Bernard King says he faced racism

#6
#6
Yes there was racism at UT in the 60's and 70's while I was in school and after.No excuse for it then.No excuse for it at all now!I do remember that when Tennessee played Kentucky at Lexington, that after the game(which Tennessee won)some Ky jelly fan threw a lit cigarette into Bernard's hair and followed it with the " .ucking n...." rant.To persevere through all of that,Sir, you are the man.
 
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#7
#7
He also was allegedly caught wearing a dress while here. Who cares he dominated the SEC.
 
#9
#9
DeepSpringsVol said:
He also was allegedly caught wearing a dress while here. Who cares he dominated the SEC.
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I've heard that story many times and it was even discussed at length on Sports Talk with Mike Keith back in the mid 90's...No doubt King was a strange dude who was completely oblivious to the world around him but this is one thing I believe to be more of a tall tale that took on a life of it's own over time. Marvin West wrote of some of King's antics in "Tales of the Tennessee Vols" that were strange but not perverse in nature.
 
#11
#11
While I'm sure he has experience racism at UT and it was expected during the time. I can say UT is far better than every SEC school when it comes to Race matters. We had the first black starting QB in the SEC and when he retired they showed appreciation by giving him a job that's just one example. UT is a great place and I appreciate it.
 
#12
#12
Of course it was racism. Those cops always form opinions when they catch someone coming out of a dorm room carrying a TV that belongs to someone else.
 
#15
#15
knowthevols said:
Of course it was racism. Those cops always form opinions when they catch someone coming out of a dorm room carrying a TV that belongs to someone else.
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I love 'Nard, and it wasn't all him, but it wasn't like he was the best character athlete we've ever had.

Wonder if they'll address his cocaine use in the NBA.
 
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#17
#17
I learned a long time ago to judge a man by the truth of his words, the strength of his spirit, the focus of his mind, and the character in his heart, not by the color of his skin.

Hate to hear Bernard King had to put up with that, but there are ignorant folks out there. In all fairness though, not all racists are white.
 
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#19
#19
DeepSpringsVol said:
He also was allegedly caught wearing a dress while here. Who cares he dominated the SEC.
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Ah - Bernard - played basketball with him one time at Deane Hill rec. Center and he might have missed one shot in over an hour of play. Chuck Threets was trying to guard him. I really liked Bernard (no homo) but he was a weird dude when he was in college here. In all candor he was idolized by 99.99 % of East Tennessee because let's face it - then as now we are sports crazy and if you got game and wear Orange - that's the only color that matters here -- and he had mad crazy game. Now at UT he constantly dressed in all black, never - I mean never went to class.
"What's up Bernard?" His reply --- " Solid" the dude was ultra cool but weirddddd. I am sure a cop could easily take exception -- to any weird cool college kid on coke or on what ever he was on. He is way off imo - to imply Knoxville was racist toward him because a cop roughed him up one night when he was drunk or what ever. He was quite honestly treated like a god and no different than any other star UT athlete that was worshiped around here imo.
 
#20
#20
PEPPERJAX said:
Racist people in the south? How strange.
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Yep. Want to know where else - try Boston. Read Bill Russell's autobiography and stories on the busing riots for that tale. Try Chicago - an incredibly segregated city even today.

Racism exists wherever people of different races mix together. What I suspect BK faced as much as racism was culture shock from a 18 year old inner city Brooklyn kid moving to Knoxville in the mid 70s.
 
#21
#21
Who knows whether the dress story was true or not, but it didn't just spring up years later. I was in school at the same time as Ernie & Bernie and it was being told then. The club was just off campus.


BowlBrother85 said:
I've heard that story many times and it was even discussed at length on Sports Talk with Mike Keith back in the mid 90's...No doubt King was a strange dude who was completely oblivious to the world around him but this is one thing I believe to be more of a tall tale that took on a life of it's own over time. Marvin West wrote of some of King's antics in "Tales of the Tennessee Vols" that were strange but not perverse in nature.[/QUOlTE]
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#22
#22
The way he describes the event with the police officer and nearly breaks into tears is quite disingenuous. I can't imagine anyone crying about this 40 years later but maybe he is just a "weird dude"
 
#24
#24
Times have changed somewhat, but still along way to go. Am retired now, been all over the country working and Military and one thing I have learned accept a person for who they are. Have a part time job working with public to stay busy, and I am still surprised at some of the racist rants that I hear from all sides. As I said still a long way go.

This statement from Bernard shows he has (maybe) moved on:

"I wish the university and the basketball team all the success in the world," King said. "I would recommend that any athlete on the basketball side or football side or any sport, I would recommend the University of Tennessee for them. I don't harbor any bitterness. You can't go through life like that. It eats you up."
 
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