Coach Smart

Let's stick to what you're paid to do ... Coach Basketball.

I'm sure there are plenty of hurt little feelings on campus at UT these days ... included are probably folks who are paid by the university to do a job ...
like COACH a sport.

I don't suggest you cannot have your opinion, but when you use your position as a UT sports coach to promote a political message, that's simply WRONG.

When a dimwitted reporter asks you about these topics ... refuse to answer. That's the proper thing to do ... maybe highlight the stupidity of that question. Make an example of the dodo who asked it ... or would THAT require a safe space?

Ya know ... when I was trekking to my seat at DKR for the 27th consecutive season ... a necessary run to the lav was required. One fellow walked in and commented "They still have troughs? What is this 1980?"

The response ... "safe space is at your home. piss or leave. Stop your whining."

"Hoo rah"

Thank you.

Notso Smart

 

I have a bully pulpit, too. while it's not as vast as one "you" can command, Coach Smart, it would be a violation of policy, of regulation and simply WRONG to take time to preach my political philosophy or religion while on the job.

Take a lesson, mister.

 

Shaka Smart had a history of taking strong public political positions when we hired him. That was part of the package and will continue to be whether fans like it or not, agree with it or not. Texas basketball will probably take part in political activism as long as Smart is the coach.

Personally, I do not agree with coaches being publicly politically active. I think coaches should try to recruit all guys, on either side of the aisle, and get them to work together as a team. Getting players to work together and respect one another regardless of viewpoints is probably a good way to help heal the divide in this country.

^ all of that said, unless something outrageous off the court happens, my judgment of Smart will be mostly concerned with our results on the court. Winning cures all, so if he wants to be politically active (without being outrageous), and wins, it will not bother me too much. I do not think political activism will be a helpful quality if we are losing as a program. Shaka has a freshmen team this year that will struggle as they learn so I hope Smart and the team are adequately focussed on basketball as well as politics and not just politics.

 

So if Augie starts publicly supporting Trump and advocating broader support for Trump ... that would be received as ....

I'm not taking issue with your post HTown, but clearly there's double standard in the application of the contract under which they were hired. IE I cannot imagine the University tolerating such political activism ... it's completely irrelevant to the job for which they are hired to do.

It bends back to this NFL kneeling protest nonsense. Protest to your heart's content ... on your own dime, on your own time ... and in your own clothes.

Shaka disappoints with this.

 

ShAArk, who cares what Augie does? Price can distance the team from him at any time.

 

Lol. Price. Pierce.

At least you remembered Augie retired.

The point is they are hired to coach a sport, not to be a political commentator.

Wonder how long I'll be with the outfit if I start using my PAs to support my political agenda???

See?

 

Good point, I could totally see this admin firing a coach for saying they support Trump. While I do not think it is wise for a coach to express partisan views, I do not think a coach should be fired for publically supporting either major presidential candidate. While I totally agree UT would likely have a double standard, UT has not fired any coaches for Trump support at this time.

I will note that Charlie Strong has taken care to not express any political views on the election so far. Smart may want to take note of that.

 

Thanks ShAArk, I got caught thinking about a track coach.

 

It's certainly an offense which is major and should not go without a significant disciplinary measure. IDK if "firing" is necessarily the right course of action, but certainly it's worthy of correction.

Charlie is wise. Shaka is not. It really doesn't matter if they are undefeated or O-fer ... do not use your position as a ball coach to presume a position of authority on these topics. you represent MUCH more than yourself. Isn't that what he's supposed to be telling/expecting of his student-Athletes???

 

Take it to the west mall or whatever the political forum is called, this is the basketball forum.

 

You're probably right. Although when the basketball coach makes "news" .... BECAUSE he's the basket ball coach ... maybe you're ate-up, too.


If I were to move the thread, how do I do that?

Noted is your complete edit ... you are wise for that. Shaka is not.

Of course, you post politics with every post on a BBS who's primary IS sports (reference your sig about school funding and defense spending). Carry ON.

 

Ask to moderator how to do that, I do not. I edit out my original post because I decided that the thread should be moved and not keep it going here.

My sig is what it is. I have a right to my views, or do you want control of that too. I volunteered for the army during the Nam war. You?

 

thanks for your service.

the answer to your question lies in my profile.

 

Really do not care, was not a question. We seem to be in a deadly embrace, which was my point, maybe not well made. That is why I thought this thread was on the wrong forum. Not my call though.

 

I could not disagree more. As a leader of YOUNG men, one could argue that he has a moral obligation to speak out on what he feels like is wrong or contrary to the values of his program. We hear countless times about coaches being molders of their athletes for the rest of their lives. Sometimes leading with your voice equals leading by example. After talking to some parents of both current players and potential recruits, they could not be more impressed by his willingness to comment on the matter. I do not believe that because you're a "coach" you lose your voice, the opposite in fact. It should only magnify your voice.

And I agree, coaches should not lose their job for choosing to support a particular candidate as is their right under the first amendment. It would undoubtedly affect their recruiting, but their job status should solely be based on the merits of their on-court production.

