Here’s University of Connecticut Coach Kevin Ollie’s new theme song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNM5g2ARGyY
On a slightly less-serious note, the Blogster wonders whether Gov. Malloy’s executive order banning travel to Indiana (and Arkansas, not that they passed a similar law) pertains only to state employees who make less money than his $150,000. Ollie is in the second year of a five-year, $16 million contract. The team wears Nike, which has some corporate sway with the school in Storrs.
Malloy, during an unrelated Capitol news conference this afternoon, said it was clear that Indiana’s Senate and governor both had plenty of time to think about their actions. Even if they repeal the law that has sparked nationwide charges of discrimination, Malloy indicated he would most likely keep his ban in effect.
“I’m certainly not going to let the governor off any easier than he would let me off,” Malloy said. “So let me point out to you that on February 23rd, the Senate voted, in Indiana, on a proposal to make the law they were passing subject to local ordinances and civil rights laws. And it lost 40-10 on a party line vote. In fact, one Democrat voted for it. The other 10 did not support it. If this bill doesn’t represent what the governor wanted, ah, first of all I don’t believe it. But secondly, if that’s the case, he should have vetoed it. But certainly it’s the case that he should have been engaged in the process of making this legislation. What Republican did he call and ask them to support that language?… So give us a list of the Republicans, Mr. Governor, that you personally contacted to make sure that the citizens of your state and the citizens of my state wouldn’t be discriminated against. Now, having said that, the sooner they straighten this out for everybody the better off they’re going to be and we’re going to be.”
On the UConn coaching staff’s potential commitment to attend NCAA Final Four-related activities this weekend: “That’s a decision for them and UConn to make. What I’m saying is let’s not be silly here. There are gay men and gay women who participate in intercollegiate sports. What kind of message does it send when we’re saying we’re going to schedule events in states that openly discriminate against gay people? What does that say? … I want to make sure that the citizens of Connecticut do go to a state that announced or preannounced that they’re prepared to discriminate against them….All of this was advertised. They knew exactly what they were doing. They got caught. They got caught and they are shocked by the governmental outpouring, the corporate outpouring. They knew exactly what they were doing. This was, you know, a dog whistle being blown to let everyone know that ‘we’re okay with discrimination.’ And the proof of it is, on February 23 there was a vote in the Senate in Indiana, there was a vote to make sure this law would comport with any civil rights law and any local ordinance. And they voted it down 40-10.”
He started walking away and reporters tried to drill down on UConn’s apparent media blackout on the issue.
“They’re big people. If you look at the language of the order, it recognizes that there are contractual obligations and if they feel that they have to honor contractual obligations (a TV reporter interrupted the answer)…But I would hope that if they don’t need to go, they wouldn’t.”
Here’s star Ryan Boatwright in the Nike corporate/home white.