Coach apologizes for remark
By Chris Yeung
Cavalier Daily (U. Virginia)
(U-WIRE) CHARLOTTESVILLE,
Va. — Virginia football coach Al
Groh apologized Wednesday for
making an inconsiderate remark
toward Arabs during the weekly
Atlantic Coast Conference football
coaches teleconference earlier in
the day.
“I am sorry if my remarks were
insensitive,” Groh said in a re
leased statement. “Like many
American citizens, my emotions
are near the surface after last
week’s tragedy, especially since
70 people in the town I lived, in
for four years, some of whom I
know, are missing.”
In the teleconference, Groh was
asked whether his team had any
qualms about resuming air travel
after four planes were hijacked on
Sept. 11. He said that he believed
that few of his players had reserva
tions about flying, and those that
did probably had the same worries
before last week’s tragedy.
“I’m not saying this to make
light of it by any means, but I
don’t plan on. having any Arabs
in the traveling party, so therefore
I think probably that the threat of
our being hijacked is fairly re
mote," Groh added during the
teleconference.
In his released statement, Groh
said, “I certainly did not mean to
insinuate that millions of God-fear
ing people of Arabic descent are
terrorists. I hope we can all focus
on the significant issues of recovery
and the future of our country. That
is done through unity and not divi
siveness. That, and coaching my
team, will be my focus.”
Virginia President John T. Cas
teen III said that he has accepted
Groh’s apology and hopes the uni
versity community will do the
same.
“The remark appears to have
been made in passing and proba
bly not after much forethought in
the course of questions about other
matters — about football, travel
plans, and the condition of the
team and the program,” Casteen
said in a press release. “Although
I know how hard it can be to for
UCLA boosts security for
game vs. No. 21 Ohio St.
By Dave O’Neil
The Lantern (Ohio State U.)
(U-WIRE) COLUMBUS, Ohio —
Ball security would normally be the
issue for a game matching two
teams with 11 combined fumbles in
three games. Not this Saturday.
In light of the terrorist attacks on
Sept. 11, game plans for Saturday’s
Ohio State/UCLA game are taking a
backseat to security plans.
Still, UCLA coach Bob Toledo
stressed at his weekly press confer
ence Tuesday that his team would
be able to maintain focus by game
time Saturday.
“I think it will be kind of emo
tional, particularly early,” Toledo
said. “You take that field and some
one sings the national anthem. It
will be a touchy thing. ”
But he said once 12:30 p.m. rolls
around, his team will be ready.
“I think football brings out aggres
sive people, and eventually when
you kick it off, I think you will see
some good football,” he said.
At the crux of the Bruins’ game
plan will be senior running back
DeShaun Foster. In two games this
year, Foster has run for 289 yards on
52 carries and one touchdown. As a
sophomore against the Buckeyes in
1999, Foster ran for 51 yards on 17
carries and had one touchdown.
The Buckeyes won that game 42
20. Toledo said revenge is not on the
mind of the Bruins.
“We had 11 freshmen and sopho
mores that started in that game.
This is a different football team,” he
said. "As far as motivation, I think
Ohio State coming to the Rose Bowl
is motivation enough.”
He also had nothing but praise for
the Buckeyes and their program.
“They are big, strong, tough,
physical and athletic,” Toledo said.
“They are an outstanding football
team and they have a rich heritage
as far as tradition is concerned.”
For Saturday’s game, UCLA select
ed senior fullback Matt Stanley as its
captain. Stanley hails from Columbus
and went to Bexley High School. In
the 1999 Ohio State game, he caught a
deflected pass and raced 67 yards for
a touchdown. That touchdown is the
lone score in Stanley’s career.
UCLA is 2-0 and last played Sept.
8 at Kansas. After falling behind 3
0, the Bruins scored the next 27
points and rolled to a 41-17 victory.
On Sept. 1, the Bruins opened
their season against Alabama. The
Bruins fell behind early against the
Tide, but stormed back for 20 unan
swered points and then held off a
late rally to prevail 20-17.
Sophomore- flanker Tab Perry is
the Bruins’ leading receiver thus far
this year. He has six catches for 162
yards, including the reception for
the game-winning touchdown
against Alabama.
Saturday’s game is UCLA’s home
opener.
“It will definitely be another dif
ficult test for our football team,”
Toledo said. “I think there will be a
great crowd and there will be a na
tional television audience. A lot of
eyes will be on this game. ”
Even after all the game planning,
Toledo admitted it is difficult but not
impossible to concentrate on football.
“They (the players) will never
forget what happened,” he said.
“Nobody will. But they do realize
that if you are going to play, let’s go
play then. Otherwise, let’s not play
at all. You can’t have any fear. You
have to move on.”
Against Big Ten teams Toledo is 1-4
in his six years at UCLA. UCLA last
played a Big Ten team last December
in the Sun Bowl. They lost to Wiscon
sin, 21-20.
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give even a passing remark that
seems to place blame unfairly or to
separate out one group of us as en
emies of others, I ask that we do
that. Categorical or ethnic hostili
ty toward others is contrary to the
university’s core values just as it is
to Coach Groh’s. It is contrary also
to President Bush’s appeals during
the last week for reason and mutu
al respect among us.”
Ajay Nair, Assistant Dean of Stu
dents in charge of Asian students,
said that he was not going to dwell
on Groh’s comment, especially
since it has been retracted.
“I know the university commu
nity is very supportive of our Arab
students, especially in the past
week,” Nair said.
Virginia Director of Athletics
Craig Littlepage said in a press re
lease that the athletics department
hoped that Groh’s comments
would not undo the groundswell of
community spirit fostered after last
week’s terrorist attacks.
“The athletics department re
grets any hurt the statement may
have caused,” Littlepage said.
Associated Press
Top 25
1. Miami (2-0)
2. Florida (2-0)
3. Oklahoma (3-0)
4. Nebraska (3-0)
5. Texas (2-0)
6. Florida State (2-0)
7. Oregon (2-0)
8. Tennessee (2-0)
9. Virginia Tech (2-0)
10. Georgia Tech (3-0)
11. Fresno State (3-0)
12. Kansas State (1-0)
13. Washington (1-0)
14. UCLA (2-0)
15. Louisiana State (2-0)
16. Northwestern (1-0)
17. Mississippi State (1-0)
18. South Carolina (2-0)
19. Clemson (2-0)
20. Michigan (1-1)
21. Ohio State (1-0)
22. Oregon State (1-1)
23. Notre Dame (0-1)
24. Brigham Young (3-0)
25. Louisville (3-0)
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