Glory Road Movie the Story

Glory Road Movie

The story of Don Haskins, the long time and Hall of Fame college basketball coach from Texas Western/UTEP had been largely uncelebrated until the 2006 release of Glory Road. Directed by James Gartner and staring Josh Lucas as Coach Haskins, the movie depicts his 1966 National Championship run as the barrier breaking coach who was the first to start all black players and win the National Championship. Defeating perennial power and all white Kentucky, Haskins helped break down the racial barrier in sports, particularly in the South, and thus by not only playing black players, but winning with them, the story told in Glory Road is truly an important event in not only American sports history, but also a story which sheds light on and highlights much of the racial issues which are prevalent in sports. Glory Road takes place in the 1960s, primarily in Texas and in the general atmosphere of the racial tensions existing in the American South during the time period. In the movie, the African-Americans who Don Haskin's recruited are given little opportunity to play collegiate basketball and although they have a love for the game, they do not see it as a viable alternative. They are well aware of the limited opportunities afforded to black athletes and to African-Americans in general. However, it seems Don Haskin's is oblivious to this as he cares only about winning and thus is willing to defy the established norms of NCAA Division I basketball in the South and play his men regardless of color. It is not until later as the season develops that he begins to realize the social implications of his actions as head coach as Haskins and his team become something more than just a basketball team, but a team that is playing for something more than just basketball. They encounter violence, intimidation, racism, and stereotypes even from their opponents such as the famous Coach Rupp of Kentucky. The setting is thus one of a heated atmosphere, however there are some who appreciate what Texas Western was doing in revolutionizing the game of basketball and thus sports in the United States. Nevertheless, the setting was one of tension, racism, but ultimately one ripe for change in the 1966. The movie in itself is a testament to the challenges that racism created in the past. Personally to me, by portraying the great story of Don Haskins, Glory Road is a reminder about what it took to get to the point we are today in sports. It shows us what had to be overcome in the past and therefore I feel we can better appreciate the present. But it is also about the mishaps of racism, and a constant reminder that all people are the same and there is nothing wrong with challenging socially accepted ideas which are wrong. Glory Road is also an important illustration of the power of sports in transcending social problems and enacting social change. Sports, as a non-violent but important area within the United States and even throughout the world helped make non-violent change and helped society to progress. Glory Road, to me personally, means many things and shows the limitations and capabilities of sports as a microcosm throughout society, as well as the inherent flaws in racism. Going even further, Glory Road is also a testament to the power of people to overcome and the strength of the individual and a group of individuals to unite behind a cause regardless of what is perceived by the public. It is a story of the good winning over the bad, the right over the wrong, and proof of the power of people to do what they feel is the right thing. To me, Glory Road is a powerful story touching on many important aspects of life. Thus Glory Road has some main themes which help to illustrate these concepts, particularly concerned with racism in sports. The first theme is whiteness in sports, which is highlighted by the atmosphere surrounding the players from Texas Western. As Don Haskins goes to recruit, he looks at primarily white players, but then is forced to recruit black players because they are given little opportunity in the predominantly white sport. The whiteness in sports was dominant; white athletes were considered to be smarter and black athletes were considered unable to win at the highest levels. This is further exemplified by the fact that there were unwritten rules limiting blacks participation in college basketball, and also reflected in the African-Americans' notions that they would not have the opportunity to play in college. Surely, this whiteness in NCAA basketball was not just in one sport, but reflective of the general notions of white's dominance in sports. This whiteness in sports is also suggestive of another theme, white privilege. Whites are given the upper hand in society and this is reflected in college basketball. Whites were given opportunities for scholarships and playing time ahead of blacks regardless of talent. It was not until after Haskins beat him that Rupp recruited the first black player at Kentucky. This is indicative of the notion of white privilege as whites were afforded greater opportunities in sports than blacks. And while Haskin's helped to break down the color barrier in major college sports, this does not instantly change people's minds and end white privilege, and therefore the racial overtones of the movie have greater implications on the long-lasting issue of white privilege in sports and also in society. Racism relating to sports is also a key issue in the film as sports help to overcome