Kansas should be fined for ‘Phog’ fiasco
When you invite Snoop Dogg to a party, you expect weed, obscene lyrics and women half dressed gyrating in suggestive manners.
That’s why Snoop has always been an underappreciated option for family entertainment; Snoop gives parents the chance to explain a variety of subjects to their kids, and give new meaning to the term “gummies.”
The University of Kansas inviting Snoop to perform during its corny, family-centric “Late Night at the Phog” annual basketball practice Friday night in Lawrence ranks slightly ahead of hiring Charlie Weis to coach its football team.
Both are embarrassing. Both are preventable. Both are equally stupid.
Since no conference office can levy much of a penalty, at a minimum the Big 12 should fine KU for failing to vet Snoop’s Allen Fieldhouse performance, which included a “stripper pole act” that featured half-dressed women to complement his songs.
I know our standards for language and attire have changed over the years, but this practice is a free event, aimed mostly at families who can bring their kids to watch Kansas basketball on a Friday night.
A handful of people have prodded/asked me over the years why I never take aim at my alma mater. The answer is because Kansas is in Kansas. A little out of my readership.
Alas, this one merits some love. It’s too good to pass up.
Kansas, you dun’ good. If you’re going down, have a pot and stripper party with Snoop.
Not only is your basketball program caught up in the FBI wiretap scandal and is now the subject of an investigation by the NCAA, the athletic department decided inviting Snoop to perform for the kids was a good idea.
Apparently Cardi B was not available.
Of course, this is a basketball program that features one of its top assistants, who left courtside seats for a noted porn star.
KU has laughably denied all of the wiretap and NCAA allegations, but regardless of its “innocence,” this was not the time to embarrass itself. This is not the time to generate any unwanted attention.
KU Athletic Director Jeff Long issued an apology: “We apologize to anyone who was offended by the Snoop Dogg performance at Late Night. We made it clear to the entertainers’ manager that we expected a clean version of the show and took additional steps to communicate to our fans, including moving the artist to the final act of the evening, to ensure that no basketball activities would be missed if anyone did not want to stay for his show.
“I take full responsibility for not thoroughly vetting all details of the performance and offer my personal apology to those who were offended. We strive to create a family atmosphere at Kansas and fell short of that this evening.”
Snoop performed for the 16,300 in attendance his following hits: “Gin and Juice.” And “The Next Episode.” And “Drop it Like It’s Hot.”
Of course, he performed the unedited versions of these songs. Anything for the kids.
In these hit singles, Snoop uses the n-word countless times, the term for a female dog, a familiar word that follows the word “mother,” and a host of other R-rated terms.
All the while, girls dressed in “clothes” performed on a long pole; there is no confusion on any of this. This is all straight from a men’s adult club. A strip club.
Good for family time. College athletics continually looks like a pro event in its presentation, but the majority of the players are not old enough to drink. A good portion of the fans are not old enough to drive. A good portion of the fans are in grade school.
The Big 12 is not going to do much of anything, but a decent fine to KU would send a message to every other member athletic department to vet their schedule of events, and performers, carefully.
Inviting Snoop to a kids party is a terrible idea, and in doing so, Kansas turned one of basketball’s most hallowed arenas into just another strip club.