DiBona’s dad hopes report ends accusations
The University of Iowa’s findings into why 13 football players were hospitalized proved what Alan DiBona already knew — that the players had nothing questionable in their systems.
“We knew that, but others maybe didn’t,” DiBona, father of linebacker Shane DiBona, said Wednesday.
The 18-page report, presented Wednesday to the Board of Regents, not only recommended the strenuous Jan. 20 squat workout that caused the rhabdomyolysis be eliminated, it also showed the players took nothing illegal.
“Contrary to unfounded speculation,” the report stated, “the injured players were completely blameless in this incident.
“Medical tests confirmed that no injured player had taken any legal or illegal substances that contributed to their injury.
“The players had avoided risky behaviors and maintained good conditioning over the three-week break before supervised training was resumed.”
The questionable workout was the first strenuous session after the Dec. 29 victory against Missouri in the Insight Bowl. Internet and talk-radio speculation as to the cause of the hospitalizations ranged from players taking muscle-building supplements to attending a beer bash.
“The players were tested right away at the hospital,” Alan DiBona said. “Doctors found nothing.”
Privacy issues prevented doctors from releasing that information, which led to the speculation.
“There were some accusations and insinuations,” Alan DiBona said. “Hopefully it will get out to people making the accusations that the players did nothing wrong.”
That struck a note with coach Kirk Ferentz, too.
“I was glad the committee was clear (in) saying the players were not at fault and the staff was not at fault,” Ferentz said Wednesday.
Members of the investigating committee said they hoped the Iowa outbreak would raise rhabdomyolysis awareness.
“When you see that many kids come down with something at the same time, it certainly raises your awareness,” said Matt McGettigan, Air Force football strength and conditioning coach and former strength coach at Iowa State, who was not on the committee. “I think everyone has always been aware (of rhabdomyolysis), but when it affected such a large number at the same time — that gets your attention.”
Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle could not be reached for comment.
“I haven’t spoken to Chris lately, but let me say this: Chris is a good (strength) coach, a very good coach and would do nothing to hurt anyone,” McGettigan said.
The report noted that parents criticized the football program for a lack of communication, citing learning about the hospitalizations through the media. Some wondered why Ferentz did not return immediately from a recruiting trip after learning players had been hospitalized.
“The biggest thing is that the players are doing well,” Ferentz said when asked about the parents’ criticism. “They’ve been monitored each and every week through this period.”
Alan DiBona, whose son will miss spring practice because he is recovering from shoulder surgery, didn’t want to comment on specific details of the report.
“Iowa (officials) said they’d mail each family a copy of the report,” DiBona said, “so since it just came out, we haven’t had a chance to see it yet.”
DiBona did comment about the recommendation that Iowa eliminate the workout, which Ferentz said he would discontinue.
“I think that’s a great idea,” DiBona said.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Some people just can’t exist without being able to blame someone else for everything in the world that happens….
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Absolutely correct West…it’s ALWAYS someone else’s fault!
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Right on, Westsidebilly. The way some of these talking heads are ratchet-jawing (no names, but at least one with the Sporting News is high on that list), you would think that the report not laying blame and not demanding anybody be fired is the worst thing that has happened to college football in 20 years.
I, too, like every other Hawk fan, was concerned about this. And no question, some of the decisions rooted in communication and “just being there” when it happened weren’t the smartest. These men learn their lessons, apologize to the parents, put better policies (and common sense) into place, and make sure it never happens again.
But it is clear it is time to move on. I look at this partially as a case of full-time writers, with a sensationalist bent anyway, having nothing else to do during certain months of the year, and putting the WORST construction on something neither they, nor we, nor anybody understood.
OK, lessons learned here – by Ferentz, his coaches, his medical staff, and football programs and strength programs across the nation. My question – will these media-types learn their lessons?
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Definitely time to move on. ESPN and reporters should spend their time on OSU and Jim Tressel now. That is a story that has big legs. This one is done and put to bed.
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