DOH! WVU Coach Stewart was fired at VMI for Racial Incident!

[DJSHOCKLEY]

Stewart's selection as WVU football coach rekindles racial slur incident
by The Associated Press
ROANOKE, Va. -- Bill Stewart's promotion to West Virginia's head coach has rekindled former VMI linebacker Kelly Cook's memories of the time Stewart used a racial slur 11 years ago for high-stepping into the end zone during practice.

Stewart, who was promoted from interim coach at West Virginia following the Mountaineers' win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, was fired by VMI at the end of the 1996 season for his midseason comments toward Cook.

Cook read about Stewart's recent comments about the 1996 incident in an ESPN.com article, in which Stewart called Cook over and said in low voice, "Don't let your actions give people a reason to call you a (N-word).''

Cook had a different account of the incident.

Cook told The Roanoke Times that Stewart said, "You're acting like a (N-word) from Petersburg. You don't go to Virginia Union. You don't go to Virginia State.''

Cook said Stewart's comments still bother him. He said Stewart ran about 50 yards up to him in the end zone and began yelling at him."As a kid, I was angry,'' Cook said. "I was hurt. ... After he said that, the level of respect I had for him, I lost it. ... In the heat of the moment, he was upset, his mouth said what his heart felt.''

Stewart sued VMI in 1998, contending the school breached its obligation to pay Stewart the remainder of his contract through 2001 and refused to give him a chance to tell his side of the story. The lawsuit was dismissed in 1999.

Stewart went 8-25 in three seasons at VMI. After a stint in the CFL, he joined the West Virginia staff for Don Nehlen's final season in 2000 and was retained when Rich Rodriguez took over in 2001. Rodriguez left for Michigan last month.

Telephone messages left for Cook and Stewart by The Associated Press were not immediately returned Tuesday.

[PassiveObserver]

Ahhh, now it all makes sense.

[Dave Allen]

ESPN Radio was talking about this last week. He said something stupid, apologized, lost his job, period.

[AARON SCOTT]

Not the N word!!! Run for the hills!!!