racism, but they also help to re-enforce it. Basketball separated blacks and whites along social lines in ways which helped to keep racism in sports as it existed in society. Yet sports were also a way for a group of black individuals to make progress by defeating an all white team, and thus helping to break down the barriers of racisms. Sports offered a non-violent way of competition between blacks and whites, but it was also used as a way to limit the opportunities afforded to blacks. Thus racism was a key aspect relating to sports and racist attitudes within society carried over to amateur athletics as well. Lastly, Glory Road deals with stereotypes regarding athletes. Glory Road goes along way to defy the stereotypes because the athletes it depicts from Texas Western were such strong individuals who used sports, not only for the competition and love for the game, but also as a means for an end. The key members of the 1966 Texas Western basketball team used their opportunities at Texas Western as springboards to a more successful life afterwards. But also, they were strong individuals who understood the implications of fighting racism and stood strong in the face of threats, racial tensions, and violence. Instead of fighting back or quitting, and there were times that these two alternatives were possible, the athletes including the whites and the blacks adapted to their changing lives and made progress for the better. The black athletes stood strong and the whites understood their roles in the historic season, and the Texas Western basketball players therefore went a long way in defying negative stereotypes towards athletes. These themes relate to the class as they are integral aspects of the development of sports, particularly in the United States. Sports have not always been just about the game, but instead social aspects come into play. The story told in Glory Road is an example of sports and their relationship to society and how society impacts sport and sport impacts society. The issues of whiteness, racism, and stereotypes within society transcended to sports but sports made it possible to transcend social norms. Furthermore, overcoming racism and the integration of African- American and other races into sports was a big issue and the issue of race did not just disappear with one Texas Western team. Rather sports had to evolve through racism, and racism continues to be an issue within sports in America. Whiteness, white privilege, racism within sports, and stereotypes against athletes are themes depicted in Glory Road that have and important historical and philosophical relationship with the development of sports in America, as well as other places throughout the world. My faith also relates to these themes as my faith believes that all people are equal. It does not matter what color they are, or what they look like, but that they should be treated equally. In Glory Road, society does not treat people equally. But Don Haskins does and he does not see race. He sees talent and he wanted to win, and he treated people equally for their own ability. This is much like how my faith relates to the themes of the movie, as my faith opposes discrimination, racism, stereotypes, and treating people as inferior because of their race. In relating to the themes of the movie, involving whiteness privilege, white dominance in sports, racism, and stereotypes against athletes, my faith assumes a similar stance as that portrayed in Glory Road which celebrates those that worked to overcome racism and help our world become a more equal place. Even though Glory Road took place in the American South, its themes are prevalent throughout sports and through many different time periods. Current literature touches on many of the themes of the movie. A recent study of college students by Harrison and Lawrence looks at the perception regarding what seems to be the now dominating role of blacks in American sports today (Harrison & Lawrence, 2004). While this seems to contradict the theme of Glory Road, as Glory Road is about a lack of opportunities for black athletes, the article depicts racial overtones within sports that helps to show that racial issues have been and still are predominant in sports. Harrison and Lawrence consider the success of black's in sports and the public perception. Glory Road also looks at the perception of black athletes, which in the context of America in 1966, considers blacks to be good athletes, but not as smart as whites. This is consistent with the themes of whiteness, white privilege, stereotyping of athletes, and racism. Even though Haskin's took his team to the title, 30 years later, according to Harrison and Lawrence "notions of Black athletic superiority and intellectual inferiority permeate the minds of... American citizens" (2004). This means that not so much has changed within American sports culture, and that racisms, negative stereotypes, and whiteness are still prevalent. Even today, people fail to understand the issues of race in sports and are selective, racist, and stereotypical in their perceptions of blacks and whites in sports. By understanding the setting of Glory Road and today's social perception of race in sports, one can see the evolution of American sports but that while participation has evolved to incorporate blacks, the issues which affected blacks in the movie still affect them today. While Harrison and Lawrence acknowledge that "race should be disregarded in judging individual performance," they also recognize