Unfortunate incident with regards to Utah's team

[triaddukefan]

Utah women's basketball team experienced 'racial hate crimes' during NCAA Tournament

 

[BRS24]

Think I saw a sports journalist comment this am on twitter that if you cannot host all the teams near the arena, then perhaps you shouldn't be able to be a host. There may have been 2 other teams also staying in Idaho.

 

[triaddukefan]

Think I saw a sports journalist comment this am on twitter that if you cannot host all the teams near the arena, then perhaps you shouldn't be able to be a host. There may have been 2 other teams also staying in Idaho.

One of the problems was that the Men's opening rounds were held in Spokane as well. That's 8 teams in addition to the 4 women's teams.

 

[WBBTakeover]

The NCAA dropped the ball here.

 

[nwhoopfan]

One of the problems was that the Men's opening rounds were held in Spokane as well. That's 8 teams in addition to the 4 women's teams.

And a big AAU volleyball tournament going on. Spokane was BOOKED. Anything remotely close to Spokane was booked all weekend.

 

[JellyBean]

The NCAA dropped the ball here.

Big Time!

 

[Vowelguy]

One of the problems was that the Men's opening rounds were held in Spokane as well. That's 8 teams in addition to the 4 women's teams.

There have been times when a team couldn’t host because their facility wasn’t available. In addition to the facility, perhaps there should be an additional requirement of sufficient open hotel rooms within X miles?

 

[Vowelguy]

I am curious to know exactly what happened.

Was it with hotel staff? Other guests? Local residents?

 

[CalWBBfan]

I’m so very sorry these young women annd the coaching staff had to endure such vile behavior and fear for their safety…meanwhile some argue there’s no need for DEI in America. Funny how people with Covid fled to Spokane, Washington for treatment (funded in part by Washington taxpayers) and now women are forced to do the same to access reproductive healthcare. Idaho has allowed itself to be a safe haven for bigotry and hate. While good people reside there, the state has some serious issues to contend with. NCAA shouldn’t host in places that cannot accommodate teams in a safe and welcoming environment. Idaho is clearly NOT the latter.

 

[CalWBBfan]

I am curious to know exactly what happened.

Was it with hotel staff? Other guests? Local residents?

Appears to have been local yahoos in their (likely oversized) pickup trucks…read the coach’s comments. Pretty much explains what transpired. Racist taunts…truck revving…

 

[Lorcan]

This is indeed a depressing story. There needs to be a better system for hosting and to ensure that players are protected from such experiences. Coer D'Alene has a challenging history of tangling with white nationalist groups and this isn't the first such incident in the region; however, it is probably the most notable since the white nationalists were arrested trying to intimidate a 2022 Pride Festival in Coer D'Alene. I am disturbed by a small minority of twitter accounts that are trying to cast doubt on Utah's lived experiences citing a lack of video or actual evidence of what's occurred. While UC Irvine was at the same hotel and didn't experience any incidents of a similar nature, that should not be grounds to dismiss such an experience given the troubling trend of white nationalist actors in the area. I feel deeply for Utah's players, especially for those who's final appearance in a Utah uniform occurred in these circumstances.

 

[Henry]

The 3 other teams playing in Spokane all had to stay in Coeur D'Alene b/c of lack of hotel rooms in Spokane. That just shouldn't happen. And then for some of them to be subjected to racist taunts and threatening behavior is reprehensible. The NCAA needs to do a much better job of ensuring the safety and comfort of the participating teams.

 

[BRS24]

'I was just numb': Utah forced to move hotels after racial hate crimes during NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament was supposed to be a fun experience for the University of Utah women's basketball team.

www.ksl.com

 

[Blueballer]

The NCAA dropped the ball here.

Again. Like with the workout facilities a few years ago, The women are second rate citizens. It's inexcusable!

 

[Vowelguy]

Again. Like with the workout facilities a few years ago, The women are second rate citizens.

What is the evidence of that?

If the hotel rooms were booked at the same time and the women were assigned crappy hotels then yes. But that seems highly unlikely. The men’s tournament would’ve booked hotel rooms years ago, as the sites are predetermined.

The women’s tournament wouldn’t have been looking for rooms until the last few weeks or at most few months. If all the hotels were sold out*, what were they supposed to do? It is possible the options were: send teams 30 miles away or not allow Gonzaga to host.


