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Bruce Rasmussen, Sporting Director of Creighton announced Thursday evening that Bluejays basketball coach Greg McDermott has been suspended at least until Sunday’s regular season final against Butler as the fallout from McDermott’s use of race-insensitive language continues .
“After our men’s Creighton basketball team returned to Omaha earlier today, [Father] Hendrickson and I engaged in a dialogue and discussion with other senior leaders about the appropriate penalties for remarks made by men’s basketball head coach Greg McDermott that were inconsistent with Creighton’s pledge in promoting racial equity, diversity and respect. ” Rasmussen said in a statement. “Coach McDermott and the team have agreed that, with immediate effect, he will be suspended from all team activities, including Saturday’s home season final against Butler. study, not all of which will be shared publicly Assistant coach Al Huss will serve as interim head coach.
“Coach McDermott and our track program must use this incident as an opportunity for growth and learning, as there is clearly more work to be done.”
McDermott later said he had “made a mistake” in his choice of words and would accept the suspension.
McDermott said earlier this week that he would have quit if his players had wanted to after admitting “a big mistake” he made in the locker room after a loss last weekend.
“If they had chosen to make me go, I would have left,” McDermott said in an interview with 1620 The Zone, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “But that’s not what they wanted.”
McDermott initially apologized Tuesday night for comments made Saturday following a 77-69 road loss to Xavier. In apologies, posted on twitter, McDermott included the analogy in its entirety, which reads as follows:
“Guys, we have to stay together. We need both feet. I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I can’t let anyone leave the plantation.
“I never used that analogy and it doesn’t say who I am as a person or as a coach,” McDermott said. “I am deeply sorry. I have apologized to our student-athletes and staff, as well as President Hendrickson and Director of Athletics Bruce Rasmussen.”
Creighton released a separate statement Tuesday night on the matter, condemning the language as “deplorable.” He added that any disciplinary action taken against McDermott will remain confidential.
“While an apology is a start, and while we don’t think it has any character for Coach McDermott, it doesn’t diminish the fact that his remark was hurtful to many and has absolutely no place. in the Creighton community, ”Creighton said. . “We have offered our full and unconditional support to those touched by his words.”
Creighton assistant coach Terrence Rencher, who is also a member of Coaches For Action, also released a statement on the matter. Rencher has been on McDermott staff since 2019.
McDermott has been Creighton’s coach since 2010. He has taken the team to five NCAA tournaments and is close to making a sixth this season, with the Bluejays (17-7) a No. 6 screened in the last installment of Jerry Palm.
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