TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Keion Brooks Jr. supports changing name of Rupp Arena

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 08-28-2020, 04:18 PM:

Kentucky basketball standout Keion Brooks Jr. said he backs a push by Black faculty members in the school's African American and Africana Studies department to change the name of Rupp Arena. The group recently requested the change, saying Adolph Rupp's legacy is tied to a history of racism and discrimination.

Brooks, a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Player Development Coalition, averaged 4.7 PPG last season. He said he's still gathering more information about Rupp but stated that he supports a name change.

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 08-28-2020, 04:52 PM:

And what, other than the color of his skin, makes his opinion newsworthy? It is worth exactly as much as mine, which is about zero.

If you took a poll among African-Americans, the overwhelming majority of them would vote to change the name, just because they could.

Likewise, if you took a poll of UK faculty members, the overwhelming majority of them would vote to change the name, just because they bought into a narrative.

Neither group would bother to consult the facts. Right now, it is all about emotions.

I hope cooler heads prevail.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 08-28-2020, 05:06 PM:

I think i’ve said this before. IMO, Rupp was no more or no less a racist than the vast majority of white men of his era. Rupp Arena was not named for him because of his accomplishments in race relations.

Leave the name alone. Rupp earned the honor because of his coaching ability.

If they change it maybe they should call it the “House of Tubby”. After all he was our only black coach. That makes about as much sense as taking Adolph’s name off of it.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 08-28-2020, 08:11 PM:

Right on Handy except I think Tubby was a "very" good coach who also helped win us a National championship.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 08-28-2020, 09:43 PM:

Catmandoo I agree Tubby was a very good coach and I liked him a lot.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-04-2020, 09:12 PM:

handy, Tubby was a very good coach and human being who treated all people, black or white the same. A class act in every sense of the word. I can honestly say he was my favorite UK coach both on and off the court and would bet he would not want Rupp arena name changed.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 09-04-2020, 09:24 PM:

It shouldn't be left in the hands of a player who will only be here a short time and probably has not near the information about Rupp that I do, or any one else on this board. It should not be changed just because a minor group of people want to see anything happen to appease them.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 09-05-2020, 04:38 AM:

Absolutely not! Leave Rupp and Rupp Arena out of this.

Rupp is a basketball legend who built our great basketball tradition and deserves to be honored for that accomplishment with his name on the Arena.

Like hc said, he was no more or less racist (probably much less, imo) than most others at the time. As far as racial slurs, nothing to be proud of certainly, but how many of us on this board can honestly say they're not guilty at one point in their life, at least in a private setting?

I'm getting pretty damn sick of this constant demand for immediate "reparations" for long past behaviors. Some I can understand, like the removal of statues and names of confederate traitors who fought on the side of slavery....Rupp was a basketball coach....and a damned great one at that.