Conflicting reports over Al Golden email to Hurricanes coaching staff & players to have week off December 4, 2014
For the second time this week, a South Florida radio host drew the ire of UM with a report about coach Al Golden.
WQAM afternoon host Adam Kuperstein, who is also an NBC Miami news anchor, reported Golden sent an email to staff giving them the weekend off because of a tough season that included a lot of night games.
Kuperstein also said the email to staff mentioned “compliance and Raising Canes videos” as reasons the program struggled. He later clarified the source was speaking about struggles during UM’s loss to Pittsburgh last Saturday, one of three losses to end the season.
The school called the report “ludicrous” and “patently false,” and said not only did Golden send no email to staff regarding time off, UM coaches do not have this weekend off.
The conflict comes two days after another WQAM host, Marc Hochman, claimed to have information that Golden could be “gone by tonight” from UM. Athletic Director Blake James responded by saying Golden “is our coach and will continue to be our coach.” James also shot down rumors UM’s Board of Trustees met to discuss Golden’s future.
WQAM is the flagship station of the Hurricanes. Post reporters, including this one, regularly appear on its programming.
Kuperstein’s tweets from Thursday afternoon:
https://twitter.com/AKuperstein
Responding to a request for comment from the Post, a UM Athletics spokesperson called the tweets “ridiculous.”
The spokesperson said Golden gave players this weekend off – via text message – to “rest, get healthy and focus on academics” with finals approaching.
However, staff members are still on the clock. UM is hosting several recruits on official visits this weekend, and coaches have been recruiting on and off campus all week.
“There have been no emails regarding anything said in his tweets,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the suggestion that Raising Canes has anything to do with losses” was “ludicrous, patently false…the idea that is was suggested is ridiculous.”
Raising Canes is a video series, produced for UM by 3Penny Films, in which cameras follow the team during practices and games.
But two hours after Kuperstein’s report, longtime Sun Sentinel sports columnist Dave Hyde backed Kuperstein’s report.
Contacted by the Post for clarification, Hyde said his source confirmed the existence of an email mentioning night games, but said the source had not heard of Raising Canes or compliance being a part of it.
WQAM’s website had a story up for a brief time under the headline “Al Golden cites YouTube videos as reason for struggles,” but it was deleted.
The question is who's running the ship at UM athletics with their sources fumbling and crossing each other?
https://twitter.com/AKuperstein Matt PorterMatt Porter@mattyports
For the second time this week, a South Florida radio host drew the ire of UM with a report about coach Al Golden.
WQAM afternoon host Adam Kuperstein, who is also an NBC Miami news anchor, reported Golden sent an email to staff giving them the weekend off because of a tough season that included a lot of night games.
Kuperstein also said the email to staff mentioned “compliance and Raising Canes videos” as reasons the program struggled. He later clarified the source was speaking about struggles during UM’s loss to Pittsburgh last Saturday, one of three losses to end the season.
The school called the report “ludicrous” and “patently false,” and said not only did Golden send no email to staff regarding time off, UM coaches do not have this weekend off.
The conflict comes two days after another WQAM host, Marc Hochman, claimed to have information that Golden could be “gone by tonight” from UM. Athletic Director Blake James responded by saying Golden “is our coach and will continue to be our coach.” James also shot down rumors UM’s Board of Trustees met to discuss Golden’s future.
WQAM is the flagship station of the Hurricanes. Post reporters, including this one, regularly appear on its programming.
Kuperstein’s tweets from Thursday afternoon:
https://twitter.com/AKuperstein
Responding to a request for comment from the Post, a UM Athletics spokesperson called the tweets “ridiculous.”
The spokesperson said Golden gave players this weekend off – via text message – to “rest, get healthy and focus on academics” with finals approaching.
However, staff members are still on the clock. UM is hosting several recruits on official visits this weekend, and coaches have been recruiting on and off campus all week.
“There have been no emails regarding anything said in his tweets,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the suggestion that Raising Canes has anything to do with losses” was “ludicrous, patently false…the idea that is was suggested is ridiculous.”
Raising Canes is a video series, produced for UM by 3Penny Films, in which cameras follow the team during practices and games.
But two hours after Kuperstein’s report, longtime Sun Sentinel sports columnist Dave Hyde backed Kuperstein’s report.
Contacted by the Post for clarification, Hyde said his source confirmed the existence of an email mentioning night games, but said the source had not heard of Raising Canes or compliance being a part of it.
WQAM’s website had a story up for a brief time under the headline “Al Golden cites YouTube videos as reason for struggles,” but it was deleted.
The question is who's running the ship at UM athletics with their sources fumbling and crossing each other?
https://twitter.com/AKuperstein Matt PorterMatt Porter@mattyports
