Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Sports & Politics Intersect: Maryland fails to balance athletics and morality

By Jeff Mezydlo, Jason Clinkscales, Phillip Barnett | Last updated 11/2/18

“I feel relief and justice for Jordan. You keep saying his name until somebody listened.” - Jodi McKennie, mother of Maryland offensive lineman Ellis McKennie

DJ Durkin is no longer the head football coach at the University of Maryland.

Following the ramifications, controversy and subsequent investigations surrounding the June 13 death of 19-year-old Terrapins offensive lineman Jordan McNair as a result of heatstroke, it was a wonder it took until the last day of October for that decision to be made. At the very least, it could have come a day earlier when the university opted to reinstate the embattled coach.

Durkin’s seemingly unthinkable reinstatement, reportedly at the urging of the school’s Board of Regents, drew opposition and outrage from politicians, media, students, players and McNair’s family. A student protest was held on campus Thursday, with talk of boycotting Saturday’s home game vs. Michigan State.

However, there remain those who support Durkin, including some of his players. That apparent loyalty might have been the basis for an altercation between Terrapins players earlier this week. It’s also that type of incident that could further stain a Maryland football program more than it already has since the summer. The ramifications of this ugly and tragic situation could be felt long after Durkin’s office is completely cleaned out. Entering this weekend, the Terps are 13-26 in Big Ten play since joining the conference in 2014, so one can assume the program was already in need of improvement before any of this occurred.

The immediate reputation of the university as a whole might not be much better. President Wallace Loh, who reportedly asked the Board of Regents for its support in firing Durkin on Tuesday, decided on his own to reverse the decision the next day. He also announced his retirement, at the urging of the same board, following this school year. In a piece by Maryland student newspaper The Diamondback, Loh said at a Tuesday press conference, “It is an abdication of responsibility of a captain to abandon ship in the middle of a storm. And I don’t know how many new captains want to join the ship when the ship is in the middle of a storm. The regents have asked me to do exactly that: to steer the ship to calmer waters.”

Two days after Loh’s announcement, the backlash from the initial decision to reinstate Durkin apparently proved too much for Board of Regents chairman James Brady, so he gave word of own his resignation Thursday.

As a week that ran the gamut of emotions at the University of Maryland comes to an end, it seems, perhaps, it’s a case of trying, at any cost, to achieve success in big-time collegiate athletics blurring the lines of common sense and morality. But the week’s events also provided some sense of closure to the family and friends of a student-athlete whose death often was overshadowed by the messiness of the entire situation. This week, McNair’s fellow offensive lineman and friend Tyran Hunt posted on his Twitter feed: “At the end of the day, a YOUNG life was lost. My brother, teammate. And to boil it down to even horrific matters, a paycheck was chosen over that life. Through whatever and forever, I live for Jordan Martin McNair.”

Need to know now:

A fan holds up a sign to honor the victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field on Oct. 28, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Pittsburgh teams mourn with city over synagogue tragedy - The mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood was understandably top of mind for all of the city’s residents, including its sports teams. Officers who were injured during the incident were emotionally honored by the Penguins prior to their game against the New York Islanders. The tragedy had a profound effect on many players, including Steelers defensive end and Pittsburgh native Cam Heyward, who once lived in the neighborhood. Dozens of members of the Steelers paid respects, as a relative of two victims previously worked for the team. Yet, President Donald Trump’s visit divided the city, as some were hoping he’d stay away.
WNBA players opt out of CBA - Long expected, but still notable, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) decided to opt out of the collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA before it was set to expire in 2020. In explaining why the players made the call now, WNBPA President and Los Angeles Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike spoke not only to the players’ specific asks, but she also said that opting out “is about what the future of the WNBA can mean to all people.” While the debate over higher pay has taken the lion’s share of conversation, players — who play all around the world even after the WNBA season — are also looking for greater accommodations.
Red Sox may visit White House… well, not all - On the heels of winning their fourth World Series since 2004, the Boston Red Sox may consider visiting the White House if they are invited, according to team owner John Henry. Yet, manager Alex Cora said he’s not so sure, considering his comments regarding President Trump’s handling of relief efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill wasn’t pleased with the president’s tweet about his manager, Dave Roberts, during Game 4 of the World Series in light of the tragedy in Pittsburgh.
Transgender rights activists make themselves heard during World Series - During Game 5 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, members of the TransLatin@ Coalition unfurled a banner that read, “Trans People Deserve to Live.” The protest is a reaction to President Trump’s announcement that his administration is considering changing how it recognizes transgender people under federal law.
Arizona regents want facts in Sean Miller recruiting scandal - The University of Arizona Board of Regents is “aggressively pursuing the facts” in relation to men’s basketball head coach Sean Miller’s potential involvement in the ongoing pay-for-play scandal in college basketball.
Missouri coach placed on leave - The University of Missouri placed men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Greg Rhodenbaugh on administrative leave. The reasoning is vague, but it’s in response to “serious team management allegations” made by student-athletes.
NHL wants to make bigger dent in Europe - With the league’s regular-season Global Games taking place in Helsinki, Finland, the NHL plans to host more games in Europe in the coming years. It also has adjusted the start time of weekend contests to coincide with European time zones. The positive news for the NHL comes in contrast to that of the NFL, where commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged some of the competitive challenges of a long-rumored London franchise while also committing to more regular-season games there for the current teams.
MGM International strikes deal with NHL, NFL’s Jets - Weeks after making a landmark deal with the NBA and WNBA, MGM Resorts International reached a pact with the NHL for the league’s first gambling partnership. The league will exchange its data with the gaming company for NHL-specific offerings to prospective gamblers. MGM also made a team-specific deal in the NFL with the New York Jets where the company will develop a free, non-gambling app through which fans can win prizes.
New York State judge flips 2016 law on daily fantasy - A New York State judge ruled that contests from daily fantasy companies are forms of gambling that are prohibited in the state constitution. In 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law that declared offerings from sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings were “games of skill.” As legalized sports betting begins to move into other states, a Biloxi bookie spoke about how the activity’s legal standing affects his business in Mississippi.
Referendum on Safeco Field upkeep funds withdrawn - An anonymous group that wanted to stop $135 million of public money from going toward renovations at Safeco Field withdrew its referendum. While the reason hasn’t been publicly stated, it was believed that the group couldn’t get enough funding together to pay a firm to gather the necessary signatures.
The impact of player protests on Beto O’Rourke’s Senate campaign - Ted Cruz’s opponent for his U.S. Senate seat, Beto O’Rourke, took on the athlete protests during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a way that most of his fellow Democrats have avoided — by not only talking about it, but also by siding with the manner in which Colin Kaepernick (and others) brought attention to their causes.
Short-selling scheme nearly killed German soccer team - The April 2017, bombings in Dortmund, Germany took place the day before Borussia Dortmund lost a Champions League game to AS Monaco. Here’s the story of how the attacks were perpetrated by someone trying to get rich off the potential death of the players and franchise.
Aaron Rodgers’ careful but poignant approach to activism - Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in many ways the face of the NFL as one of its most dynamic players. Yet, he stands out in a different manner: his careful messaging and activism for various social causes, including and beyond the player protests that enveloped the league.
Celebration of Derrick Rose’s career game raises eyebrows - Upon Minnesota Timberwolves guard Derrick Rose scoring a career-high 50 points in a win over the Utah Jazz, the NBA, its players and media partners lauded the effort as part of a redemptive comeback for the former league MVP. However, just as immediate was the backlash against the praise, as rape accusations against Rose and the resulting trial were over just two years ago.

This week in sports and politics history: Chuck Cooper makes his debut for the Boston Celtics

Sporting News/Sporting News via Getty Images

"As I get older and mature as a man, I do have a deeper appreciation and understanding of what he accomplished. I can't say I can imagine what he went through, but I certainly understand what that time period was like in our country.” - Chuck Cooper III on his father becoming the first black man to be drafted by the NBA

Three years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, a trio of men did the same for the NBA. In 1950, Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton was drafted by the New York Knicks, and Earl Lloyd was picked up by the Washington Capitals. However, the first of the three to be drafted by an NBA team was Chuck Cooper, who was picked 14th overall by the Boston Celtics.

Cooper, a Pittsburgh native, was drafted by the U.S. Navy during World War II and spent four years at Duquesne University, where be became an All-American and team captain. He was a 6-foot-5 power forward and one of the most talented athletes in the country. His skill on the court didn’t shield him from the trials he faced from a nation still reeling from Jim Crow laws.

Cooper played only six years in the NBA, four with the Celtics and his final two with the St. Louis Hawks and Fort Wayne Pistons, before injuries from a car accident derailed his career.

Cooper saw his jersey retired by Duquesne before he passed at 57 years old from liver cancer in 1984. His legacy continues to live on through the foundation started by his son, Chuck III, in the early ’90s. The foundation gives away thousands of dollars in scholarships to students attending Pittsburgh-area colleges every year. Also, Duquesne recently announced that the A.J. Palumbo Center, which is home to its basketball team, will be renamed the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in honor of its famous alumnus.

Cooper still has not been enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, however. Both Clifton and Lloyd, the two men who entered the NBA in 1950 with him, have been admitted into the Hall, but Cooper is awaiting his turn.

More must-reads: