Witch Hunt

[Hockey Guy]

I'm sure everyone saw or heard about the witch-hunt last night on fox 9 news about the Gopher hockey team. I think it's terrible that fox 9 did that story! Every college kid tries to get into the bars from time to time and they all drink. Just because they are hockey players they go after them and drag their names through the mud. Even if you’re not a Gopher fan you have to realize how wrong that story was for them to do.

When I was in college the coaches used to buy beer for the Saturday night bus ride home. Do they realize how hard these kids had to work for the past 15 years of their life to get to where they are? It's just wrong in my opinion. If someone had a problem with what the players were doing they should have just informed the University and let them deal with it. I guarantee it happens at every other college hockey program as well! The only difference is that most of the other schools have 21 year-old freshmen so it doesn't matter. Someone tell me what good that story did for the state of Minnesota, The U of M, or Fox 9 news! If that’s what it takes for them to get ratings, they’re pretty pathetic in my book.

[PierBridge]

It's called SWEEPS WEEK.....as we know the media is the one lowest forms of scum we have here on earth.....how about them digging through the garbage while investigating the LOVE Boat and reporting their findings as fact.

[buzzsaw]

Typical of the number 9 to pull that crapola! They have one good guy over there in Passolt and a bunch of second rate amatuers. Besides who can say they never tried getting into a bar underage or atleast have a drink underage... I'm not saying it's good and I'm not Okay with underage consumption but talk about looking for a story. Anybody who gives these kids grief is probably a fan of another program that must have perfect goody goody kids or just plain out of there minds. IMHO it is much ado about absolutely nothing.

[Hockey Guy]

The thing that really gets me is that Passolt should know better. I’m not saying he has control over the story but at least he could have told them he didn’t agree with the story. He played for SCSU for God’s sake. The hockey house up there throws some of the biggest underage parties every year. I just don’t think that college kids drinking is a huge newsflash. Certainly not worth the irreversible damage that story did to the players and their families. Can you imagine being one of the proud parents of one of those kids? You go from being happy that your son is fulfilling his lifelong dream of playing for the Gophers to being embarrassed around everyone you know. Not to mention that these kids have worked there butts off for years and their parents have spent in the neighborhood of $100,000+ on hockey schools and programs to get them to where they are. I just think it’s complete BS

[RePete]

I really didn't understand the motivation to do this story either. As stated above, who didn't party in college?? I didn't really think about it from the player/parent perspectives....good points hockeyguy.

I suppose next we'll find out kids were making out at prom.....you heard it hear first...lol

[Hockey Guy]

I wonder if anyone over there at Fox 9 will feel bad if we lose some of these future all-stars to the WHL or AHL because of this story. We already lost Peter Mueller because he didn't want the pressure that comes from being a student and a Gopher. Who's next? Frazee? Kessle?

I love the "making out at prom" comment. Breaking news!

[8-Ball]

It was clearly a scummy way to drum up ratings points. I will now boycott the # 9 as a result. As far as Passolt goes- he does not call the shots and it is not his deal. The program manager decides what is a story, and what is not. He reports what they put in front of him, whether he likes it or not. Who here did NOT ever have a beer before legal age? I would be willing to bet very very few of us... Leave the kids alone, they have enough on their plates, for crying out loud!

[crappieflop1212]

I am outraged! I can't believe that college kids are drinking. This is insanity. Next thing you know, we are going to hear that college kids are having sex. It's the end of the world I tell you.

What a joke. I will never watch fox9 again. They are worse than the dumpster divers over at kstp.

[scsavre]

What ever happened to the news reporting real stories and not just trying to make things look bad. I was pleased that this is all they could come up with. They tailed these guys for two months and thats all they found what a joke.

With the music and the mood that 9 tried to create you would of thought one of them commited a murder.

[Hockey Guy]

One more thing. If you guys are truely as outragged as I am, call the fox 9 news comment line and leave a message that you are done watching fox 9 news because of this story. The number is 952-944-9999 then press 4.

[buzzsaw]

Good call, I'm calling that number right now.

[8-Ball]

Roger that...

[TNFL]

The mailbox was full, i'm sure they aren't deleting the old messages. I think that was absolutely terrible the 9 did this. I don't condone underage drinking, but everyone did it. The only real story should be going after the bar. But to show names and faces and discredit these kids reputation is deplorable. Maybe channel 11 should follow around the channel 9 anchors kids to see if they eat too much candy or curse around their friends. Thats just pathetic. The only reason I ever watch 9 is because it is on at 9 instead of 10, but they are just terrible. Not anymore.

[MT Net]

OK, I'll admit that this is big news. But c'mon! They lead their news with this story, later, spend 15 minutes showing video footage and anouncing a play by play of what we're veiwing. Then, they further report on the story about how they're getting angry callers and emailers. Then more of the same story, then they announce they'll have more tomorrow night.

How much time must we spend on such a non factor? I mean other news from around the state, country, and world is happening. France is ablaze, tornados ripped through the midwest, etc. But this hockey story is what their focus is on to sensationalize?

Good grief, they must be grasping for anything to suck up their time.

[Hockey Guy]

I’m impressed… I actually received a 3-minute voicemail from Jeff Passolt. He listened to the message I left him, then traced my number on his caller ID. Then he went through my company’s directory to find me and leave a message. I have a new respect for him now. Don’t get me wrong, I think this story in B.S. and I feel as strongly about that as ever! I just thought I would let you guys know that Passolt feels the same way but he has no control over what goes on the air.

He said he didn’t see the story at all before they aired it. They keep all the investigative reports secret so they don’t have anyone leaking anything. He said that he told the management at Fox 9 News that he thought is was wrong to show players faces and name them on the air. He also said, “kid’s that are 18-20 years old should have the opportunity to learn from life’s mistakes without having a hidden camera following them around.” He was basically told to drop it by the management. He sounded very sincere. Just thought I would let all you know how he feels about the whole thing. Please encourage people to keep calling and sending emails to Fox 9 News. http://www.kmsp.com/features/contactus/ That’s the only thing we can all do to show our disapproval to Fox 9 and to support the players. If I were one of the players on the Gophers, I would want to know that the public is supporting our team.

[tashit]

You have all said what I wanted to say, except one thing. That anonymous lady that was being interviewed was asked if it was just hockey players or all sports, she says "all sports". Then the 9 reporter says..but it's mostly hockey players. I'm surprised my neighbors didn't call the cops when they heard all of the yelling that my brother and I did throughout that "investigative report".

[Wayne Sieber]

Email just sent to Channel 9! I encourage others to do the same so they truly realize a mistake was made.

[Jill]

I sent an email too. Hopefully they are getting plenty of similar feedback!

[buzzsaw]

Feel free to shoot channel 9 an e-mail:

http://www.kmsp.com/features/contactus/default.asp?mailsent=yes

[toughguy]

BREAKING NEWS: THIS JUST IN....... COLLEGE HOCKEY KIDS DRINK UNDER AGE, NFL PLAYERS LIKE STRIPPERS, NBA PLAYERS SMOKE POT, MLBers USE ROIDS, BOXING IS FIXED, AND THE SUN COMES UP AT 7:01 AM TODAY.

I've lost a lot of respect for channel 9 and 5 the last week. Not that I had much anyways.

[TNFL]

Whew, I thought for a second you were going to say wrestling wasn't real.

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

I dont know wether to be mad that they are bashing one of my favorite teams or that they exploite the first amendment.

Its one thing to report the news that we dont like to hear and another to manufacture it. They lost a veiwer in me.

[genegodawa]

Good one TNFL.

How about all those stories on Springer? Please don't tell me they aren't real either.