Among the demonstrators at the University of Oklahoma (OU) who voiced their outrage over a racist chant on a fraternity's bus were several OU football players in particular, as was their head coach, Bob Stoops.
Before OU President David Boren gave his press conference at 11 a.m. Monday morning, he addressed demonstrators gathering at North Oval on the school's campus. At South Oval was Stoops, who told the Tulsa World he was there to support his Sooners football players.
Bob Stoops stands with his players at OU South Oval demonstration. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/QS7Al3wt6Q
— Guerin Emig (@GuerinEmig) March 9, 2015
"It's sad the ignorance that can still be there with some people. It's just appalling," the coach told the newspaper. "I was here to be with my guys. We all work with beautiful young men and women of all races. It's just, you know, very little gets me choked up. But that hurt."
Some Sooners football players took to Twitter to express their outrage over the OU Kappa chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon's (SAE) racist chant. Linebacker Eric Striker posted an angry, profane rant on his Snapchat account, but later posted another video apologizing for the harsh language, the Oklahoma Daily reported.
Really hoping this SAE thing is handled properly. Blood is really boiling. — This Dakota (@simply_shutdown) March 9, 2015
It hurts and many other frats have been saying racial things... And we truly have set back and just had to take it... — Charles Tapper (@Takeflightchuck) March 9, 2015
A student group called OU Unheard first posted the video to Twitter Sunday night and directed it to Boren's official account. The OU president responded within a few hours and announced Monday the school would no longer recognize its SAE chapter. Students living in the house were also given until midnight on Tuesday to pack up and leave.
Shortly after 12 p.m. Monday, the Oklahoman reported, packing was in full effect at the OU SAE house, with U-Haul trucks and cars filling the parking lot. Earlier in the day, the newspaper noted someone had clearly set up a ladder to remove the fraternity's letters from the house.
Joining Stoops and his players were other OU student-athletes and coaches. None held signs, the Tulsa World noted, but rather stood silently.
"It's something that should concern everyone," OU head men's basketball coach Lon Kruger told the Tulsa World. "It's not about athletics. It's not about anything other than everyone being affected by this."