** That has been suggested online. I don’t know for sure that’s what happened, but it does make sense.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Having to stay so far away is definitely a detriment to those teams' experience and ability to compete. The fact they had to deal with racist taunts is unforgivable.

 

[Bone Dog]

My family has experienced racist incidents directed at us or friends of ours in Utah and Arizona. Our resolve since then is never to spend another dime in those states. I guess we’ll have to add Idaho to that list. Yes, not everyone in those states deserves our contempt. But it’s up to the “good people” there to correct the situation if they want our commerce and our respect back.

 

[Blueballer]

What is the evidence of that?

If the hotel rooms were booked at the same time and the women were assigned crappy hotels then yes. But that seems highly unlikely. The men’s tournament would’ve booked hotel rooms years ago, as the sites are predetermined.

The women’s tournament wouldn’t have been looking for rooms until the last few weeks or at most few months. If all the hotels were sold out*, what were they supposed to do? It is possible the options were: send teams 30 miles away or not allow Gonzaga to host.


** That has been suggested online. I don’t know for sure that’s what happened, but it does make sense.

Gonzaga did a very poor job of researching the communities the hotels were in. They should be held accountable for this travesty.

 

[Vowelguy]

Gonzaga did a very poor job of researching the communities the hotels were in.

There is evidence of that?

 

[Gate81]

What is the evidence of that?

If the hotel rooms were booked at the same time and the women were assigned crappy hotels then yes. But that seems highly unlikely. The men’s tournament would’ve booked hotel rooms years ago, as the sites are predetermined.

The women’s tournament wouldn’t have been looking for rooms until the last few weeks or at most few months. If all the hotels were sold out*, what were they supposed to do? It is possible the options were: send teams 30 miles away or not allow Gonzaga to host.


** That has been suggested online. I don’t know for sure that’s what happened, but it does make sense.

so the current rule is that you can't host if your arena is being used, but you can if you can't accommodate the teams? makes zero sense given the unbelievable home edge it gives the host.

 

[DefenseBB]

so the current rule is that you can't host if your arena is being used, but you can if you can't accommodate the teams? makes zero sense given the unbelievable home edge it gives the host.

Wait, what? Ok, the hotel that they initial stayed at where the citizen remarks occurred was 20-25 minutes from the Gonzaga arena. That is perfectly fine for a distance. Remember, Arizona had to stay in Hartford for their trip to Storrs last week, also 20-25 minutes away. I wouldn't call Storrs a "hotel mecca". Video of the situation posted to social media would have definitely called attention to the issue and maybe involved the police for any civil rights offenses but there is risk in that as well as who knows what the truck or occupants would have done.

Yes, a very sad, unfortunate and deplorable situation all around. I would say I am shocked but sadly, I am not. Let's all just keep fighting the good fight to be all-inclusive.

 

[Vowelguy]

so the current rule is that you can't host if your arena is being used, but you can if you can't accommodate the teams? makes zero sense given the unbelievable home edge it gives the host.

Possibly not something they had considered. This was a perfect storm event -- Spokane was hosting the mens tournament so that took up a bunch of rooms, supposedly there was another event in the area that took up more rooms, Gonzaga got to host (first time in a while?), and then there was an incident at the Idaho hotel.

 

[maple]

My family has experienced racist incidents directed at us or friends of ours in Utah and Arizona. Our resolve since then is never to spend another dime in those states. I guess we’ll have to add Idaho to that list. Yes, not everyone in those states deserves our contempt. But it’s up to the “good people” there to correct the situation if they want our commerce and our respect back.

x10000

 

[Vowelguy]

Utah women’s basketball team ‘troubled and shaken’ as ‘disturbing’ details of alleged racist abuse directed at players emerge | CNN

Members of the Utah women’s basketball team have been left “deeply troubled and shaken” by what team officials called “hateful and disturbing” racial abuse ahead of their NCAA tournament opening game.

amp.cnn.com

 

[Blueballer]

There is evidence of that?

Yes and not only Idaho but that particular town is a hotbed of racist groups. I have a host of links that I can PM you if you're interested. (Didn't want to post all of them because it will probably be removed for crossing into politics). It's pretty remarkable that anyone living in that area could not be aware of the potential of housing those kids there. One example below:

Alexandra (Alex) Duggan
@dugganreports

If you’re new here, take a look at the history of Coeur d’Alene: 80s: downtown bombed by white supremacists. 90s: Aryans led parades, heiling Hitler. “How can you not know the history?” Schleufer said. “They should’ve never put those players there.”