Months since the Allen Central Rebel Flag controversy, David School head coach Ned Pillersdorf has spoken out in defense of his acts as he's "not ready to make nice" about the confederate flag. Pillersdorf wrote a letter to editor, which appeared in today's (April 18th, 2007) Floyd County Times.
My favorite part is where he admits that using the word "boycott" was wrong and that he should've been more careful in choosing what he said to the Associated Press.
It's amazing how it has taken him months to come out of hiding to respond to what he calls "erroneous reports" made by the media and others. He has also criticized the AD at Allen Central for comments and not returning his phone calls, when we all know that ACHS had contact with the David School throughout the event.
Nobody cares anymore Ned. Where were you when the shots were being fired? Now, months later, we are suppose to respect your opinion on the subject when it has been put to rest by the Floyd County Board of Education and ACHS?
Nevertheless, here is what Pillersdorf wrote in today's paper...
http://www.floydcountytimes.com/articles...uest/1.txt
This is what Pillersdorf wrote. The letter is too long to place in one post:
Every Kentucky high school basketball game begins with a meeting of the team captains and coaches at center court, during which a referee reads a sportsmanship warning card. Over the last five years, I have heard this warning at every game played by the team I coach for the David School. The sportsmanship card simply reads that there will be no taunting during the games and that there will be no warning as to the consequences of taunting.
I recently read in the Lexington Herald-Leader that my attempt to cancel this year's game against Allen Central led to a "furor." It did. Why did I do it? The various press accounts indicate there is confusion about my reasoning. I write to explain the events that led to the decision that I still believe was correct. So that there is no misunderstanding, my recommendation to my team and my attempts to cancel the game were based upon my belief that displaying a Confederate flag constitutes a form of taunting. I believe this is especially true when one of the teams involved in the game is racially mixed.
I am not alone in this view. In 2000, the NCAA stated that the presence of the Confederate flag at sporting events created an "intolerable environment" and issued economic sanctions against the state of South Carolina for their continued use of the Confederate flag above their State Capitol. In an interesting side note, the NCAA press release announcing this position was issued by Charles Wethington, former president of the University of Kentucky.
In reflecting on the tumultuous events that have surrounded the controversy, I believe there are several misconceptions that need to be addressed. First, I have been criticized for scheduling game against Allen Central in the first place, knowing of their past use of the Confederate flag. I also obviously knew that I had the only racially mixed team in Floyd County.
Several events occurred during December 2006, after the game was scheduled, that led to my decision. During this time I read with great concern press accounts of the response of certain Allen Central officials and students when Floyd County school board member Mickey McGuire publicly challenged the use of the Confederate flag at Allen Central sporting events. The defiant response by those associated with the school generated national news coverage prior to the David School becoming embroiled in the controversy.
The rest of the story:
During this same time period, Rev. Lewis Coleman, of Louisville, traveled to Floyd County to publicly criticize Allen Central's use of the Confederate flag. From reading his comments, he appeared to be given the incorrect impression that people within Floyd County were not conflicted by the use of the Confederate flag at Allen Central. Make no mistake about it, there are people within our county who strongly support the Confederate symbol, and plenty of folks like me within the county who find it to be offensive.
Also, during the same time period, we played a game in which we lost by a very large margin. While the players and school officials with the opposing team displayed great sportsmanship throughout this mismatch, I was concerned that a handful of fans may have taunted my players during the later stages of the game.
At our next practice, I discussed my concerns about the recent incident with the players. As the coach of a team that often loses games by large margins, I am especially sensitive to taunting. During the team discussion, I expressed my strong concerns to my team about the recent comments those at Allen Central had made over the flag controversy. We specifically discussed the fact that one of our former players had actually participated in displaying a large Confederate flag near the opponent's bench at a game at Allen Central last season.
As the conversation continued, I recommended to my team that we cancel the game against Allen Central. They all agreed. The conversation immediately turned to their desire to play a game against another Floyd County team. I then advised the team that I would try to contact South Floyd and schedule a game there. We agreed we would cancel the game against Allen Central due to my concerns about the atmosphere. I held up making the final decision to cancel the game until I had the opportunity to discuss it with the principal of the David School. I advised her of our tentative decision and I further advised her that I would attempt to contact officials at Allen Central about somehow avoiding the tentative decision to cancel the game. I left repeated messages with the Allen Central athletic director. To date, I have never had a single phone call returned from the Allen Central athletic director.
Instead, I have read various quotes from the Allen Central athletic director in which he defended the use of the Confederate flag, and went so far as to defend the use of the word "colored" in referring to black people. I personally view the use of the word "colored" to be reminiscent of the awful days of "separate but equal," when the word was used to designate separate but not equal bathrooms, water fountains and other public facilities.
After not hearing back from anyone from Allen Central, I simultaneously scheduled a game at the South Floyd gym and notified Allen Central that we were canceling the game based on my belief that their use of the Confederate flag violated the taunting rule. We eventually played Riverside Christian at South Floyd High School on Jan. 26.
A few days later, in an interview with the Associated Press, I allowed the use of the word "boycott" to become associated with the decision to cancel the game. In fact, when I discussed the matter with my players, I don't believe the word "boycott" was ever used. As a lawyer, I should have been more careful in choosing my words. I am still unsure if a decision by one team to cancel a game constitutes a boycott or not, but it is clear to me that the use of the word "boycott" contributed to the publicity. A "furor" did erupt.
