UL Coach (1957-73) Beryl Shipley

[douglas]

were are currently looking for informal fan interviews which will be posted weekly on www.lightsoutinblackham.com. all of you fit the bill, nothing fancy 5 questions tops, shouldn't take longer than a half hour. and your ragin pagin identities shall be sealed!!! send me a private message please kind sirs...or madams??

[cajun67]

_ He addressed the crowd the next day at Martin Hall. _

Was there for that one. The Prez was not a happy camper. But it felt good to show him that a significant part of the student body wanted the B-ball team to go to the tournament. O, to have been a fly on the wall of Stan Galloway's office when he learned we were going anyhow. A man after the Klan's heart.

[USL1970]

I was also surprised that the theme of the entire book was based mostly on racial predjudice. The Gulf States Conference was desegregated during the early 1970's, and it was not unusual throughout the nation to have mostly white teams. The great #2 Michigan State football team with Bubba Smith from Texas had a majority of its starters as black, and when they played #1 Notre Dame, it had only one black on the entire team.

The downfall of the program was based on NCAA "rules" violations and those usually revolve around lying and cheating - breaking rules - not race. And there was certainly a lot of lying and cheating going on which was initiated by the hero of the book. The people condemned in the book were probably far better than they were portrayed, and the hero was much less. The author chose to build the hero up by making all those around him little, and that should not have been necessary. However, there is no doubt we had good integrated basketball teams which excited the fans and brought some national attention attention to the university, first good, then really bad.

I hope Tom Shipley can get some attention with all his NCAA findings and bring us some results with much more balance and believeability with more focus getting to the truth on the rules violations.

[zephyr]

_ I was also surprised that the theme of the entire book was based mostly on racial predjudice. The Gulf States Conference was desegregated during the early 1970's, and it was not unusual throughout the nation to have mostly white teams. The great #2 Michigan State football team with Bubba Smith from Texas had a majority of its starters as black, and when they played #1 Notre Dame, it had only one black on the entire team.

The downfall of the program was based on NCAA "rules" violations and those usually revolve around lying and cheating - breaking rules - not race. And there was certainly a lot of lying and cheating going on which was initiated by the hero of the book. The people condemned in the book were probably far better than they were portrayed, and the hero was much less. The author chose to build the hero up by making all those around him little, and that should not have been necessary. However, there is no doubt we had good integrated basketball teams which excited the fans and brought some national attention attention to the university, first good, then really bad.

I hope Tom Shipley can get some attention with all his NCAA findings and bring us some results with much more balance and believeability with more focus getting to the truth on the rules violations. _

You have chosen to focus on the "bias' of the book rather than seeing past perception and looking at the whole picture. First, the book is somewhat of a reckoning for years of allegation and blame placed on individuals and the program without the ability to defend itself amid these allegations. Also, the book was written to hopefully inform many that while they were found "Guilty" by the NCAA, the purpose is to acknowledge that the program was never given due process in being able to defend itself to those allegations. So, technically, the purpose is to show that had they been able to do that and face their accusers, the number of infractions they were found "guilty" of would have been significantly less.

Lets not also forget that one of the biggest and first infractions was the FACT that Coach Shipley and the A.D. were ordered to hold an early practice by the GSC's commisssioner. This practice was ordered by a man who wanted to bring into question the program's integrity due to its recruiting of black players. How do you not make this about race? How do you explain the major target that was placed on UL's back in the middle of the civil rights movement because they were the only school in the deep south and certainly in the state of LA to recruit and play young black players? How do you explain the State's unwillingness to fund those scholarships for the young black players after unsuccessfully trying to rule them academically ineligible? Are you serious?

Is the book written from one point of view? Absolutely so I'm sure there is a degree of objectivity that is lost in the writings. However, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary to do so to try to explain and defend one's actions after the NCAA was unwilling to do so 30 years ago. Forgive me if I don't cry your tears of unfair criticism.

[SlappyCajun]

_ I was also surprised that the theme of the entire book was based mostly on racial predjudice. The Gulf States Conference was desegregated during the early 1970's, and it was not unusual throughout the nation to have mostly white teams. The great #2 Michigan State football team with Bubba Smith from Texas had a majority of its starters as black, and when they played #1 Notre Dame, it had only one black on the entire team.

The downfall of the program was based on NCAA "rules" violations and those usually revolve around lying and cheating - breaking rules - not race. And there was certainly a lot of lying and cheating going on which was initiated by the hero of the book. The people condemned in the book were probably far better than they were portrayed, and the hero was much less. The author chose to build the hero up by making all those around him little, and that should not have been necessary. However, there is no doubt we had good integrated basketball teams which excited the fans and brought some national attention attention to the university, first good, then really bad.

I hope Tom Shipley can get some attention with all his NCAA findings and bring us some results with much more balance and believeability with more focus getting to the truth on the rules violations. _

With all your hands on knowledge of the situation, it seems like you would be the guy to set the record straight. Why don't you write the definitive book. Also, the first set of violations were completely about race relations as they occurred in the sixties.

[Turbine]

_ I was also surprised that the theme of the entire book was based mostly on racial predjudice. The Gulf States Conference was desegregated during the early 1970's, and it was not unusual throughout the nation to have mostly white teams.

Duh, thus the heavy hand felt justified in bringing undue pressure on a Louisiana program/coach who dared break the barrier.

[USL1970]

_ Duh, thus the heavy hand felt justified in bringing undue pressure on a Louisiana program/coach who dared break the barrier. _

I didn't see any race violations in the NCAA "rules" - just lying and cheating. Good leaders should be able function well while under "undue pressure" by not being manipulated by those that may lie or cheat. Using the "race card" is an excuse, not a defense for the infractions. (Re-read the article at the beginning of this tread.)

[LsuULfan]

_ I didn't see any race violations in the NCAA "rules" - just lying and cheating. Good leaders should be able function well while under "undue pressure" by not being manipulated by those that may lie or cheat. Using the "race card" is an excuse, not a defense for the infractions. (Re-read the article at the beginning of this tread.) _

How does a good leader get around the refusal to be able to give his players scholarships?

[Cajunsmike]

_ I didn't see any race violations in the NCAA "rules" - just lying and cheating. Good leaders should be able function well while under "undue pressure" by not being manipulated by those that may lie or cheat. Using the "race card" is an excuse, not a defense for the infractions. (Re-read the article at the beginning of this tread.) _

The order to hold a tryout practice for black players prior to the date practice was allowed to begin is definitely a race issue. It came from Stanley Galloway who then turned the program it for violating that rule. If you respond, please address this particular circumstance.

[CajunRed]

I suggest you go back and read again.

I didn't see any race violations in the NCAA "rules" - just lying and cheating. Good leaders should be able function well while under "undue pressure" by not being manipulated by those that may lie or cheat. Using the "race card" is an excuse, not a defense for the infractions. (Re-read the article at the beginning of this tread.)

igeaux.mobi