Clemente is interviewed by SI.com, calls Fitzgerald a liar

September 11, 2009 Rock Chalk Blog

Back in February, Tim Fitzgerald, editor and publisher of gopowercat.com, said that Kansas players were yelling racial slurs at Denis Clemente at a game in Manhattan. Tully Corcoran has the story with Bill Self’s reaction to Fitzgerald’s claims. Here is an excerpt from the story, which includes Fitzgerald’s claims and Self’s reaction:

“There were comments coming off the KU bench that my staff was witness to … from wishing him bodily harm to a comment about, ‘Hey, where’s your green card?'” Fitzgerald said during “The Overdrive” online show that airs after the TV show. “Setting aside the fact that’s racist, look KU players, he’s from the United States. Puerto Rico is part of the United States. You don’t need a green card.”

Kansas coach Bill Self responded Monday morning.

“I did hear about that, and that flat-out (ticks) me off, because that did not occur,” Self said. “We have coaches who sit between the players. I will ask my players to make sure, but I’m sure that did not occur.

“That does bother me a lot that anybody would say anything like that, and more importantly, that anybody would report (players) saying anything like that.”

Here is an excerpt from a interview from SportsIllustrated.com with Kansas State guard Denis Clemente saying that Fitzgerald is a liar.

LW: There was the whole other controversy from that game in which a writer from a K-State fan site alleged there were some racial slurs coming from the KU bench. Did that actually happen?
DC: No, no, they’re not like that. I mean, fans sometimes say crazy things and you learn not to listen to them, but no, [the KU people] didn’t say anything like that.

Not exactly surprised when Fitzgerald came out with this on his website…

Woops…

Clemente then addresses the incident with Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed.

LW: Speaking of that … I’m assuming you’re particularly despised by KU fans after the incident last February when you elbowed Brady Morningstar [and slapped Tyrel Reed]. In the days after that game, you said the elbow was a “respect” thing, that you had to protect your home court. Can you explain what that meant?
DC: What I mean is, nobody can come into this building and disrespect me. This is my house. This is my gym. Kansas State, Bramlage Coliseum, this is my gym. I don’t think anybody has spent more time than me in this gym. I’m here every day. Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes it’s midnight Saturday and I’ll be at the gym. People think I’m crazy, but I’m not. This is what I do.

And…he comments on KU being No. 1.

LW: Your rival, Kansas, seems like it’s going to be the consensus No. 1 team in the country coming into next season. Do you agree with the Jayhawks being No. 1?
DC: I just play for Kansas State, so I don’t know. But if people say they’re No. 1, then they’re No. 1. I do know that we get to play them twice, so we’ll see what happens. It’s a great rivalry. People from there don’t like K-State players, and people from here don’t like Kansas players.