Coach K Breaks Silence on Duke Lacrosse Scandal

Raleigh News and Observer staff writer Anne Blythe reminds us in her recent article that Coach Mike Krzyzewski is the face of Duke athletics. As such Coach K (as he is known) was virtually silent in the spring of 2006 as the spectacle of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case placed the athletic teams and the school under intense scrutiny.

Apparently Coach K has found his voice now that a year has passed since an escort dancer alleged that she was gang raped at a lacrosse team party.

Now, the coach of the men's basketball team says that the university should have show more support for the players who were accused.

Anne quotes Coach K as saying; "The one thing I wish we would have done is just out, publicly say, 'Look those are our kids. And we're gonna support 'em, because they're still our kids.' That's what I wished we would have done."

Krzyzewski told this to Bob Costa who has a show on HBO. He continued: "And I'm sure that we did... I don't think we did a good job of that."

This interview comes on the heels of months of criticism by bloggers and others of Duke University for not standing by the players.

During the interview Coach K expresses his surprise at the large number of professors who have come out publicly against some aspect of the athletics at the University. He described the outpouring as an expression of "latent hostility" toward sports on campus. Paula McClain, a professor of political science who has questioned the role big time sports at top tier research universities, responded to Coach K's remarks with the assertion that she does not think there is a latent hostility. In her opinion the real issue is; "The question of athletics are not just related to Duke." In her opinion "most faculty really appreciate Duke Athletics."

In the article, Anne mentions that college President Richard Brodhead has been under fire for not standing up for the players.

In December, 2006, President Brodhead began to publicly criticize the Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong.