Coach K angry at ribbon controversy

[weezie]

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?se...cal&id=6013517



Can Duke ever get a break?

[BlueBlood112883]

I 100% agree. It was a student to student thing that was brought up by the DUKE STUDENTS!!!!! K didn't come up with it, but knuckle heads in the media, UNC fans, etc...starting whining, and crying about it. Now it's out in the media and he has to answer questions about it just like "the comment that wasn't a comment." Pathetic that this was even made out as a story and had enough legs as it did. I'd said a lot more than he did, and not been as nice about it. Especially after that last episode.

[Troublemaker]

You just have to shake your head at UNC fans sometimes. It's beyond absurd that Coach K would receive criticism for not wearing the ribbon when it was he and Duke that spearheaded the effort in the first place to honor Eve and provide her with a moment of silence as well as bring the two teams together for an embrace before the tip. I'm at a lost for words. I don't know what to compare it to. Is it like giving a gift of $10,000 to someone and having them turn around and criticize you for giving it in stacks of $20s instead of $100s? Actually, that's not even it. I can't even come up with a proper analogy for this level of hatred, for those UNC fans who dared to use Eve Carson to criticize Coach K and the coaching staff.

[RelativeWays]

It makes me wish more UNC fans were dead to be honest. Okay, I kid. But it's absurd.

I won't go that far, but some of them have really lost touch with reality when it comes to Ewe NC basketball.

[wumhenry]

So far, none of the UNC fans who've posted comments on the video have accused K of dissing Eve Carson. One calls it an inadvertent PR mistake; the others agree with K that he has nothing to apologize for.

[RepoMan]

The whole thing is beyond mind-boggling. Implicit in the criticism of K is the suggestion that he deliberately decided not to wear a ribbon, which suggests that he deliberately intended to make some sort of insidious point by not wearing the ribbon. That is simply outrageous.

While, in this information overflow era, it may be true that some knuckleheads on fansites and elsewhere raise these issues, and while it may be true that, as the link suggests, come called the news to inquire, the media has an obligation, in my mind, not to treat everything as a "story" that must be disseminated yet more broadly. Just because "dozens" of people called or emailed the news station, doesn't mean they should bite.

What a world we live in. If K ever leaves early, it will be because of crap like this.

[dukie8]

The whole thing is beyond mind-boggling. Implicit in the criticism of K is the suggestion that he deliberately decided not to wear a ribbon, which suggests that he deliberately intended to make some sort of insidious point by not wearing the ribbon. That is simply outrageous.

While, in this information overflow era, it may be true that some knuckleheads on fansites and elsewhere raise these issues, and while it may be true that, as the link suggests, come called the news to inquire, the media has an obligation, in my mind, not to treat everything as a "story" that must be disseminated yet more broadly. Just because "dozens" of people called or emailed the news station, doesn't mean they should bite.

What a world we live in. If K ever leaves early, it will be because of crap like this.

he did deliberately decide not to wear one and it should have been abundantly obviously that he was going get slammed for it. shortly after the game was over, the subject came up on the chat and everyone was like "what was he thinking because he is going to get killed for it?" i don't care that he didn't wear one but i don't want to see him get slammed for it. that wasn't one of k's brighter moves.

[cspan37421]

he did deliberately decide not to wear one

Do you have evidence for this claim?

[Troublemaker]

he did deliberately decide not to wear one and it should have been abundantly obviously that he was going get slammed for it. shortly after the game was over, the subject came up on the chat and everyone was like "what was he thinking because he is going to get killed for it?" i don't care that he didn't wear one but i don't want to see him get slammed for it. that wasn't one of k's brighter moves.

I disagree completely. You're basically saying he should live life appeasing the fringe idiots and nutjobs, that he should be constantly aware of what fringe idiots and nutjobs might think about every one of his actions. Nobody reasonable could possibly turn the Eve Carson tragedy into criticism of Coach K, especially since he helped organize a touching tribute to her in the first place. It's absurd and disgusting that the fringe idiots and nutjobs would even bring it up; all it takes is a moment's thought to discount what they were suggesting. We shouldn't appease fringe idiots and nutjobs. We should search and destroy them.

[cspan37421]

I can't help but wonder if K, who has made a point of reaching out to the media more this year, feels his hand has been bitten.

[DukeFencer]

I can't help but wonder if K, who has made a point of reaching out to the media more this year, feels his hand has been bitten.

Was just thinking this. I wasn't paying much attention whenever it was that K made the step back from the media, but I did read about it in articles every year (about how inaccessible he was, etc.) This, the whole injury report, everything, really do just seem like distractions to me. Would not blame him if he backed away again and left the responsibility of interviews with the assistants.

[dukie8]

I disagree completely. You're basically saying he should live life appeasing the fringe idiots and nutjobs, that he should be constantly aware of what fringe idiots and nutjobs might think about every one of his actions. Nobody reasonable could possibly turn the Eve Carson tragedy into criticism of Coach K, especially since he helped organize a touching tribute to her in the first place. It's absurd and disgusting that the fringe idiots and nutjobs would even bring it up; all it takes is a moment's thought to discount what they were suggesting. We shouldn't appease fringe idiots and nutjobs. We should search and destroy them.

well he already does have to cater to the "fringe idiots and nutjobs" all the time. do you think he always says what he actually thinks in interviews? if he did, he would get slammed by those same people. other than bobby knight, i can't think of another coach who basically lets it fly in interviews.

nobody is turning the eve carson tragedy into a criticism of k. they are, however, criticizing his lack of a ribbon. like i said earlier, it didn't bother me, but it was abundantly obvious to the people in the chat room that it was going to bother a lot of other people and that it was very misguided on his part not to have popped one on.

