Flak Magazine Letters
Letters for Kick Out the Sports!, 03.17.03
Controversy over the March 17 edition of Kick Out the Sports! resulted in a tidal wave of mail. Here it is, unabridged and unvarnished. Send general letters to letters@flakmag.com.
04-04-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
You went very easy on UCLA especially during the Wooden years as the team went on probation the year he retired for infractions committed during his reign. No ONE talks about that but rather paints him as a saint because he won. Who wouldn't win a boys game getting to play w/NBA talent that has to do what it's told because they are on the payroll.
Good article but like all afraid to tackle the big one.
03-28-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Yes I am a Maryland fan and I hated your list. Gary Williams has run a clean program yet you think its funny to list MD number 2 behind UCLA based on Len Bias and some problems with former coach Bob Wade Its been about 13 years. Plenty of mayhem in programs in the last 10 years. If your [sic] going too hold a program responsible for off court behavior problems by a player (Bias did not have a reputation for drug use until that incident) there have been plenty of issues the last few years in quality programs.
Look at Kentucky it has been a revolving door the last few years with player suspensions and transfers. Look at Syracuse suspending Deshuan Williams and then having a recruit suspended for a year and having to reapply. Every program can get burnt by a recruit or a player that messes up but Gary Williams has run from some high profile recruits who did not have great off court reputations and offered some that were his type of team player. If your [sic] going to write this article every year with the same list could you at least update some of the teams on the list with things that have happened in modern times or would that be to [sic] much work?
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
While I admit that was a fun little exercise, I must say you went too far characterizing Rupp as a racist (urban legend easily disproved by FACTS) as a means of proving UK's corruption. Rupp coached African American players in high school, recruited African Americans before many other schools began recruiting them, and coached in a time when African Americans would have been in grave danger playing against all white teams in the deep south. Please retract those comments...
Preston Gorman
Programmer/Analyst
Bluegrass Family Health
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Check your stats before you go running your mouth about Adolph Rupp being a racist. It takes a lot of guts to take the easy stance on the matter and automatically assume that everything you've heard about the man is true... That's groundbreaking.
Bet you didn't know that while he was a high school coach in the 1920s in Illinois, he had more than a few black players on his teams. He simply couldn't take them at UK because, what southern school would play UK if it had black players?? None of them. If you need to be reminded, and you do because you're ignorant — UK plays in the Southeastern Conference. I get so sick of people like you casting this horrible generalization on Coach Rupp and saying it so matter-of-factly. If you'd dig a little bit deeper and do some of your own journalism rather than ripping off general consensus opinion, you'd find that he supported several Lexington charities and was actually a model member of society.
Another popular stance that you've taken is that UK was soooo late in integrating its basketball program. North Carolina's model of humanity, Dean Smith, only integrated his team 3 seasons before Coach Rupp and UK did. 3 seasons, not 3 decades. Sure, UK wasn't the Jackie Robinson of college basketball integration, but we sure didn't try to fight it either, like you and so many others who don't really know the facts would lead everyone to believe. What does UK have to do to rid itself of these ridiculous allegations...? We've hired a black basketball coach who has done a fine job and suffered no effects of racism since the day he stepped foot in Lexington and it's still not enough. I guess all we can do is keep winning and rubbing everyone's nose in it, as we've done consistently since the 1930's.
Dan Jarboe
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Good to see you get the race reference into your remarks about Kentucky.
I know that "Sports Writing 101" devotes at least one whole class on how to fit in a reference to UK racism into any mention of UK basketball. You had to stretch however when you slipped in your race remark under the "payoffs" category. Gotta give you a C- there.
Can't complain about the rest of the accusations however. I still have doubts about the Emory episode. Would YOU send a boxful of cash through a delivery service when arrangements could easily be made to deliver the money in person? And even if you would have sent cash would YOU not have made a great effort to seal the container in such a way that it couldn't be casually opened? Smells like a possible setup to me.
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Once again some uninformed writer, claiming Rupp as the epitomy of Racism. Adolph Rupp coached high school basketball in Freeport ILL., before coming to UK. In the 1920's he coached an African American there.
