http://www.uwmpost.com/2010/04/21/breaking-koonce-on-administrative-leave/
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/91722689.html
"Sources close to the situation said Koonce has been placed on an indefinite administrative leave effective this morning."
Koonce was a former Packer and worked in MU athletics before going to UWM.
Belling (yeah I know I still listen to him, it's for work) CLAIMS that it has to do with an addiction to prescription pills. I thought Koonce was really working to help UWM improve athletics and even get them an on campus stadium. If he's out completely, this will be a blow to an athletic program that really needs to get back on the major stage. Whatever it is, I hope Koonce gets his everything together and is able to return. i thought he was doing good work at UWM.
Looks like the dreaded East Side has claimed another good one with its bounty of controlled substances.
The subject line is a little misleading. He is on leave. That doesn't mean he is "out."
He lost his wife recently to cancer I believe. I'm sure he's going through a lot. People treat depression and pain a lot of different ways so this is not entirely out of the norm these days. Hopefully treatment can provide the comfort he needs. Wishing him well.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 21, 2010, 03:58:41 PM
He lost his wife recently to cancer I believe. I'm sure he's going through a lot. People treat depression and pain a lot of different ways so this is not entirely out of the norm these days. Hopefully treatment can provide the comfort he needs. Wishing him well.
And I hope that UWM sticks by him.
Quote from: Ari Gold on April 21, 2010, 03:21:20 PM
Belling (yeah I know I still listen to him, it's for work) CLAIMS that it has to do with an addiction to prescription pills.
Frankly, I'm suprised Belling didnt try to pin this on Buzz/MU.
Quote from: Ari Gold on April 21, 2010, 03:21:20 PM
http://www.uwmpost.com/2010/04/21/breaking-koonce-on-administrative-leave/
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/91722689.html
"
Belling (yeah I know I still listen to him, it's for work) CLAIMS that it has to do with an addiction to prescription pills. I thought Koonce was really working to help UWM improve athletics and even get them an on campus stadium. If he's out completely, this will be a blow to an athletic program that really needs to get back on the major stage. Whatever it is, I hope Koonce gets his everything together and is able to return. i thought he was doing good work at UWM.
Sounds like Koonce listens to Rush. In all seriousness, I hope he can come out of this alright, and that UWM does stand by him.
Very sad to hear indeed. Koonce had been doing great work for UWM in regards to athletics and the university in general.
I have met him a couple of times through work and he is really nice guy as well. Always takes the time to say hello and does a lot in the Milwaukee community.
Quote from: Ari Gold on April 21, 2010, 03:21:20 PM
Belling (yeah I know I still listen to him, it's for work) CLAIMS that it has to do with an addiction to prescription pills.
Why are people afraid to admit they listen to Belling yet fully willing to admit they listen to those absolute buffoons Bob and Brian, who are the worst morning "personalities" I've ever heard.
Belling is entertaining and funny, if controversial. It's what he's paid to do.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 21, 2010, 04:48:43 PM
Why are people afraid to admit they listen to Belling yet fully willing to admit they listen to those absolute buffoons Bob and Brian, who are the worst morning "personalities" I've ever heard.
Belling is entertaining and funny, if controversial. It's what he's paid to do.
Politically (policy wise) I'm probably 90% in agreement with him, but he doesn't know sh*t about sports and is kind of a douche to a lot of callers. I think it's a matter of what day/hour you get him on. By the 3rd hour he can be pretty sucky but he just has some days where he's really on and some when he's really off.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 21, 2010, 04:48:43 PM
Why are people afraid to admit they listen to Belling yet fully willing to admit they listen to those absolute buffoons Bob and Brian, who are the worst morning "personalities" I've ever heard.
Belling is entertaining and funny, if controversial. It's what he's paid to do.
Oh I don't know, perhaps the fact that he's racist makes people a bit worried about admitting they like him.
why the bob and brian hate? they're decent (at at least as good as anything else in the market)
Quote from: bma725 on April 21, 2010, 04:59:32 PM
Oh I don't know, perhaps the fact that he's racist makes people a bit worried about admitting they like him.
All kinds of "racists" out there, it depends how one qualifies them. Jesse Jackson makes racist comments all the time, but he's "not racist" while if other people make those exact same statements, they're deemed racists. Go figure.
I don't like Belling because he wanders into areas like Sports where he is so out of his league that it is literally uncomfortable to hear him speak. On policy issues, though I don't agree with probably 30% of the time, at least he can make an intelligent argument (whether one agrees or not is another matter).
