Albany Game Canceled (Protest over HB2)

[DukeTrinity11]

For what its worth, this is the first story that popped up on my Facebook news feed when I logged in, its crazy how fast news spreads now a days.

Are Wake and UNC hosting any NY public basketball teams this year that this law would ban as well?

[Reisen]

This sucks. My brother-in-law is an Albany alumnus, and a huge Duke fan. I was planning on taking him to the game.

Politics aside, this has only negative impacts (on a small group of people, the Albany team and fans being a large part of that group).

[Bluedog]

The other thing that is somewhat ironic about this is Duke, as a private institution, has gender neutral bathrooms on campus. They are not subject to following the law and instead have made several public statements (with words and actions) opposing it. But Duke certainly is located in the state of North Carolina, so if you can't travel there for free...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Politics aside, this has only negative impacts (on a small group of people, the Albany team and fans being a large part of that group).

Well, unless you believe that this sort of statement or protest can on some level change policy or public opinion. I would wager that if (big if) the players agree with the NC travel ban and hope to overturn HB2 that they would not only consider that a "positive impact," but one worth the sacrifice of playing in Cameron.

Let's be honest, playing a game at Duke is special and all, but if you were protesting something you didn't believe in, the chance to shake K's hand post-game shouldn't sway your plan.

**Disclaimer - yes, it is a law in NY passed by people who are not on the Albany basketball team in response to a law in NC passed by people not on the Duke basketball team. That doesn't change the fact that precisely headlines like this and attention like this were the intent of the ban on sporting events in NC.

[AIRFORCEDUKIE]

They sure like banning things up there, its like a prison colony with all these bans. Personally I think this is hilarious. Not sure why, but I keep laughing on the inside every time I think about it.

[Troublemaker]

This sucks. My brother-in-law is an Albany alumnus, and a huge Duke fan. I was planning on taking him to the game.

Politics aside, this has only negative impacts (on a small group of people, the Albany team and fans being a large part of that group).

The Crazies may be part of that group, too, as Albany has a player named Dallas Ennema on the roster.

Expelling Ennema and his team from this game and depriving the Crazies of this opportunity ought to wreck them.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I could maybe, and I mean maybe, get the point if SUNY Albany was playing a public university like uNC, but Duke is a private school! And not only that, is a world-class institution. Duke is international in it's brand. It brings in students from all over the world.

Why try and send a message to North Carolina by canceling a game against a private school?

And without taking sides, the whole bathroom thing is a hot-button issue over the whole country at the moment. It isn't fair to those bball players for the governor to treat it as though Duke is the last bastion of black-white segregation from decades and decades ago. I can't imagine how those kids feel knowing that they can't tell their kids they got to play a top-ranked Duke team under the legendary Coach K at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Politics is the worst.

Not saying whether this is right or wrong, but Duke is one of the largest private employers in the state. By exerting direct pressure against such an employer, that employer might in turn exert pressure against the state to change the law. The CEOs of most of the largest companies in North Carolina signed a letter to the governor expressing their displeasure with the law, and I know that some have eliminated expansion plans in the state. One could argue about taking a stand on this law vs. other laws in other states that aren't 100% popular (no games in states where you can't buy beer on Sunday!) but this seems to be the one that caught people's attention.

[sagegrouse]

Not saying whether this is right or wrong, but Duke is one of the largest private employers in the state. By exerting direct pressure against such an employer, that employer might in turn exert pressure against the state to change the law. The CEOs of most of the largest companies in North Carolina signed a letter to the governor expressing their displeasure with the law, and I know that some have eliminated expansion plans in the state. One could argue about taking a stand on this law vs. other laws in other states that aren't 100% popular (no games in states where you can't buy beer on Sunday!) but this seems to be the one that caught people's attention.

The Duke web site lists 36,004 employees, virtually all in the state of NC, I believe. Excluding all the Duke Health employees (there are Duke-owned hospitals throughout the state), the "campus employees" number 8,380. In addition, there 14,950 students. Combining the two brings the total "Duke population" to 50,954.

[Scorp4me]

Anti-discrimination >sports. I buy into that completely.

Power to Albany. I know Duke - as a private institution - doesn't and shouldn't follow this ridiculous HB2 law. But Albany is trying to make a point, and given the displeasure on DBR, that point is clearly working.

We get to choose to be whatever we want these days, choose which laws to follow and which ones we don't. Albany could have just ignored the law or failing that choose that Duke isn't in NC. I mean really, when does reality factor into life these days.

[ChillinDuke]

They sure like banning things up there, its like a prison colony with all these bans. Personally I think this is hilarious. Not sure why, but I keep laughing on the inside every time I think about it.

NY banned it in response to a ban in NC.

