ESPN/Kyle Hawkins Story

[bste_lax]

I just came across this newer story about Kyle Hawkins on ESPN.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/ ... id=2881802

Also in the article, they mention how there is going to be a story on Sportscenter on June 3.

The Kyle Hawkins story is scheduled to air on ESPN on "SportsCenter" on June 3, a week from Sunday night. It features interviews with Hawkins -- before and after he was dismissed by Missouri -- as well as with team members and administrators.

[BigheadTodd]

Any pub is good pub?

[bste_lax]

I never thought I would ever see Iowa Lacrosse mentioned on espn.com....twice.

[Sonny]

Any pub is good pub?

I would agree to a certain extent. In a similar vein, I think the situation at Duke has certainly raised the profile of the game around the country.

[Sonny]

Thanks for sharing the link Matt.

I've posted this to the main CL page.

[John Westfall]

This off the UNM Lacrosse Website:


ESPN is going to have a story on Head Lacrosse Coach Kyle Hawkins who was fired from his position as Head Lacrosse Coach at Missouri. I find it sad that Missouri's Club sports Department would fire Hawkins. After all he is the guy who built Missouri into a great program that it is today.

I have a lot of respect for Kyle. He is one of the guys who helped build the league to what it is today, a varsity level collegiate Lacrosse league from Coast to Coast. We all owe Kyle a great deal of thanks for all his hard work that he has done for the sport.
I of all people have had my dealings with Kyle when we started the ACLA Conference years ago in the Carolina's and have had my share of disagreements with Kyle. But I found him to be a Man of integrity who really cared about the sport and the kids who play our sport. I hope Kyle will stay with the league as an Administrator or Coach another team. I am sad that this happened to him. I consider him a friend and know him to have a big heart for our sport.
_________________
John Westfall
Head Lacrosse Coach University of New Mexico

[cjwilhelmi]

Wow John Westfall read the article, he didn't get fired because he's gay. Even the spokesperson for Outsports says in the article that he didn't get fired because of his lifestyle. He was fired for, apparently, disagreements over the direction of the team, practice planning, and recruiting issues.

[KnoxVegas]

ESPN is going to have a story on Head Lacrosse Coach Kyle Hawkins who was fired due to him coming out because he is Gay. I find it sad that Missouri's Club sports Department would fire Hawkins over this. I personally don't believe in this lifestyle but I don't condemn anyone for it either and don't feel that has any bearing on how one coaches in this league. After all he is the guy who built Missouri into a great program that it is today.

Paging Rob Graff! Could the first sentence be construed as libelous?

[John Westfall]

Ok, I went back through the article but there are still some questions whether his sexual preference had something to do with his firing or to the fact he came out on this subject. At any rate I will edit my post. The bottom line is I think the world of the guy and wish him the best. He is a great Coach and has done a lot for the league.

[Beta]

...there are still some questions whether his sexual preference had something to do with his firing or to the fact he came out on this subject...

Maybe one of the reasons he got das boot is not because he came out, but maybe because of the way he handled it/that/this.

[Sonny]

Programming Reminder for this Sunday evening.

The Kyle Hawkins story is scheduled to air on ESPN on "SportsCenter" on Sunday, June 3. It features interviews with Hawkins -- before and after he was dismissed by Missouri -- as well as with team members and administrators.

[LaxTV_Admin]

I never thought I would ever see Iowa Lacrosse mentioned on espn.com....twice.

The question I ask is do you think Iowa tries to hire him? If so, do you think he takes the job? If Kyle is as good a coach as many people I have spoken too say he is, then perhaps that would be a great hire for Iowa.

[univduke21]

I believe that in the current society we live in and the atmophere that surrounds the GLBTQQ community, that they found reasons, other than his sexual prefference, to fire an openly gay coach.

Just my opinion though.

[LAXFAN]

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stori ... -no-story/

Here is an interesting article I found from a newspaper (Missourian) that chose not to publish the story because based on the facts, there is nothing to suggest he was fired because he was gay.

Admittedly, there is news value in the headline “Gay coach is fired.”

But journalism, at its simplest, should be based on facts and verification.

And when you look at the facts, the apparent news value disappears.

It is nearly impossible to publish this story without leaving the impression that the coach was fired because he is gay.

In a case like this, even a simple reporting of the facts presents as truth something the Missourian couldn’t verify.

Therefore, a responsible journalist wouldn’t publish it.

[StrykerFSU]

I am certainly no journalist but I disagree with the Missourian. I like my newspapers to present the facts of a story and then let me decide what I think about the incident in question.

Alternatively, perhaps the Missourian chose not to publish the story because it would reflect badly on an institution that appears to be its lifeblood. Most local newspapers are hesitant to write stories that are negative towards their readers (and advertisers). I see it every day in the coverage of FSU and FAMU by the Tallahassee Democrat.

Of course I may be wrong and the Missourian did in fact take the high road while news services like ABC/ESPN were only trying to grab headlines. But after reading the Missourian editorial and the other news articles I think the facts suggest that this was a valid news story that was relevant to the readers of the Missourian and the nation as a whole.