Dominique Green

[DeepGreen]

DentonRC

UNT football player alleges racism

Defensive back was suspended following sideline incident

10:41 PM CDT on Monday, October 29, 2007

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

bvito@dentonrc.com

DENTON – North Texas defensive back Dominique Green filed a complaint Monday with the Texas chapter of the NAACP accusing the North Texas coaching staff of racial bias.

UNT head coach Todd Dodge suspended Green on Sunday following a 48-28 loss to Middle Tennessee on Saturday night.

Dodge declined to comment Monday on why he suspended Green and later declined through a university spokesman to talk about the complaint Green filed.

Green said he was suspended after an incident on the sideline Saturday.

"I am suspended indefinitely for saying, 'We are from the hood,' on the sideline," Green said. "[uNT wide receivers coach] Clayton George charged up to me on the sideline and said we didn't need that. I asked him what was wrong and he said we didn't need to say that, so I asked him what was wrong with saying that we are from the hood."

At that point, defensive coordinator Ron Mendoza pulled George away from the confrontation, Green said.

Green, a junior from Lawton, Okla., said he believes the incident had racial undertones and is part of an overall pattern of bias among the UNT coaches.

Neither George nor Mendoza could be reached for comment.

Dodge, the former head coach at Southlake Carroll, hired an entirely new staff after he took over the program in December from Darrell Dickey, who was fired late last season. Two members of UNT's 13-man staff – quarterbacks coach Butch LaCroix and running backs coach Shelton Gandy – are black. That staff includes Dodge, assistant coaches, graduate assistants and football operations personnel.

Ericka Cain, the Texas youth adviser for colleges for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said she is in the process of hearing Green's complaint and setting up a visit to UNT to talk to the players and coaches.

"I have yet to receive all of the information from him [Green]," Cain said. "All I can say is that we have received a phone call. We will go through an information-gathering process. We would try to mediate if we find that there is a problem. We would try to educate the coaching staff on what is appropriate. If it went further than that, we would take it to the school's administration."

UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said he didn't have enough information to comment on the complaint, but he did speak of his policy regarding racial issues within the athletic department.

"I will never tolerate racial remarks or situations within a team, my staff or this program," Villarreal said Monday. "People who know me know that has been proven time and again. That policy is for players, coaches and everyone."

UNT president Gretchen Bataille did not return a message left on her cellphone or respond to a request for comment left with a university public relations official

Edited October 30, 2007 by DeepGreen

[ipEAGLE]

So Lawton, OK has a hood? HAHA.

[Guest JohnDenver]

So Lawton, OK has a hood? HAHA.

Hood is a state of mind...

[untStein]

"We would try to mediate if we find that there is a problem. We would try to educate the coaching staff on what is appropriate."

Maybe they can educate the coaching staff about defense while they're at it.

[Quoner]

I think the solution here is to switch Micah to DB and then recruit a new RB for next year.

[cdizzle86]

Give Mendoza a break on the whole confrontation incident....everybody should get their one mess up.

[eulessismore]

I'm ok, as a white dude, with one of ours depicted "in the hood"..it all really takes me back to that great "The World is a Ghetto" song (by War?).

[rcade]

It's weird that people are laughing this off. It has the potential to be a huge wheels-off disaster. What if the team buys into the BS that Dodge and his staff are racist? What if it becomes a cause for the NAACP? Seeing everyone affiliated with UNT dodge reporters is not giving me a lot of confidence they'll handle it well.

[UNTFan23]

I understand that all the facts have not been made public on what exactly happened, but I hope TD doesn't get handcuffed when it comes to disciplining a player when they say/do something that is against the rules TD expects the team to follow.

I'm going to go on the belief that it what was something said/done outside of the 'hood' comment that earned the suspension.

Edited October 30, 2007 by UNTFan23

[Quoner]

It's weird that people are laughing this off. It has the potential to be a huge wheels-off disaster. What if the team buys into the BS that Dodge and his staff are racist? What if it becomes a cause for the NAACP? Seeing everyone affiliated with UNT dodge reporters is not giving me a lot of confidence they'll handle it well.

Imagine if a reporter besides Vito takes the case...

