ESPN: Greg McDermott suspended by Creighton after racially insensitive comments

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per ESPN:

Creighton men's basketball coach Greg McDermott has been suspended from all team activities for racially insensitive comments he made to his players last week, the school announced Thursday night.

The decision came two days after the school said any disciplinary action would remain confidential.

McDermott apologized Tuesday for referencing a "plantation" to his players following a loss to Xavier last week.

"Specifically, I said: 'Guys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can't have anybody leave the plantation,'" McDermott said.

McDermott said on Creighton's pregame radio show Wednesday -- before he coached the Bluejays against Villanova -- that he offered to resign over his comments. He said the players did not ask for him to resign.

"Our guys wanted me to coach, and that's my job," McDermott said.

www.espn.com

Creighton suspends McDermott over comments

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott has been suspended from all team activities for racially insensitive comments he made to his players last week, the school announced Thursday night.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Lot of Creighton fans think he's gone. How bad of a look would it be for Minnesota if they hired him? I would be shocked if Creighton lets him go
 


Yeh, he's not going to be a candidate.
(Not that he was going to be in the first place, but hiring him would get the whole athletic department fired.
 



A term I've never heard used here in Minnesota, is this a common replacement for "reservation" in Iowa?
 

I would love to have McDermott coaching our Gophers. Perfect guy to bring on. So, he offended a few woke people and sincerely apologized. What he said was off base, yes, but give the guy a second chance here in MN.
 


MplsGopher said:
I've never heard that phrase not used with the word reservation.

He really said plantation? Like, that's the word his mind went with in the heat of the moment?
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In today's times, saying either is not a great choice of words.

But, yes, the term he was trying to summon was "don't leave the reservation." It was once a common saying. It no longer is for obvious reasons. McDermott instead using the term plantation (likely accidently) is not good.

Not worth firing someone over in my opinion, but boy what a mistake.
 




Gopherfan1000 said:
I would love to have McDermott coaching our Gophers. Perfect guy to bring on. So, he offended a few woke people and sincerely apologized. What he said was off base, yes, but give the guy a second chance here in MN.
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So is it confirmed that none of his black players were offended? Did they come out and make a statement I missed?
 

Definition of plantation per Miriam-Webster:

Definition of plantation
(Entry 1 of 2)
1: a usually large group of plants and especially trees under cultivation
2: a settlement in a new country or region Plymouth Plantation
3a: a place that is planted or under cultivation
b: an agricultural estate usually worked by resident labor

What's racist here other than people making the association themselves to American plantations of the past? Granted I have not heard that expression used, but based on the context sounded more like he was trying to say we can't jump ship gotta stay in the boat. The fact that none of his players were on board with his voluntary resignation kind of says he probably is not someone you would consider a racist. However I would refrain from hiring him because he clearly has no spine, unless there is more context to this quote, he should never of had to apologize. Even with him bending over backwards to make up for it, this whole thread is proclaiming him a toxic hire. Does he have more history with this that I am not aware of?
 

GopherBlood666 said:
Definition of plantation per Miriam-Webster:

Definition of plantation
(Entry 1 of 2)
1: a usually large group of plants and especially trees under cultivation
2: a settlement in a new country or region Plymouth Plantation
3a: a place that is planted or under cultivation
b: an agricultural estate usually worked by resident labor

What's racist here other than people making the association themselves to American plantations of the past? Granted I have not heard that expression used, but based on the context sounded more like he was trying to say we can't jump ship gotta stay in the boat. The fact that none of his players were on board with his voluntary resignation kind of says he probably is not someone you would consider a racist. However I would refrain from hiring him because he clearly has no spine, unless there is more context to this quote, he should never of had to apologize. Even with him bending over backwards to make up for it, this whole thread is proclaiming him a toxic hire. Does he have more history with this that I am not aware of?
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Rush, you're alive!
 



