More of the same old shit
Mack Brown and Dave Doeren have rekindled an issue that was fading. But first, how about Florida State wanting to leave the ACC?!?!
What’s Up With Florida State?
Before more words about the “shit” happening between Dave Doeren and Mack Brown, head football coaches where they work, let’s address, in a short way, Florida State’s action to deprive the remaining Atlantic Coast Conference members of more than $500 million in penalties and fees if the Seminoles withdraw from the conference they eagerly joined in the 1990s.
Instead of offering my detailed thoughts—please don’t leave, FSU, though the die is cast—read more about the legal actions by Florida State and the ACC on various websites:
The News & Observer; among many more.
Here’s what I have to say:
If Florida State leaves the Atlantic Coast Conference, it would be a sad but interesting “Corrigan” bookends story: ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan brought the Seminoles into the ACC, and his son, NC State Athletics Director Boo Corrigan, through the vote to add Stanford, Cal, and SMU to the ACC, and the College Football Playoffs disaster (Boo was the CFP Committee chairman), ran them out.
Now, on with the story: More of the same old shit
A close friend corresponded the other day about the recent (December 20) back-and-forth between NC State football coach Dave Doeren and North Carolina football coach Mack Brown as a result of Doeren, in post game comments after the Wolfpack’s 39-20 win over the Tarheels, saying in the State locker-room to his players, staff, some well-wishers, and others, "You know it's been 1,460 days since those pieces of shit beat us."
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, there was a live ACC Network camera in the room and his salty comments were broadcast to the world.
The story had traction early but in the last few of weeks (the game was played in the Wolfpack’s Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday, November 25), it seems to have faded a little, though UNC players and fans know it well and will remember it forever, and Wolfpack players and fans (for the most part from what we can tell) will continue to repeat what Doeren, completing his 11th Wolfpack season in a bowl game December 28 against Kansas State, said.
Brown, in a media session on the recent football player signing day, without provocation, decided to address the story, an opportunity to rekindle the issue and to boast about his program.
From Mack Brown:
"In our last ball game with a rival school after the game, the head coach of that school called our players a piece of shit. And I apologize for that language, but I've never heard something like that before. I'm disappointed. I thought it was classless. It's not true.
“Number one, we didn't play well in the game. We didn't coach well in the game. It's been very well documented and I got that, but you don't call kids a piece of shit and I've addressed it with our team. I apologized to them.
These kids are one of the top academic groups in America. They got an award for AFCA's top 13. They've won a Coastal division. They've won a bunch of games. They've been to an Orange Bowl, [and] been to five straight bowls.
They represent us. And from me speaking for them and their parents, they really didn't appreciate being called a piece of shit. Never heard that before. Very, very disappointing, but, it is what it is."
Later the same day that Brown addressed the issue, Doeren was in front of the media and, though he could have left it alone, not responding to Brown, he spoke, trying to apologize but placing blame on the live camera in the room and not for his unnecessary language, even in private, behind closed locker room doors.
From Dave Doeren:
"When we go these meetings, we're supposed to get notice that there's a camera in our locker room and that was not done. So I have a lot of regret that that was on TV because it shouldn't have been.
"When you go into the locker room with your team, that is a private conversation unless they ask if they can be in there with a camera and that was not asked. That doesn't give me an excuse to have that public, but that's what happened.
"Obviously, if I knew I was on camera, my language would not have been what it was. Does that make it any better? No. I did call coach (Mack Brown) and apologized because I could have used a lot of different words, obviously. They caught me in a heat-of-the-moment situation in the locker room celebrating a huge win and I was fired up about how we played. I have respect for coach so the last thing I wanted for him to feel that, and again, it's not an excuse, but it shouldn't have been on TV.
"I could have said that in a much more professional way and I regret not doing that. What I don't regret is having passion with my players and celebrating a big win. I'm going to continue to do that. Hopefully down the road we'll get the courtesy that we deserve when we're going to be on TV in those moments."
Whatever…
Now back to the lead of this column, back to my close friend who not only read between the lines but read the actual Doeren lines that come across as the issue, at least to Doeren, who half-heartedly apologized for the language and blamed live television cameras for what he said. One note: My friend is a life-long Tarheel who is quick to criticize the UNC football and basketball programs when needed.
