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Posted on 10/28/2005 9:11:43 AM PDT by MikefromOhio
DENVER -- Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry met the academy's new superintendent for the first time Wednesday, and found himself being reprimanded, but not fired, for statements he made about black athletes and recruiting.
The 67-year-old coach, known for his folksy, disarming charm and his homespun sayings, found himself in an imbroglio over political correctness for the second time in less than 12 months.
Last time, it was about religion in the locker room. This time, it was about black football players -- or the lack of them -- at the academy.
After his meeting with Lt. Gen. John Regni, DeBerry, who is suffering through a 3-5 season this year, issued an apology at a news conference.
"I realize the things I said might have been hurtful to many people and I want everyone to understand that I never intended to offend anyone," DeBerry said.
On Tuesday, in discussing last weekend's 48-10 loss to TCU, DeBerry said it was clear TCU "had a lot more Afro-American players than we did and they ran a lot faster than we did."
"It just seems to me to be that way," he said. "Afro-American kids can run very well. That doesn't mean that Caucasian kids and other descents can't run, but it's very obvious to me that they run extremely well."
DeBerry first discussed the topic Monday, telling The Gazette of Colorado Springs the academy needed to recruit faster players and noting, "you don't see many minority athletes in our program."
He said he realized he had erred as he was driving back to campus from his weekly luncheon with the media Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
But what he said, especially in these times, was a mistake.
One word is doing him in. That word was "Afro-American". If he would have said we need more team speed or something to that effect no one would have said anything different.
I don't think the Air Force Academy should or will fire him either.
I fail to see what he said wrong. All he did is point out the truth. The Air Force caved here in reprimanding him.
yeah but I don't think DeBerry himself would have attempted to apologize so quickly had he thought what he said wasn't offensive.....
Memories of Dusty Baker...
"One word is doing him in. That word was "Afro-American". "
I'm surprised they didn't beat him up for using that term. The PC term now is African-American, Afro-American is so 70s.
I think it's tragic that Dusty Rhodes can say black players handle the heat better than whites, (no evidence of that), and there is no backlash.
Fisher DeBerry says black kids are fast, (which is emperically self evident), and he gets reprimanded.
I'm so sick and tired of this PC, and white men being slapped around all the time I could just spit nails.
Consider me an angry white man.
yep yep yep...
yes there is a helluva double standard out there.....
but as I said, I don't think he is incorrect. I am not going to pass judgement on that. But I do think that DeBerry attempting to apologize quickly after saying what he said kinda points to the fact that HE thought what he said was wrong.
I think he probably realized that a bunch of pathetic morons would see it as a reason to attack.
This is ridiculous. It's pretty obvious that black people dominate in sprinting.
What Dusty Baker said was wrong.
He does get slapped around by the sports talk radio hosts I listen too.
DeBerry is getting the same treatment.
This will pass as well.
Remember ESPN is more concerned with outing WNBA players anymore.
"yeah but I don't think DeBerry himself would have attempted to apologize so quickly had he thought what he said wasn't offensive....."
I don't see why it's offensive? To say black kids are fast? That's offensive?
I suppose if I tell you the sky is blue, that's offensive too?
I think he is an honest man.
He was probably being honest when he said the first comment.
He was probably being honest when he apologized.
I think he would have said that if he thought it.
"What Dusty Baker said was wrong.
He does get slapped around by the sports talk radio hosts I listen too.
DeBerry is getting the same treatment"
I disagree. Most of what I've heard said about Baker has been debates regarding the merit of his comments. Baker was never forced to issue a retraction, or apology.
A movie was made titled: "White Men Can't Jump"
Can you imagine a movie titled: "Black Men Can't Skate" ?
Much ado about nothing. Or, as Michael Reagan said yesterday, "Would you rather be called slow and dumb?" (Waiting for some idiot now to call for Reagan's show to be pulled off the air.)
Nobody was offended by the mans comments, they saw an opportunity to swing a club and that's all there is to it.
"Apparently, yes it is. "
When truth is offensive, there are real problems.
The elephant in the room is that there are differences in the races. Subtle differences. If we were all exactly the same, then sickle cell anemia would be a problem for us all, wouldn't it?
I'm not saying anyone, or any race is more or less than the other. If the PC crowd was true to what they say, the would in fact, celebrate the differences. Different isn't bad, it's different.
Because black kids are generally fast, doesn't mean ALL black kids are fast, or ALL white kids are slow. But if you let me randomly pick 10 black kids and 10 white kids of similar age, I'd bet you $1000 that the 40 yard dash times for the blacks, as a groupe are better than those of the whites.
Air Force problem is playing teams loaded with football athletic scholarships. The Academy is not in the business of developing football players. I doubt if the Air Force will be competing with enemies in foot races.
"Nobody was offended by the mans comments, they saw an opportunity to swing a club and that's all there is to it."
And to me, that is just as bad, if not worse. The crowd that makes a living off of racial strife looks for reasons to keep it alive. Why do we let them?
African Americans (who are west African descended almost exclusively) are likely to run faster....in my experience.
and jump higher
and do hurdles better
but....Afro is a hairstyle
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