Cochell/ Choice of words

[Voltron87]

Anyone see this story on ESPN?

Cochell's depature (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2051357)

This strikes me as a case of an extreme case of poorly chosen words and phrasing.

He basically said this while talking about one of his black players: "There's honkies and there's good white people, there's niggers and there's good black people, Dunnigan is a good black person...

[later] there's no nigger in him".

Now I think I can understand what he is trying to say here. What he said is not racist in my opinion. He just said it using racist terminology. Using the word "nigger" like that undoubtablely puts it in context as a racist word, implying that "niggers" are a bad version of black people (lazy, stupid, all the negative and racist connotations that go along with the word when used in a negative sense, not "What up mah nigga?").

All in all I don't think these statements make him a racist but he demonstrated a terrible choice of words which he probably didn't really mean. Very unfortunate.

[MoreWineII]

Bad judgement, but even his players didn't seem to think he meant anything offensive by it, that it was way out of character.

Still, I don't think he got anything he didn't deserve.

I know seveal really elderly who use offensive terms. They don't really hate minorities, they just aren't sensitve enough to realize that those terms aren't okay in this day and age. It's kinda sad, really.

[maldini]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone see this story on ESPN?

Cochell's depature (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2051357)

This strikes me as a case of an extreme case of poorly chosen words and phrasing.

He basically said this while talking about one of his black players: "There's honkies and there's good white people, there's niggers and there's good black people, Dunnigan is a good black person...

[later] there's no nigger in him".

Now I think I can understand what he is trying to say here. What he said is not racist in my opinion. He just said it using racist terminology. Using the word "nigger" like that undoubtablely puts it in context as a racist word, implying that "niggers" are a bad version of black people (lazy, stupid, all the negative and racist connotations that go along with the word when used in a negative sense, not "What up mah nigga?").

All in all I don't think these statements make him a racist but he demonstrated a terrible choice of words which he probably didn't really mean. Very unfortunate.

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yesterday i heard a sports radio broadcaster say that this coach had to be fired because what he said was insensitive. since when did insensitivity require termination?

he said the player WASNT a nigger. that doesnt seem that bad. further more, the player himself is ok with the comment. the coach's word choice was bad but his sentiment is something that we all know to be true. why is it bad to express a belief that the vast majority of people know to be true? of course there are good people and bad people.

i personally think a suspension for a week and a public apology is much more appropriate.

[Voltron87]

The really bad part about what he said is not just that he said the word nigger, it's that he used it in the way which is using it as a racial slur. He was genuinely complimenting a player, which seperates his comments from other comments coaches have made using similar words.

[Voltron87]

I think he should be suspended for more than a week but not fired. I can agree with the gist of what he was saying but not with using the word nigger like that.

[Shajen]

Think he'd have the same problem if he'd said:

"The player is not niggardly."


Either way, stupid non-thinking moment dude had.

[jba]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone see this story on ESPN?

Cochell's depature (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2051357)

This strikes me as a case of an extreme case of poorly chosen words and phrasing.

He basically said this while talking about one of his black players: "There's honkies and there's good white people, there's niggers and there's good black people, Dunnigan is a good black person...

[later] there's no nigger in him".

Now I think I can understand what he is trying to say here. What he said is not racist in my opinion. He just said it using racist terminology. Using the word "nigger" like that undoubtablely puts it in context as a racist word, implying that "niggers" are a bad version of black people (lazy, stupid, all the negative and racist connotations that go along with the word when used in a negative sense, not "What up mah nigga?").

All in all I don't think these statements make him a racist but he demonstrated a terrible choice of words which he probably didn't really mean. Very unfortunate.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the context that he used it in is pretty damning.

If you think about, what he's saying really boils down to "he's a good kid, not like a lot of Blacks". This is unacceptable.

The problem isn't so much that he said something stupid that slipped out, it's that he said something stupid that revealed his prejudices, and those prejudices are unacceptable.

Again I'm not going to come out and say he's a bigot, but these kinds of thoughts and words are not the kind of things you want out of someone that you want in a position of power or prominence. The fact that OU is a public school leaves them very little options. I know I don't want to pay this guy's salary and would be pissed if they kept him.

Notice in the first quote he can't just come out and say he's a good kid? Why a good black kid? Throwing out honkies as some kind of CYA is ridiculous.

[jba]

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Think he'd have the same problem if he'd said:

"The player is not niggardly."

Either way, stupid non-thinking moment dude had.

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unless this kid picks up the tab a lot, him saying this would just make him sound like an ignorant racist rather than just a racist.

[Shajen]

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unless this kid picks up the tab a lot, him saying this would just make him sound like an ignorant racist rather than just a racist.

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EDIT: Ooops, you are correct. See what happens when a word gets completely removed from the english language. Nice catch.

[Voltron87]

I don't think the idea that there are dumb white people, good white people, and same for black people is necessarily racist.

[jba]

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I don't think the idea that there are dumb white people, good white people, and same for black people is necessarily racist.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think it's racist either, in fact that "idea" is certainly the Truth. The fact that this is true means race is irrelevant.

If the coach is trying to make a point that he's a good kid, he doesn't have to put it in the context of the kid's race. Your point proves that, I think.

[masse75]

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Think he'd have the same problem if he'd said:

"The player is not niggardly."

Either way, stupid non-thinking moment dude had.

[/ QUOTE ]

unless this kid picks up the tab a lot, him saying this would just make him sound like an ignorant racist rather than just a racist.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting story from about 6 years ago...at least in the end, guy was hired back.

Never Use the Word "Niggardly" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm)

Just re-read the story...picked up on this gem. What a moronic statement, in the context of the full story.

"This is a problem of political inexperience on all sides compounded by culture ignorance on all sides," Walters said. "The mayor can't afford to have an aide in a town that is 63 percent black making this kind of mistake. I think he did the right thing [accepting the resignation]. Williams sent a message that racial insensitivity won't be tolerated in his administration

[Bulldog]

When Chris Rock said it, it was funny. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[jakethebake]

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Think he'd have the same problem if he'd said:

"The player is not niggardly."


Either way, stupid non-thinking moment dude had.

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What does niggardly have to do with racism? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[jakethebake]

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When Chris Rock said it, it was funny. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

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Chris Rock says a lot of funny things, but they're always funnier when someone else quotes him IMO. He just annoys me.

[Shajen]

Nothing at all. I was incorrect.

That's once since 1978. Give me a break man /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[LittleOldLady]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Think he'd have the same problem if he'd said:

"The player is not niggardly."


Either way, stupid non-thinking moment dude had.

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What does niggardly have to do with racism? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

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Absolutely nothing. To set the record straight, the word 'niggardly' is derived from an Icelandic root which means 'stingy'. Viking-age Icelanders rarely encountered the dark-skinned peoples of Africa, but when they did, they referred to the skin color as 'blue', not 'black.'

Niggardly is in no way related to the Latin root for 'black' from which the taboo word is derived. To say that niggardly is a racist word simply reveals one's ignorance. Making such a claim would be similar to characterizing BurgerKing's Whopper as a racial slur against Italians.

All that said, the coach in question, besides being a racist, is simply too stupid to represent a university in a high profile position and was rightfully fired. Anyone with any sense knows that words like honky and the n-word are simply unacceptable, period. And, yes, this coach is a racist and obviously thinks in terms of racial stereotypes. A non-racist would simply have said something to the effect that although all too many college and professional athletes today are arrogant thugs, this particular individual is of impeccable character, a consummate gentleman and a worthy role model for our children.

LOL