He was mandated by the SEC from recruiting black payers. He recruited Wes Unseldt, Butch Beard, and others in the early 60's. His teams in the 40s, and '50s routinely played teams with black players on the road and in Lexington, when all other SEC teams refused to play teams with black players. In 1966, the game every one points to, the all-black starting five of Texas Western against the all white UK team, do you know the team consisting of all white players that UK beat in the semifinal?
DUKE!!!! I say Rupp and UK are unfairly branded as Rascists, when practically all southern schools were doing the same or worse. UK received the,I believe, 1963 NCAA bid, when Mississippi State refused to play, on the premise of having to play teams with black players!! So to brand Rupp as some kind of super Racist, and to ignore the sins of many others, especially when Rupp made efforts to recruit black players earlier than many, many, southern schools, is not only hyocritical but plain stupid!!!! I assume you are professional journalist, so be professional and reseach the facts before writing!!!
C
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Great article. I agree with almost everything. UNLV imo had the most corrupt program of all time I believe. Nobody but Tark's son graduated, most players were thugs and I still believe they "threw" the 1992 game against Duke — see Larry Johnson.
Will we ever know everything about Sam Gilbert at UCLA. Gene Bartow said this guy threatened to kill him. Any good books out there about UCLA under Wooden or is that subject untouchable until after Coach leaves us.
Again, thanks.
Jim Molitor
Collinsville, Illinois
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Don't you think it's a stretch to hang a academic fraud case on Georgia over an allegation of a 1 hour P.E. course brought by a kid who was kicked out of 5 high schools and 4 colleges, and has current bench warrants for arrest in two states on charges ranging from writing bad checks to sexual assault?
Rodney Holloway
Brooklyn, NY
Bob Cook replies:
Mr. Holloway:
No, not when two other players were signed up for the same course and received A's even though they never showed up. And not when Harrick had a whole recruiting close that didn't qualify to play as freshman under NCAA academic standards. And not when the school's president, a member of the Knight Commission, hires Harrick knowing full well what his background was, particularly at UCLA.
Also, if you mean to impugn Tony Cole by bringing up his checkered past, isn't the natural follow-up question why Georgia even recruited him in the first place?
Plus, like the NCAA, which uses the last 10 games as a major barometer for who gets in the tourney, recent scandals carry more weight in my just-as-unscientific survey.
Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Bob Cook
formerly of Brooklyn, NY
Rodney Holloway replies:
Ah yes, a fellow Brooklynite! Makes your response easier to read, I say.
I'll still contend that an unproven allegation of cheating in a one-hour practicum does not constitute massive fraud on a scale of the others on the list — however you did a make good by knocking them out in the first round.
And yes, I did intend to lay into Tony Cole — when the NCAA is scratching their heads trying to stick something to Harrick, and then you consider the source, something stinks. Screw innocent until proven guilty — we'll take the word of Cole and call it a day.
Thus, it's all been about Harrick and his past, but the source's past is a taboo. Don't seem right to this Brooklynite. Brooklyn is a no bullshit town — and the bullshit surrounding Tony Cole is neck deep. This is where you say something about Harrick at UCLA and URI — but remember, this investigation is a Georgia, where nothing is turning up. (unbelievable — careers destroyed over something that can't be proven. I'm talking careers, plural. Because Cole was mad he'd been kicked off his sixth college team — at age 23.)
And Harrick — he may be shady, but he had a genuine interest in that kid. Dale Brown was quoted to the effect that Harrick genuinely loved Cole, was interested in his well being, and wanted to give a kid a shot no one else would. Harrick's crime was feeling sorry for Cole, because he had no parents, no education, and no future to speak of. Hell, it turned out that Georgia basketball was better without him, so that tends to add a little relevance to Brown's assertion. Tony Cole was no perceived savior, if that's what you're trying to say.
You ask me? Jeremy Schaap looks good and a bunch of a kids and a well intended coach fall to further Schaap career (isn't it enough that he is a gimme hire?). And what do you know, the NCAA can't find anything to stick to Harrick — that's what sucks. And from the looks of things, they won't find anything. Bob Knight nailed it when he told Schaap, "you'll never be your old man, kid." If only the story could be proven with facts; alas, only conjecture can prop it up. Just like Phil Fulmer at UT or Lou Holtz when he was at Notre Dame — call him a crook all you want, but the NCAA can't prove any of it.
One final question though — do they make the list next year, or would they be replaced with the scandal du jour? That's just curiosity.