From my close friend:
My unbiased credentials firmly established, here’s my 2-cents after seeing the video of Doeren’s statement. The most important principle to him, and that he kept reiterating, was the unannounced camera presence. He was pissed that he didn’t know, and to him that was the main issue here. He obviously adheres to the “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” (or at least it should) credo. Wrong. Your column (JIM TALK! November 29) nailed it: He should be above the potty mouth language if he’s going to represent NC State University. Bingo, and, to that, I would add: He’s first representing NC State to his players. He’s a college coach and the adult in the room. No matter the context, his language dumbed down his audience of student athletes at an institution of higher learning.
So, is it over? Hell no! It’s stuff for the UNC locker room bulletin board next fall when the Wolfpack travels to Chapel Hill for the next rematch. It’ll be discussed again next fall by media and fans. Again, I say, describing UNC players and coaches as “pieces of shit” was out of line, in a private locker room or on live television.
Wolfpack fans may disagree, but it’s long past time to be jealous of the treatment UNC gets and by-passes NC State. Doeren’s 7-4 record against the Tarheels says enough in the football arena. Speak with positive results behind you. Otherwise the shoe could be on the other foot.
As a Wolfpack fan, I do wonder how the NCSU Board of Trustees, Chancellor Randy Woodson, and Athletics Director Boo Corrigan addressed the issue, if they did, with Doeren.
You know, this is a story that really stinks and needs to be dropped, but it remains one of those gifts that keeps on giving.
Maybe Doeren used the correct description
In researching the aforementioned “slang and vulgar” word—shit—one definition/usage stuck out (no play on words here, at least not on purpose). From the website, Dictionary.com, it’s the idiom “pieces of shit:”
Person(s) or thing(s) that is inferior or contemptible (often used attributively): I hope someone takes that pompous piece of shit down a few pegs.
For more on the word’s definitions, you can click the link, Dictionary.com, or you can read on. Interesting that the definitions and usage of “shit” is similar to the various definitions of another four letter word that starts with “f” and is used often by a Hall of Fame college basketball coach who had definitions and usage of that word that no one else could ever imagine.
Shit [ shit ]: Noun
excrement; feces: Ugh, I stepped in dog shit.
an act of defecating; evacuation: He's taking a shit.
the shits. diarrhea.
possessions, equipment, mementos, etc.; stuff: I put my ex's shit in a box and left it on my front porch.
pretense, lies, exaggeration, or nonsense: I don’t want to hear your shit right now. This guy is so full of shit!
something inferior or worthless: I can’t stand that whiny emo shit that’s all over the radio. Her boyfriend treats her like shit, but she won’t leave him.
abusive treatment, unpleasant consequences, or general misfortune: I’m not going to take your shit anymore! My sister’s been going through some shit, so she needs our support more than ever.
a selfish, mean, or otherwise contemptible person: You dumb little shit!
narcotic drugs, especially heroin or marijuana: My guy only sells the purest shit.
anything at all; the least thing (usually used in the negative): You don’t know shit about me.
Shit [ shit ]: Verb (used without object)
to defecate.
Shit [ shit ]: verb (used with object)
to exaggerate or lie to: Are you shitting me? I shit you not!
Shit [ shit ]: Interjection
(used to express disgust, disappointment, frustration, contempt, or the like): Oh, shit, we’re screwed.
Shit [ shit ]: Verb Phrases
shit on
to disparage or dismiss: Try contributing something, instead of just shitting on everyone else’s ideas.
IDIOMS ABOUT SHIT
and shit, (used to express an approximation or unspecified continuation) etcetera; and so on: He always says he wants to help and shit, but he’s never around.
be the shit, to be amazing, be the best: This guy is the shit—like, seriously, the greatest of all time! Her apartment is the shit, but it must cost a fortune.
get/have one's shit together, to effectively organize, manage, or control aspects of one’s personal or professional life: If she doesn’t get her shit together, she’s gonna lose her job.
give a shit, (often used in the negative) to care; be concerned: The fans could see that their star players didn't give a shit about bringing home a championship. Who gives a shit if you're going or not going?
in deep shit, in trouble: If my parents catch me sneaking out, I'll be in deep shit.
like shit, very bad; very poorly: Aw, man, you look like shit! I had the flu, and I felt like absolute shit for about five days.
lose one’s shit, to become angry, panicked, or crazed: The coach lost his shit when the team fumbled the ball in the final seconds of the game. I am losing my shit here, and I don’t know what to do!
no shit
(used to express amazement or disbelief): He got into MIT? No shit!
