Racially Ignorant Op-Ed in Chronicle

[DukeSean]

...

that's all I can really muster right now.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

If you've read this far, it's worth the time to go the the Chronicle online and read the comments made on this article.

[lifelongdevil]

Don't be too quick to dismiss the argument just because you don't want to deal with the concept of race. I think it was the coach of Navy(maybe air force) a few years back who said they needed more black players with sped/athleticism at the skill positions. The media vilified the comment, but we all knew he as right.

The authors knowledge of late eighties nba popularity isn't perfect, who cares, the larger argument is a valuable one. these days race is a tough thing to discuss, and I credit the author for being willing to go out on a limb. He's not arguing that this is right, just that it occurs.

Sure I'd be jsut as happy with Kyrie if he were white...and still had a quick first step, explosive leap, and lightning speed, but to borrow a phrase from rick pitino, that guy isn't walking through the door. How many top 30 recruits this year are white? Ill give you a hint, its the same as the number of championships we've won since 2001.

[KShip21]

This article was incredibly disturbing to read, and I feel the writer should have done a little bit more reasearch on the subject before writing. We're excite because Irving is African-American?? There are 40+ pages on Kyrie's recruiting thread, and not once was his race mentioned. This program has been in desperate need of a highly touted PG, and now we have him. End of story.

I can't believe the editor let this be published

[RelativeWays]

Don't be too quick to dismiss the argument just because you don't want to deal with the concept of race. I think it was the coach of Navy(maybe air force) a few years back who said they needed more black players with sped/athleticism at the skill positions. The media vilified the comment, but we all knew he as right.

The authors knowledge of late eighties nba popularity isn't perfect, who cares, the larger argument is a valuable one. these days race is a tough thing to discuss, and I credit the author for being willing to go out on a limb. He's not arguing that this is right, just that it occurs.

Sure I'd be jsut as happy with Kyrie if he were white...and still had a quick first step, explosive leap, and lightning speed, but to borrow a phrase from rick pitino, that guy isn't walking through the door. How many top 30 recruits this year are white? Ill give you a hint, its the same as the number of championships we've won since 2001.

Well the crux of the opinion is inherently flawed. Neither Irving or Barnes are viewed as landmark recruits because of the color of their skin. Sure Duke is known for having white players and that feeds into some of the disdain that some people have (who are mostly white themselves) but having Irving or Barnes (or both) will not change that any more than G Hill, T Hill, E Brand, C Boozer, J Williams or any of a number of good black players Duke has had over the years. Intelligent people know Duke has good players both black and white. Both Dawkins and Grant Hill are held in as high regard as players as Laettner and Redick

[Maxwell1977]

Don't be too quick to dismiss the argument just because you don't want to deal with the concept of race. I think it was the coach of Navy(maybe air force) a few years back who said they needed more black players with sped/athleticism at the skill positions. The media vilified the comment, but we all knew he as right.

No we all didn't.

Race is very useful because it exposes people's stupidity.

[taiw93]

How many top 30 recruits this year are white? Ill give you a hint, its the same as the number of championships we've won since 2001.

Yes, but the white players on Duke have all been top 30 recruits, and have immense talent. I understand that "black players are more athletic and are thus better players" is a common stereotype, but it has not been too much of a concern for Duke. For example, take the Plumlee brothers. Both have extremely high verticals, especially for their height, and Miles was the state high jump champion. Both also happen to be white. End of story.

Duke does not need black players to be successful, and it does not need white players to be successful. It needs GOOD players to be successful. Kyrie Irving happens to be a VERY good player, and plays a position of need for us as well, while also happening to be to be a great kid. And those are the sole reasons why I am happy to get him.

Btw, Have we really gotten to the point where race and athletic ability are not considered to be independent of each other?

[rasputin]

Don't be too quick to dismiss the argument just because you don't want to deal with the concept of race. I think it was the coach of Navy(maybe air force) a few years back who said they needed more black players with sped/athleticism at the skill positions. The media vilified the comment, but we all knew he as right.

The authors knowledge of late eighties nba popularity isn't perfect, who cares, the larger argument is a valuable one. these days race is a tough thing to discuss, and I credit the author for being willing to go out on a limb. He's not arguing that this is right, just that it occurs.

Sure I'd be jsut as happy with Kyrie if he were white...and still had a quick first step, explosive leap, and lightning speed, but to borrow a phrase from rick pitino, that guy isn't walking through the door. How many top 30 recruits this year are white? Ill give you a hint, its the same as the number of championships we've won since 2001.

And all this time, I thought Kyrie was Greek.

[RelativeWays]

Duke must have its token black savior!!!!! Why else did we promise Irving and Barnes all the grape drink and Churches Chicken they could eat?



This is ridiculous

[wolfpackdevil]

I thought Duke student's were smart...

[JaMarcus Russell]

Well the crux of the opinion is inherently flawed. Neither Irving or Barnes are viewed as landmark recruits because of the color of their skin. Sure Duke is known for having white players and that feeds into some of the disdain that some people have (who are mostly white themselves) but having Irving or Barnes (or both) will not change that any more than G Hill, T Hill, E Brand, C Boozer, J Williams or any of a number of good black players Duke has had over the years. Intelligent people know Duke has good players both black and white. Both Dawkins and Grant Hill are held in as high regard as players as Laettner and Redick

Agreed 100%. The main change that will occur if Duke has 5 black starters is that the predominantly white fans at Maryland, Wake, and BC will have less opportunities to jeer Duke's players. I am sure the UNC fans could care less about the racial make-up of the team. Those games will always be intense

[CEF1959]

Ugly and foolish, but I can't come down too hard on the guy. College newspapers are a good place for young people to make journalistic mistakes like this. I knew everything, even when I was hopelessly wrong, when I was 19 too. I'll bet he catches enough grief to learn from this. And that is why a university exists.

[DevilHorns]

Not making excuses for the writer of this piece, but I've heard from a lot of people that aren't Duke fans that "we've turned white" and that "coach K can't recruit black players" and that we won't win again at the level that we're accustomed to until we change that.

Now obviously I don't believe this at all (since I know how recruiting is hit or miss and therefore the racial composition of the team is variable), but it has been perpetuated in lay culture IMO to a great extent. I wouldn't be surprised if some of that "culture" is found in the current student body, and so maybe this writer is sort of just reflecting some of his Duke experience, sadly.

[throatybeard]

Ugly and foolish, but I can't come down too hard on the guy. College newspapers are a good place for young people to make journalistic mistakes like this. I knew everything, even when I was hopelessly wrong, when I was 19 too. I'll bet he catches enough grief to learn from this. And that is why a university exists.

I'm actually on this side. Racism is massively uncool, but to be perfectly honest, when I was a kid, it took me until at least 18 to get right on Gay rights. What can I say, I grew up in rural GA, I had a bunch of prejudiced people around me all the time, and I hadn't really been exposed to other cultures. This kid just needs some time to grow up, and he'll probably be rather embarrassed by this column in 5 or 10 years.

If you're still reinforcing stereotypes about dangerous Black Durham when you're 35 or 40, there's nothing I can say in your favor. But as for this kid, give him some time to learn a lesson or two. Remember a few years ago there was an AfAm kid at Duke who wrote an anti-Semitic column in the paper. Huge uproar. Letters, the whole deal. I bet that guy has gotten right on that issue since then.

[BlueintheFace]

Somebody remember to post the inevitable letter to the editor in response to this trash that is published

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I am sure the UNC fans could care less about the racial make-up of the team.

I'm not sure about that at all. Despite all the "Duke is Lilly White, UNC is Progressive" garbage out there, I've seen much more racism in Chapel Hill, including frequent use of "people from Durham" as not-very-subtle code for "scary black people."

[SupaDave]

I'm not sure about that at all. Despite all the "Duke is Lilly White, UNC is Progressive" garbage out there, I've seen much more racism in Chapel Hill, including frequent use of "people from Durham" as not-very-subtle code for "scary black people."

Chapel Hill and Durham have been quietly at odd for years and it's much bigger than race...

[stillcrazie]

I am not sure what to make of this, but a friend of mine who is an African-American grad student at Duke forwarded me the article this morning and basically said it expressed his sentiments and those of other people he knows. It makes me wonder how widespread this opinion is, especially among the local African-American community. This friend is a very thoughtful person, so it makes me less willing to discount the point of view, even though I disagree with it, especially if there is the possibility that I, as a white person, may be missing something.

[Indoor66]

40 and 50 years ago, people from Durham did not go to Chapel Hill or Raleigh, at all. People in Chapel Hill did not go to Carrboro in those days. US 70 was the main route to Raleigh and NC 54 went from Chapel Hill to Raleigh through the large crossroads of Cary. IBM was the first major company in the Research Triangle Park and Cary in Wake County and Parkwood in Durham County began to grow. Areas were much more insular. It was well into the 70's before commerce in the Triangle began to flourish.

The Durham Expressway opened in the mid-70's and took you to the newly growing RTP. I-40 ended at NC 55 until into the 80's. Things have changed.

[allenmurray]

Chapel Hill and Durham have been quietly at odd for years and it's much bigger than race...

That is certainly true.

But speaking as someone who has liveed in Durham for 27 years, and who has worked in Chapel Hill for the last 6, there is also truth to DevilCastDown's statement that the term "people from Durham", when used by folks in Chapel Hill, is a reference to African-Americans. It is commonly used that way.

Despite all the "Duke is Lilly White, UNC is Progressive" garbage out there, I've seen much more racism in Chapel Hill, including frequent use of "people from Durham" as not-very-subtle code for "scary black people."