I’m a big fan of the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament, colloquially known as March Madness. In previous years, I have taken the two days off work and sat down and watched 30+ hours of basketball over a long weekend, 4 games at a time. In more recent years, I have not gone quite as crazy watching March Madness, but it’s still on the TV and/or computer here at our house for most of this weekend.
Utah Women’s Basketball Team Moves Hotels
According to ESPN, KSL and KREM, the Utah women’s basketball team was staying at a hotel in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, because there was not sufficient hotel space in Spokane, where they were playing in the NCAA Tournament. The reports then continue that “On Thursday night, the basketball team — along with members of the band and cheerleading team — gathered together at a restaurant for a dinner to celebrate the season. While walking to the restaurant, a white truck got near the team, revved its engines to make its presence known, and then yelled the N-word toward the team before speeding off. The team carried on with its dinner, but two hours later were met with a similar situation as they started to leave the restaurant. This time, though, two trucks were present, revving their engines and making a lot of noise in an intimidating way, while yelling the N-word again to those present”
Utah deputy athletic director Charmelle Green stated that
“”We all just were in shock, and we looked at each other like, did we just hear that? … Everybody was in shock — our cheerleaders, our students that were in that area that heard it clearly were just frozen. We kept walking, just shaking our heads, like I can’t believe that.”
Which Hotel Was It?
Of course, my first thought was “what hotel was it?”, though I was not able to figure out which hotel they were staying at. And after finding out a bit more information about it, it turned out that the racist actions didn’t even happen at the hotel.
When I heard that it was in Coeur D’Alene, I was reminded of my trip there a few years ago, where I stayed at the Days Inn by Wyndham Coeur d’Alene. I have some good memories of that stay, where I got the best (or at least the most unexpected) hotel upgrade ever.
The Bottom Line
The Utah women’s basketball team was harassed by racists flying a confederate flag and shouting the N-word at them in Coeur D’Alene while staying there for the NCAA basketball tournament in nearby Spokane, Washington. They (and another team staying in Idaho) moved hotels to Spokane. What a sad display by the residents of Northern Idaho.
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Think this really happened?
Why would they lie about it?
Coeur D’Alene is famous for being racist.
Sad indeed. I am a North Idaho resident. Love my hometown but feel ashamed after hearing this story. There are a handful of these types of people here but I hope the actions of a few don’t tarnish the love and openness that the vast majority of us have in our hearts here!
I call bullshit.. where’s the footage of this. With everyone carrying phones and the fact the guy came back a second time, how is there no footage?
Racism showing up during a sports event? Nothing new, unfortunately.
Parts of Idaho have long been a hot bed for various groups of “white supremacists” with their inferiority complex-driven garbage, and so it’s not surprising that this kind of thing has happened yet again during a sports event in the place. It happens even in places that weren’t known gathering places for recognized “white supremacist” groups.
On behalf of Hal above, I am donating additional money to SPLC. Thank you Hal for helping me to donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center as they monitor racism problems in Idaho too.