Fred Oien article

[zooropa]

Re: Fred Oien article

The job...well, you obviously all know they set out to "uncloak" Dr. Oien's retirement...the "real" reason...the "lowdown"...the "secrecy" behind it.

The new light is that, per Micah Grenz, Oien was under investigation as recently as fall of last year.

[Evolution Prime]

Re: Fred Oien article

Maybe this is the big article that everyone thought Stu was writing. Anyway, I don't blame TV for the article. Really, who else was going to write it? TV is the beat writer for SDSU and as such we should take the good with the bad, and he has been exeptionally good for us. Now is just some time for that bad to come out.

I'm with zooropa, on this one. I think it was not an isolated incident and it finally caught up with him. If it was as a big of problem as some are making out to be, then maybe he was finally asked to step down.

The timing of the article could have been better, but it probably has to do with the amount of research that possibly went into it. It will eventually pass. Nothing I will be losing sleep over.

[launcher46]

Re: Fred Oien article

This is some of the stuff that comes along with being a division one institution. When you are the prominent school in the state and rumors circle about one of your leaders, articles are going to be written. These sort of articles are written all over the country. Terry was just doing the job he was hired to do.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Fred Oien article

Pretty bland stuff and nothing new.

Exactly my point JackJD...so why was the article written and why was it published? Because somebody at the Argus had a "bone" up their you know where and after five months of digging and not be able to come up with anything new or exciting...they went with what they had to justify the time spent on it. That's such yellow journalism that it turns my stomach and is why I am so upset. Not with Terry, for doing the digging and doing the writing (although I have some specific concerns I will share with Terry personally and not go through here), because I know he just got the assignment and did his job.

The job...well, you obviously all know they set out to "uncloak" Dr. Oien's retirement...the "real" reason...the "lowdown"...the "secrecy" behind it. If they couldn't find anything else out...except that there were people who didn't like their boss for one reason or another (which one of you wants to submit yourself to the same digging?).

It's easy for many of you to say...it's over...it's old stuff...but it certainly opens the door for all the speculators...like "did he hold some sports back", or whatever. And that certainly doesn't make for a very nice retirement for a person who went through 18 years as athletic director at our institution, worked for three presidents, had a broad sports program (more than you can say for USD for instance), a lot of successful teams, and pioneered the move to Division I, which a large number of supporters and alumni now believe in the vision he had.

I'll say it for the last time, which will please many of you, that I'm madder than hell at the Argus, or at least who pressed the issue and led to the publication of a non-story that never should have been published unless it had something more important to say. So Dr. Oien had "issues"...which one of you works in an atmosphere as explosive as the head of the athletic department at a state's largest univesity...and has no "issues" in your life or your relationship with the employees under you.

Finally, any speculation (I'm not going back to find the post) that Fred Oien might have upset some major donors, don't have a clue on how hard he and his staff have worked. I believe fervently that Justin Sell will be a good AD...he was my choice...and he will get my support. But I am personally aware of some major donors to the program who are poised to do some exciting things (especially if the nation's economy improves... which is a whole different can of worms). So remember when some of those things happen in the near future that the ground work for major donors doesn't happen in a year or two. The seeds have been planted and cultivated long before they are announced.

[zooropa]

Re: Fred Oien article

it sickens me to let this kind of story go unchallenged...and I'm not sure I will.

IMO it comes down to this:

1) Oien was publicly sentenced to anger management classes and alcohol treatment.

2) This article alleges that this was a pattern of behavior that continued after the incident, and that it was a problem in the HPER department before the incident.

3) TV's blog entry says that over 24 current and former HPER employees were interviewed.

Now, you are faced with two obvious conclusions:

1) A writer has, in a sudden breach of character, gone dumpster diving for a story. That he ignored countless positive remarks to focus on the negative.

2) The incident with Oien in 2004 was not an isolated one.

----

I'm going with conclusion #2.

In short, it's easier to believe that Oien has had ongoing issues with this than to believe that TV tossed his ethics out the window and burned his bridges with the athletic department.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Fred Oien article

I can see now why Chrysler & GM are going broke & need bailouts!

