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Lane Kiffin faced backlash for comments about recruiting Black players at Ole Miss, citing concerns about the town's lack of diversity. Stephen A. Smith supported Kiffin's remarks during a segment on *First Take*.
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Credit: Petre Thomas - USA Today; First Take on ESPN
The latest chapter in the long, messy story of Lane Kiffinâs departure from Ole Miss came this week in the form of a controversial quote about the difficulties he faced recruiting Black players to the school.
The comments, which were part of a larger profile of Kiffin by Vanity Fair magazine, suggested that young Black athletesâ families were hesitant to allow them to live in Oxford, Miss., because of the lack of diversity in the town, a remnant of the Deep Southâs history of racial segregation.
Though Kiffin had apologized by Tuesday, telling On3, âit wasnât calculatedâ as a cheap shot at the school or the town, the quote quickly turned into its own news cycle. And later Tuesday morning, Stephen A Smith weighed in on *First Take,*backing up Kiffinâs claims.
âYou know this is going to be a blemish on Ole Miss and Mississippi, thatâs just a fact. But in the same breath, it wasnât like he was lying,â Smith said. âIf you are a brother and you ainât from Mississippi, and the word Mississippi comes up ⊠itâs going to give you cause to pause.â
Smith harkened back to his original comments when Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, stating that Kiffin would have an easier time recruiting. Smith received significant backlash after giving that opinion and traveled to Oxford to see for himself.
And while Smith said this week that they had a âwonderful timeâ and that they plan to go back for Kiffinâs return game, he believes Kiffinâs concerns have been shared by many coaches in the Deep South over the years.
âThis is not new,â Smith said.
âThis is the South. Itâs Mississippi. And although times have changed and things have evolved and stuff like that, as we know, throughout this country, in certain parts, there are people that want to hold on to the âgood old days,â as they say. That is a fact of life, that some people still feel that way.
Lane Kiffin mentioned that families of young Black athletes were hesitant to let them live in Oxford due to the town's lack of diversity.
Stephen A. Smith backed up Kiffin's claims during a segment on *First Take*, reinforcing the concerns raised about recruiting in the South.
Lane Kiffin apologized, stating that his comments were not intended as a cheap shot at Ole Miss or the town and were not calculated.
The comments are controversial because they touch on sensitive issues of race, diversity, and the historical context of segregation in the South.
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âAnd if you are Black and you are not from Mississippi, I mean to cast no aspersions on a lot of wonderful people that Iâm sure are there, but from an historical perspective, being Black, when you hear Mississippi, and you are not from there, it gives you cause to pause. Especially if you have parents and grandparents who are still alive and are in your ear and have influence in your life.â
Smith also revealed that he talked with ESPNâs Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears, both LSU alumni, about their feelings toward Ole Miss. According to Smith, both confirmed his claims that the families of young Black athletes are uneasy about the university and the stateâs culture more broadly.
Even among southern universities, Ole Miss carries a deeply racist history; Confederate culture and iconography are deeply interwoven with the campus.
Smith acknowledged the timing of Kiffinâs comments wasnât ideal, and expressed hope that Mississippi can âovercomeâ its reputation in time. But he defended Kiffinâs assertion:
âLane Kiffin, saying what he said, although him being the former coach, being there for six years, winning and stuff like that ⊠if theyâre pretty ticked off with him, I wouldnât blame them. because you didnât have to say this to Vanity Fair. But he wasnât lying in terms of his experiences.â
The post Stephen A. Smith backs up Lane Kiffin comments about recruiting at Ole Miss: âThis is the Southâ appeared first on Awful Announcing.