We were admittedly concerned after hearing Cayuga Community College Athletic Director Ed Wagner's comments last week.

Wagner was asked for a comment regarding the state of the CCC men's soccer program, which has had their top two players arrested - one of them deported - and their coach resign under pressure.

Wagner would not comment, but noted that CCC was advertising for a new coach, but not with The Citizen. "We don't want to do business anymore with The Citizen," Wagner said. "Too many negative stories. They're beating a dead horse."

We hope that Wagner was not speaking for the entire community college with his comments. We'd like to think that these may have just been unfortunate comments from an athletic director who has endured a rough few weeks, heading up a department which is under scrutiny for a lack of institutional control. Because The Citizen has enjoyed a long, mutually rewarding relationship with Cayuga Community College and college president Dennis Golladay.

Nearly every bit of coverage The Citizen gives the college is positive. The Citizen has covered the CCC student art exhibit at the Chamber of Commerce, the performance of "Go Crazy" at CCC's auditorium, a film discussion on sexual abuse, a panel teleconference on end-of-life issues, a health feature highlighting CCC's head athletic trainer Catherine Bruckner, a Korean drum performance, and the college's career day.

And that was just in the last two weeks.

The Citizen is also the only paper to consistently cover the Spartans' sports teams, the only paper which showcases the successes of Wagner's athletic programs at the college.

Newspapers are often an easy target for those who don't wish to see their unfortunate circumstances published. Blame the messenger.

But arrests, deportations and resignations are news - news which a local paper does not create, but only reports - and they are news stories just as a performance by a touring Korean drum ensemble at the school auditorium is news.

We sincerely hope that Wagner does not speak for CCC.