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien article

I got an Olds Aelaro with 224,000, new brake job in Jan, tires in July 2008, and paid for and seems to run well. The back seat is a mess as I have to haul pets from time to time. Big dent on the outside, but its transportation and gets about 26 mpg even around town.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Fred Oien article

Guilty as charged....1995 pick-up,with a huge uncared for dent in the back, (was already there when i bought it) ( hope you take this as a little good natured fun at your expense tea jr)

I understand and I am getting what I deserve. Remember, when I made that orignal post I stated in there how silly it seemed judging someone on their vehicle.

For the record, I just cleaned out my Suburban and it wasn't pretty. In my defense I have 4 kids under the age of 8 that ride in it daily.

Also, there is another local government official who recently retired who drove a car that was such a clunker it could be in movies. How surprised was I one day to see him driving this thing in the winter and scraping the ice off the INSIDE of the window at the same time. The he gets out and it takes him about 10 slams to shut the door. I wasn't surprised to see a quote from him about being extremly cheap. Explains that one!

[jackdaniel]

Re: Fred Oien article

At least we'll know what everyones driving by the time all's said & done.

[West-River_Jack]

Re: Fred Oien article

Headlines and stories like this sell papers. When more papers sell, it puts money into the coffers of the publisher. It also allows the publisher to increase the prices of advertising in said paper since it is reaching more people. That also puts more money into the coffers of the publisher. If the publisher takes in enough money, he/she is able to go out and hire the best beat writer that he/she can afford to cover the programs at the premier university in the state. Sometimes we may not like how capitalism works, but it beats the heck out of anything else that mankind has tried.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Fred Oien article

Guilty as charged....1995 pick-up,with a huge uncared for dent in the back, (was already there when i bought it) ( hope you take this as a little good natured fun at your expense tea jr)

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien article

Jacks#1fan - I drive a 02 Suburban w/ about 150k on it. Wife drives a mini-van. Both are paid off and will be driven til the wheels fall off. I totally understand someone not needing to have a Mercedees and Audi in the garage.

Nidaros - Sorry that I upset you. I was specific, simply sharing an opinion, and knowing many would scold me for it. I went back and forth about not even posting it, knowing the reactions some would have. I was just being honest. As I have stated numerous times before, I am very thankful for Dr. Oien and Miller and what they have done for the athletic program. This is a opinion board and we're not always going to agree.

You did not upset me. The Argus is the one that upset me. I will be the first to admit that Fred was not without issues. I think it was awfully convientent for Grenz to spill his guts from a distance. I just dont see any moral halo around his head nor that of Mike Daly or Scott Underwood.

If the Argus wants to be fair and balanced and I doubt they do, then they could also try and find the full story on the departures of Jack Doyle and Kelly Higgins the two AD'S prior to Joel Nielsen. Just to refresh my memory, the Argus could dig up their legacies for exposure while they are at it.

[TeaJackrabbit]

Re: Fred Oien article

I'm deeply disappointed at the posts on this thread...and I will tell you all that I'm madder than hell at the Argus Leader for digging and digging, looking and looking, and six months after the fact, dumping on a person with a top of page story, supported by such thin accusations.

I take it you have a dog in the hunt? If so, I don't blame you for being upset. But it wasn't TV or the Argus that made this a story, it was Fred. Let them dig and dig and dig about Scott Nagy and see what they find. I'm sorry, I know this will also offend some, but if you are going to treat people like garbage and have issues w/ your wife that end up being settled by the Police, if you're going to represent your employer and state the way it is alleged he did down in Tulsa, then you better be ready to accept the consequences. Are you saying none of this is true or that it is exxagerated, or what?

Did the story need to be written? No. I do think it's a good lesson to us all.

Again, I am thankful for the years Fred spent at SDSU.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Fred Oien article

Hope this topic doesn't become a "heated" issue.

Well, I drive a 04 Ford Explorer with 50,000 miles. I hope I am not judged based on that!

[jackdaniel]

Re: Fred Oien article

Hope this topic doesn't become a "heated" issue.