CNN Segment Critical of Duke’s Krzyzewski for Refusal to Speak on Indiana Law

In a segment that aired on CNN on Wednesday, host Carol Costello and former NFL punter Chris Kluwe, an outspoken proponent of same-sex marriage, questioned Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski for his refusal to speak out about the Indiana “Religious Freedom” law in a press conference on Tuesday. Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils will play the Michigan State Spartans in a Final Four match-up this weekend in Indianapolis.

According to Kluwe, not every athlete should feel obliged to speak out on social issues. However, as a supposed superstar coach, Krzyzewski had an obligation to be aware of the law and its impact on society.

“Well, I think a lot of coaches and players for that matter are worried that they will say the wrong thing and that they will bring undue media attention down on themselves,” Kluwe said. “And so they just think it’s better to say nothing at all. In the NFL, we had media seminars, sort of training sessions where they would say, ‘Hey, if you don’t want to talk about an issue, if you feel uncomfortable about it, don’t talk about it. Keep the focus on sports.’”

“I think that’s a fair thing for athletes because not every athlete is going to be versed on social issues,” he continued. “At the same time, if you are a superstar athlete or a superstar head coach, it is your obligation to be aware of these issues because you will be asked about them and you do have a platform to talk about these things and you should knowledgeable about it because that is the world you live in. That is your society.”

(h/t The Right Scoop)

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor