Missouri Football Players Go On Strike To Force Removal Of School President

Harry · November 8, 2015

The University of Missouri’s Legion of Black Collegians released a statement tonight from the collective athletes of color on the Tigers football team stating they are on strike from football-related activities until the school president steps down in the wake of several racist acts on campus.

read more: http://deadspin.com/missouri-football-players-go-on-strike-to-force-removal-1741242246

Harry · November 9, 2015

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/11/08/why-missouri-football-players-are-going-on-strike/

Harry · November 9, 2015

Wolfe resigns: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/wolfe-out-as-um-president/article_ed75afb0-86fb-11e5-9e17-df8eb9362f14.html

Ian Campbell · November 9, 2015

Protest is a powerful tool. Especially when it hits the pocket. If Mizzou didn't play BYU Saturday, they would lose $1 million for that single game. Tim Wolfe's salary was $459,000. Not every player or coach, but most were behind the boycott.

oldguystudent · November 9, 2015

Damn, that all went down quickly.

MeanGreenTexan · November 9, 2015

I don't see how the University president resigning is going to fix any problem. All it does is put a dude out of work and ratchet-up the racial tensions in a state that needs no help with that.

I hope the dude on hunger strike enjoys his food, but he accomplished nothing. The University of Missouri President search will probably look a little like UNT's coaching search. People will take a close look at what's going on and decide not to take it on because of the "difficulties". But when they do find someone, what's going to happen when some dumbass makes a poo-swastika (WTH... Really?) again? Or some moron yells out the n-word at a group of black students again? Does that new President need to be fired too?

UNTFan23 · November 9, 2015

I don't see how the University president resigning is going to fix any problem. All it does is put a dude out of work and ratchet-up the racial tensions in a state that needs no help with that.
I hope the dude on hunger strike enjoys his food, but he accomplished nothing. The University of Missouri President search will probably look a little like UNT's coaching search. People will take a close look at what's going on and decide not to take it on because of the "difficulties". But when they do find someone, what's going to happen when some dumbass makes a poo-swastika (WTH... Really?) again? Or some moron yells out the n-word at a group of black students again? Does that new President need to be fired too?

I am agree with you. I don't see how having the university president resign will really fix anything. It will just make the next person's job that much more difficult because there will be the expectation that whoever is next will instantly be able to fix these problems. These problems are way bigger than any one person.

oldguystudent · November 9, 2015

This sounds remarkably similar to our athletic department. Force the head out, expect drastic, instant changes.

greenit · November 9, 2015

Their tactics seem a little extreme. Surely a banner would have been just as effective without near the fuss.

Censored by Laurie · November 9, 2015

what's going on at Mizzou

deadspin does a good job of bullet-pointing the main issues over the last 2 months on campus.

Greenrex · November 9, 2015

"University of Missouri president resigns amid racial tensions

Tim Wolfe announced his decision to step down, effective immediately, after days of protests over racial incidents on campus and over his responses to students’ concerns."

Will this empower similar effort at other schools? Would our football team consider action regarding the Athletic Director?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/?wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-sports%2Bnation&reload=true

Aldo · November 9, 2015

I feel like it's a different situation entirely

UNTFan23 · November 9, 2015

This sounds remarkably similar to our athletic department. Force the head out, expect drastic, instant changes.

Except it's not anywhere close to being similar.

oldguystudent · November 9, 2015

This belongs and is already posted in the Eagle's Nest.

MeanGreenTexan · November 9, 2015

what's going on at Mizzou
deadspin does a good job of bullet-pointing the main issues over the last 2 months on campus.

"On Oct. 21, Concerned Student 1950 issued a list of eight demands, which included a formal apology from Wolfe and his immediate removal. They also called for mandatory racism awareness and inclusion training for all faculty, staff, and students, and for the percentage of black faculty and staff increase to 10 percent by the 2017-18 school year. The group met with Wolfe on Oct. 27, but did not reach any kind of agreement."

Why have someone read a formal apology, and then can them regardless? Sounds like public shaming to me.

You could institute a 40-hour week of racism awareness and inclusion training and there are still going to be redneck douchebags that smear poo-swastikas and call black folks the n-word. You can't fix stupid.

Also, I have no idea where their % of black faculty stands currently, but how do they plan on staffing up to 10%? Just hire people? This is a University. First, they need to be qualified, and then there needs to be budgeted funds to pay them. Sounds like this group has not considered that this demand would also lead to the termination of people who probably aren't racist at all, or even minorities themselves, in order to potentially hire less-qualified faculty based on the color of their skin. This seems counter-productive for a University.

All that to say, the University cannot sit on their hands when this racist idiocy (still can't wrap my mind around a poo-swastika) happens. The cries of systemic racism are not completely unwarranted. BUT, they do not apply to everyone. There needs to be discussions, and all points of view need to be understood. But coming into that conversation with a list of "demands" is most certainly starting off on the wrong foot.

cdizzle86 · November 9, 2015

"University of Missouri president resigns amid racial tensions
Tim Wolfe announced his decision to step down, effective immediately, after days of protests over racial incidents on campus and over his responses to students’ concerns."
Will this empower similar effort at other schools? Would our football team consider action regarding the Athletic Director?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/?wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-sports%2Bnation&reload=true

lol

ColoradoEagle · November 9, 2015

All that to say, the University cannot sit on their hands when this racist idiocy (still can't wrap my mind around a poo-swastika) happens. The cries of systemic racism are not completely unwarranted. BUT, they do not apply to everyone. There needs to be discussions, and all points of view need to be understood. But coming into that conversation with a list of "demands" is most certainly starting off on the wrong foot.