 

Thanks for contributing here ... but I haven't read in this thread where "coach" loses his "voice." In fact, I haven't even suggested the team should not discuss it. I've highlighted the inappropriate PUBLIC response ... AS COACH.

I can't help but wonder how much they (players/recruits/parents) agree with the sentiment ... or yourself, for that matter. Does that change the degree of appropriateness/moral obligation?

What if Shaka didn't repeat the irrational fears, but instead advocated the very thing they fear? Would THAT be acceptable? It'd be an opinion held.

I give you props, however, for recognizing the overall problem ... feeling over thinking. Feelings motivate us one way or another ... can be a great engine ... they are pretty poor barometers of reason ... poor rudders.

Again ... Smart represents more than himself when he speaks as UT's Basketball coach. He wasn't elected to represent a given political philosophy; he was HIRED to coach basketball.

I appreciate your opinion. You have the right to be in error.

 

So when you ask how someone is doing, you really don't care.

Royer. Sorry, I missed your sarcastic concern. Huah.

 

Not being able to express his beliefs/values publicly would in fact be him losing his voice. His job is to mentor, lead and mold young men first and coach basketball second. Texas hired him with the full understanding that this is the man they're getting. And I believe that the MBB program and University will be better for it.

To your point, if he chose to exercise his first amendment right in that way, then that would still certainly be within his right. The school also reserves the right to make decisions based on how those public views align with the institution.

We will agree to disagree on exactly who is in error here

 

me and my new buddy old65horn were prohibited from expressing our political views as servicemen ... we knew it when we signed-up. Even the draftees knew it.

I don't know Charlie Strong's political opinions ... why is that? because he knows who he is. That he's UT's Head Football Coach doesn't mean he doesn't have an opinion. It doesn't even mean he can't share it ...

It means he recognizes he represents more than Charlie Strong when the UT Head Football Coach is talking ... and that's what was happening here.

Shaka isn't even advocating a universally held issue about human rights for crying out loud. He's stoking the irrational fear the left is notorious for producing. "Minorities" have never had greater opportunity than the last 30-40 years. Noted is the institutional racism our society once held and has rightfully dispatched. If it remained, most of those scholarship players on Shaka's team wouldn't be ... .... SHAKA wouldn't be (where he is)

It's sad that the only "play" for support is the racism card ... and it plays because it's an emotional "hot button." It's particularly sad because when a RATIONAL analysis is completed, the poor are still poor under liberal policy ... but I digress.

Shaka should have been a basketball coach, for that's what he is. If he wants to be a political commentator, that can probably be arranged.

 

Looks like you are getting an incentive ride in an A-10

J/K of course, glad to hear that they recently decided to keep our flying tanks around.

 

I guess this is your sarcasm that you have accused me of, which was never intended on my part. I try to never to do that.

I enjoy looking at the views expressed on this board to get an insight about Texas sports from posters who are a lot more knowledgeable than me, which is about 99% of the posters. I started to reply to you original post with why Coach Smart might have have expressed his views, but decided to edit it out, which you noted.
My only point was this discussion should have been on the political forum which now clearly should.

I will not join you on that forum, I am not ever sure which one it is.

 

Again, you know what you were signing up for right? As did the athletic department when they brought Shaka on board. He's not doing anything new from what he did at VCU, if anything, he has toned it down. I would never expect him to change who he is and his outspoken nature. Nor should he.

Charlie is in a different situation. If you're basically fighting for your job every game, I wouldn't expect you to be focused on anything but that. If his job status wasn't consistently in doubt and he had a view/thoughts on the matter, I would welcome him to share.

The fact that you keep referring to the fears of minorities as "irrational" and institutional racism in the past tense, tells me that its not particularly something you deal with on the day to day basis. That puts your thoughts into the appropriate context. If you have had to deal with these things/walk in the shoes of someone with Shaka's life experiences you may feel differently.

I don't want to delve off into the wider purview of politics, because I can reasonably assume that we will agree to disagree there as well. Lets just keep it related to UT athletics. I can appreciate your view, and I just agree to disagree. I prefer my university have coaches that do not stay silent on issues that are important to them, I prefer them active in all aspects of the student athletes lives and in the community, using their platform to magnify their voice. If I want a potted plant, i'll go and buy one.

 

Never should have been in question.

 

It's interesting you'd put the restriction of policy on the individual who "signs-up" for military service ... but then the onus is upon the Institution of UT for "knowing what it's getting" in an individual.

That doesn't reconcile ... even if the "free speech" issue were the same as applied (and they're not)

I refer to my original point ... were I to espouse my political thoughts on the PA to a captive 160 member audience, it'd probably be my last. Because Shaka said something with which you agree doesn't make it proper to say --- AS THE UT BASKETBALL COACH.

My personal history is irrelevant to this. Represent. I note you avoided addressing my previous mention of this. Did you miss it honestly, or did you disregard it because it doesn't fit with your position of "let Shaka speak politics as the UT Basketball coach, because that's who he is and the AD knew it?"

Carry on.

Exactly, Viper. I will note the airframes ARE getting long in the tooth ... how many 1979 Vipers are buzzing around? But rather than dispatch the mission in progress or try to apply a band-aid with other platforms, re-initiate the production line or produce another dedicated CAS airplane.