that "this is very seldom the case in today's society" (2004). Much like the days in the 1960s, race is still an issue when it comes to sports in American society. Stereotypes enforcing racial differences among athletes are prevalent in today's society which helps to encourage the sense of whiteness in sports existing in the Glory Road. While Glory Road touches largely on racial stereotypes, there are numerous other stereotypes which exist in sports. In Glory Road, Don Haskins is laughed at both by his players and administration for coaching girls basketball. This stereotype of athletes, in particular women athletes, exists in the movie, in 1960s America, as well as in today's public perception when considering feminism and masculinity within sports. A study by Alley, for instance, looks at the issue and comes to the conclusion that certain sports are viewed as for women and certain sports are publicly perceived to be for men (2005). While this article touches on different issues than Glory Road, is helps to show that the level of stereotypes facing athletes. Even without racial issues and white privilege and white dominance in sports, there exists stereotypes regarding certain sports being for women and certain sports being for men. These issues of stereotypes of men and women also are enforced by the media, which is demonstrated by the media coverage of Wimbledon (Vincent 2004). Media coverage tends to focus on male achievements, and in particular male journalists use racial stereotypes against women tennis players (Vincent 2004). This combination of utilizing gender, racial, and cultural stereotypes existing in the more recent media is suggestive of the media practices of stereotyping. Much like women tennis players are downplayed, so was Texas Western in 1966. Just like whites dominate, so do men. This means that there are stereotypes in sports both in the media among the general public that exist both in the past and the present. The underlying issues present in Glory Road did not just disappear, but exist today. Whiteness is also an issue within even modern day sports as evidenced by Erickson's 2005 report regarding rock climbers (2005). According to Erickson, the 2000 North Face expedition in which four climbers were taken hostage by an Islamic Organization is evidence that whiteness within sports creates a sense of insecurity (2005). While this seemingly has nothing to do with the themes of Glory Road, this is not the case as it is perhaps the insecurities of whites who dominate sports, in particular college basketball, who try to use their white privilege to prevent blacks from taking over the sports. It is without a doubt that Rupp was aware of the untapped talent of young African-Americans who saw no future in college basketball, yet he did not utilize it. It was his whiteness and sense of white privilege, racist tendencies, and social stereotypes which encouraged Rupp to encourage white dominance in the sport. It is largely because insecurities, a fear of losing the sport, that Rupp and others tried to protect the status quo and prevent blacks from taking over. It is very likely that insecurities kept the white dominance of blacks in sports and encouraged stereotypes and racisms. More surprising, though, is the fact that it is not always the case that winning changes everything. In Glory Road, Texas Western and Don Haskins were successes because they won. If they were a losing team, they would have likely been looked down upon and seen as a failure despite breaking racial boundaries. But they won and because a leader because they showed that blacks could win, and were the first team starting all blacks to do so. However, this is not always the case as even more recently, as discussed in recent literature regarding leading African-American women tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, racism still exists (Douglas, 2005). Even among top black athletes today, and even more so among that are women, the issues of stereotypes and racial prejudices are ingrained in the sports world. The theme of whiteness, in which whites are predominant in the sports world within Glory Road is also captured in more recent literature. Even in the 1990s and 2000s there is a white dominance, and although it is becoming more widely recognized, its presence means that there is in fact a white dominance in sports (McDonald, 2005). Much like in Glory Road when Don Haskins and his team had to challenge the whiteness, athletes have had to continue to challenge white dominance of the sporting world. The complicated issues of race in sports is reflected within long-distance running in which the media, event organizers, and participants have looked for ways to deal with whiteness in a sport in which white's had traditional supremacy but were losing it (Walton & Butryn, 2006). The marginalization of African-born U.S. runners shows that issues of whiteness within long- distance running have not been resolved. This means that the 1966 Texas Western basketball team, in ushering a new era of blacks into a sport, did not change everything or change people's minds, but that racism still existed. This seems to indicate that there is a constant evolution, and that race in sports is much more complex than what meets the eye. Long- distance running shows the stereotypes, whiteness, and attempts to maintain white privilege in sport which have existed over the years. Boxing, though, is a sport that is not traditionally white but consists of many racist