Somehow I missed this one, but apparently former Utah basketball Coach Rick Majerus said the following March 17:
When asked about the BYU-Texas A&M matchup, Majerus responded, “A&M. I don’t like BYU from my Utah days. The magic underwear Mitt and those guys send themselves.”
What Majerus apparently meant to say is that not even Mitt Romney and “magic underwear” would help BYU win. I’m wondering if Rick Majerus will suffer any consequences at all or whether he should.
Here’s what one blog had to say about the matter:
Posting last week on the sports site bleacherreport.com, blogger Andrew Perkins compared Majerus’ comment to Don Imus’ ill-fated musings on Rutgers’ women’s basketball team last year. “Whether or not he has any love towards Mormons is not the issue,” wrote Perkins. “The issue is that Majerus said something that is discriminatory and disrespectful to a specific group of people.”
Perkins isn’t the only one whose shorts are bunched over the remarks. Responding to Perkins’ blog post, a reader named Tracy Hall commented, “If Majerus had made a derogatory comment about a Jewish player’s ‘magic beanie,’ he would have been fired on the spot. It’s time to realize that anti-Mormons and anti-Semites belong to the same Klan.”
My take: I tend to have more of a sense of humor about these things. Majerus had no love for BYU when he was with the Utes. So at least some of his comment can be taken as a light-hearted jab at a former rival. But it’s not kosher to make fun of a religious symbol other people consider sacred, and somebody definitely needs to inform Majerus that most people take off garments when they are exercising.
In case anybody is wondering, my team has made it to the Sweet 16. The team starts with an “S” and ends with a “Ford.”
Majerus, huh?
That thing about Mitt and garments was a gratuituous shot, and not too many people would find it funny. What would he have done if other people in the studio had started making wise cracks about fat guys who have heart attacks?
Geoff, its a good thing your guys from Stanford Jr. University aren’t in the same bracket with my team, which starts with a ‘K’ and ends with ‘ansas’. I hope this is the Jayhawks’ year.
I’m not quite sure why people have a fascination with my underwear.
Fortunately for Majerus, if he ever converts, we have garments for him, too. Yes, they do really make them that big! š
Mark IV, we are definitely the best Junior University in the country. If we can take down Texas, watch out, you may see us in the Final Four. The Lopi (the Lopez twins, a pair of 7-foot monsters who play like point guard) will make you want to cry.
Majerus has said so many great things about the Church over the years of his stay at Utah, that this doesn’t bother me. He certainly tries to be funny, at times, but nationally prominent articles, Sports Illustrated, etc… all very complimentary.
-John
The man lived in a hotel room for years on end, that’s got to do things to your mind.
I’m not offended by the comment; I see it as a lame (completely unoriginal) and juvenile attempt at humor.
I was more than a bit puzzled by Majerus after I read Sports Illustrated’s feature article on him published a few months ago.
I’ve always hoped, as a people, that we would not get as riled up as other groups when people take shots at us. I think often individuals like Al Sharpton seek out such things to move their personal agenda along. I agree that it was Majerus’s attempt at humor, but I couldn’t care less.
Geoff B: both my men’s and women’s teams made the Sweet Sixteen – 10 S E.
My team starts with a “U” and ends with “CLA” and I wish that they would blowout more teams because the heartstopping way they have been winning lately is causing my blood pressure to max out!
Well Hans I’ll be rooting for your team now (PAC-10 solidarity)> My team got blown out by Texas last night. Oh well, it will be fun to watch Brook Lopez in the NBA.