Crimson Tide's Saban under fire for Cajun slur

miami_fan · 02-01-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Crimson Tide's Saban under fire for Cajun slur
/ Associated Press
Posted: 1 hour ago

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - As an audiotape spread on the Internet, Alabama coach Nick Saban acknowledged Wednesday using a phrase considered derogatory to Cajuns but said he doesn't condone such language and merely was repeating something a friend told him.

Saban, a former LSU and Miami Dolphins coach, used an ethnic slur Jan. 3 while telling Florida reporters in Tuscaloosa an anecdote about an LSU fan's angry reaction to his hiring.

When asked about the LSU fans' reaction, Saban related a phone call from a friend on the LSU board of trustees, whom he did not name. In what seemed to be an attempt at humor, Saban told of the friend's encounter with an LSU fan, who speaks in a Cajun dialect.

"He was walking down the street yesterday before the Sugar Bowl," Saban said on the taped comments. "He calls me. There was a guy working in the ditch, one of those coonass guys that talk funny.

"I can't talk like them, but he can. Most people in Louisiana can."

Continuing to tell the story, Saban then quoted the worker's vulgar comment about Saban going to Alabama.

Saban, in a statement Wednesday, said the word "can be taken as derogatory by some people."

"Those comments need to be placed in the proper context, so as to understand the meaning of what was said," Saban said. "The words were used in paraphrasing a story told to me by a friend. I was simply using the same wording used by the person who told me the story.

"The term in question is not language that I use or condone, and I can understand how some would take offense. However, I think it must be noted that those comments were made 'off the record' and the words merely reflected an anecdote that was told to me using that language."

Warren Perrin, president of the Council for Development of French in Louisiana, said the term is "highly offensive."

"I routinely state that the use of that term is highly offensive to descendants of Acadians, who are commonly referred to as Cajuns," Perrin said.

Alabama spokeswoman Deborah Lane said the university had no comment beyond Saban's statement.

Yes as a Dolphin fan, I like the idea of Saban squirming a bit. When does he go to Baton Rouge again?

Kodos · 02-01-2007, 03:03 PM

He's a jackass.

Subby · 02-01-2007, 03:06 PM

Anyword that contains both "coon" and "ass" is probably going to net out as offensive.

Just a little rule of thumb there...

Butter · 02-01-2007, 03:09 PM

My fav. defense is it was "off the record".

spleen1015 · 02-01-2007, 03:15 PM

The guy is from Fairmont, WV. I haven't met a person from there that isn't a racist.

NoMyths · 02-01-2007, 03:16 PM

All language that we use has been heard or learned from elsewhere. Using that as an excuse for using offensive language is immature and irresponsible.

Subby · 02-01-2007, 03:20 PM

AND NOBODY KNOWS IMMATURE AND IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE NOMYTHS.

hoopsguy · 02-01-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

The guy is from Fairmont, WV. I haven't met a person from there that isn't a racist.

Expecting WVUFAN in the thread in 3 .... 2 ....

Passacaglia · 02-01-2007, 03:32 PM

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ighlight=Saban

I'd like to call the fact that no one cared about this yesterday "the albionmoonlight effect" -- however I suspect it has more to do with the time of day it was posted yesterday. Any ideas for how to name that?

spleen1015 · 02-01-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

Expecting WVUFAN in the thread in 3 .... 2 ....

My father's side of the family is from Fairmont, WV and all of them are racists.

My father played HS baseball with Nick Saban.

Ksyrup · 02-01-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ighlight=Saban

I'd like to call the fact that no one cared about this yesterday "the albionmoonlight effect" -- however I suspect it has more to do with the time of day it was posted yesterday. Any ideas for how to name that?

I suspect it's because it was a play on the Biden thread and until I saw this link, I'm not sure I realized there were 2 threads with virtually the same name.

JonInMiddleGA · 02-01-2007, 03:56 PM

This snippet from wikipedia pretty well sums up what I believed was the controversy about this particular term.

working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word "coonass" as a badge of ethnic pride; whereas middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard the term as insulting or degrading, even when used by fellow Cajuns in reference to themselves.

Until the past decade or so, it's been used by governors, presidents, and was even part of the logo of the Louisiana Air National Guard. I suspect that without the job change, this wouldn't have been anywhere near as controversial.

NoMyths · 02-01-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subby

AND NOBODY KNOWS IMMATURE AND IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE NOMYTHS.

Word. I'm practically a synonym.

Tekneek · 02-01-2007, 05:10 PM

It's ok to say anything offensive as long as you're just repeating what someone else told you. It's all ok then.

Sounds good to me. I'd like to see him do poorly in Alabama, or at least be in hot water as often as possible.

Doug5984 · 02-01-2007, 05:16 PM

Thats kind of funny- I have never heard of the term being considered offensive, its what everyone down here calls each other when you do something in a coon ass way....Anyone taking offense to it is trying to make something out of nothing.

Wiki got the first part right about it being a badge of honor for working class, but I have never heard an upper class person take offense to it either.

Swaggs · 02-01-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

The guy is from Fairmont, WV. I haven't met a person from there that isn't a racist.

You should meet more people from Fairmont.

astrosfan64 · 02-01-2007, 05:48 PM

I work in the oil patch in Houston. We have a ton of Rigs in Louisanna and it is a very common term here. I hear it used all the time and my father in law calls himself a coon ass with pride.

Actually he said when we crossed the Sabine River to come to Texas they took the coon out of him and only left the ass.

Swaggs · 02-01-2007, 05:48 PM

Interestingly, I had never heard of this term before this week, but I am reading Michael ("Moneyball") Lewis's new book, "The Blind Side," and one of the guys in the book is from LA. and referred to Ole Miss's head coach Ed Orgeron as a coonass. And, he didn't mean it in a bad way.

SFL Cat · 02-01-2007, 05:54 PM

Waits for Saban to say something to the effect -- "I meant no disrespect whatsoever by that term. In fact I consider myself to be something of a coonass..."

albionmoonlight · 02-01-2007, 06:08 PM

Neat, I have an effect named after me.

Much better than a syndrome or a disease.

And I second (or third or fourth) the notion that in my experiences growing up in New Orleans, the word is considered much more descriptive than insulting.

Maybe a close approximation would be using the word redneck to describe a (stereo)typical rural working-class Southerner.

JW · 02-01-2007, 06:17 PM

And the n-word is sometimes a term of endearment. On a smaller scale, this is just like a white guy using the n-word at the wrong place and time. Coonass is generally considered complimentary, but it depends on who says it and the context. Non-Louisianans and non-Cajuns should be careful when and how they use it. And Nick Saban has lost the 'right' to use the word as far as many folks in Louisiana are concerned. Is that fair? No. But that's just the way it is.

Raiders Army · 02-01-2007, 06:47 PM

What is that cake with the baby in it?

spleen1015 · 02-01-2007, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swaggs

You should meet more people from Fairmont.

I know about 50.

JW · 02-01-2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

What is that cake with the baby in it?

king cake

cuervo72 · 02-01-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subby

AND NOBODY KNOWS IMMATURE AND IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE NOMYTHS.

Abe Sargent · 02-01-2007, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

The guy is from Fairmont, WV. I haven't met a person from there that isn't a racist.

I haven't met a person from Fairmont who is a racist. I've met hundreds. Oh yes, by the way, you would NEVER hear me talk about that about anyplace I have ever been or from whence I know people. Because, growing up in southern West Virginia, I was taught manners.

-Anxiety

Raiders Army · 02-02-2007, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JW

king cake

Thanks. That was driving me crazy.

Tekneek · 02-02-2007, 07:47 AM

Coon ass is not an offensive term? I am pretty sure if I used that term in my office, I would be unemployed in short order. Guess it depends on the region you're in?

02-01-2007, 03:06 PM	#3
Subby lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: sans pants	Anyword that contains both "coon" and "ass" is probably going to net out as offensive. Just a little rule of thumb there... __________________ Superman was flying around and saw Wonder Woman getting a tan in the nude on her balcony. Superman said I going to hit that real fast. So he flys down toward Wonder Woman to hit it and their is a loud scream. The Invincible Man scream what just hit me in the ass!!!!! I do shit, I take pictures, I write about it: chrisshue.com

02-01-2007, 03:09 PM	#4
Butter Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dayton, OH	My fav. defense is it was "off the record". __________________ My listening habits

02-01-2007, 03:20 PM	#7
Subby lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: sans pants	AND NOBODY KNOWS IMMATURE AND IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE NOMYTHS. __________________ Superman was flying around and saw Wonder Woman getting a tan in the nude on her balcony. Superman said I going to hit that real fast. So he flys down toward Wonder Woman to hit it and their is a loud scream. The Invincible Man scream what just hit me in the ass!!!!! I do shit, I take pictures, I write about it: chrisshue.com

