When is a story not a story?
From this vantage point, it’s not a story when one can’t get the facts. Or at least a single version of what might be the facts from a source who had something to do with the story.
Which is why The Californian has not reported the reason that Condors coach Marty Raymond and assistant coach Mark Pederson were suspended by the team earlier this season. We aren’t sure of the facts.   
A local television station, using an anonymous tip,  reported on Thursday that the coaches were suspended for anti-Semitic remarks made to rookie player Jason Bailey.
The Californian broke the story of the suspension of Raymond (for one week) and Pederson (for two weeks) on Feb. 24, noting the suspensions involved Bailey. At that time team President Matt Riley would only say it was “an internal matter.”
Since breaking the story I have tried repeatedly to find out if the suspensions were due to anti-Semitic comments as there were plenty of rumors swirling around. Even owner Jonathan Fleisig, when asked about anti-Semitic remarks, refused to say why there were suspensions.
The “anonymous” tip to the local TV station was most likely Brian Bailey, father of Jason, who began calling various people at the The Californian (myself included) — anonymously, of course — a few weeks ago (why wasn’t he calling in late February?) but finally gave his name under prodding from executive dditor Mike Jenner.
Brian Bailey said he would go on the record, but after more than a week of phone tag, there has been no on-the-record conversation.
Problem is, anonymous isn’t good enough for us when we can’t back it up.
  Using Brian Bailey as a source is about as good as, say, a friend of coach Raymond or a friend of coach Pederson. You can get a version of the story from them, but it’s all hearsay — it may be the whole truth and nothing but the truth, partial truth or total fabrication.
The only people who know the real story of what transpired are the player in question, the coaches and maybe some other players. Those are the people who live together in the locker room during the season and they aren’t talking. Jason Bailey isn’t calling and demanding a blood-letting, Raymond has said “no comment” every time I’ve broached the subject; Pederson, who will be coaching a team in Europe next year, talked — but that was about his new job. He wasn’t talking about the suspensions.
“I’m not confirming or denying that,” Riley said Thursday afternoon when asked if the suspensions were over anti-Semitic remarks. “Our owner is Jewish and we took this matter very seriously and methodically to make sure it was done by the book.”
Riley said as far as he was concerned, the appropriate actions were taken and anything pertaining to the suspensions is “water under the bridge.”
And at this point, three months after the fact, I have to agree.
I’m tired of rumors, innuendo and whispers.
There may or may not be something of substance there, but at this point in time it’s staler than 30-day old bread.