We all know about the trials and tribulations of the Fresno State athletic department.

From the ethical dilemmas of student-athletes off the field to plummeting ticket sales due to either economic factors or just pure lack of interest in continuing to support the athletic department.

But what stands out like a sore thumb in the midst of all the negative issues, is the continued soap opera of gender discrimination suits.

Ramona Pagel is the most recent to be filing a gender discrimination lawsuit against the university.

At the end of the 2008 track season Bob Fraley retired leaving the head-coaching job vacant and the positions of all the assistant coaches still up for grabs.

So Pagel applied for the head coaching position, as most felt she seemed to be well qualified for.

But as the process went along she didn̢۪t receive an in person interview and instead she had to sit back and just hope whoever became head of the program would keep her on staff.

And while Fresno State honestly couldn̢۪t have made a better pick than Scott Winsor to be the new head coach, you can̢۪t help but wonder why this former Olympian wasn̢۪t even considered for the position.

She has been around the sport for a long time and paid her dues, if she wasn̢۪t meant to be the face of Fresno State track and field that̢۪s one thing, but to not even be considered for the job is another.

I mean, think hard about it.

What program wouldn̢۪t be lucky to have a four time Olympian and current U.S. record holder in the shot put as their head coach?

So all those people out there right now saying, “she’s just another woman taking advantage of the mishaps of the Fresno State athletic department,â€Â she’s not.

Talk to her and you̢۪ll see she simply just wanted to be a Bulldog still, that̢۪s all.

For a program and university she gave so much to, it only seems right that they give a little back.

What makes it even harder to not deny Pagel̢۪s potential is how successful she was as a part of the Bulldog coaching staff.

She improved the throws program tremendously at Fresno State. By her third season she guided 13 throwers to the NCAA West Regionals and coached Mallory Webb to a sixth place finish at the National Championships.

On top of that she recruited high-class athletes in recent years such as Rosario Sanchez, the 2007 California State Champion in the shot put who broke the Fresno State freshman record last season in the event.

So while I understand the frustration of those outside the athletic department looking in on the situation. It is easy to think she is just in it for the money, but that̢۪s not the case.

Yeah, she will probably make a good amount of money with Warren Paboojian as her attorney, but maybe the athletic department deserves what they are getting at this point.

You think that after $16 million in gender discrimination suits that the athletic department would fix its̢۪ internal issues.

Had the university simply offered Pagel an interview, even if it was just out of consideration for her service to the school, they probably wouldn̢۪t be in this position.

So before all you people judge Pagel̢۪s intentions, consider the mistakes of the athletic department and look to see what they could have done to prevent the situation from ever arising.