| speedracer_mec |
First and foremost let me post the article
| quote: | State flag costs Mississippi State chance to host basketball tournament
Confederate emblem nixed by NCAA
By GREGG ELLIS
THE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI DAILY JOURNAL
STARKVILLE - State flag derails tourney
The Confederate emblem on the state flag has again cost Mississippi the chance to host a national sporting event.
Three years after the NCAA denied Delta State its bid to host the Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, Mississippi State lost an invitation to serve as a host site for a prominent Division I regular season basketball tournament in November.
The 2004 Guardians Classic had extended invitations to Mississippi State, Missouri, Ohio State and Notre Dame to serve as hosts for the field of 16 teams.
The tournament format features four teams at each site Nov. 15-16, with the winners from each unit advancing to the championship rounds the following week in Kansas City, Mo.
Tournament organizers extended the bid unaware that in 2001 the NCAA banned events at predetermined tournament sites in states where the Confederate insignia appears on a flag.
That same year Mississippians voted against changing the state flag. By a margin of 65 percent to 35 percent, Mississippi voters decided to embrace the state's 1894 flag with a Confederate X in the upper corner.
Opponents of the state flag say its Confederate symbol is a reminder of slavery and has been adopted by hate groups. Supporters say it represents Southern heritage.
"There's no way we can host this tournament," Mississippi State athletics director Larry Templeton said Thursday, noting that negotiations were broken off when tournament officials learned of the moratorium. "The NCAA policy won't let us."
Templeton estimated that the two-day tournament would have generated nearly $200,000 from hotel, restaurant, souvenir and ticket sales. He also said it would not benefit the school financially to participate as a visitor at another host.
In addition, the tournament would have allowed the defending Southeastern Conference champions to play more than the allowed 26 regular-season games because of its exempt status.
But to be considered an exempt tournament, the event had to be certified by the NCAA.
"We have the same standard (for this event) where we won't award an NCAA championship where a moratorium exists," said Jeff Howard, the NCAA's managing director of public and media relations. "The committee will deny a request of a certified exempted tournament in any state where the Confederate flag stands."
Division I schools are allowed to play in one NCAA-certified exempt tournament every four years.
Delta State was the first Mississippi school affected by the NCAA's ruling when it was not awarded the Swimming and Diving Championships in August 2001.
The NCAA said the criteria for that event were twofold.
First, it said, championship sites must provide a quality experience for the participants and fans. Second, the site must conduct those events safely.
But the state flag was the determining factor, school officials said.
Longtime Delta State swimming coach Ronnie Mayers said the NCAA is trying to make a point the wrong way.
"There are not a lot of minorities in our sport," he said. "And by not being able to host, minorities here aren't given a chance to see our facilities and what takes place. Therefore, there is nothing to encourage them to get into swimming.
"We also have a lot of minority-owned restaurants. They too miss out because of the money that could be made with this event. It's a shame."
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Without going into any details for now,
I will say I believe that Mississippi has the right to keep the flag if they want.
Similar issue to the pledge of alliance debate.
What do you guys believe? |
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