Key Texas Booster Ticked Off Over Strong

[tcf15]

Texas Longhorns coach Charlie Strong responds to booster Red McCombs' criticism

"There are going to be statements made," said Strong, the former Louisville coach. "You can't worry about that. You just move on. You have a job to do. You can't worry about what people say or think.

"I'm going to get judged by my work here. Once you win some football games, you're going to change a lot of people's attitudes. ... You have to win. Everybody wants to win nowadays. There are those expectations anywhere you go."​

 

[Waquoit]

His problem was with his condescending remarks that he would make a very good position coach or maybe a good coordinator. That's what made his remarks sound racist and way over the top.

Ya think?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Ya think?

It makes him sound like an idiot. But not necessarily a racist.

What's next? Are people who oppose Obama going to be called racists? Oh wait.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It's not that a white person cannot say something negative about a black person without it being racist. It's context. And, as pointed out, it's the suggestion that a--so far--very successful black coach would be better served as an assistant. And it was said by a man born in 1927 in the South--which means that he was in his late 30s before the laws of his state at least nominally treated the two races equally.

Again, far be it from me to say what he meant, or call him a racist. But to not see why many people would hear racial undertones is shocking to me.

Even if you add context, someone accusing him of racism is stereotyping McCombs quite a bit.

 

[tzznandrew]

Even if you add context, someone accusing him of racism is stereotyping McCombs quite a bit.

I think there's a difference between saying someone is racist and suggesting that something said could reasonably sound racist.

 

[tzznandrew]

It makes him sound like an idiot. But not necessarily a racist.

What's next? Are people who oppose Obama going to be called racists? Oh wait.

I hate any and all injection of politics into sports conversations. They don't really help. So I make this distinction not suggesting any judgment of the politics, just to draw the distinction.

Suggesting that his policies are hurting America = not a racist statement
Suggesting that he go back to Kenya = a racist statement

There have been all sorts of racist statements and insults about Obama all over the place, from all sorts of people. Hell, my grandfather voted for him and says all sorts of racist things about him. That doesn't mean one can't reasonably disagree with the president...it's just to say that some who disagree (and would likely be inclined to disagree regardless of his race) do also harbor racist sentiments.

And again...let's not call the man a racist (we are not him, and it is not fair to judge him, and by all accounts he is a philanthropic man not concerned with race), but understand why some might hear racism in that statement.

 

[ZooCougar]

It makes him sound like an idiot. But not necessarily a racist.

What's next? Are people who oppose Obama going to be called racists? Oh wait.

The guy is a successful HC. Saying he would make a pretty good position coach is crazy. I think some people suspected he wouldn't say that about a coach of a different color with the same credentials.

Heck, Strong is far more qualified than Mack Brown was.

 

[jbdphi]

I hate any and all injection of politics into sports conversations. They don't really help. So I make this distinction not suggesting any judgment of the politics, just to draw the distinction.

Suggesting that his policies are hurting America = not a racist statement
Suggesting that he go back to Kenya = a racist statement

There have been all sorts of racist statements and insults about Obama all over the place, from all sorts of people. Hell, my grandfather voted for him and says all sorts of racist things about him. That doesn't mean one can't reasonably disagree with the president...it's just to say that some who disagree (and would likely be inclined to disagree regardless of his race) do also harbor racist sentiments.

And again...let's not call the man a racist (we are not him, and it is not fair to judge him, and by all accounts he is a philanthropic man not concerned with race), but understand why some might hear racism in that statement.

Would you stop it with the nuanced comments and deeper understanding? If it can't be explained in a tweet then it can't be right...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Even if you add context, someone accusing him of racism is stereotyping McCombs quite a bit.

And there's the biggest irony.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

The guy is a successful HC. Saying he would make a pretty good position coach is crazy. I think some people suspected he wouldn't say that about a coach of a different color with the same credentials.

Heck, Strong is far more qualified than Mack Brown was.

Why can't he just be dumb and uninformed?

If someone said the same thing about Strong's predecessor at Ville, Steve Kragthorpe, you would've called them nuts at that time too.

There is a chance that Strong doesn't do well at Texas. I don't happen to believe that, but it's not impossible.

 

[tzznandrew]

Why can't he just be dumb and uninformed?

If someone said the same thing about Strong's predecessor at Ville, Steve Kragthorpe, you would've called them nuts at that time too.

There is a chance that Strong doesn't do well at Texas. I don't happen to believe that, but it's not impossible.

Kragthorpe had a very different record at Tulsa (29-22) than Strong at Louisville (37-15).

Look, let's be clear: the man is most likly simply dumb and uninformed. But I don't understand why some people refuse to see why they might be construed that way.

I'm not a minory. But my wife, and members of my extended family on my side and (obviously) her side are. Perhaps something like that just makes you more aware of the ways things are said and the shades of meaning people can reasonably take from them.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I think there's a difference between saying someone is racist and suggesting that something said could reasonably sound racist.

Fair, but it's still stereotyping him.

 

[Jax Husky]

The guy is a successful HC. Saying he would make a pretty good position coach is crazy. I think some people suspected he wouldn't say that about a coach of a different color with the same credentials.

Heck, Strong is far more qualified than Mack Brown was.

Exactly. It just reads like "If he keeps his head down and don't sass us none, he'll be a good coordinator one day"

 

[tzznandrew]

Fair, but it's still stereotyping him.

Well, I guess this is something we can't quite agree on. I think that what he said could be construed as racist, and am not suggesting that he is himself racist. You think (and correct me if I'm wrong) that what he said cannot be construed as racist. I don't think I'm stereotyping, but you think I am.

It's ultimately not a huge deal.

 

[husky10]

I understand why some might think racism is behind his comments but I have a feeling he is just delusional and no coach Texas hired would have been good enough. My guess is he thinks the only reason Texas didn't hire Bill Belichiek is because Texas didn't want to have to wait for him to finish his playoff run.

 

[Woof 101]

That's what I was referring to earlier in the thread. Red McCombs by his own statements sees Texas as one of the top three universities in the country.

I'm going out on a limb that Louisville isn't one of the other two to make up that group.

Louisville is a B-rated smut actress to people of his ilk.

Yep aroo...People like this do not answer questions. They simply make statements that common folk like most of us question...All should realize we are talking Texas here where they still shoot from the hip...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Kragthorpe had a very different record at Tulsa (29-22) than Strong at Louisville (37-15).

Look, let's be clear: the man is most likly simply dumb and uninformed. But I don't understand why some people refuse to see why they might be construed that way.

I'm not a minory. But my wife, and members of my extended family on my side and (obviously) her side are. Perhaps something like that just makes you more aware of the ways things are said and the shades of meaning people can reasonably take from them.

Hey the guy could very well be a racist. But I think it's very dangerous to throw out that accusation based on what some people take from his comments.

 

[tzznandrew]

Hey the guy could very well be a racist. But I think it's very dangerous to throw out that accusation based on what some people take from his comments.

I know. Which is why I've never said that.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Yep aroo...People like this do not answer questions. They simply make statements that common folk like most of us question...All should realize we are talking Texas here where they still shoot from the hip...

Well said. These moguls get to a certain age where their stream of consciousness doesn't have a filter and everyone they hang around with are the same way.

Randolph and Mortimer Duke wouldn't think anything of his comments. They wouldn't even lower their copy of the daily stock report.

 

[huskymedic]

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/longhorns/2014/01/mccombs-apologizes-for-strong-comments/

>>McCombs said he was bothered by the perception that his comments about Strong — who is black — were based on race. He said John Lucas, who McCombs hired as a head coach when he owned the Spurs, called him this week and said “a lot of people are saying ugly things” and offered to speak up for him.

McCombs said he told Lucas that wasn’t necessary. “I’m not sure I knew anything about the race issue until it was broadcast like that,” McCombs said. “I didn’t even think about that.”<<

 

[jbdphi]

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/longhorns/2014/01/mccombs-apologizes-for-strong-comments/

>>McCombs said he was bothered by the perception that his comments about Strong — who is black — were based on race. He said John Lucas, who McCombs hired as a head coach when he owned the Spurs, called him this week and said “a lot of people are saying ugly things” and offered to speak up for him.

