Since one more reply came in on the "racist" idea, let me be clear. If Charlie Strong was my employee to be the press secretary for the University, and his primary job was to explain UT things to the press, and he gave that interview as his first day, I would say to him, you have to be a much clearer speaker to do this job, with grammar, diction, etc. And if you asked me, "are you saying you are uncomfortable with his having a strong black accent?" I would say, "Yes, for this job, I can't have that strong black accent (or Cockney, or Chinese, or Portugese or whatever) in this job." I am just saying that to me, football coaches are not that. Bum Phillips can talk country, and it's okay. Etc. What I am also saying is that you seem to feel differently, that such an accent is not acceptable --to you-- for this job. Am I wrong?
I hear him say "quarterback Cash", too. My first thought was really? You don't know his name? It reminded me of all the little league coaches that mispronounced my name, but I never played quarterback. That's a little odd. Then he didn't know Eric Huhn's name, either. In fact, when he's told his name, he says ' Hume'. Civil Axe was next. I spell it axe because there was no voiceless stop to indicate the 't' sound. I didn't know what he was talking about until I could put it in context. I don't know if that's 'black' pronunciation or not, but it's not correct whatever it is. I don't care how smart you are or how well you do your job, talking like an uneducated bumpkin makes people perceive you as an uneducated bumpkin. We're Texans. We experience that everywhere we go. And getting your players names wrong - or not knowing them - is pretty bush league. Coach Strong needs to work on the PR side. That's part of the job.
I think we are doomed. Coach Strong is obviously in over his head since he can't pronounce words as good as Coach Brown. Strong needs to do the honorable thing quit right now. If he's lucky and he begs hard enough, and admits his awful mistake, maybe Patterson can get the legendary coach and flawless word pronouncier, Mack Brown come back and rescue us from further humiliation.
Sounds like some fans want a coach who pronounces words just like them. That would rule out most anyone from Pennsylvania north to Maine on the east coast, any native of any deep south state such as Alabama, Georgia or Mississippi, or Louisiana. Thank god we've never had a coach from--perish the thought--Massachusetts. Remember there was some low IQ dude (I think Kennedy was his name) who continually called Cuba... Cuber. Yep couldn't say it without the er on the end. And of course you would disqualify the country bumpkin Bum Phillips and also NFL hall of famer Tom Landry who struggled with pronouncing his players names throughout his career. Most notably Roger Staubach, who dumbass unqualified nimkumpoop Landry called "Starbach." Ah for the good ol days of 7-5, or 8-5 when we had a coach who pronounced words just like my hornfan poster brethren. The petty nonsense criticisms coming about non football issues shouldn't surprise me. But they do. WTF is that about. We haven't lost a game yet. Please take your hate somewhere else.
I see the Hornfans grammar police have stepped it up a notch. I suspect if he can win 10 games a year and a conference championship every 3-4 years no one will care. If he can't the mockery will continue but he'll be gone quickly and we'll hear many complaining we didn't give the black guy a fair shot. It'll be a damned verbal civil war here. Good Luck Charlie!
Let's see: Charlie Strong is prepping his team for the spring game, recruiting, building a system with a new coaching staff and helping a family with children relocate to a new part of the world. Maybe the fact that he's not working at speaking unaccented English and becoming versed in Civil Rights history shows that he has his priorities in order? I listened and heard "Quarterback Ash." You could hear it differently, but its pretty much the same sounds without any significant pauses. I guess you can hear the one that makes you happiest and lord knows some are happiest when complaining or feeling superior.
It is not hate to point out the HC cant speak properly. Not sure why it acceptable to give the HC at Texas a pass on not being able to speak English. Maybe it is a reverse hate thing?
The guy is nervous and fumbles some words in a presser. I noticed. Who gives a ****? I loved Coach Brown. But I had become so tired of his coach speak and excuse making ramblings. He is great in front of a camera and has a career waiting in television. I love having a coach who could not care less about public speaking but is 100% about educating young men and trying to produce a tough as nails football team. Every interview I saw with players seemed enthusiastic about the new coach. They were "buying in to the new program. I have performed in front of audiences and screwed up many times. Not everybody is comfortable in these situations. I just want him comfortable running our football program. I don't care if he's Elmer Fudd in front of the camera. You guys are really straining for things to complain about.
Not really complaining. I just have an expectation that the HC of Texas should be able to talk properly in a press conference. It is a deficiency that can be corrected and should be corrected. I had the same problem with a few of the people I promoted to Management positions. Part of the promotion was an expectation to learn be able to speak properly while conducting meetings or on a sales call. Also how to dress properly for the position. I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation for the HC at Texas to learn to speak in public and speak properly.
I heard and interview this morning with the mayor of Boston taking about the marathon. He CLEARLY, kept calling the city "Baston". Does he not know the name of the city that he's the mayor of? Isn't that the least one should expect from the mayor of your city that he knows how to speak proper English? I mean, what if the mayor of Austin called it, "Azzton"?
You are comparing Yankees with Texas? Heck, I don't know which is worse; what they say or how they say it. Happy San Jacinto Day!!!
Well, Bick did get Leslie Lynnton. As for my expectation that the head coach of Texas being able to speak properly would make me a caricature? just not seeing it.
CS is about taking care of business on the football field, his players, and coaches. He is going to win a lot of games here and none of this other stuff is going to matter. I was at the spring game and it was about like any other spring game. The weather was great and it was a great time and turnout. The paper estimated 20,000 fans but to me it looked at least 30,000.
“He’s not going to go around kissing babies,” former UT coach David McWilliams said. “And that’s good. I know when coach (Darrell) Royal came in, all those guys after the first meeting said, ‘Things are going to change around here.’ And you’re seeing the same thing.” David McWilliams