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on April 21, 2010, 05:55:42 PM
All kinds of "racists" out there, it depends how one qualifies them. Jesse Jackson makes racist comments all the time, but he's "not racist" while if other people make those exact same statements, they're deemed racists. Go figure.
No...they're both racist. Don't act so oppressed.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on April 21, 2010, 05:59:24 PM
No...they're both racist.
I'm fine with that conclusion, not sure why so many people, especially the media in this country, can't get to that obvious conclusion. Or worse yet, if you state that he is, you are tagged as such in return. Pathetic, but that's how the game is played by some.
Quote from: bma725 on April 21, 2010, 04:59:32 PM
Oh I don't know, perhaps the fact that he's racist makes people a bit worried about admitting they like him.
What has he said that's considered racist?
in a sense, he's like Ann Coulter. Someone who has cultivated an on-air persona that pisses off 50% of the consumers and appeals in some way to the other half. You get a wider appeal that way. It's all a game for higher ratings.
This thread is begging for a lock.
We're like kids trying to get away with as much as possible before the parents show up.
I hope he goes back and that uwm allows him to, that would be a huge blow to them
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 21, 2010, 06:27:41 PM
What has he said that's considered racist?
You must not have been listening to him for that long. He was suspended for using a racial slur about Hispanic people 5 or 6 years ago, and he's gotten reprimanded by WISN and Clear Channel for multiple comments about African Americans in the last few years alone.
why would koonce going back to his job be a blow to uwm?
Quote from: Ari Gold on April 21, 2010, 03:21:20 PM
it has to do with an addiction to prescription pills
What is the complicity of Tom Crean in this shameful event?
Quote from: bma725 on April 21, 2010, 07:21:59 PM
You must not have been listening to him for that long. He was suspended for using a racial slur about Hispanic people 5 or 6 years ago, and he's gotten reprimanded by WISN and Clear Channel for multiple comments about African Americans in the last few years alone.
I wasn't questioning you. I live in Chicago. I used to live in Milwaukee and kind of liked listening to Belling because the guy gets so worked up. I did not know that about the racial slurs.
Quote from: JMcSteal on April 21, 2010, 07:12:07 PM
I hope he goes back and that uwm allows him to, that would be a huge blow to them
Classless...
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on April 21, 2010, 08:17:46 PM
Classless...
...did you read what he said? I am pretty sure JMcsteal was saying that UWM should take him back because it would be a huge loss to the program. Why is it classless to think they should stick by him?
ah I thought he meant that taking him back would be a blow to the program.
Quote from: lawwarrior12 on April 21, 2010, 08:55:45 PM
ah I thought he meant that taking him back would be a blow to the program.
That's how I read it too. He should have made it two sentences.
My understanding (and I've not spoken with Koonce, but someone quite close) is George made an off-color comment about getting a Vicodin from someone who was filling a prescription. This story snowballed. Whether or not George is/isn't truly in some trouble with pain killers is unknown to me. I hope he's not.
I've met him numerous times and he's an amazing individual. He's currently enrolled at MU for his PhD. The fact that he didn't seem to miss a beat in spite of the brutal year he's had with his wife's passing made me proud to say I'm his friend, regardless of his affiliation with UWM... :P
Quote from: jtrash37 on April 22, 2010, 08:56:41 AM
My understanding (and I've not spoken with Koonce, but someone quite close) is George made an off-color comment about getting a Vicodin from someone who was filling a prescription. This story snowballed. Whether or not George is/isn't truly in some trouble with pain killers is unknown to me. I hope he's not.
I've met him numerous times and he's an amazing individual. He's currently enrolled at MU for his PhD. The fact that he didn't seem to miss a beat in spite of the brutal year he's had with his wife's passing made me proud to say I'm his friend, regardless of his affiliation with UWM... :P
I cannot imagine that simply making an off-color comment would necessitate a leave of absense.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on April 22, 2010, 09:01:53 AM
I cannot imagine that simply making an off-color comment would necessitate a leave of absense.
I wasn't quoting the conversation verbatim, as I wasn't there. This was, as I said, passed to me second hand.
With a number of "supporters" looking to get Koonce out, this could indeed be the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back.
Today's update:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/panthers/91876129.html
Basically, he is gone. If you read the comments by the coaches, it seems pretty obvious that he has issues with the administrative aspects of the position.
From the jsonline story:
"One source who is knowledgeable about the UWM athletic department said Koonce would not be back."
Doesn't sound good...