Every Sunday, the Daily Oklahoman sports section runs a trite little feature that they like to call “Collected Wisdom.” In it, they give some legendary sport figure the space to share a note or two of wisdom that they have gathered over the years. This week, they featured perhaps one of the “wisest” people ever, former University of Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell. In case you forgot, Larry resigned from the University of Oklahoma for this:
Cochell was speaking with play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne when he called Dunigan (an African-American) over to praise him for staying in school. When the freshman returned to the field, Cochell told Thorne, “There’s no n—– in him.” The network informed the school that Cochell used similar language in an interview with ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson.
Yep, our state newspaper decided to run a feature called “Collected Wisdom” on a fool that makes hillbilly off-the-record racists remarks. But don’t blame the Oklahoman, because according to them, that incident only “allegedly” happened:
He resigned as the Sooners’ coach three years ago, after ESPN reporters alleged he used a racially insensitive remark off-camera.
Seriously, how does The Oklahoman get away with stuff like this? Not only did they give Larry Cochell a chance to share his wisdom with us–and then claim he only “allegedly” made the remarks–but the article itself is absolutely terrible. Check out some of his wise thoughts:
I’m a big football fan. We went to the Oregon game, and we’ll go to Seattle this fall.
My health is good. I have it under control. I have some blockages, but with medications it’s under control. I have tests every six months.
Great stuff, huh? I’m going to sleep better each night knowing that Larry Cochell is going to Seattle in the fall. Maybe next week they can have Dave Bliss tell us where he likes to go shopping, or let Kelvin Sampson tell us his favorite cell phone plam. Those guys are as wise as Larry Cochell, right?
Other terrific parts: the “God is in control!!” nonsense throughout. As in, “Ja-hee-zus MADE me say them race things so’s I could get off of the hard work and refocus on my Faith’n'Family.”
And dig the tidbits about “there’s a lot of injustice in the world, and some of it’s going to come your way if you’re in the public eye awhile” and “you have to take criticism from outsiders with a grain of salt”. Um, yeah, that’s it, the world is heavy upon your shoulders, and you were just fighting the good fight. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
The prayer on the front page excuses any ugliness found later on in the paper.
You guys calling something trite. That’s rich.
Don’t you have an anonymous “humor” column to go write?!?
QUESTION: Those guys are as wise as Larry Cochell, right?
ANSWER: Much wiser than you!!!!
A man raised in a different era makes an ill-advised remark and he is fired…seems he has been punished enough…don’t you???
LSU-
So old guys are allowed to be racist pricks? Seriously?
How can something happen “allegedly” when it was caught on camera? Maybe the Oklahoman should ask Larry about what he did to Val Pascucci and his favoritism towards his far less talented son and his son’s best friend.
Clearly, many of you do not understand the meaning of that comment, because you have never been exposed to what he was talking about. Instead of sitting at your computer in OKC, go to Philly, or maybe Southern Mississippi. There is a subculture within the black community that most adults (white, black or blue) detest. Do we really not have the right to dislike other people’s actions?
It wasn’t a racist comment. Ill advised, yes. Racist, no. Maybe culturally biased or ethnocentric. If he had taken the time to say what he meant instead of using a phrase with a word that is taboo, he wouldn’t have had this problem. He meant “This kid will never wear 4-foot shorts with a 44 inch waist around his knees, and a rag on his head, with giant fake jewelry everywhere, with his head down and his shoulders hunched, saying “sup, niggz, coach-dog,i be banging”, calling every woman he sees a “bitch” or “ho”.
Larry is a good man, unfortunately he was crucified because he used the only word that is censored in this country. If you think he is racist, or that it was a racist comment, you’re just as dumb as the ESPN clowns who blew this up into something it wasn’t.
Maybe you could just name Larry a “Hot guy a day in the month after May” and appease everybody. Bald guys need love, too.
Or you could just nominate Andrew Rice, who is much younger/hotter/racially sensitive.
I find the defense of Cochell disturbing. He was a great coach, but that doesn’t defend his use of that word.
Maybe I see where you’re going, fatpants, with this. That word is deemed off-limits in pop culture and society while any derisive reference to religion is allowed. It’s a double standard, and a wrong one at that. However, I’d be proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any person who cringes at the sound of that word. It’s a despicable word.
Cochell was trying to make a salient point (that young men from inner-city backgrounds who eschew the less desirous path should be commended), but he failed in making it because he used an unnecessary, highly incendiary word. OU did the right thing and fired him.
The fact is that this word is still used as a weight on top of African-Americans. They even use it on themselves. But increasingly, more are choosing not to use it.
remember the dave chapelle sketch about the blind, black white supremacist? remember when he rolled up on the group of white guys, all dressed like the dude in the “malibu’s most wanted” movie, he yells at them and calls them the n word? remember how those kids looked at each other and said “did he call us” the n word? man, that was awesome.
Lot of discussion, but I can’t get past one point made earlier…
Mr. Monday’s column is supposed to be humorous?
Yeah…Larry shouldn’t have stopped at just the ‘N’ word. He might have been factually correct to add he also has no ‘queer’, ‘beaner’, ‘blanket-ass’, ‘coon-ass’, etc. in him as well. Just sayin’.
You don’t have to leave Oklahoma City to know what Cochell was getting at. I’m an alumni of John Marshall and graduated at the peak of 2Pac’s “Thug Life” craze. I don’t care how intimidating blinged out black men with sagging pants are to old white folks, it does not–in any way–excuse Cochell’s remarks as anything other than racist. He could have even toned down the language (perhaps calling Dunigan a “good one”) and the fact of the matter is he still boiled down one of his players to his race and displayed that he stereotypes all African-American men.
