The University of Missouri football team may not have been as united in the decision to boycott practices until graduate student Jonathan Butler ended his hunger strike as has been previously suggested. At least one Tigers player indicated to ESPN's Brett McMurphy recently that a large cross-section of the team's players were "pissed," about the choice.
"As much as we want to say everyone is united, half the team and coaches -- black and white -- are pissed," the unnamed player told ESPN. "If we were 9-0, this wouldn't be happening."
Butler, of course, began a hunger-strike last Monday, with the stated intent of seeing University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe resign after Wolfe's tepid and nearly non-existent response to various racial issues on Missouri's campus.
The revelation that the Tigers football team is not as united in their support of Butler may matter little though, as reports early Monday, from the Associated Press and others, indicate that Butler has gotten his wish and Wolfe has resigned.
"I take full responsibilty for the actions that have occurred," Wolfe said in a prepared statement announcing his decision at a special meeting of the university's governing body, the Board of Curators, via ESPN. "I have asked everybody to use my resignation to heal. Let's focus in changing what we can change today and in the future, not what we can't change in the past."
UPDATE, 12:05 p.m.: Mizzou players have confirmed to Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they will practice on Tuesday in preparation for their game against BYU on Saturday.
As ESPN notes, black student groups have, "for months," complained of facing racial slurs and various other instances of discriminatory behavior on Missouri's predominantly white campus. When the approximately 30 black members of the Tigers football team added their voice to the chorus seeking Wolfe's ousting, it gave even greater weight to an already difficult and sensitive situation.
The power wielded by the Mizzou football team in this circumstance may prove to be something of a revelation for college athletes in general. They are the product on the field. If they want their voices to be heard, whether it be in terms of player pay or helping to advance the cause of social issues, all they must do is band together and act as one. Threatening the money-making industry that is the NCAA and college sports is to threaten the very universities that they attend.
The Tigers football team helped to enact change. It remains to be seen if this episode has farther reaching consequences for other teams and universities across the country, especially when it comes to paying fealty to the NCAA.
As for Wolfe, he made no excuses for the issues raised by Concerned Students 1950 - the student movement led by Butler that called for Wolfe's ousting and changes on Missouri's campus - but indicated that he hopes his resignation and the manner in which things had unfolded in recent days, served as a lesson to future generations.
"This is not, I repeat not, the way change should come about," Wolfe said, via Yahoo Sports. "Change comes from listening, learning, caring and conversation. And we have to respect each other enough to stop yelling at each other and start listening. And quit intimidating each other through either our role or whatever means that we decide to use. Unfortunately, this has not happened and this is why I stand before you today and I take full responsibility for this frustration and I take full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred.
"Use my resignation to heal and to start talking again. To make the changes necessary and let's focus on changing what we can change today and in the future, not what we can't change, which is what happened in the past."
