If you knew Ed Reed, even for slightly bit, his embarrassing 25-day lengthy tenure as head soccer coach at Bethune-Cookman ought to come as no shock. That’s as a result of Reed does not give a rattling. Let me clarify.
As a Hall of Fame security, largely for the Baltimore Ravens, that attribute labored nicely. Safeties should have quick reminiscences and Reed was infamous – notoriously good – at placing a nasty play behind him after which, a number of performs later, breaking a sport open with a spectacular interception. He might, in a fast second, change the course of 1 / 4, half, sport, season or profession. He was that good. He was the most effective security I’ve ever seen.
Reed was vicious, sensible and fearless.
But that not-giving-a-damn is not the perspective you essentially need as a university soccer coach. In his few weeks at Bethune-Cookman, that trait morphed into one thing totally different, as Reed engaged in shaming the college, angering college officers and humiliating himself within the course of.
SHORT TENURE:Reed says he is being pressured out at Bethune-Cookman
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Why is that this story necessary? It exhibits how HBCU soccer applications – one of many stalwarts for Black athletic and scholastic brilliance – are nonetheless wanting for one of the best ways ahead. Do HBCUs go the normal teaching route or do they try to replicate what Deion Sanders did at Jackson State?
Reed has supplied one other information level in making that willpower. Reed confirmed that HBCUs do not want saviors or shaming, simply coaches, and the superstar route is not at all times the way in which to go.
Bethune-Cookman itself is an effective instance why. It’s named after Mary McLeod Bethune who’s, and this isn’t an overstatement, one of many best Americans who ever lived. That historic normal of excellence does not want Ed Reed to reserve it. It will at all times stay lengthy and prosper.
Earlier this month, not lengthy after Reed was employed, he posted a vulgar rant concerning the circumstances at Bethune-Cookman and HBCUs normally. He later apologized.
“I simply pulled as much as work,” he stated in certainly one of his movies. “We’re going to attempt to assist y’all too man. Because I do know plenty of HBCUs need assistance. I’m simply right here to assist right here first. I see all of it too clearly. All of our HBCUs need assistance. And they need assistance due to the people who find themselves working it. Broken mentalities out right here. I’m going to depart you with that. I gotta get within the workplace.”
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Sanders made an look over video as Reed addressed the workforce. “We talked about this,” Sanders stated. “We know the construction, we all know the order, we knew the way it was going to play out and you have been there combating and I do know what you have been feeling. I do know what you are going via.”
Dr, Jason Johnson, a political scientist and professor at Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication, stated on the NBC present “Brother From Another” that the feedback of each Reed and Sanders are harmful as a result of they play into the stereotype that HBCUs are failing.
“Here’s why,” Johnson stated. “One, you feed into the general damaging zeitgeist about HBCUs when in actual fact the story of HBCUs has been enhancing…you have had extra HBCUs transfer into the black, transfer into solvency, improve HBCU numbers throughout the nation. And I’ m not simply speaking our Ivy (Leagues), I’m not simply speaking Howard and Spelman and Hampton. I’m speaking about Johnson C. Smith, I’m speaking about Central (State), I’m speaking about Morgan (State ) had one of many largest incoming lessons the final couple of years. More and extra African American college students and athletes are recognizing, particularly with the NIL, that there are alternatives available right here.
“So when you’ve these distinguished athletes who’re given plenty of consideration, who’ve hundreds of thousands of social media followers, downing these establishments, claiming these establishments are institutional failures…it hurts fundraising, it hurts recruiting, and it damages the popularity of the varsity…”
This is not to say HBCUs do not have issues. They do. Reed, nonetheless, makes it seem to be HBCUs are about to fall off a cliff when that merely is not the case.
Reed has had many nice moments. He will possible have many extra. This was not certainly one of them.