02-01-2007, 03:32 PM	#9
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ighlight=Saban I'd like to call the fact that no one cared about this yesterday "the albionmoonlight effect" -- however I suspect it has more to do with the time of day it was posted yesterday. Any ideas for how to name that? __________________ Pride and Prejudice -- an FOF9 Lions dynasty, starting 1966

02-01-2007, 03:56 PM	#12
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	This snippet from wikipedia pretty well sums up what I believed was the controversy about this particular term. working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word "coonass" as a badge of ethnic pride; whereas middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard the term as insulting or degrading, even when used by fellow Cajuns in reference to themselves. Until the past decade or so, it's been used by governors, presidents, and was even part of the logo of the Louisiana Air National Guard. I suspect that without the job change, this wouldn't have been anywhere near as controversial. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis Last edited by JonInMiddleGA : 02-01-2007 at 03:56 PM.

02-01-2007, 03:03 PM	#2
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	He's a jackass.

02-01-2007, 03:15 PM	#5
spleen1015 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003	The guy is from Fairmont, WV. I haven't met a person from there that isn't a racist.

02-01-2007, 03:16 PM	#6
NoMyths Poet in Residence Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Charleston, SC	All language that we use has been heard or learned from elsewhere. Using that as an excuse for using offensive language is immature and irresponsible.

02-01-2007, 05:10 PM	#14
Tekneek Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: USA	It's ok to say anything offensive as long as you're just repeating what someone else told you. It's all ok then. Sounds good to me. I'd like to see him do poorly in Alabama, or at least be in hot water as often as possible.

02-01-2007, 05:16 PM	#15
Doug5984 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisiana	Thats kind of funny- I have never heard of the term being considered offensive, its what everyone down here calls each other when you do something in a coon ass way....Anyone taking offense to it is trying to make something out of nothing. Wiki got the first part right about it being a badge of honor for working class, but I have never heard an upper class person take offense to it either.

02-01-2007, 05:48 PM	#17
astrosfan64 College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2004	I work in the oil patch in Houston. We have a ton of Rigs in Louisanna and it is a very common term here. I hear it used all the time and my father in law calls himself a coon ass with pride. Actually he said when we crossed the Sabine River to come to Texas they took the coon out of him and only left the ass. Last edited by astrosfan64 : 02-01-2007 at 10:40 PM.

02-01-2007, 05:48 PM	#18
Swaggs Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000	Interestingly, I had never heard of this term before this week, but I am reading Michael ("Moneyball") Lewis's new book, "The Blind Side," and one of the guys in the book is from LA. and referred to Ole Miss's head coach Ed Orgeron as a coonass. And, he didn't mean it in a bad way. __________________ DOWN WITH HATTRICK!!! The RWBL Are you reading In The Bleachers?

02-01-2007, 05:54 PM	#19
SFL Cat College Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: South Florida	Waits for Saban to say something to the effect -- "I meant no disrespect whatsoever by that term. In fact I consider myself to be something of a coonass..." Last edited by SFL Cat : 02-01-2007 at 05:54 PM.

02-01-2007, 06:08 PM	#20
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Neat, I have an effect named after me. Much better than a syndrome or a disease. And I second (or third or fourth) the notion that in my experiences growing up in New Orleans, the word is considered much more descriptive than insulting. Maybe a close approximation would be using the word redneck to describe a (stereo)typical rural working-class Southerner.

02-01-2007, 06:17 PM	#21
JW College Prospect Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Monroe, LA, USA	And the n-word is sometimes a term of endearment. On a smaller scale, this is just like a white guy using the n-word at the wrong place and time. Coonass is generally considered complimentary, but it depends on who says it and the context. Non-Louisianans and non-Cajuns should be careful when and how they use it. And Nick Saban has lost the 'right' to use the word as far as many folks in Louisiana are concerned. Is that fair? No. But that's just the way it is.

02-01-2007, 06:47 PM	#22
Raiders Army Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Black Hole	What is that cake with the baby in it?

02-02-2007, 07:47 AM	#28
Tekneek Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: USA	Coon ass is not an offensive term? I am pretty sure if I used that term in my office, I would be unemployed in short order. Guess it depends on the region you're in?

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