Creighton men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott was suspended from all team activities after the racially insensitive comments he made to his team last Tuesday.
McDermott referenced a plantation to his players following their loss to Xavier.
“Guys, we got to stick together, we need both feet in,” said McDermott. “I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation.”
The suspension came on Thursday night, two days after Creighton University said any discipline would remain confidential. Katie Backhuus, a Creighton basketball season ticket holder, said she could not believe McDermott would make this mistake.
“I think, especially with things going on today surrounding Black Lives Matter, he would know to be sensitive towards it,” Backhuus said.
McDermott tweeted his support of the suspension. He also offered to resign from his position days earlier. Although a poor choice of words, Backhuus said she believes McDermott did not mean the statement to be malicious.
“My guess is, if I know him the way that I think I know him from following them, I’m sure he’s taking this and owning it,” Backhuus said.
Others point to systemic racism as the cause of this issue. Colin McGrew, Program Partner at Inclusive Communities, said that McDermott’s comments are a product of it.
“This is something that we see across the United States and is a product of years and years,” McGrew said.
Inclusive Communities is a non-profit organization whose mission is to confront prejudice, bigotry and discrimination. The organization works with schools and businesses in the Omaha community to provide education and advocacy and promote diversity and inclusion.
An incident like McDermott’s is bound to happen again, McGrew said. However, dialogue and policy change is a starting point to tackle the issue.
“How can we create things that are written, that are there to protect people, that might be the target of language like this,” McGrew said. “I think that is one thing to help prevent situations like this.”
McDermott was reinstated Monday afternoon. Bruce Rasmussen, Creighton athletic director, said the suspension was lifted because of his immediate sincere apology and ownership of his actions.
The Big East basketball tournament begins Wednesday. Creighton will play their game Thursday night.
