Ole Miss Basketball: Kermit Davis off to rough start

Kermit Davis made some unnecessary comments during his introductory press conference as the new Ole Miss basketball coach.

Kermit Davis may live to rue this moment.

The 58-year old Mississippi native finally received the keys to run a major college basketball program for the first time in over 25 years. The exciting moment for Ole Miss fans was dulled by what he said during his introductory press conference.

A question was simple enough: what is the Ole Miss Rebels program going to look like under your watch?

Davis began his answer by talking about the style of play he expected from his team. He also mentioned body language, an important aspect of any sport.

Then, he pivoted into something that didn’t seem entirely relevant.

“We’re going to be a respectful team that respects the flag and the national anthem,” Davis stated (h/t NBC Sports). “All those things from culture is what we’re about. It’s who we’re going to be.”

Cue the outrage.

Everyone has their own opinion. Keeping that opinion to himself may have served Davis well in this moment, though.

For starters, he’s coaching in Mississippi. As a native of the state, he should be well aware of the remaining racial hostility in a state that still can’t decide what to do with the Confederate flag. Heck, the old mascot for Ole Miss was likely derived from a Confederate soldier.

Complicating matters is the very sport Davis coaches. While some sports present different demographics on the play of field, basketball teams tend to be constructed by a black majority. Protests against the flag (i.e. Colin Kaepernick’s) have been led by a black majority.

At the very least, Davis is creating the potential of a conflict with his players and potential recruits that nobody asked him to create.

News cycles are short. This could be water under the bridge in a matter of days.

Next: Ranking the Sweet 16 teams

It’s still an awkward start for Kermit Davis at Ole Miss.