[Mean Green 93-98]

It's weird that people are laughing this off. It has the potential to be a huge wheels-off disaster. What if the team buys into the BS that Dodge and his staff are racist? What if it becomes a cause for the NAACP? Seeing everyone affiliated with UNT dodge reporters is not giving me a lot of confidence they'll handle it well.

Agreed. The allegation alone could be enough to keep recruits away. I will say that the reason cited in this article for Dominique's claim is laughable. But if there is something greater underlying it that could even cause a perception that our coaching staff is racist, our program could be toast.

On another note, does this mean we've lost another DB?

[GMoney]

I'm trying to figure out why that phase would even need to come up during a game. What purpose does it show? We're from the hood and can get beat by 20 on Homecoming? I'm sorry, I'm with Coach George on this one. It's one thing to be proud of where you are from, it's another to remember where you are at and ultimately who you represent. Something here doesn't sound right. Keep in mind, Coach George is a guy who took a head coaching job at Hillcrest for 2 years where 90% of his players where black. I'll bet there is going to be more to this story.

[cdizzle86]

This thread...

Will feature attacks on the coaches

The player who complained

Racism talk from UNTFlyer or Kram1

A long response from SE66

My dick jokes

The mystery comment that gets someone banned and the thread ocked.

Who will make it? Stay tuned here to find out...

P.S. Pee-noose.

One thread was already locked tonight.

[flyeater]

Something just doesn't jibe with this latest turn of events.

1. Green says Clayton ran up to him on the sideline (the nerve!) and told him to stop acting in a manner not befitting a player on a team that's 1-6 and in the process of getting its ass waxed again. What's the racist offense I've missed?

2. Green alleges a pattern of bias, but against who? Being he's a former backup whom the coaches promoted to a starting job, where's the ongoing pattern of bias against him? Is he saying these coaches don't or should deal with black players in a manner unlike white players? Who's making racist statements now?

3. Green is unclear what was so egregious that the NAACP's involvement was necessary. Funny how this is the second DB and Dickey holdover in less than a month to get himself booted.

4. Sounds like Green needs to shut up and go cover someone. Oh yeah, he couldn't really do that before getting suspended, and now it's a full-on certainty.

Good riddance.

Edited October 30, 2007 by flyeater

[Quoner]

He can only appear if we all really believe and wish really hard.

Then...poof!... free coats for everyone!

[MeanGreenTeeth]

Since most of the team is black in a predominately black sport I doubt very much that Dominique Green is being singled out for being black. If he was Jewish then he might make a case.

[eulessismore]

Neither would I really wish to laugh off such issues; I found it quite painful reading about the racist remarks directed towards minority athletes on their campus visit in years past, resulting in the suspension of a fraternity, and certainly bad publicity for the University and its sports programs. However, I say, let's give everyone the benefit of the doubt which we would all hope to be given. In all fairness to coach Dodge; (1.) I do remember a black man I met back at the City of Dallas (when his team was going up against ours in bi-district the next weekend) talking about a special relationship he had with Dodge from his son attending the football camps held by Dodge at North Texas, which the gentleman said were more affordably priced than similar camps (2.) Casey Fitzgerald went from being a walk on to earning a scholarship after Dodge took over, praising Fitzgerald (more than I've heard him praise any NT player) as a "First (teamer) all the way". (3.) My understanding is that Tre Newton is Riley Dodge's best friend-is it likely he'd be hanging around with the son of his "racist" coach? (4.) As far as I know, Not that many players are at North Texas (yet) as a result of anything Todd Dodge has done. (5.) Our head coach at Euless Trinity, Steve Lineweaver, has some experience with a diverse team, knows Dodge (has a son who was an assistant coach at Southlake with Dodge), and has praised him as someone opening up opportunities for area players. Given a fair shake, I'm confident Dodge will come out of this fine. As Dodge has recognized some of us fans as being "clear headed", let's remain clear of judgment.

[Eagle1855]

BYU thinks that comment is ridiculous.

But it is something I've noticed... Im not saying, Im just saying. There have been several fallouts between former players/starters and this staff. We all hoped it was just house cleaning. Im going to assume it still is. Id have a hard time believing this is a "racist" staff. Thats almost unbelievable in this day and age. This needs to be nipped in the bud really quick. UNT loves the hell out of a good racism allegation, just ask KA. (and there's your rabbit trail)

[BubbaGreen]

This is a pretty huge accusation..and doesn't bode well for Green..either way he will be on the losing end. If there is some displine on the coaching staff, then it hurts the whole team..if his claims are unfounded then he will not have a good position with the staff and team. If he felt wronged by the staff , he should have escalated it through the proper channels WITHIN the unversity before he took it to the NCAA. not sure if he did this, but certainly does not cry out for a civil rights movement. Sometime a kid just says the wrong things and needs to be put in his place. I hope this was not impulsive, but if there is something that needs to be looked into deeper then it should be..but seems wierd that this would be the first instance that something that like this would happen with this staff..hopefully there isn't a fall out w/ a bunch of athletes following suit. i hope this is an isolated instance of a kid who had poor judgment of progression. I would have hoped this would have been handled "in house" but if needed to be escalated to this point.. then good for him, but am hesitant.

[Guest JohnDenver]

I am not laughing anything odd either.

Jokes take the salt off a salty situation.

As someone wiser than myself once said, "when life gives you AIDS, make lemonaids."

So, with that said. I also find the mysterious "Green isn't on the traveling roster" for the first three games to be somehow involved.

It certainly wasn't his physical conditioning (as reported). He is in good shape.. you don't get that way in three weeks.

Also, a certain reporter on the sideline says this team TALKS more than any team we have had in a long long time. Imagine 9 TJ Covingtons out there and that is what this team is "reported" to be like on the sidelines.

Take that for what you will. All the data may or may not come out. Until then, I am willing to make jokes.

-xEzGIuY7kw

[BubbaGreen]

BYU thinks that comment is ridiculous.

But it is something I've noticed... Im not saying, Im just saying. There have been several fallouts between former players/starters and this staff. We all hoped it was just house cleaning. Im going to assume it still is. Id have a hard time believing this is a "racist" staff. Thats almost unbelievable in this day and age. This needs to be nipped in the bud really quick. UNT loves the hell out of a good racism allegation, just ask KA. (and there's your rabbit trail)

I'm sorry KA needed to be gone. That group has had a long history of inproper activity...Not only at UNT but throughout the US....I'm usually pretty tolerant, but this group pushes the envelope and needed the plug pulled. Not saying that all its member are racist, but certainly has some serious undertones and no place for a university setting. I was pretty close to the incident that happened at UNT ...I have no respect for this group. i had threats posted to me when this happened..F'em

[Guest JohnDenver]

I'm sorry KA needed to be gone. That group has had a long history of inproper activity...Not only at UNT but throughout the US....I'm usually pretty tolerant, but this group pushes the envelope and needed the plug pulled. Not saying that all its member are racist, but certainly has some serious undertones and no place for a university setting. I was pretty close to the incident that happened at UNT ...I have no respect for this group. i had threats posted to me when this happened..F'em

Let's not get into fraternity warfare.

We all have opinions on that... I bet Dom Green does too, but that isn't his issue right now. So let's keep this on topic before some magical locking happens.

[UNT_playmaker]

This is sooooo dumb and stupid......

How do our coaches get into controversy after controversy, year in and year out.....

Frustrations of a 1-6 team....

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

Now this is the kind of thing that could explain for me why this team is getting beat. It evidences a hostile attitude by the player toward the staff, because the comments cited are NOT racist. It doesn't take too many bad apples to spoil the barrel.

I have always accepted the fact that I can't fully appreciate the challenges that college coaches face in motivating some of these players and dealing with their personalities. I just try to weigh the results against the other teams, because they all face those same challenges.

It appears this young man made a very poor choice, and it probably isn't his only one. He needs to find someone wise who he can really trust, and listen to them. There are plenty of people who will tell him things just to stir up trouble because it serves THEIR interest, not his.

[Censored by Laurie]

So what you're saying is that you're not looking forward to the Micah Mosely backfield, Evan Fentriss - Breece Johnson - Sam Dibrell - Riley Dodge wide reciever tandom like I am next season?