OMAHA, Neb. Five men’s basketball players for Creighton explained in a short preview video on Saturday why they were hurt by the remark of coach Greg McDermott in his locker room after a loss last weekend.
A sixth player who did not speak in the video, star guard Marcus Zegarowski, said after the 93-73 victory over Butler on Saturday that although McDermott made a mistake with his word choice, he loves and supports all of his players.
McDermott used the term “plantation” twice as part of his remarks to encourage the unity of the team. The university suspended McDermott indefinitely on Thursday after he coached a loss in Villanova on Wednesday. The coach, Alan Huss, was interim head coach for the Butler game.
“I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I can not have anyone leave the plantation,” McDermott told the players after a loss on February 27 at Xavier, which is a term of slavery and the antebellum -South use.
Creighton players have not yet publicly commented on McDermott’s remarks before five black players spoke in the preview video at the CHI Health Center Arena.
“James Baldwin said that not everything that is confronted can change, but that nothing can change without being faced,” Bluejays forward Christian Bishop said at the start.
Guard Shereef Mitchell then said: “For slaves, life on a plantation was filled with mental, emotional, physical, psychological and sexual abuse. You were owned as property and not human. Slaves had no rights and no voice. They were branded like cattle, forced from their homeland and stripped of their culture, language and basic human rights. They worked 18 hours a day, 18 hours a week. Any signs of wrongdoing, such as lack of productivity, not command or resistance , would be beaten or killed and that’s why … “
“What Coach Mac said hurt me and my teammates,” said Denzel Mahoney.
Guard Antwann Jones then said: “People talk about inequalities and equality, but do not really know what it means to be equal. And I feel this is the beginning of a new conversation to be had in the future. Let’s continue to educate each other, and let us continue to grow. “
Forward Damien Jefferson said: “If I were your son, would it matter? Let’s not be good with racism. Let’s start the conversation.”
The video ended in silence, with all the Creighton players locking arm in arm on the court.
Then ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, also known as the black national anthem, was played.
No team was on the track for the national anthem.
Zegarowski, unsolicited, praised McDermott for the impact he has made on him since he arrived on campus, and that the remark from the coach’s locker room would not define him.
“A lot of guys in that locker room got hurt about it, and I got hurt because of what he said,” Zegarowski said. ‘At the same time, Coach Mac was a great mentor to me, and I know he would take a bullet for me and everyone in that locker room, including the coaching staff.
“I know he made a very bad mistake with what he said. Only I know everything he did for me as a player, but more importantly as a human being. He loves me; he loves everyone in that locker room. “This is my coach; I like that guy. People make mistakes, and this is my guy.”
McDermott publicly apologized Tuesday and again Wednesday.
Bruce Rasmussen, athletic director of Creighton, said additional sanctions were being considered, and none of them would be made public.