What I have found most distressing about the publicity concerning the decision to cancel the game is the pattern of misinformation that has been engaged in by some, but not all, of the officials at Allen Central High School. The most misleading misinformation has to do with whether or not Confederate flags are in fact waved at Allen Central games. On several occasions, I have had to convince skeptical members of the media and others that such flag waving actually occurs. My response for anyone who has any doubts is to go to the WYMT news website and look at the video footage that WYMT captured at a past Allen Central game. The news footage in question aired on WYMT on the 6 o'clock edition of the Feb. 8 news. It confirms the fact that a very large Confederate flag is clearly visibly displayed at Allen Central High School basketball games.
Much of the misinformation can also be traced to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who have exploited this controversy to promote their obsession with the Confederate flag. They have been in continuous contact with the media. What has not been reported is their bizarre political agenda. This agenda includes not only their continuous promotion of the Confederate flag, but their curious view of history which includes portraying Abraham Lincoln as some type of war criminal. Recently, one of their leaders spoke in opposition to a commemoration of President Lincoln at a Virginia legislative hearing, by declaring that Lincoln had attempted to "lay waste" to the state of Virginia.
There was also an erroneous report on WSAZ television that either myself or my wife and assistant coach, Janet Stumbo, claimed that racial slurs caused the attempted cancellation of the game. We never heard any slurs, racial or otherwise. We did see the Confederate flag.
The reality of the David School basketball team is that we are not as big and fast as other teams. There are approximately 35 students who attend the David School, of which 25 percent are the basketball team. We have never won a varsity game. However, I don't believe there is a coach in Kentucky who is prouder of his team than I am. While my players are often on the wrong side of lopsided scores, I am proud of their dedication, and the fact that no team tries harder than the David School players.
The David School is a wonderful school and has helped countless students in this region. It is a tuition-free school. Many, but not all, of the students are from low-income families. One of the reasons I have dedicated my time, money and efforts to the David School is simply to repay them the invaluable education my middle daughter received at the David School, which in my opinion helped her to achieve the academic success she is currently experiencing at Hollins University. My other reason for coaching and funding the David School team is that I simply enjoy being with the players and I hope I can make a positive contribution to the future of these fine young men. The greatest threat to our basketball program at the David School is the presence of taunting, which can discourage players in a way losing games does not. The vast majority of teams we play do not engage in taunting and generally display outstanding sportsmanship. A shining example is our last regular season game against Pikeville High School, in which Pikeville defeated us by the score of 98-46. With approximately a minute to go, Pikeville had the opportunity to score 100 points. Instead, the Pikeville players merely held the ball. After the game, I congratulated Coach Bart Williams and their players for outstanding sportsmanship. As I left the game, I thought about what a valuable lesson in sportsmanship and discipline the Pikeville players had exhibited not only for themselves and their fans, but for our team as well.
There are countless other examples I can give of other high school teams engaging in similar sportsmanship. Returning to the Allen Central situation, I do not believe waving of a Confederate flag at a racially mixed team is good sportsmanship. I continue to believe it constitutes a form of taunting. In the recent words of the Dixie Chicks, I am "Still Not Ready to Make Nice" about their use of the Confederate flag.
Why does Allen Central use a Confederate flag? Is their mascot the Rebels?
DevilsWin Wrote:Why does Allen Central use a Confederate flag? Is their mascot the Rebels?
Yes, they are the Rebels and have used the flag/confederate emblems since the school's inception in the mid-1970's with little controversy.
The mascot, Rebels, was picked by the students of Maytown, Martin, Wayland and Garrett High Schools who were rebelling against the consolidation.
jammin' jamey Wrote:Yes, they are the Rebels and have used the flag/confederate emblems since the school's inception in the mid-1970's with little controversy.
The mascot, Rebels, was picked by the students of Maytown, Martin, Wayland and Garrett High Schools who were rebelling against the consolidation.
Thanks for clearing that up JJ. I have mixed feelings about this because #1 that flag was not intended to represent racial hatred when it was created.
But the KKK and other organizations have used the flag as a symbol of hate for decades. The design we see today was just a portion of most battle flags flown by the armies and states of the Confederacy.
I can see both viewpoints here.Tough issue.
JJ, PillersDORK is considered a joke and a Liar to many people in eastern Kentucky after pulling this stunt. For an educated person to pull immature & Childish stunts like this they are no more than a Child themselves. He is hard to take seriously, his own team even made him out to be a liar and thats what he is a childish, hypocritical individual. Trying to take advantage of 13,14,15,16, 17 year old little kid who for the most part act older than him...jmo. I personally will never respect this guy nor the Board member in floyd county, McGuire.
David needs to drop out of varsity competition, period!!
bball fan Wrote:David needs to drop out of varsity competition, period!!
Get a new coach is what they need to do!
bball fan Wrote:David needs to drop out of varsity competition, period!!
Let's leave the David School out of it, these players are as much victims as the students at ACHS. Pilersdorf is culprit here.
I have a recorded interview from December 21, 2006 with Pillersdorf.
It is 15 mb...too large to post here.