Air Force looking into comments by longtime coach

[saraphen]

Fisher DeBerry is the winningest coach in service academy history with a record of 161-94-1. He has had 17 winning seasons and won 12 bowl games.

This season, the Falcons are struggling. The team lost 48-10 to No. 20 TCU on Saturday, dropping to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the Mountain West Conference.

Now the coach says it's because he doesn't have enough black players.

``It just seems to be that way, that Afro-American kids can run very, very well. That doesn`t mean that Caucasian kids and other descents can`t run, but it`s very obvious to me they run extremely well,`` DeBerry said in remarks broadcast Tuesday night by Denver television station KWGN.

Academy officials released a statement Tuesday, saying they were aware of the remarks.

``We cannot comment further until we have a chance to review all the reports, the coach`s actual statements and to speak with the coach personally,`` academy spokesman Lt. Col Laurent Fox said.

http://www.covers.com/articles/artic...265&tid=30&t=1

So far what I have heard wasn't any racial slur, not like Jimmy the Greek's statements a few years ago about slaves being bred to improve their strength.

I haven't heard any "official" black response yet, but I say "What's the big deal."

[jamesfrmphilly]

I'm not a football expert but i doubt if his problem is that his players can't run.

having said that, i do believe that black athletes seem to be quicker than whites.
this is not the same thing.
i actually think quickness is a mental issue.
how fast the brain responds to stimulus.

[charliekilothree]

I don't think it was wise of him to express it like that but I don't see the problem with stating a fact.

[mistermaxxx]

He spoke the truth. all you gotta do is look at footballl from College to the Pros.they want Brothers.be it at Running back,croner Back,safety,etc... Brothers can Run&it's not lost on the scouting team&the Coaches. Dude spoke the truth.only the Politically Corect Police gonna have issue here.Air force ain't attracting Brothers because of the connection to the Goverment&the Service.it all plays a part.but dude is speaking the truth.

[DBlack]

Yeah, they made him apologize. But if you think about it, the apology was to whites and not to blacks.

His statement and the way he said it was not only true, but presented in a way that was not offensive to minorities.

Now if he would have made the statement in the way that JimmyTheGreek did years ago, then that would have been over the top and dead wrong.

Some people are offended by any statement being made about race.