An inspired DumpDorrell reader emailed Karl Dorrell regarding Dorrell's incendiary comments over the weekend suggesting that UCLA and Bruin Nation were racist for not having given him "a fair shake."  The DD reader's email was direct and unapologetic (printed below).  Surprisingly, Karl Dorrell responded.  We will let you draw your own conclusions, but it is noteworthy that Karl is already distancing himself from the article and the position posed by the article. 

It is also clear to us that when we read Dorrell's response to the race question in the tabloid hit piece by Kurt Streeter in the LAT Dorrell KNEW he was responding to the RACE question.  As a 5-year coach and representative of UCLA he should know better than to say he was not given a fair shake or a level playing field WITHOUT removing suspicion of UCLA from his remark.  At the very least it was highly negligent, at worst it an indictment on UCLA - and Dan Guerrero, Terry Donahue, and Bruin Nation - as being racists. 

There is obviously a huge problem with black coaches not getting chances to fill NCAA football coaching positions, as well as racism all over America. There is no question Karl Dorrell has run into racism throughout his professional life.  But UCLA is not the problem.    One email to one fan, or even many emails to many fans, WILL NOT DUE!  We reiterate our position that is shared by Dorrell's detractors and supporters alike:  Karl Dorrell needs to make a public statement that UCLA has indeed given him a fair shake and a level playing field and remove all suspicion that UCLA and Bruin Nation are racist.

Here is the email (with obvious privacy adjustments; bold emphasis as is): 

From: Karl Dorrell [mailto:KDorrellATathletics ucla edu]
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 4:46 PM
To: ———
Subject: Re: Racism at UCLA

Mr. ——–,

I received you email and I wanted to clarify what I said. I was asked the question about racism in the coaching profession and I told the reporter that we still have issues in this profession with qualified minority candidates getting head coaching opportunities. That was expressed in a general sense, not as an indictment about UCLA. I have seen a lot of issues in this profession over the last 20 years, none whatsoever has occured in my tenure at UCLA dealing with me. We have 6 out of 119 division 1 head coaches that are African American in college football. This was the subject we were talking discussing at the time of the interview.

I apologize for the embarrassment.

Sincerely,

Karl Dorrell

11/19/2007 12:43 PM

Please respond to  ————-

To  kdorrellATathletics ucla edu

Subject  Racism at UCLA

 
Coach Dorrell:
 
 
Your quotes to the LA Times yesterday are an embarrassment to yourself and the entire UCLA community.
 
How could you possibly suggest that you have not received a fair shake?
 
You have been given every opportunity to succeed at UCLA. This was supposed to be THE year.
 
It’s easy to blame injuries, but that doesn’t explain the loss to Utah. It doesn’t explain why we did not have a capable backup QB during the Notre Dame game. It doesn’t explain some of the utterly bizarre in-game decisions you’ve made or allowed to be made during the past five years. It doesn’t explain our team’s inability to win mid-to-low level bowl games. I could go on and on.
 
At almost every turn, you’ve tried and you have failed to succeed. And, now, you want us to believe that fans, alums and boosters who want a new head coach are racists? That’s bull.
 
If you were leading our football team to championships and people wanted you fired, then maybe you could claim racism.
 
Frankly, I wish our team was winning championships. If it were, I would be behind you 100% because, you see, it’s about wins, losses and championships, not race.
 
You’re an embarrassment to UCLA and its proud tradition of diversity which includes national treasures such as Jackie Robinson and Arthur Ashe. The administration should fire you today because of the embarrassment you’ve brought to the university.
 
Understand this: Your comments have done only one thing – they have succeeded at alienating your few remaining supporters.
 
If you’re an honorable individual (as I thought you were before the article was published despite my disappointment in your win-loss record), you will spare the university the need to fire you by apologizing for your comments and resigning immediately.
 
 
 
Sincerely,
————
Thousand Oaks, CA

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