(used to express one's annoyance with an obvious statement): Yeah, no shit, numskull!
piece of shit: a person or thing that is inferior or contemptible (often used attributively): I hope someone takes that pompous piece of shit down a few pegs. Your piece of shit car is leaking oil all over my driveway. Or, You know it's been 1,460 days since those pieces of shit beat us. Abbreviations: POS
shit happens, bad things are inevitable in life (used to dismiss or account for a disappointing turn of events): I was gonna finish college, but sometimes shit happens.
same shit, different day, (used to express exasperated discontent and resignation): Welcome to the pointless hamster wheel that is my life—same shit, different day. Abbreviation: SSDD
shit hits the fan, trouble suddenly occurs; negative events come to a head: If the shit hits the fan, we’ll meet back up at the rendezvous point. She’s someone you want on your side when shit hits the fan.
shit oneself; Also shit one’s pants; to defecate in one's clothes, as from terror or illness; soil oneself: There’s a girl drunkenly puking and shitting herself in the alley—should we call 911?
to be very frightened, especially of a current or future circumstance or consequence: He’s basically shitting himself wondering if I’m gonna tell his wife what we did.
shit out of luck, in a hopeless situation, without any recourse or solution: There's only one flight scheduled today, so we’re shit outta luck if we miss it. Abbreviations: SOL, S.O.L.
shoot the shit, to converse aimlessly; chat: Let’s meet up after work to grab a couple of beers and shoot the shit.
the shit out of, fully and completely; to an extreme degree: You scared the shit out of me! Bullies used to beat the shit out of him at recess and after school.
tough shit, (used to dismiss someone’s misfortune or disappointment, without sympathy): Tough shit if your boss is an abusive jerk—shut up and take it, or find a new job.
up shit/shit's creek (without a paddle), in a desperate or hopeless situation; in serious trouble: I'm up shit's creek with this presentation—it's due tomorrow and I haven't written a single line.
ORIGIN OF SHIT (the word)
First recorded before 900; (verb) variant (with short i from past participle or noun) of earlier shite, Middle English shiten, Old English scītan; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schiten (Dutch schijten ), Old High German skīzan (German scheissen ); (noun) re-formation from the verb, or continuation of Old English scite (in placenames)
USAGE NOTE FOR SHIT (the word)
Even though shit has lost much of its shock value through frequent use, language experts continue to caution against indiscriminately using the word, and still label it as vulgar or coarse.
The word has numerous meanings and occurs in many colorful phrases and compounds that have nothing to do with defecation: for example, no shit, shit happens, and shitfaced.
In informal conversations among friends, the use of shit and its various expressions is often acceptable. For some people, the word comes naturally, without hesitation, as an expression of annoyance or chagrin, even if they still find it too vulgar to use in its literal sense. But in formal settings, use of the word generally remains inappropriate.
USING SHIT IN A SENTENCE (various sources)
You come look at the creek after a heavy rain, you may see all kinds of toxic shit, tires, who knows what, just floating through.
Gravity is real; it’s hard to keep a bag of shit in the air forever.
That’s some real gangster shit right there.
These dudes came in on a bunch of brute, brute shit … like they were looking for trouble.
You mentioned you still talk to some of your former colleagues who are in Congress and that some of them really believe this shit.
I was like, ‘shit, try being in a two-piece where the other person doesn’t talk!
Shit, it wasn't a dream, then.
Shit, why not send me a letter asking me if I mind receiving an email?
He took the title of shit-su and founded what is known as the Yuen dynasty.
Florida State Shit
I'm not sure how to apply the word "shit" when it comes to the Florida State-ACC situation except that it stinks.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Next JIM TALK! will probably be after January 1, 2024!