Barry Switzer says he's hurt by SAE chant controversy
Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer, an honorary member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, said he's hurt by the video of fraternity members saying a racist chant on a charter bus.
The fraternity was banned from campus on Monday by OU president David Boren.
“It hurts me because I have a vested interest in this," Switzer told News 9. "I am an SAE. And I know the kids in this house. I spent some time over here, and I know what they're like. I wouldn't put up with that crap, and they don't either, and they don't believe in it,” Switzer said.
The interview with News 9 – where Switzer said he agreed with Oklahoma president David Boren's actions – took place in the SAE house with Switzer alongside the woman who has served as the house mother for the group.
In a statement denouncing the chant, Boren called the chant a reprehensible misuse of free speech.
Updated statement attached - DBo pic.twitter.com/xxfiJwCh0P
— David Boren (@President_Boren) March 9, 2015
In an interview earlier in the day with KOCO, Switzer said he wasn't a fan of labeling the entire fraternity as bigoted because of the video. It's unclear what interview Switzer is referring to or if it's Boren's statement.
"I understood that supposedly they were called bigots that lived in this house, none of them could live on this campus," Switzer said. "I haven’t seen the interview, but if that happened and occurred that’s no different than what those kids did on that bus. Throw a blanket over these kids here and say that they’re bigots? That’s unacceptable."
Following the release of the video, Oklahoma LB Eric Striker shared a response to the chant via Snapchat (Video can be found at the link embedded. It's NSFW for language).
In an interview with the Oklahoman Monday afternoon after he shared the video, Striker said he didn't want to be defined as a football player.
“I hate to be defined as a football player,” Striker said. “I’ve got a great personality. I’m humorous. I’m a political science major. I love everybody. I’m a people person.
“Football is not who I am. All you know is the number ‘19’ on the back of my jersey.”
He said he received messages from those close to him concerned after his video.
“It was a quick reaction,” he said of his viral rant. “I want to apologize if I offended anybody with my curse words. It was just how I felt. I don’t want anybody to think I’m angry. I’m just very hurt.
“It’s 2015, and this is still happening.”
For more Oklahoma news, visit SoonerScoop.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
