Big Orange Tipoff Club Report - 1/24/08

This week's meeting, held on Thursday, featured Coach Pearl as the headliner of the day.

For the great portion of the meeting, Coach answered questions from the attendees.

He did mention that Duke would get in the game on Saturday, in all likelihood. I can't wait for the moment that he walks over to that scorer's table. Maybe Wayne will ask Coach to let Duke start, like Duke did when we played Memphis last year. Anyway...I've lost my focus here...back to the report!

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the meeting had little to do with basketball. When Coach was asked about the team's trip to Europe and their visit to a Jewish prison camp, Coach delivered a passionate response.

He spoke of tolerance, and how he taught his players (and us) that differences between people cannot be the source of hate. He wondered aloud how crazy it was that in this lifetime, people allowed the atrocities of the Holocaust to occur unfettered. He demanded that when we are aware of illogical hatred based on differences between people, we must not remain silent and allow it to continue. He boldly called out the old-timers in the room, stating that some people don't like the way his players dress and wear their hair or jewelry, and that those people need to accept and tolerate the differences between people.

He also spoke of war, and how he absolutely hates it. He told us that war for political or economic purposes is intolerable, and that a life in danger is the only reason that is acceptable for war. However, he also told us that once we are in a war, we had better be in it to win it.

After he was done, Coach received a hearty round of applause.