cjbfbp said:
Rush, you're alive!
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I was asking a genuine question, are we actually living in a society where any word that had any negative connotation at any time towards any group can no longer be used even when not trying to disparage anyone? Does this coach have history beyond this that would make this comment have greater impact? I think the problem is that we can no longer bring these questions up without being labeled "Rush" or some other name to ignore the real question at hand. I think his choice of word was unusual for sure, but to immediately implicate the use of it as inherently bad is dangerous to a free and open society. Context and intent are important and should not be forgotten.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
I was asking a genuine question, are we actually living in a society where any word that had any negative connotation at any time towards any group can no longer be used even when not trying to disparage anyone? Does this coach have history beyond this that would make this comment have greater impact? I think the problem is that we can no longer bring these questions up without being labeled "Rush" or some other name to ignore the real question at hand. I think his choice of word was unusual for sure, but to immediately implicate the use of it as inherently bad is dangerous to a free and open society. Context and intent are important and should not be forgotten.
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Nope, that's not all you did. You brought your obvious right wing politics into the discussion (obviously, that's because it's never far from the surface regardless of the situation). Look, I don't think the guy should be fired or have anything serious happen to him but you said you wouldn't hire him because he has no spine for apologizing. Since when is it a major affront to the white race for someone to apologize for saying something very foolishly worded even if there was no bad intent behind it?

I once explained to Pat Buchanan during a friendly e-mail exchange why it was justified to fire Rush Limbaugh from his sportscaster job for his comments about Donovan McNabb. While there was nothing wrong with saying a black quarterback was overrated, saying he was overrated because of the liberal media was ridiculous and had no place in a sports show. What it showed was that Limbaugh could never leave his right wing politics behind regardless of how inappropriate it was in the situation.
 

Reader comments on the Omaha World Herald story on the suspension are nearly all critical of Creighton.'s action
 

cjbfbp said:
Nope, that's not all you did. You brought your obvious right wing politics into the discussion (obviously, that's because it's never far from the surface regardless of the situation). Look, I don't think the guy should be fired or have anything serious happen to him but you said you wouldn't hire him because he has no spine for apologizing. Since when is it a major affront to the white race for someone to apologize for saying something very foolishly worded even if there was no bad intent behind it?

I once explained to Pat Buchanan during a friendly e-mail exchange why it was justified to fire Rush Limbaugh from his sportscaster job for his comments about Donovan McNabb. While there was nothing wrong with saying a black quarterback was overrated, saying he was overrated because of the liberal media was ridiculous and had no place in a sports show. What it showed was that Limbaugh could never leave his right wing politics behind regardless of how inappropriate it was in the situation.
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My stance is libertarian at best, liberal at worst. Labeling someone right wing is a sad defense tactic. I never thought it was wild to believe in the 1st amendment! If that quote from the article is as it was said, it was clearly not meant to dehumanize or antagonize anyone, he was actually trying to rally his team in a positive manner.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
I was asking a genuine question, are we actually living in a society where any word that had any negative connotation at any time towards any group can no longer be used even when not trying to disparage anyone?
Click to expand...
Where is the line in the sand between not trying to disparage someone and yet you did disparage them because of the specific words you used?

Obviously, it comes down to subjective judgement. I have never heard the word plantation used outside the context of slavery. So, if it was said towards any Black players, I think they are well within their reasonable right to have felt disparaged.
 

MplsGopher said:
Where is the line in the sand between not trying to disparage someone and yet you did disparage them because of the specific words you used?

Obviously, it comes down to subjective judgement. I have never heard the word plantation used outside the context of slavery. So, if it was said towards any Black players, I think they are well within their reasonable right to have felt disparaged.
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Where do you draw the line on what offends people? The players were clearly taken back, but they also clearly support their coach. Again, if he has a track record of using words to intentionally offend his players then he should be gone, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I think it's fair that they let him know how they feel and if he chooses to use it again, that is on him. The fact that he offered his resignation and this became a story is the alarming part.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
Where do you draw the line on what offends people? The players were clearly taken back, but they also clearly support their coach. Again, if he has a track record of using words to intentionally offend his players then he should be gone, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I think it's fair that they let him know how they feel and if he chooses to use it again, that is on him. The fact that he offered his resignation and this became a story is the alarming part.
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Well, I didn't say that just because you disparage your players, automatically means you get fired.

If someone is offended, what is the basis to dismiss it vs acknowledge it?
 

GopherBlood666 said:
sounded more like he was trying to say we can't jump ship gotta stay in the boat.
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Yes, that's exactly what he was trying to say and he should have said "I need everyone on board, no one can jump ship here" if we want to win games.

Instead, he chose on the spur of the moment to use a different metaphor and it is undoubtedly offensive. I agree with you in that I don't think it rises to a fire-able offense, not even close in my opinion. But, it also provides another example of trying to re-educate ourselves on how words matter. I hate it for McDermott, but this is a lesson that he seems ready to take to heart.
 

MplsGopher said:
Well, I didn't say that just because you disparage your players, automatically means you get fired.