After reading through the timeline, it seems like there were several times where Wolfe was dismissive of student affecting issues (not just racism), and a lot of time where he just didn't respond at all. Seems like the demands were more of a last resort than a first step. The first step should have been Wolfe sitting down with all stakeholders and setting forth a list of goals/action items with regular meetings to review progress. Instead it seems like he figured everything would just go away.

untjim1995 · November 9, 2015

Since RV eats Jimmy Johns, could the players stand up to demand his termination?

MeanGreenTexan · November 9, 2015

After reading through the timeline, it seems like there were several times where Wolfe was dismissive of student affecting issues (not just racism), and a lot of time where he just didn't respond at all. Seems like the demands were more of a last resort than a first step. The first step should have been Wolfe sitting down with all stakeholders and setting forth a list of goals/action items with regular meetings to review progress. Instead it seems like he figured everything would just go away.

Possible. I mean, unless you have the person who yelled the n-word, or the person who poo-swastika'd, I'm not sure what you can really do. You can't punish a multitude for the actions of a few (1 very very stupid person in the poo-swastika case). If he indeed sat on his hands and didn't initiate dialogue until after this hunger strike started, then he waited far too long, and deserves his fate due to lack of leadership. Not sure what those other demands are good for though.

UNT90 · November 9, 2015

Since RV eats Jimmy Johns, could the players stand up to demand his termination?

I ate Jimmy John's for lunch.

#StopSandwichDiscrimination

HarringtonFishSmeller · November 9, 2015

"On Oct. 21, Concerned Student 1950 issued a list of eight demands, which included a formal apology from Wolfe and his immediate removal. They also called for mandatory racism awareness and inclusion training for all faculty, staff, and students, and for the percentage of black faculty and staff increase to 10 percent by the 2017-18 school year. The group met with Wolfe on Oct. 27, but did not reach any kind of agreement."

Why have someone read a formal apology, and then can them regardless? Sounds like public shaming to me.

You could institute a 40-hour week of racism awareness and inclusion training and there are still going to be redneck douchebags that smear poo-swastikas and call black folks the n-word. You can't fix stupid.

Also, I have no idea where their % of black faculty stands currently, but how do they plan on staffing up to 10%? Just hire people? This is a University. First, they need to be qualified, and then there needs to be budgeted funds to pay them. Sounds like this group has not considered that this demand would also lead to the termination of people who probably aren't racist at all, or even minorities themselves, in order to potentially hire less-qualified faculty based on the color of their skin. This seems counter-productive for a University.

All that to say, the University cannot sit on their hands when this racist idiocy (still can't wrap my mind around a poo-swastika) happens. The cries of systemic racism are not completely unwarranted. BUT, they do not apply to everyone. There needs to be discussions, and all points of view need to be understood. But coming into that conversation with a list of "demands" is most certainly starting off on the wrong foot.

Yeah, but...look...JUST DO IT.

Ever wonder why they don't apply the percentage of population to the athletic scholarships? What you are saying is that the athletic scholarships are awarded on the basis of ability that has been proven in 40 times, vertical leaps, bench pressing, and statistics from competition. But...

...when it comes to admissions to the school or hiring professors, something other than academic standards must be used. Then, you've got to set up this percentage of the population thing.

There are all of these reports saying that Missouri 79% white and 8% black, so that the undergrad and professorship should reflect that. Well, why not for the athletics?

Well, because...it doesn't make the race card experts happy to do it that way, that's why.

The race card experts don't care that there is no evidence that Missouri students yelled a profanity at a black students or painted swastikas with feces. In fact, to my knowledge, there is no picture of the feces.

And, no video of the alleged homecoming confrontation. Strange in this day and age when the "oppressed" are so eager to show photos and videos of their "oppression" that none are to be seen here.

We simply have four allegations with no clear evidence in at least three that they even occurred. But, why wait for evidence when there probably isn't any to begin with - or, such as in the parade case, could easily be contradicted by dozens of witnesses?

It also goes all way to show how far journalism has dropped. Anyone know of any media outlet trying to determine the veracity of even the easiest claim, the homecoming confrontation? Police there. Surely dozens, possibly hundreds of alumni and students with phone cameras. Protesters, surely there with cameras.

Yet, nothing. No police report or citation that the president's car bumped a protester. Do we even have the name of the allegedly bumped protester? Surely, an officer on the scene would be required to make a report to go along with such a citation.

Nothing.

Edited November 10, 2015 by HarringtonFishSmeller

ColoradoEagle · November 9, 2015

Possible. I mean, unless you have the person who yelled the n-word, or the person who poo-swastika'd, I'm not sure what you can really do. You can't punish a multitude for the actions of a few (1 very very stupid person in the poo-swastika case).

Well, right, but you have to at least give a voice to people who want to be heard. There's a reason city council meetings are open to the public, even if they don't really care. When people feel like no one is listening they tend to go to more extreme measures than they otherwise would have. Like flying a banner...

MeanGreenTexan · November 9, 2015

Well, right, but you have to at least give a voice to people who want to be heard. There's a reason city council meetings are open to the public, even if they don't really care. When people feel like no one is listening they tend to go to more extreme measures than they otherwise would have. Like flying a banner...

Absolutely. Everyone should always be open to that kind of dialogue. And not just playing sudoku while the people are talking (I've seen this at a city council meeting), but actively listening and trying to help. But if that dialogue is started and one side is overbearing with "demands", it puts unnecessary strain on that dialogue.
Lol @ the banner.