Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

Sooners' Sherri Coale apologizes after ex-players say program racially insensitive

Oklahoma women's basketball coach Sherri Coale apologized Sunday after some former black players wrote on social media over the weekend that they felt there was an atmosphere of racial insensitivity in her program.

On Friday, former Sooners player Gioya Carter responded to a photo of Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley speaking out on police violence in the Black community after the Sooners football team marched in solidarity. Carter, who played at Oklahoma from 2013 to '17, tweeted, "I wish I knew what it felt like to have a head coach at OU like this but instead my 4yrs there was filled with comments like. 'You guys act like it happened to you.' 'If y'alls long braids hits one of my players in the face' as if the ppl in braids weren't her players."

At least eight other former Sooners have since posted messages of support for Carter on social media, with many sharing their own experiences.

Coale and Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione both released statements Sunday night.

Ex-players lodge culture complaints at OU's Coale
 
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my, how clever -- so let me see, this is sort of like those folks who go around harassing people in restaurants insisting that they raise their arms in the mob's special salute, and if they refuse to comply, they get the mob yelling in their face and threatening them, sort of like that -- thanks for your concern
Hoosier Daddy
 
b79ed97f-a769-4358-9739-4d6dca391e00-jpeg.58288
 
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Sooners' Sherri Coale apologizes after ex-players say program racially insensitive

Oklahoma women's basketball coach Sherri Coale apologized Sunday after some former black players wrote on social media over the weekend that they felt there was an atmosphere of racial insensitivity in her program.

On Friday, former Sooners player Gioya Carter responded to a photo of Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley speaking out on police violence in the Black community after the Sooners football team marched in solidarity. Carter, who played at Oklahoma from 2013 to '17, tweeted, "I wish I knew what it felt like to have a head coach at OU like this but instead my 4yrs there was filled with comments like. 'You guys act like it happened to you.' 'If y'alls long braids hits one of my players in the face' as if the ppl in braids weren't her players."

At least eight other former Sooners have since posted messages of support for Carter on social media, with many sharing their own experiences.

Coale and Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione both released statements Sunday night.

Ex-players lodge culture complaints at OU's Coale
Junior still needs a job. 🤣🤣🤣
 
Do you think if they weren’t in a budget crunch they would have fired her?

They refused to pay Leach when they had money

Do you think it was well, here’s our chance to get rid of her and her paycheck kind of thing?

Most likely

The things she has been accused of are heinous.

They kept Bobby Knight after he attacked the president of the University in a grocery store but fired her and Leach???

I don’t know how or if she will ever coach again.

Leach is still coaching so she still has hope if that's her true calling
Who really knows what happens at the 13th grade???
 
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Exactly what did Coale do or say that was so bad? I read a lot of terms such as "insensitivity," "lack of support" (re: racial issues), and a lack of understanding "Black culture" (whatever that is supposed to mean without stereotyping).

So she took the team to Thomas Jefferson's home on a field trip and complained about braids hitting players in faces and about a social media post. Is that the worst her critics can come up with?

I doubt most athletes enrolled at Oklahoma went there because that school and locality is known as a hotbed of social activism.
 
Exactly what did Coale do or say that was so bad? I read a lot of terms such as "insensitivity," "lack of support" (re: racial issues), and a lack of understanding "Black culture" (whatever that is supposed to mean without stereotyping).

So she took the team to Thomas Jefferson's home on a field trip and complained about braids hitting players in faces and about a social media post. Is that the worst her critics can come up with?

I doubt most athletes enrolled at Oklahoma went there because that school and locality is known as a hotbed of social activism.

You don’t think taking black student to a plantation was a bad idea ? Just asking for clarity
 
You don’t think taking black student to a plantation was a bad idea ? Just asking for clarity
No. Potentially it would provide an understanding of the conditions her possible ancestors lived under. Perhaps they would understand the lives the slaves led and give them a more concrete understanding of one aspect of slavery in America. Education is important. Her remarks I understand to be hurtful and at the least insensitive.
 
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You don’t think taking black student to a plantation was a bad idea ? Just asking for clarity

Would it be better to take them to the Jefferson Memorial or to his home where they can learn more about his slave ownership and rapes of his 14-year-old mistress?

It sounds as though thr team was playing in the area and Coale took them to one of the most famous historical landmarks nearby (one which, judging by the photos posted on the Monticello website, attracts many black visitors). That doesn't sound insensitive; that sounds like what used to be normal cultural education (even if Coale didn't intend the slavery connection to be part of the history lesson).

Best just to take the team to a water park or arcade.
 
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Would it be better to take them to the Jefferson Memorial or to his home where they can learn more about his slave ownership and rapes of his 14-year-old mistress?

It sounds as though thr team was playing in the area and Coale took them to one of the most famous historical landmarks nearby (one which, judging by the photos posted on the Monticello website, attracts many black visitors). That doesn't sound insensitive; that sounds like what used to be normal cultural education (even if Coale didn't intend the slavery connection to be part of the history lesson).

