It wasn’t just the Herald-Leader’s opinion columns about Tubby Smith’s departure that got readers worked up.
There has been an undercurrent of racial tension surrounding the UK basketball program since Adolph Rupp was coach, and it surfaced when Tubby Smith became UK’s first African-American coach in 1997. So it seemed logical to ask some local African-American leaders what they thought his departure might mean for race relations.
A story by reporter Delano Massey on Friday, which quoted several prominent African-Americans, prompted about 100 e-mails and several phone calls from readers, most of whom thought the story was inappropriate or "irresponsible."
Part of a newspaper’s job is to ask uncomfortable questions, and seek out a diverse group of news sources. Many white people - and perhaps some blacks - would prefer that we not discuss such an impolite subject. But if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing our job.
Tom Eblen
Managing Editor
Does anybody who does not already see racism around every corner honestly believe Tubby was a true victim of racism? The man had 10 years in the bright, blue Kentucky sun and got wealthy in the process. How many years is a person suppose to have in what has become a high octane - super sport? Get real! The man lost the pep in his step but will probably have a good season or two at Minnesota where expectations are much lower. This is just another example of what I call the “cry wolf syndrome”. True and real racism does not get the attention it deserves because of those who are constantly crying wolf every time anything remotely imperfect occurs in a black person’s life.
Next year will not get any better! Randolph Morris is definately going pro and I can’t recruit any quality players. Rick, at one time would help! But now I’m in competition with him and I can’t compete in recruiting. I thought I would tell everyone the real reason I left.
THE FANS GAVE UP ON TUBBY SMITH AND NOT THE UNIVERSITY AS A WHOLE. I AM DISAPPOINTED AT THE FANS FOR LOVING HIM WHEN HE WAS DOING GOOD AND HATING HIM WHEN HE WAS DOING BAD. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH TUBBY FOR GIVING UP ON HIMSELF. I AM DISAPPOINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY FOR THEIR POLICY OF NO LONG HAIR. WE NEED SOME INNER CITY BRAID WEARING BASKETBALL PLAYERS WHO DONT CARE ABOUT NOTHING BUT WINNING AS A TEAM AND NOT AS AN INDIVIDUAL. FINALLY I AM DISAPPOINTED AT MYSELF FOR NOT REALIZING THAT WHEN YOU ARE ON TOP (LIKE KY WAS FOR SO MANY YEARS) THERE IS NO PLACE TO GO BUT DOWN. I HAVE BEEN A BAD CAT FAN, SO LET’S GO GOPHERS!!!!!
On the subject of uncomfortable questions, particularly those dealing with race, why doesn’t the Herald-Leader have a blog by an African-American? The paper has Larry Dale Keeling, John Clay, Rich Copley, Jamie Gumbrecht, Heather Chapman, and Mike Fields. Is there a reason why you haven’t given a blog to Merlene Davis or any other African-American?
Larry — There’s no reason we don’t have any African-American bloggers, and I assume that as we continue to add blogs on kentucky.com we will have some. We have several excellent African-American writers and editors on the Herald-Leader staff.
It’s interesting to me what newspaper (and media folks) think “doing their job” is…
Sounds like you are just attempting to stir things up to see what kind of reaction you can get. I guess that works on the theory that “intense” feelings sell papers. Well, there’s no story here. Tubby is a good guy, but both parties have benefitted from the change. Fanning flames is not reporting the news — its attempting to MAKE news. And, I’m almost certain that’s not “doing your job”.
This has absolutely nothing to do with race! No matter what color, the basketball coach of UK is suppose to deliver success with championships, at least the SEC. We have been seeing our chances of tournament winnings deminish and UK basketball became uninteresting to me in the last few years. I don’t care what color the coach is as long as he’s winning and makes UK basketball exciting again. The race issue gets old, especially when it has nothing to do with why we’re not getting the job done, for someone who’s paid so much, expectations should be high and Kentucky deserves the best!