[Troublemaker]

well he already does have to cater to the "fringe idiots and nutjobs" all the time. do you think he always says what he actually thinks in interviews? if he did, he would get slammed by those same people. other than bobby knight, i can't think of another coach who basically lets it fly in interviews.

nobody is turning the eve carson tragedy into a criticism of k. they are, however, criticizing his lack of a ribbon. like i said earlier, it didn't bother me, but it was abundantly obvious to the people in the chat room that it was going to bother a lot of other people and that it was very misguided on his part not to have popped one on.

What is this hair-splitting? They are criticizing K because of a lack of a ribbon. Okay? The point is, the criticism is absurd and disgusting, and it's not right to expect Coach K to anticipate what ridiculous and disgusting criticism might come his way and how to avoid it. I would rather expect people to act like human beings instead. I don't think your interview analogy works here and I don't care what the chat room thought. You are all wrong if you all think this way.

[RelativeWays]

Someone break out the "Jump to Conclusions" mat from Office Space, apparently its a Tar Heel fans favorite board game.

[dukie8]

What is this hair-splitting? They are criticizing K because of a lack of a ribbon. Okay? The point is, the criticism is absurd and disgusting, and it's not right to expect Coach K to anticipate what ridiculous and disgusting criticism might come his way and how to avoid it. I would rather expect people to act like human beings instead. I don't think your interview analogy works here and I don't care what the chat room thought. You are all wrong if you all think this way.

thanks for telling me that i am wrong on a purely subjective matter with absolutely no support. it's just what the boards strive for. why is it not right to expect k to realize that if he and his staff are the only ones in the building who are on tv not wearing a ribbon it is going to cause some waves? you might not agree with the criticism, and i certainly don't, but your choice of calling it "disgusting" certainly is odd. i can think of a lot of things that are digusting and this isn't one of them.

[RepoMan]

but your choice of calling it "disgusting" certainly is odd. i can think of a lot of things that are digusting and this isn't one of them.

It is disgusting because the only way that the story is of any interest and the only reason that anyone would comment upon the lack of ribbon is to suggest that K had some sort of bad motive. Surely its not just a question of fashion sense. So, to implicitly suggest that the man deliberately failed to wear a commemorative ribbon with the intent of screwing with people in the context of a memorial to a murdered UNC student--a memorial that he himself organized--is disgusting and irresponsible. It's really not debatable.

[Troublemaker]

thanks for telling me that i am wrong on a purely subjective matter with absolutely no support. it's just what the boards strive for. why is it not right to expect k to realize that if he and his staff are the only ones in the building who are on tv not wearing a ribbon it is going to cause some waves? you might not agree with the criticism, and i certainly don't, but your choice of calling it "disgusting" certainly is odd. i can think of a lot of things that are digusting and this isn't one of them.

I'm not the only one calling it disgusting. To use this tragedy to score a point in the rivalry by leveling an absurd charge at K is disgusting. I don't know what else to call it. Also, no, you can't expect people to account for absurd reactions. K was dismayed in his press conference that anyone would even suggest what they suggested. It certainly did not cross his mind and unlike you, I don't EXPECT it to have crossed his mind. So, yes, you are wrong. And yes, that is my opinion, but I didn't think I had to sprinkle IMOs all over the place for you to realize that I am stating opinion.

[DukeDevilDeb]

thanks for telling me that i am wrong on a purely subjective matter with absolutely no support. it's just what the boards strive for. why is it not right to expect k to realize that if he and his staff are the only ones in the building who are on tv not wearing a ribbon it is going to cause some waves? you might not agree with the criticism, and i certainly don't, but your choice of calling it "disgusting" certainly is odd. i can think of a lot of things that are digusting and this isn't one of them.

... in CIS not wearing a ribbon. Apparently they were not only student driven... I saw several Iron Dukes wearing them and, when asked, they said the ribbons were handed out at an Iron Dukes' event.

BUT... no one was handing them out that I saw.

Give me a fripping BREAK here. With students being killed and war in the Middle East and poverty and world hunger... why do these criticisms even arise... and why are we Dukies even wasting energy on this thread?!?!

I'm gone...

[cspan37421]

The Duke and UNC murders are apparently connected, so a two-tone blue ribbon should be handed out to the Charlotte fans. Anyone refusing to wear the ribbon will be interrogated thus: "aren't you against murder?" If they can't be "taught to wear the ribbon," they shall be escorted from the building and their seat given to someone who will wear the ribbon. Who doesn't want to wear the ribbon?

[dukemsu]

well he already does have to cater to the "fringe idiots and nutjobs" all the time. do you think he always says what he actually thinks in interviews? if he did, he would get slammed by those same people. other than bobby knight, i can't think of another coach who basically lets it fly in interviews.

nobody is turning the eve carson tragedy into a criticism of k. they are, however, criticizing his lack of a ribbon. like i said earlier, it didn't bother me, but it was abundantly obvious to the people in the chat room that it was going to bother a lot of other people and that it was very misguided on his part not to have popped one on.

An example of a coach who does let it fly is Pearl from Tennessee, and that will last until the media tires of him and he overcorrects.

This whole thing is just pure nonsense, an example of everyone missing the big picture that Duke went above and beyond the call on this tragedy in favor of complaining about a ribbon.

Why Roy gets a pass (taping over the Duke on the chair, his petty sniping, his childish feuds with other coaches such as Donovan), I have no idea. I honestly think a big part of it is the specter of Jordan-I get the impression that national media do not like criticizing UNC due to Jordan's presence around the program.

That's just an aside, and just my opinion. But this short-sightedness to simply amp their hatred for K is infantile.