Best just to take the team to a water park or arcade.

Taking them isn’t the problem, although plantations haven’t been well known for telling the true horrors of slave life on the plantation.

Her not allowing the player to post their reaction/response to what happened to their ancestors on the plantation is the issue. Tone deaf af. The comments to players about their braids, etc.
 
This is the first time I have ever heard Monticello referred to as Monticello Plantation. I've always heard, "Monticello", home of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States, author of the Declaration Of Independence, and founder of the University Of Virginia. I can understand why Monticello is an educational visitor attraction.
 
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This is the first time I have ever heard Monticello referred to as Monticello Plantation. I've always heard, "Montocello", home of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States, author of the Declaration Of Independence, and founder of the University Of Virginia. I can understand why Monticello is an educational visitor attraction.

Just remember we’re living in 2020 where we now judge people solely by their worst flaw. Regardless of time or circumstance.
 
This is the first time I have ever heard Monticello referred to as Monticello Plantation. I've always heard, "Montocello", home of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States, author of the Declaration Of Independence, and founder of the University Of Virginia. I can understand why Monticello is an educational visitor attraction.

Took a vacation to DC and visited the first few presidents homes .... George , Adams , Jefferson , Madison , Monroe . You can see all of them in a couple of days ! Nice trip and educational.
 
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Taking them isn’t the problem, although plantations haven’t been well known for telling the true horrors of slave life on the plantation.

Her not allowing the player to post their reaction/response to what happened to their ancestors on the plantation is the issue. Tone deaf af. The comments to players about their braids, etc.

Maybe so...depending upon what the social media post said and what Coale said.

I'd just like to hear more specific details before making a judgment about whether any apology was needed. As one player pointed out, the "white" players seemed to view things differently from the "black" players. When vague charges are made without specific quotes or context, it's hard to tell what went on.

For instance, I just read a column from a black journalist saying that misprouncing Kamala Harris's first name is a "microaggression" that is evidence of racism (despite the fact that many different pronunciations were being offered up be people of various genders, races, and political persuasions). We see "celebrities" competing to see who can offer the most tear-filled apologies for not realizing their "white privilege" and saying that they are ashamed due to their skin color.

With such behavior now being commonplace, I think reserving judgment unless further facts are forthcoming would be wise. Note that Coale'sapology was in the broadest possible terms and didn't acknowledge any specific charges except that she wasn't aware that some of her players apparently didn't think she showed enough interest in social issues.

The braids thing seems silly. I once had two players almost come to blows because one had a long braid that kept whipping around and smacking braid the other girl in the face when she tried to guard her. Now, if Coale treated players differently with the hair issue depending upon race, that's a different ball of wax.
 
Maybe so...depending upon what the social media post said and what Coale said.

I'd just like to hear more specific details before making a judgment about whether any apology was needed. As one player pointed out, the "white" players seemed to view things differently from the "black" players. When vague charges are made without specific quotes or context, it's hard to tell what went on.

For instance, I just read a column from a black journalist saying that misprouncing Kamala Harris's first name is a "microaggression" that is evidence of racism (despite the fact that many different pronunciations were being offered up be people of various genders, races, and political persuasions). We see "celebrities" competing to see who can offer the most tear-filled apologies for not realizing their "white privilege" and saying that they are ashamed due to their skin color.

With such behavior now being commonplace, I think reserving judgment unless further facts are forthcoming would be wise. Note that Coale'sapology was in the broadest possible terms and didn't acknowledge any specific charges except that she wasn't aware that some of her players apparently didn't think she showed enough interest in social issues.

The braids thing seems silly. I once had two players almost come to blows because one had a long braid that kept whipping around and smacking braid the other girl in the face when she tried to guard her. Now, if Coale treated players differently with the hair issue depending upon race, that's a different ball of wax.

And I certainly agree all facts and more specifics should be told however, the plantation situation based on the player’s point of view seems wrong and tone deaf. If there were a bigger lesson she were trying to teach her, it obviously fell flat. I’d like to know exactly what the post was as well as the explanation for why it needed to be removed.
 
Dangerfield is so much better than in college.



pros, like college, comes down to coaching staff.
The improvement in Mercedes Russell is even more telling.
Crystal had good coaching in both, but her PG coach now must be better.

And you can see drop offs in skills as well.
Prediction:
Get ready for a dropoff in Chennedy Carter's game if there is not a coaching change
 
pros, like college, comes down to coaching staff.
The improvement in Mercedes Russell is even more telling.
Crystal had good coaching in both, but her PG coach now must be better.

And you can see drop offs in skills as well.
Prediction:
Get ready for a dropoff in Chennedy Carter's game if there is not a coaching change
Yeah, Geno held her back....lol.

You're a funny guy Jumper.

And Mercedes? We discussed this before. Where is this big improvement you keep mentioning about her? Maybe a little better in the pros than in college? Maybe.
 

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