If someone is offended, what is the basis to dismiss it vs acknowledge it?
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It again will always come back to context and intent. I support the players letting the coach know, at that point is on the coach to change or continue using a word that offends his players. Based on the context of the original post, it does not appear he had used this word prior. The coach and his players could have worked this out without him getting suspended and offering his resignation. If you look strictly at the definition of the word, I could actually see it being used in this context as they are all trying grow together as a team. We should always acknowledge the past, but we can not moved forward if we are chained to it.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
It again will always come back to context and intent. I support the players letting the coach know, at that point is on the coach to change or continue using a word that offends his players. Based on the context of the original post, it does not appear he had used this word prior. The coach and his players could have worked this out without him getting suspended and offering his resignation. If you look strictly at the definition of the word, I could actually see it being used in this context as they are all trying grow together as a team. We should always acknowledge the past, but we can not moved forward if we are chained to it.
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I’m with you for most of the first part of this post.

When you start veering off into trying to apologize for using the word plantation, is when I’m out. I think it’s offensive in most contexts, including this one. We don’t have to agree and suspect we don’t. And that’s OK.
 

MplsGopher said:
Where is the line in the sand between not trying to disparage someone and yet you did disparage them because of the specific words you used?

Obviously, it comes down to subjective judgement. I have never heard the word plantation used outside the context of slavery. So, if it was said towards any Black players, I think they are well within their reasonable right to have felt disparaged.
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But none of the players were disparaged. If fired (or resign) wow, what a great hire for the Gophers.
 


The interesting thing is that an analogy of a plantation (as culturally insensitive as it is) can fit for division 1 athletics such as mens basketball and football.
Clearly the universities make millions of dollars off these student athletes while the athletes get housing, food and minimal education in exchange. In that light, the analogy of plantation life has some merit. No university administrator wants a coach to admit to it or make that comparison and since the emotional history is real, it is very easy to discipline the coach for making a connection.
Mcdermott was certainly insensitive, but was he as far off as one might initially think?
 

tjgopher said:
Yes, that's exactly what he was trying to say and he should have said "I need everyone on board, no one can jump ship here" if we want to win games.

Instead, he chose on the spur of the moment to use a different metaphor and it is undoubtedly offensive. I agree with you in that I don't think it rises to a fire-able offense, not even close in my opinion. But, it also provides another example of trying to re-educate ourselves on how words matter. I hate it for McDermott, but this is a lesson that he seems ready to take to heart.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone who has worked near corporate America in the last 40 years needs a re-education on the fact that words matter. The re-education that is needed is to keep people updated on the ever-expanding (at breakneck speed) list of words that offend and why some people can and cannot say them.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
Definition of plantation per Miriam-Webster:

Definition of plantation
(Entry 1 of 2)
1: a usually large group of plants and especially trees under cultivation
2: a settlement in a new country or region Plymouth Plantation
3a: a place that is planted or under cultivation
b: an agricultural estate usually worked by resident labor

What's racist here other than people making the association themselves to American plantations of the past? Granted I have not heard that expression used, but based on the context sounded more like he was trying to say we can't jump ship gotta stay in the boat. The fact that none of his players were on board with his voluntary resignation kind of says he probably is not someone you would consider a racist. However I would refrain from hiring him because he clearly has no spine, unless there is more context to this quote, he should never of had to apologize. Even with him bending over backwards to make up for it, this whole thread is proclaiming him a toxic hire. Does he have more history with this that I am not aware of?
Click to expand...

You wouldn't want him because you think he has no spine? LOL. I'd prefer a coach with a brain who realizes that it in no way affects him by apologizing. And LOL at your definition of plantation. You are delusional if you think that even a small portion of Americans think of a large group of plants under cultivation when the word "plantation" is mentioned. It doesn't even fit under the context of his quote. Just silly hard right positions to take on all of this.

All that said....I don't think the outrage is warranted. Clearly a slip up and an odd one at that. Let him serve a short suspension and then come back. I don't think this proves anything regarding him being a racist. Just a brain fart that he's apologized for. Move on.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
Where do you draw the line on what offends people? The players were clearly taken back, but they also clearly support their coach. Again, if he has a track record of using words to intentionally offend his players then he should be gone, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I think it's fair that they let him know how they feel and if he chooses to use it again, that is on him. The fact that he offered his resignation and this became a story is the alarming part.
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And yet the thing that would preclude him from being on your Gophers coaching radar is him apologizing for the comment?

Some people and their right wing sensitivities.....
 


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