02/05/26 10:24:00
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02/05 10:22 CST BYU coach says 'F The Mormons' chants at Oklahoma St. show
there's 'too much hate in the world'
BYU coach says 'F The Mormons' chants at Oklahoma St. show there's 'too much
hate in the world'
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) --- A BYU sports team was the target of a derogatory
chant in an opponent's venue for at least the fourth time in a year, and the
Big 12 again announced that the conference is looking into the matter.
Kevin Young, coach of the 16th-ranked Cougars men's basketball team, said after
a 99-92 loss at Oklahoma State on Wednesday night that he heard "F The Mormons"
chants coming out of the student section.
"It's a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud,"
he said. "It would be great if some class was warranted in there as well. I've
got four small kids at home. I'm a Mormon. When I go home, they're going to ask
me about it, same way as they asked me about it last year at Arizona. There's
just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that. We've got enough
problems in our world without going at people's religion and beliefs and
whether it's in vogue or not."
BYU is the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
widely known as the Mormon church.
The Associated Press on Thursday left messages seeking comment from both
schools.
Last February, Arizona apologized after the school said some fans participated
in an "unacceptable chant" following the basketball team's 96-95 loss to BYU in
Tucson. According to online video, fans could be heard yelling a profane phrase
directed at Mormons as the teams were leaving the court.
In September, Colorado apologized and was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 after
football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a 24-21
loss to the Cougars in Boulder. In November, Cincinnati apologized for football
fans' anti-Mormon chants during a 26-14 loss to BYU in Ohio.
In a statement Thursday, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference
is investigating what happened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Wednesday night.
"All parties have been notified," he said. "The Conference has zero tolerance
for behavior of this nature and will address the matter in accordance with Big
12 sportsmanship policies."
Young said only four or five of his players are Mormon.
"I understand what we represent. Even for a guy like AJ, that stuff is
unwarranted. Like I said, man, I try to talk to our guys about being examples
in the world, why we can use basketball to really just bring people together
and not tear people apart. It's something we talk about a lot. It's just
disappointing.
"I hope someone prints that, I hope it's in bold on someone's publication and
just try to maybe together as a society we can just help the world kind of move
forward and not divide each other with hate and things that are really
nonsensical."
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