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QB rips WVU baseball coach

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West Virginia senior quarterback Patrick White started his Heisman Trophy candidacy with a bang this week at Big East media days: Asked about playing his other sport this spring, he told a New York-based blogger, in a recorded interview Tuesday, that the Mountaineers' baseball program doesn't seek black players. "In my knowledge of West Virginia baseball, there's not been many players of race on his team," White said of 14-year West Virginia Coach Greg Van Zant. "He's not too high on it." White was a fourth-round selection in 2004 by the Anaheim Angels before he came to the Mountaineers. The Angels picked him again in the 27th round last June, and the Cincinnati Reds grabbed him in the 49th round last month even though he hasn't played baseball in four years. "Every player I've talked to doesn't like him," White added. "He's not a well-liked coach, but I guess he has tenure so they never got rid of him. They're not successful at all." Van Zant has 413 career victories at West Virginia with 29 draftees and 42 players who signed professional contracts, but his Mountaineers haven't earned an NCAA tournament berth since 1996. His 31-player roster last season, with 11 players culled from the state of West Virginia and nine from Pennsylvania, included no black players.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Patrick White, Stephen Dunn/Getty Images Patrick White, Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
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July 31, 2008  07:50 AM ET

go away lorray!!!!!!!!!!

July 31, 2008  08:14 AM ET

Refreshing! This guy has Ali-like qualities. Tells the hard truth (if it's true) at the height of his popularity while risking everything. ACC, SEC baseball is riddled with problems of coaches with questionable recruiting practices. Note: Mississippi State and the legacy of Ron Polk.

July 31, 2008  08:24 AM ET

What the hell has the comments of lorray has to do with this article? Would someone please clue me in? There comments belong in the "hollywood hottie colunm". Anyway, My question is this; if this has bothered White, why did he say what he thinks now and not when RR was the head coach? Interesting, if this was a big problem as it seems as I said, why bring it out now? Shouldn't be surprised, this has been a off the wall year in College Football already and the ole pigskin hasn't even been kicked off yet.

July 31, 2008  08:37 AM ET

Unfortunately, NO college sport has been hit harder by Title IX than baseball. With 11.7 scholarships for a 25 man roster players are expected to pay a big portion of their tuition. More white families have the cash to do this. Sad but true. Making them more attractive to college coaches. Just another reason why Title IX is reverse discrimination. http://hsbaseballweb.com/ncaa_enemy.htm

July 31, 2008  08:43 AM ET

Good for you Pat White. But don't think this racism against minorities is limited only to the baseball coach in West Virginia. No state's primary voters sounded more ignorant and racist than West Virginia's during the democratic primary a few months back. Please keep speaking up Mr. White! Others, please follow Pat White! The more big-time college athletes and pro athletes speak out against social injustice in America, the better. People listen to you more than other national figures.

July 31, 2008  09:27 AM ET

This is baseball we're talking about, right? How many Latinos does he have?

July 31, 2008  09:30 AM ET

Airborne, these comments didn't come up when RR was here at WVU because RR was to self-centered and never allowed any of his football players to persue other sports. Stewart has, Jarret Brown in B-ball and Pat McAfee in Soccer, he encouraged White to check out baseball.

HollyBull, has a good point. You also need to look at the entire Big East league. I believe out of all the teams in the big east there are only 10 or 11 total african american players on baseball teams. Thats a big ****? I am not taking up for the WVU baseball coach, he may be racist and a down right ****, but other factors should be looked at.

EastCoast, don't group all of west virginia into one category as ignorant primary voters just because we may not feel the same as you do about the direction of the country and who we want in office. That, in and of itself, is racist. Of course, according to my human rights professor, all white people are racist even if they don't mean to be or know it.

July 31, 2008  09:54 AM ET

Two things to point out here: Black athletes are shying away from baseball in college at a very high rate choosing basketball and football. In addition to that, many of the black athletes that are playing baseball and are good enough to play in college are being drafted and choosing the minors over college, even if it's in the 400th round and their signing bonus is minimal.

Neither of these factors excuse a coach for not recruiting black athletes, however they are a big factor as to why there are not that many in NCAA baseball.

July 31, 2008  09:55 AM ET

*Shying away from baseball in college

July 31, 2008  10:01 AM ET

EastCoast, don't group all of west virginia into one category as ignorant primary voters just because we may not feel the same as you do about the direction of the country and who we want in office. That, in and of itself, is racist. Of course, according to my human rights professor, all white people are racist even if they don't mean to be or know it.

Pugz

Pugz, do you not recall the comments made by West Virginia democrats who voted in the democratic primary???? The ones interviewed and then shown on national TV specifically spoke about the fact they could not vote for a black man. Just one person who made these comments is TOO MANY in 2008. They are the ones who brought up the race factor. And by the way, your human rights prof is exactly right. All white people are racist even if we do not intend to be or even know it. Racism against minorities (and there cannot be such a thing as racism against whites, we're the majority) is such a complicated, misunderstood disease.

I suggest you check out the work of Tim Wise, a white man, who covers the topic like few others I have seen, read, or heard.

July 31, 2008  10:09 AM ET

Ron Polk's recruiting legacy at Mississippi State, a shame. Seemed as if he didn't know black players existed.

July 31, 2008  10:11 AM ET

What's a "black player"?

July 31, 2008  10:27 AM ET

Sorry that your black.

July 31, 2008  10:34 AM ET

HA well WHite has a point, the guy has 0 black players o his team.

July 31, 2008  10:36 AM ET

Yet another example of the popular saying, " truth hurts, doesn't it?" The question is, who is this going to hurt? Were there a lot of black players in high school pushing to be on WVU's team or is this just something no one thought about until P. White brought it up? And will it change the "color" of the roster in the future? Look at the MLB. Wasn't there an article not too long ago about not having enough black players there too? Idon't think that has to do with the MLB not wanting them but because there just isn't that many interested in pursuing a baseball career. Truth is most of them like other sports.

July 31, 2008  10:52 AM ET

Hey, while we're at it why don't we blame BYU for having a really bad cricket team.

July 31, 2008  11:06 AM ET

This kid is a racist, as are most of the posters so far. What difference does it make what color someone is? What happened to a color blind society?
Truth is black kids are not playing baseball much anymore. This results in a smaller talent pool. I personally don't care either way. Until black people stop whinning about every slight that they "percieve" to be perpetrated on them, most of us "****" will just blow them off. Enjoy your last year in football Mr. White.

July 31, 2008  11:09 AM ET

You're def not referring to me

 
July 31, 2008  11:33 AM ET

Pugz, do you not recall the comments made by West Virginia democrats who voted in the democratic primary???? The ones interviewed and then shown on national TV specifically spoke about the fact they could not vote for a black man. Just one person who made these comments is TOO MANY in 2008. They are the ones who brought up the race factor. And by the way, your human rights prof is exactly right. All white people are racist even if we do not intend to be or even know it. Racism against minorities (and there cannot be such a thing as racism against whites, we're the majority) is such a complicated, misunderstood disease.

For you to say that racism against white people cannot exist because they are the majority is straight up ignorant. For you to say the whole state of West Virginia is racist because of one politician is equally ignorant.

There are entire NBA teams without a white guy. There are entire NCAA basketball teams without a white guy. I'm not saying this coach is a racist or not a racist. I'm just saying there are way more factors than just black dudes and white dudes on a baseball team.

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