McCombs said he told Lucas that wasn’t necessary. “I’m not sure I knew anything about the race issue until it was broadcast like that,” McCombs said. “I didn’t even think about that.”<<

"McCombs said he regretted making the “kick in the face” and the “position coach” statements, saying he didn’t intend either to be a personal criticism of Strong."

Just shows you how clueless some people at the top can be. How could you not construe that as a personal criticism when you say someone could be a good position coach, maybe a coordinator when they've already been an extremely successful coordinator at a premiere program like Florida and a very successful head coach at mid-tier program like Louisville?

I think the guy just wants to win but decided to wax poetic about how he wasn't brought into the loop on the decision and said some things that he regretted afterwards. I think it speaks well of him that he is as important as he is but still realized (or was convinced) that he was in the wrong and made an apology.

 

[Woof 101]

"McCombs said he regretted making the “kick in the face” and the “position coach” statements, saying he didn’t intend either to be a personal criticism of Strong."

Just shows you how clueless some people at the top can be. How could you not construe that as a personal criticism when you say someone could be a good position coach, maybe a coordinator when they've already been an extremely successful coordinator at a premiere program like Florida and a very successful head coach at mid-tier program like Louisville?

I think the guy just wants to win but decided to wax poetic about how he wasn't brought into the loop on the decision and said some things that he regretted afterwards. I think it speaks well of him that he is as important as he is but still realized (or was convinced) that he was in the wrong and made an apology.

No Pizzing match here mate but you did call the bloke clueless. I agree, but you then go on to say Louisville is a mid-tier program. They finished around 15 in most polls I can find. How many teams could possibly be on your top-tier list?

 

[jbdphi]

No Pizzing match here mate but you did call the bloke clueless. I agree, but you then go on to say Louisville is a mid-tier program. They finished around 15 in most polls I can find. How many teams could possibly be on your top-tier list?

It goes to the definition of program. That doesn't mean any individual team in any individual year but rather what the program has been and is over history and present day. I think Louisville fits squarely into the definition of a mid-tier (not to be confused with mid-major in basketball). They are not at the level of Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Texas, FSU and several others who would be in that "top tier." There is also a whole group of historically great programs who have had some rough times recently (i.e. Tennessee, Michigan, Nebraska, etc.) who I would put somewhere in the "upper middle class" and still above Louisville as a program.

Someone made a post about this last off-season (or the one before) trying to categorize all the FBS football programs (or at least the BCS qualifiers).

 

[tzznandrew]

No Pizzing match here mate but you did call the bloke clueless. I agree, but you then go on to say Louisville is a mid-tier program. They finished around 15 in most polls I can find. How many teams could possibly be on your top-tier list?

Frankly, Louisville is at best mid-tier. One or two years does not make your school top tier.

Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Nebraska, USC, Oregon, Notre Dame, Miami, LSU, Auburn...all these are "Top Tier" programs, programs with which Louisville does not belong.

(Neither does UConn, obviously, but just saying).

 

[cttxus]

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/longhorns/2014/01/mccombs-apologizes-for-strong-comments/

>>McCombs said he was bothered by the perception that his comments about Strong — who is black — were based on race. He said John Lucas, who McCombs hired as a head coach when he owned the Spurs, called him this week and said “a lot of people are saying ugly things” and offered to speak up for him.

McCombs said he told Lucas that wasn’t necessary. “I’m not sure I knew anything about the race issue until it was broadcast like that,” McCombs said. “I didn’t even think about that.”<<

I see no one else has posted anything positive about Mr. McCombs manning up and apologizing for his comments, but I guess that's not surprising. He didn't have to do that but he did. I think that speaks highly of his character. Personally, I believe the thing that galls people like Mr. McCombs much more than anything else is seeing their beloved alma mater's football program losing to programs like A&M, but especially to programs like TCU and Baylor. There are decades of history there from the old Southwest Conference. That would be like UConn losing regularly to BC, and way, way worse, to programs like UMass and URI. Anyway Medic, thanks for posting the above. I hope people will calm down a little and redirect their passion towards Husky football. There's a lot to be passionate about in Storrs right now.