YppuKNS1c">https://t.co/9YppuKNS1c</a></p>— Chad Leistikow (@ChadLeistikow) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadLeistikow/status/1273663248139726855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2020</a>
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<p id="E0Dxfu">Losing Chris Doyle is difficult for this team. He helped define Iowa Football under Kirk Ferentz. He developed players as well as anyone in the business. But we’ve come to learn he clearly alienated a portion of the team. He created an environment that was unacceptable and one where he simply did not get the best out of every athlete. Iowa now has a chance to do just that. They have a chance to come together as a team in a way they’ve never been able to in the last. They have an opportunity to develop more athletes than they ever have before if they can truly embrace the differences that make the program and the country great.</p>
<p id="wlTPah">While the national media has moved one, we’ve seen in our Iowa fish bowl just what that can look like. We haven’t seen a mass exodus of players transferring with a clear opportunity for waivers of immediate eligibility. We haven’t seen a slew of decommitments. Instead, we’ve seen players speak out in unity. We’ve seen <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonvn123/status/1272328527308881921?s=21">inspiring messages from incoming recruits and their families</a> alike. We’ve seen recruiting continue to roll along, <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/21/21296785/iowa-football-recruiting-florida-db-jordan-oladokun-re-commits-to-hawkeyes-gaither-bhgp">adding the 17th commitment in the class</a> just yesterday.</p>
<p id="UfMqjh">The story of racial disparities in the Iowa Football program is not one of tragedy. It has a painful past that needs to be told, but that’s not the whole story. It’s just the beginning. Now we’re seeing the changes begin to take shape. We’re seeing minor adjustments to policies and the tweaks that get the ball rolling. We’re seeing that this story is one of opportunity and progress that can better the program and be used as a selling point rather than a dirty little secret. It’s not just an Iowa Football story, but one for our nation. What the next chapter holds remains to be seen, but it’s one that also deserves to be told.</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/22/21298372/overreaction-monday-iowa-hawkeye-football-racial-injustice-kirk-ferentz-chris-doyle-opportunity-bhgpJPinIC2020-06-15T11:58:50-05:002020-06-15T11:58:50-05:00Iowa Football program reaches separation agreement with Chris Doyle
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 17 Iowa at Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FOosdUFUAQOCenR0BvDHolwKvAk=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66936477/1063545196.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Just over a week after placing him on administrative leave, Chris Doyle has agreed to part ways with the Iowa football program </p> <p id="peP1k7">The Iowa Football program announced this morning that it has reached a separation agreement with now former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Doyle, effective June 15 (aka, immediately). Raimond Braithwaite will continue his interim role of director of strength and conditioning for the football program. </p>
<p id="5S894Z">The University of Iowa Office of General Counsel has also brought on Husch Blackwell law firm from Kansas City to conduct an outside review of the ‘issues and allegations relating to <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/7/21283264/iowa-hawkeye-football-iowas-culture-issues-kirk-brian-ferentz-chris-doyle-bhgp">racial disparities within the football program</a>.’ </p>
<p id="6cBxAC">The university will not comment on the situation during the independent review process, and as such, Gary Barta’s statement on the matter is pretty bare-bones (although he will address the media this afternoon at 1 p.m.): </p>
<blockquote><p id="tOu17I">“The University of Iowa has reached a separation agreement with Executive Director of Football and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Doyle. We wish Chris the best moving forward in his career.” </p></blockquote>
<p id="B4e1hk">Doyle’s statement, meanwhile, has a little more substance, along with some fluff, which I will skip: </p>
<blockquote><p id="joi1U7">“I have worked diligently to make a positive impact on the lives of student-athletes, support them as they speak out, and look forward to continued growth. I am confident that my record and character will be confirmed in the course of the independent review. The University and I have reached an agreement and it is time to move on from Iowa football. My family and I are looking forward to the next chapter.” </p></blockquote>
<p id="OdGWbp">Some more info of note from the agreement: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former Iowa strength & conditioning coach Chris Doyle will receive $1.11 million buyout & full health benefits for next 15 months as part of settlement agreement from school</p>— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1272557823503802369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2020</a>
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<p id="erMIaL">This announcement comes on the heels of Kirk Ferentz and Iowa players <span>Kaevon Merriweather</span>, <span>Ivory Kelly-Martin</span> and <span>Keith Duncan</span> speaking to the media for the first time since the allegations arose, where Ferentz said his social media ban was a “stupid policy” and all the players referenced a better culture after the team’s emotional meetings, particularly in the weightroom. </p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2020/6/15/21291721/iowa-football-program-reaches-separation-agreement-with-chris-doyle-hawkeyes-kirk-ferentz-gary-bartamattcabel