Nowak's alleged racist bombshell (Ellinger radio interview link) HEAVY MODERATION

[RSL Fortaleza Menina]

Link to radio interview here (http://archive.streamaudio.com/KZNS_AM/hardball.wma). The interview took place Friday afternoon following the RSL-DCU match, on SLC's "1280 The Zone". The Elllinger interview starts at minute 2:28:30 (10 minutes in duration). Note: this link & audio file will be unavailable after Monday afternoon.

Peter Nowak's alleged racist remark: "Send him back to Africa"
Hatch questioned Ellinger about allegations that DCU manager Peter Nowak shouted to RSL staff, "send him [RSL trialist Abita Harris (http://sknfa.com/Photos/AidenNurse_ID.jpg)] back to Africa". Harris, who happens to be black, hails from the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts & Nevis (http://www.fifa.com/en/development/goal/index/0,1223,74623,00.html?articleid=74623).

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2005e/0709_dc_kc_ajm/tn/sm_web_017_ajm.jpghttp://sknfa.com/Photos/AidenNurse_ID.jpg

Ellinger (paraphased):
It's hard to comment on. Remarks were clearly innappropriate. Upper management will have to deal with it. Made during the 'heat of the moment.' He's going to have to be 'resoponsible for what comes out of his mouth.' Peter has to deal with his own management group, who were on the bench and heard it. He's going to have to deal with it. It was 'pretty discouraging for both his players and our players.'

Hatch recap (paraphrased):
Ellinger confirmed the accuracy of the alleged Nowak comment. Hatch commented that the incident could "cost [Nowak] his job".

Other Ellinger remarks:

On Pope & Klein: might re-join team for March 11 match in Louisiana
On Kreis: is fit, hopes to return to full contact by mid-March
On Tarley: "quite frankly, Melvin wasn't taking care of business"
On Tiger: was caught in midfield "numbers crunch"
On Ballouchy: has an "incredible workrate"

[Autogolazo]

Wow. Have the DC boards seen this?

This is a firing offense and beyond. He could've kicked the guy or spit in his face and it wouldn't have been this bad.

MLS could never tolerate this, given its particularly tenuous position among minority opinion at the moment, anyway.

[fc koshigaya]

your thread got locked on the DC board. I posted something else over in the game thread but I dunno what will happen.

Wow.......really stupid move by Nowak

[Theo]

why did the thread get locked over on the DC boards? wow, this is pretty bad.

[fc koshigaya]

They're unlocking it............I think they wanted to keep out the troll fest. It's gonna be rough on DC United and i understand them wanting a discussion without the rivalries feel to it or the pious scoldings from other team fans.

[Autogolazo]

Just heard the interview--if this is true, Nowak's done.

Imagine trying to get a stadium in DC with a coach who's saying this?

United couldn't afford to be associated with the remark or the person who made it.

He's all done.

[SankaCofie]

maybe he thought he was from africa? :o
maybe he was giving away his plans on how to best utilize freddy adu?

[Knave]

Guys -

If you're not a DC United supporter please stay away from the thread on the DC United board. I hope you can understand why DC United supporters might want to talk about this themselves.

Also, I asked in the DC United board's thread, but I'll ask here too: If you can archive the relevant audio please do so as soon as possible.

It's a serious matter. I appreciate your cooperation.

Thanks,

[Ismitje]

Guys -

If you're not a DC United supporter please stay away from the thread on the DC United board. I hope you can understand why DC United supporters might want to talk about this themselves.

Also, I asked in the DC United board's thread, but I'll ask here too: If you can archive the relevant audio please do so as soon as possible.

It's a serious matter. I appreciate your cooperation.

Thanks,

I'll be paying close attention on this end. If possible, listen to the interview before you offer your own opinion. Then think before you post. We can "react" more strongly once we know more.

[brandnew_de]

Ellinger sounded hesitant on directly confirming what was allegedly said by Nowak. Could he be protecting a fellow coach (or even the league) or did he just not want to stick his hand in the fire?

[Doctor Woo]

I don't know why, but real player (at least my version) won't play it. I think I need to hear it for myself. I pray that it's not true. Peter seems like a decent sort. I would hate to see this be the end to a very good thing for DCU.

I don't even want to think about who could take his place.

[Ismitje]

I don't know why, but real player (at least my version) won't play it. I think I need to hear it for myself. I pray that it's not true. Peter seems like a decent sort. I would hate to see this be the end to a very good thing for DCU.

I don't even want to think about who could take his place.

I took a listen. Ellinger seems willing to let upper management handle it, and said that one of DCU's top people was standing there when the comment was made.

[USvsIRELAND]

hmmm. nvm

[Brownswan]

Guys -

If you're not a DC United supporter please stay away from the thread on the DC United board. I hope you can understand why DC United supporters might want to talk about this themselves.


Of course. We would expect the same of the White House. Closing down discussion until it can be properly controlled comes with the territory.

Good luck spinning this one.

[seahawkdad]

Because they tolerate no open thought or discourse.Gratuitous shot doesn't even come close to the bow. But to be entirely expected, and ample evidence of why the United board was locked down on this one.

Brownswan adds to the ratioinale.

[Ismitje]

I think a quick apology now that this is out will suffice on the soccer end of things. It is the community reaction that will dictate where this goes, since DCU needs political will to get the stadium all the way though.

[Autogolazo]

Two things to keep in mind:

1. As far as Ellinger is concerned, I think he took the perfect tone in the interview--he has to acknowledge the incident and stand up for his players in the face of the statement. I mean, Jeff Cunningham, from Jamaica (not Africa), just scored 3 goals for RSL in the first half so from a protecting-your-own vantage point how can you let such statements (after all, they were made directly to YOU on the RSL bench) go unanswered? You can't. On the other hand, it's not Ellinger's responsibility to mete out punishment or pre-judge anything--that's for the league and the DC management to decide.

2. DC is trying to build a stadium working hand-in-hand with African-American politicians in DC. If the essential facts of the story line up with what Ellinger says, there can be no other recourse but the immediate termination of Peter Nowak. Years of community relations would be reduced to ashes if he isn't dismissed immediately.

[nessie]

After reading some of the stuff on the DCU thread, I think it might be a good thing the rest of us aren't allowed to reply, to be perfectly honest...

[Brownswan]

Considering what Houston has gone through over a simple date, it would seem, if this proves true, it will be a case of "here's your head, what's your hurry" -- aka: we have a ticket to Poland for you.

But DC is the capital of spin as well; let's see how this unfolds.

[uclacarlos]

If you're not a DC United supporter please stay away from the thread on the DC United board. I hope you can understand why DC United supporters might want to talk about this themselves.
No. I don't. It's a PUBLIC FORUM.

Dialogue is good, Knave. What a bunch of bullcrap.:mad: