FanIQ News: Bruce Pearl apologizes for KKK comments

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9/25/09

Bruce Pearl apologizes for KKK comments

Bruce Pearl is sorry for joking about the KKK members on his team.

NCAABB, Tennessee Volunteers

submitted by

Pat

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Read Article: (sports.espn.go.com)

"I've got a tough job. I've got to put these guys from different worlds together, right? I've got guys from Chicago, Detroit ... I'm talking about the 'hood! And I've got guys from Grainger County, where they wear the hood.''

That was the original comment from Pearl... he has since apologized, saying:

"This morning while speaking at a private kick-off event for a great organization that benefits many local charities, I made a statement in jest to describe the diverse group our staff recruits year-in and year-out.

"Unfortunately while I was trying to excite the crowd and encourage employees to give, I made an inappropriate joke. I certainly did not intend to offend anyone and I apologize to everyone, especially the people of Grainger County.

"In no way am I trying to justify what I said, but I'm disappointed that the focus has been placed on me rather than the charities I was there to help. My only hope is that the visibility of this mistake will encourage those who can to give to those in need during these difficult times.''

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9/25/09

Heyhey1970

6	RaiderNation357 wrote: If you said it publicly Bruce, then how long have you thinking about it privately. And why just apologize for the "wearing the hood" remark? Not all African Americans living in Detroit are from the "hood"...piss poor in taste and in comment. Yeah, funny how that part of the apology was left out. Make sure to keep the hillbilly fringe happy there, Bruce.

9/25/09

drn0iswatr

2	well he has a point. The best way to excite a crowd is to promote the KKK.

9/25/09

elevenbravo138again

0	drn0iswatr wrote: well he has a point. The best way to excite a crowd is to promote the KKK. Unfortunately he never even got to do his killer riff on Baader-Meinhof, MS-13, The Black Septembrist and close on a high note with some Al Queda that always leaves them in stitches!

9/25/09

YankeeDudeL

2	Stereotyping isn't acceptable, Bruce, not in the slightest bit. Most especially when it's true. Personally, I thought it was funny.

9/25/09

RaiderNation357

3	If you said it publicly Bruce, then how long have you thinking about it privately. And why just apologize for the "wearing the hood" remark? Not all African Americans living in Detroit are from the "hood"...piss poor in taste and in comment.

9/25/09

mk_donley

0	Stay classy Bruce.

9/25/09

Heyhey1970

6	RaiderNation357 wrote: If you said it publicly Bruce, then how long have you thinking about it privately. And why just apologize for the "wearing the hood" remark? Not all African Americans living in Detroit are from the "hood"...piss poor in taste and in comment. Yeah, funny how that part of the apology was left out. Make sure to keep the hillbilly fringe happy there, Bruce.

9/25/09

Thinkaboutit

0	!?!?!?!?!

9/25/09

Burrellfan1

0	Heyhey1970 wrote: Yeah, funny how that part of the apology was left out. Make sure to keep the hillbilly fringe happy there, Bruce. Coach Pearl would know what part of Detroit or Chicago he recruits, you don't. He was just being funny and I thought the joke was. Comedians and comedy shows on television stereotype all the time. This incident is no big deal.

9/25/09

Heyhey1970

Burrellfan1 wrote:

Coach Pearl would know what part of Detroit or Chicago he recruits, you don't. He was just being funny and I thought the joke was. Comedians and comedy shows on television stereotype all the time. This incident is no big deal.

The "hood" is a racialized term and Pearl knows better than that. He can get away with it because most of his Tennessee audience doesn't know any better.

9/26/09

BluDevil

2	Is this even a story? In all the college hoops coaching issues this year, this has got to be the bottom of the barrel when you compare to Coach Cal and his did he/didn't he issues at Memphis and Coach Pitino and his bizarre rape/abortion/extortion story.

9/26/09

Burrellfan1

0	Heyhey1970 wrote: The "hood" is a racialized term and Pearl knows better than that. He can get away with it because most of his Tennessee audience doesn't know any better. Are you saying Pearl should not recruit in all-black neighborhoods in Detroit and Chicago. You must be a Kentucky or Florida fan.

9/28/09

RaiderNation357

Burrellfan1 wrote:

Just because people have accepted the terms "hood" and "ghetto" in their every day vocabulary does not make them ok to use when sterotyping a certain group. I do not agree with the rural comment nor do I agree with the urban comment. A comedian is paid to tell jokes. A coach is paid to win games. You don't see any comedians offering their services to coach the TN program, so I think Pearl should stick to what he is getting paid to do.

If you want to go PC with it, the term "hood" was an abbreviated version of the word neighborhood. This abberviated word has gained popularity through the hip hop culture as well as the term "ghetto". None of these words should ever be an acceptable term used by somone with class or a stronger vocabulary than that of a 8th grader. Pearl could have easily stated that he recruits in the tough inner city of Detroit and Chicago as well as the rural parts of TN and that bringing them together with different backgrounds is a tough job for any coach.

9/28/09

RaiderNation357

Burrellfan1 wrote:

Are you saying Pearl should not recruit in all-black neighborhoods in Detroit and Chicago. You must be a Kentucky or Florida fan.

I think that you have attempted to take HeyHey's words and tilt them to your favor. He is not saying that Pearl should not recruit the inner city, but rather that he should stop trying to speak the slang and just call the place what it truly is...the rough and tough inner city of a major metropolitan area. Is it really that hard to have some class about you these days?

9/28/09

Burrellfan1

RaiderNation357 wrote:

I don't remember the comments being made at a comedy club, and I don't think Bruce Pearl has told any comedians that they could not comment on the basketball program. I believe he is winning games at Tennessee. He is certainly doing better than when they had Allen Houston's father coaching the team. Saying that a coach cannot talk slang because of his level of education is just silly. To borrow a line from you, Pearl's job is to win basketball games not talk like William Shakespeare.