elements which appear to be inherent contradictions (Woodward, 2004). This in itself indicates that racism is an issue if it is being evaluated for a sport. Furthermore, boxers are stereotyped as were athletes in Glory Road. They are forced to assume certain identities, often consistent with a masculine identity (Woodward, 2004). This suggests that people within sports are often given certain roles and encouraged to maintain a role that fits the socially accepted norm for that sport. For Don Haskins, it was to play only a certain amount of blacks. But Haskin's defied that socially accepted role, and faced criticism. Much like boxers fit a role, so did basketball players, which shows that racism and racial stereotypes are very much alive in sports. It is also clear that sport can come to represent much more than just a game, as was the case in Glory Road in which the basketball team came to represent the hopes of many blacks throughout the country. This is seen through the cheering blacks rooting for Texas Western as if it was their team. A lot of hopes were riding on the 1966 Texas Western team. The same can be said for football in colonial India. "Football as a mass-spectator sport came to represent an unconventional type of cultural nationalism in colonial India against the background of strong anti-colonial nationalist feeling,," which shows that throughout history there are other examples of sports representing much more than just a game (Taylor & Francis, 2005). In the past, present, and surely the future there have been instances where there was racism in sports and sports came to mean more than a game. Racism also exists in British soccer (Taylor & Francis, 2005). It also exists in American basketball. It exists in boxing, women's tennis, men's long distance running. Regardless of the time or the sport, athletes are stereotyped, excluded, privileged, or treated a certain way because of one's race. This means that the social issues dealing with racism come to the sports world, and thus when racism exists in sports, in carries over to alter the social world. Glory Road is not only a moving story, but it is a true one, depicting many of the racial tensions that are still existent in our sports world. Perhaps that is Glory Road's greatest flaw; it depicts the 1966 Texas Western basketball team as one that changed the game. Although it may have changed the game, it did not change society. The storylines after the movie make it appear as though Kentucky eventually turned a corner in overcoming racism, and while there is no evidence that Kentucky is still racist, the literature on racism in sports suggests that sports have not come quite as far as the products of Glory Road lead the viewer to believe. This is not intended to take away from the accomplishments of the individuals who were courageous and talented playing for Texas Western, but instead it points out that the themes of whiteness, stereotypes, and racism did not immediately disappear. Individually, the players may have overcome racism, but they did not transcend racism for sports as a whole. Even today, blacks are seen as "intellectually inferior compared to whites" (Harrison & Lawrence, 2004). But still Glory Road tells an important story and it cannot be denied that racism has declined considerably from the 1960s. While the producers did perhaps over-emphasize the accomplishments of that team, the facts cannot be denied. They did overcome racism and they were the first team to win the National Championship starting five black players. They did change the game and open NCAA Basketball for other races. The themes of the movie are thus important to be understood, and the movie has implications to our current day. We need to watch the movie, not as history, but also perhaps as we view sports today. The themes of Glory Road are not dead in sports today, but do still exist and Glory Road should be a warning against racial stereotypes in sports and in society. People should be viewed independent of their race as therefore should be treated equally. This is the main theme of Glory Road and it stands true whether every basketball player is black or there are no black basketball players. The literature indicates that even in the 21st century, racism in sports still exists. It is understood then that the themes of Glory Road exist today and must be evaluated. Whiteness, racism, stereotypes, and white privilege exist in today's sporting world and if recognized, they can be corrected. The 1966 Texas Western team had to fight fire with fire and had to win; today there are people studying the issues concerning racism and sport. But it takes more than studying and awareness; there has to be action to change people's minds. It is not possible to eliminate all white privilege, all stereotypes, and all facets of racism from the sporting world and society, but it is possible to make progress and continue the evolution towards a world in which all people are treated equally. This means that people need to succeed; athletes need to challenge the boundaries. The media needs to report on not just the stereotypical issues, but on people defying the stereotype. Athletes that defy stereotypes should be cherished. Americans should be proud of all their runners whether white or black. Venus Williams should not be trivialized- not because she is black and not because she is a woman. The issues in sports need to be brought to the front and defied. Texas Western broke a barrier and there are still more to break.