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Message: [QUOTE="Gamecockfan77, post: 2599943, member: 6414"] Staley's impression of what was intended is not the legal standard. Nor should it be. What Sterk actually said was this: "It wasn't a great atmosphere. It was really kind of unhealthy if you will," Sterk explained on KTGR radio, via [URL='http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22268585/missouri-athletic-director-jim-sterk-faults-coach-dawn-staley-promoting-atmosphere-fostering-alleged-fan-misconduct']ESPN[/URL]. "We had players spit on and called the N-word and things like that. It was not a good environment. And unfortunately I think Coach Staley promoted that kind of atmosphere, and it's unfortunate that she felt she had to do that." Now, you can either take that as his suggesting that Staley literally encouraged the fans to use racial slurs and spit on players or you can take it as suggesting that her actions before the game were inflammatory and that the actions of certain fans were examples of what happened as a result. I personally think the first interpretation is pretty far fetched, but I've seen enough comments to know its something that actual people believe. Still, it doesn't make any sense to suggest that Dawn Staley was specifically promoting racism or spitting. I think the second interpretation is pretty obviously what he meant. I happen to think it is still very unfair and that he should have apologized or clarified the statement out of expedience, if nothing else. But pretty clearly on the Missouri side, people were not particularly happy with the way that Coach Staley strongly insinuated that Missouri plays dirty and that the officials had been responsible for the first win. Add in an in game altercation plus female students reporting that they had been spit on and heard racial slurs, plus which was by all accounts an overall unfriendly crowd and you sort of get it. I just wish they could stop posturing and get on with being reasonable people. I hope Missouri apologizes. If not, I hope Coach's lawsuit is dismissed immediately. It's a really poor use of the court system. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach