UCF opened up the 2023 college football season with a big 56-6 win over Kent State, but after the game, the school's social media team made a huge blunder.
UCF Athletics unintentionally caused some controversy when it posted a picture of Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee on the phone during the game, alongside the seemingly harmless caption, "SOMEONE CALL THE NATIONAL GUARD".
That was a reference to a famous moment during an NFL game in 1996 when Shannon Sharpe used a sideline phone to jokingly "call" the President asking him to bring out the National Guard as the Denver Broncos were routing the New England Patriots.
Unfortunately for Kent State, any reference to the National Guard also reminds that school and its alumni of a tragedy that took place on campus when, in 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd during an anti-Vietnam war protest, killing four students and wounding nine others.
It would seem that UCF didn't mean to make any connection to the shooting when they sent out the tweet, given that the people on its social teams are likely too young to be aware of it.
Still, the school released a statement expressing regret for the post.
“An unfortunate post was made with the intention to reference the famous Shannon Sharpe sideline clip of him on the phone from a 1996 game against the New England Patriots," UCF said in a statement.
“As soon as our staff was made aware of the unintended reference to the unfortunate event that took place at Kent State in 1970, the post was removed. It was addressed with our staff immediately, and updated protocols have been put in place to avoid a situation like this in the future.
“Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir has apologized to Kent State Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond.”
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