Even more fodder for the hilarity.

At this rate, pretty soon we'll all have to go to Canada just to "use the facilities."

Back on topic, if this was part of a preseason Tourney, aren't most teams committed to one by now? I remember last year (or the year before?) Duke was late to commit and got into the Preseason NIT, I believe. Are we past that point in the timeline for this year? I presume there wouldn't be many options out there? But maybe it's still early?

- Chillin

[OldPhiKap]

We get to choose to be whatever we want these days, choose which laws to follow and which ones we don't. Albany could have just ignored the law or failing that choose that Duke isn't in NC. I mean really, when does reality factor into life these days.

I'm not sure that Albany had that choice. If the governor banned unnecessary travel expenses in NC, Albany is a state school and therefore any monies spent are NY tax dollars.

Not saying I agree with it, but I see why Albany may not have had a choice. If the governor of NC said that no tax dollars could be spent in NY, Duke could play there but UNCheat could not.

I trust that Duke will be able to fill the spot without much trouble, so really no impact on us.

It is unfortunate for the Albany kids and their fans. As long as NC decides it's gonna stick with this law, this is the price. Whether that is an acceptable price or not is, of course, a policy decision well beyond the allowable limits of DBR.

The NBA is threatening to pull the NBA All-Star game that is supposed to be in Charlotte in February IIRC. That is what's gonna make the rubber hit the road. Plenty of cities would be glad to host, and unlike a Superbowl I would think it would not be a huge logistical problem to just go to another arena.

[ChillinDuke]

How does driving vs flying to the state fix the problem of not travelling there?

I think the OP was just proposing a way to get around the "unnecessary travel expenses in NC" mandate by having the Albany team incur all expenses in Virginia.

Which is kinda funny.

- Chillin

[BD80]

The Crazies may be part of that group, too, as Albany has a player named Dallas Ennema on the roster.

Expelling Ennema and his team from this game and depriving the Crazies of this opportunity ought to wreck them.

If there was ever an individual who NEEDED a bathroom law ...

... At this rate, pretty soon we'll all have to go to Canada just to "use the facilities." ...

Nature has a way discriminating, pine trees with low branches are not recommended for those who prefer to squat ...

I'm not sure that Albany had that choice. If the governor banned unnecessary travel expenses in NC, ...

Kinda begs a question, what expenses in NC HAS the Gov (or his office) deemed "necessary?" Could be a humorous (and embarrassing) comparison.

[devildeac]

The Crazies may be part of that group, too, as Albany has a player named Dallas Ennema on the roster.

Expelling Ennema and his team from this game and depriving the Crazies of this opportunity ought to wreck them.

This thread is proving quite the cathartic for us.

[OldPhiKap]

I don't think that Albany backing out will impact the State of North Carolina at all. We will get a replacement game, and that team will spend whatever Albany would have in hotel, food, etc.

The only real financial hit, oddly enough, may be that Albany doesn't get money for coming down to play us (I assume we pay for some of these teams, like football does, but don't know). If so, the financial hit is really in NY not NC.

[JasonEvans]

Folks,

I would ask that everyone remember the ban on partisan political talk on the DBR. If you want to talk about the game being cancelled, that is fine but do not get into a policy debate over the merits of the law or the politicians in NY or NC who are reacting to it.

-Jason "thanks!" Evans

[Reilly]

... if you were protesting something you didn't believe in, the chance to shake K's hand post-game shouldn't sway your plan ...

Maybe it would be a more difficult quandary if you were the best Albany player who played with a lot of effort and who would have been in line to get not just the handshake but the post-game heart-tap?

[Reilly]

... Albany is a state school and therefore any monies spent are NY tax dollars ...

Maybe Albany's sports program is not big enough; don't some state schools peddle the fiction that their sports programs are privately funded and not spending state dollars (using instead donations, tv revenue, etc..)? Think some trot that fiction out when handing the coach a big raise ...

[Lar77]

Maybe Albany's sports program is not big enough; don't some state schools peddle the fiction that their sports programs are privately funded and not spending state dollars (using instead donations, tv revenue, etc..)? Think some trot that fiction out when handing the coach a big raise ...

Like the school down the road spending millions on lawyers and PR to protect its sports' fiction?

[buddy]

Folks,

I would ask that everyone remember the ban on partisan political talk on the DBR. If you want to talk about the game being cancelled, that is fine but do not get into a policy debate over the merits of the law or the politicians in NY or NC who are reacting to it.

-Jason "thanks!" Evans

This is just silly. Close the thread. The cancellation is political (and partisan). You cannot discuss the cancellation without talking politics. Has Cuomo cancelled travel Arab nations that hang or imprison gays? Didn't think so.