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Thursday, April 19, 2007

Steve Spurrier: Making Sense

South Carolina's ole ball coach is taking some heat for a recent remark he made while accepting a citizenship award.

"That damn flag needs to come down."

Was part of a larger statement the coach made, in reference to the confederate flag flying at South Carolina's state capitol building.

"It would make us a more progressive, better state, I think, if the flag was removed. But I’m not going to go on any big campaign to have it removed. That’s not my position,” Spurrier said in an interview with The State. “But if anyone were to ask me, that would certainly be my position. And I think everyone in there, it was their position, too.”

Certainly, we see no need to fly a flag of division. And, any reasonable person would listen to what Spurrier said and realize the man is just stating his opinion and is not calling for the state to do anything or leading a campaign against the flag. It's just how he feels.

Remember, we said reasonable person.

"We're outraged," Randall Burbage said. He's South Carolina's division commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Outraged that the ole ball coach doesn't support a symbol of division? Or outraged that he opened his mouth about it?

"When he called it 'that damn flag,' we got incensed," Burbage said.

Spurrier had said he was embarrassed when a fan (or fans) were waving the flag in South Carolina's stands.

Apparently, Burbage and his group feel that Spurrier should be proud?

"I'm one of the long-suffering Gamecock fans," Burbage said."I thought this guy was great. For this to happen, he's gone down in my eyes."

Apparently, this effects Spurrier's coaching ability as well. We suggest that in order for Spurrier to go up in the eyes of the likes of Burbage, he wear a grey CSA uniform top and a cavalry officer's hat with a feather in the brim when he takes the sidelines. He could also start calling himself Colonel Spurrier and each time his offensive takes the field, lead them in a confederate battle cry. That should win back the long suffering Burbage, no?

Perhaps the most interesting reaction to Spurrier's comments was this:

Don Gordon, a state officer with the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said Spurrier’s call for the removal of the flag was “the moral equivalent of calling our ancestors ‘nappy-headed hos.’”

Now, while the logic in that passes over us like a 747, we would understand Gordon trying to make the illogical connection if Spurrier were a Negro. But Spurrier is a white, Southern male.

At NOISb we are willing to make this concession:

Supporters of Imus introduced rappers use of "ho" into their argument as to why Imus did nothing wrong. They said it was a double standard that Negroes could use the words "ho" and"nappy" and that whites couldn't.

Well, we suggest applying the same double standard in this case, in an effort to allow white folks to enjoy the type of thing Negroes so effectively hide behind.

Perhaps the white southern males so outraged at Spurrier's comments will let him off the hook for this "moral equivalent of calling our ancestors ‘nappy-headed hos". Everyone promises not to complain when old white southerners exercise the moral equivalent of calling Negroes nappy-headed hos on to each other. Deal? Now old white southerners have a double standard of their own. It's about time!

An old southern white guy calling for other old southern white guys to move into the 21st century seems like a double standard we can all support.

7 comments:

the butler said...

Visiting South Carolina is like going back in time 30-40 years, if not more.

I wouldn't be surprised if ball coach found some burning lower-case "t's" in his yard like in South Park.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"Visiting South Carolina is like going back in time 30-40 years"

Sir, that is the charm of the Palmetto State. They keep the rest of us grounded. We think, as a country, that we make progress...and they quickly extinguish that line of thought.

Unknown said...

Sir, this seems, to me, like a plantation owner lamenting about the evils of slave owning, but continuing to till his crops with the use of slaves. This shows his slaves that he "cares" about them enough to irritate his fellow klan bretheron, but not enough to stop making an exorbitant amount of money off of his fball slaves. Remember, Master Spurrier is trying to make his second plantation successful after having failed in a league where the black man was paid and respected more than him.

How long until Master Spurrier is stripped of his plantation by his fellow plantation overlords?

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

"How long until Master Spurrier is stripped of his plantation by his fellow plantation overlords?"

Sir, Spurrier may be pandering to the recruits...particularly in light of the fact that instate rival Clemson has given the directive to their football folks to NOT even discuss the flag.

In a state like SC, even obscene and transparent pandering is a step in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

"...the Palmetto State. They keep the rest of us grounded. We think, as a country, that we make progress...and they quickly extinguish that line of thought."

conversely, they provide a control. their constant redneckery allows us to measure progress elsewhere versus the old standard.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" their constant redneckery allows us to measure progress elsewhere versus the old standard"

Sir, you make an adequate point.

At times, the negative extreme is a needed bench mark.

nation_of_islam_sportsblog said...

" their constant redneckery allows us to measure progress elsewhere versus the old standard"

Sir, you make an adequate point.

At times, the negative extreme is a needed bench mark.