One should always read the DO Sports section for the same reason one should listen to the Sports Animal…it’s a target rich environment for unintended humor.
I think Clark illustrates the exact knee-jerk response that got Cochell fired. And I do think you need to leave OKC to really understand it; I bet I have heard the phrase “I don’t have a problem with blacks, but I hate niggers” 50 times; albeit never in Oklahoma.
It’s a subculture, just like the White Supremecists or Nascar fans.
This was not a race issue, it became one because too many people are overly sensitive and want everything to be a race issue.
Was it the wrong verbage? Yes. The word itself is offensive to some people, just like Fuck or shit.
Was it the wrong motive? No way.
I know the man, I know his family. He may not be politically correct enough for the sensitive type, but he’s as far from racist as you can get. He revealed his opinion on a culture, no different than if I say I don’t like White Supremecists - and got roasted for it.
come on guys, it hasn’t been the DAILY oklahoman since like 2003
Fatpants, are you saying your non-racist pal Larry was only giving his take on a subculture that exists in Philadelphia and parts of Mississippi and since we are here in the land of the enlightened (Oklahoma) we just don’t get what he was talking about? are ya serious?
No, the subculture is just dramatically more prevalent in areas that actually HAVE black people. Here in OK (7% African American), you will never be exposed to this culture, regardless of what high school you go to.
Soul Bowl. Ever heard of it? Get your tix now……
oh, i’ve been several times. “we be bringin’ tha wood - Meeelllwooood”
It’s amazing to me that Cochell said what he said and the only black people involved (Dunnegin, his dad, and Chuckie and his dad) did not care and said publicly that the only problem they had with it was the flippant use of the word. Imagine that - the 4 black men who were actually part of the situation understood what he meant and know he’s not a racist. BUT…a bunch of white liberal pansies and militant racists (who have never talked to Cochell, the kids or parents) have a knee-jerk hissy fit over something run up the flagpole by a couple of 50-cent journalists (read: prostitutes).
It was stupid to use the word around people he didn’t know.
So you’re a militant racist and white liberal pansy if you find that word offensive? What if I’ve spent significant time in DC, Memphis, Chicago, and Atlanta? Does that buy me enough street cred to take offense? What if I’ve taught in inner-city schools and had to separate on multiple occasions students calling each other that? Can I detest the word yet? And what if I’ve worked for a white boss in the past who wasn’t going to hire any of those [insert word here]?
The truth is, using the word around people he didn’t know wasn’t Cochell’s sin. Being surprised when a black man doesn’t “act black” shows ignorance and poor judgement. When you’ve shown that you’re the person who finds it remarkable, you don’t deserve a big paycheck from a university anymore.
No, the militant racists or white liberal pansies are the ones who insist on getting involved in and commenting on a situation that A) had nothing to do with you and B) did not bother the supposedly “offendees” anyway. What business is it of yours? Did you hear him say it? Were you within earshot? Was it your child? Nope, you are just somehow “offended” that someone said a word you didn’t hear.
You’re twisting the comments around anyway. I never said the word wasn’t offensive to many people; it is. I don’t like to hear it, and I don’t say it - because I know what it means to most people. Most people are offended by the word, just like most people are offended by “Fuck off”.
Cochell admitted as much; that’s why he said it was a mistake to say that to them (the reporters he did not know).
Too many of you people (whiners & racists) have been brainwashed into playing everything into the race card. The man is not a racist; he doesn’t like people who sag & rap & jive & look like thugs - just like most people (white or black) in his generation. Do you think he would like coaching Eminem? No, b/c he dislikes the CULTURE, not the color.
Cochell tried to explain himself at the time, but it was too late –you people (whiners & racists, not blacks) had already blown it up and wanted him lynched.
Fatpants needs to find a “Friends of Racists” support group.
great comeback; rather than argue just play the race card!
I’m just telling you, I know Cochell. I know both of the black kids who were on that team, and one of the dads.
You don’t know ANY of them. You’ve never even talked to them.
And yet you think you know the guy better than me, b/c you saw one sentence he said?
That’s a joke.
He’s not even close to being a racist.
I’m not calling him racist. I’m calling him ignorant.
I’ll go back to what I said before. Cochell was a hell of a coach. To be that, you have to identify with kids. I have no doubt that he had great relationships with those players and their families. But he didn’t use that word in discussing them. He used that word in discussing members of a subculture (your word). I still find that offensive and inexcusable.
And yes, I’d rather be told to eff off than hear a racial slur. One is personal; the other is categorical. I’d rather the people who insult me know me well enough to make it personal.
That was a great comeback, thank you. I think the point has been made. You are best friends with Larry Cochell, he is not a racist, he only calls black people a racist epithet if they don’t act like they grew up in a country club. We get it. Since this isn’t a message board, we’re going to have to shut the comments down if you want to respond to everything with a restatement of what you said before…unless you add some jokes.
Chad can’t your dad defend himself?
What if Cochell discovered that his ace pitcher was gay…Would it be perfectly acceptable for him to then say on tape that “there’s no faggot in that boy”? Same scenario, doesn’t understand or like the “subculture” and makes a blanket inflammatory statement.
Even though the family involved in this instance might not have been offended, many parents of minority players would hesitate to entrust their son to this coach when he so flippantly uses this term. As a white person you would probably think twice to send your kid to play for a black coach who said a player was “one of the good whites.”
I don’t claim to know Cochell, I would probably like him, but then again I am white and there is nothing threatening to me in his statement. Bottom line is that he was employed by a public university and when his comments portray that institution as negatively as this one did he deserved to be fired.