I enjoyed the column — very original. Keep up the good work... really, I did.
Oh, and if you're wondering, I got my opinion of Harrick from hearing his former players and recruits speak of him. They love the guy. He had to be doing something right. In a game where winning and money is everything, Harrick seemed to meet those demands with a genuine interest in the well-being of his players. That's something you can't say about any other coach on that list. I'm just a big college basketball fan — and college basketball should be about helping kids. That's what Harrick did.
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Nice cheap shot at UK in your Kick out the Sports column. The problem is with Tubby at the helm, you won't see this type of thing happen anymore. Tubby has more integrity in his pinky finger than you do in your entire body.
Kentucky fans are well aware of our past, but we have paid for our sins and now run a clean program. Please come up with some new material. You are about 13 years late and a dollar short, which is about what you should make in a year, a dollar, because you are pretty much a worthless piece of garbage.
Keep up the good work.
I realize why journalists such as yourself write these columns, which is to make a name for yourself. Obviously, your everyday writing skills are that of a 3rd grader, so you try and stir controversy. In the meantime, I will be watching my Wildcats cut the netsdown while you will be digging for the next "big story" and writing for a no-name magazine.
Have a great day.
Jerry Anneken
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Dude you need to get your story straight about UK basketball. If you are stupid enough to take a quote from the Lexington Herald-Leader, then that in itself shows you don't know anything.
That newspaper is UK's biggest enemy. Nobody that works at that newspaper is a UK fan. You got the point shaving part right, back in the early '50s. Who the hell didn't shave points then. Then the Eddie Sutton debacle is true as stated, but the rest of that crap is just that, crap!
Why don't you go back and research and really find out when Rupp had his first black player. He recruited Wes Unseld in 1963 but he didn't come to UK. Joe B. Hall and Rick Pitino both ran clean programs (or at least as clean as any other program in America.)
You know as well as anyone else, stuff goes on at every University that nobody knows about. This is just another pot-shot at the most successful basketball program in America. If you can't beat us, pick on us. You must be a North Carolina or UCLA fan!
Later,
Casey
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Wow! Bob your article on UK being the most corrupt college basketball program was truly original. Gee, you could have chosen to write about how UK is a bunch of racist, or how the fans just expect to much out of the program but you really went out on a limb with the corrupt program stuff.
Nice article really though, really in depth... made me think... for about a tenth of a second. I'm not sure what I like less... articles like yours (that don't have an original thought, and re-visit news that is 10-30 years old) or the stupidity of the programs for letting the scandals occur. Just my opinion.
Dwayne Gouge
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
You may be a student of sports history but you failed to mention that you were a failing student. When I took journalism courses in college if we turned in a story with a gross factual error. It automaticaly recieved a failing grade. Well your column definitely failed when it made statements about Adolph Rupp.
You stated that he didn't have a black player until the last year of his coaching career. Abosulutely false. A simple internet search can reveal the truth. Coach Rupp was the coach for UK from 1930 until 1972. UK integrated their sports programs in 1968 and Rupp signed his first African-American player in 1969. His name was Tom Payne. It is worth noting that UK integrated before several major universities such as North Carolina and Duke and is still the only one of these major basketball schools to employ an African-American coach.
My reccomendation is for you to take a little pride in your profession and check a few facts before publishing blatant and easily avoided falsehoods.
Chris Haynes
03-26-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
I enjoyed seeing you rank Maryland #2 in your little basketball seedings. After all, the events you used to rank the Terps are only 15 years old. Sounds pretty accurate, especially since they have had zero infractions since Gary Williams was hired. I was disappointed that you did not mention any of the New York schools and the point-shaving scandals of the '40s and '50s. Oops, I guess you didn't do any research, since those scandals nearly ended the sport.
— Matthew Schoch
03-27-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Dana Kirk went to the federal pen for tax evasion, not NCAA impropriety. He and his country club co-horts were gambling at the club and someone eventuallyreported it to the IRS. That was almost 20 years ago, however... Give it a rest.
BTW... His radio show was cancelled. He was horrible and the show never would have aired had Dana not been personal friends with the station owner. Heck, he was even given the"plumb" post drivetime day slot of 9am.I think I'd rather follow Art Bell than get that death sentance.
Anyway...
