The author of this bit of bias is Peter Vecsey, a self-anointed expert on racism, and a longtime Rupp-basher who won’t let sleeping dogs lie.

Vecsey currently works as one of “The Insiders” on NBC’s NBA pre-game show and “NBA Showtime.” Vecsey writes an NBA commentary column twice a week for the New York Post. He had previously written his “Hoop du Jour” NBA column for the Post from 1976 through 1989. He covered the NBA for USA Today, from October 1990 through September 1993. During the 1987-88 season, he hosted a syndicated television show that discussed the NBA with TNT NBA analyst and former New York Knicks coach, Hubie Brown. In 1985 and 1986 he hosted a one-hour NBA talk show with Lee Zeidman on SportsChannel New York.

Vecsey’s article concerned Issel yelling obscenities at a Hispanic fan after the Denver Nuggets lost their fifth consecutive game. The NBA team suspended its coach for four games, costing him about $112,000. Bobby Bowman, 23, told Denver’s KUSA-TV, which caught the incident on videotape, that he yelled “You suck” at Issel Tuesday. According to Bowman, Issel then blew kisses at him as he was leaving the court. Bowman then told Issel to “shut up” and Issel replied, “Hey, go buy another beer. Go drink another beer, you (expletive) Mexican piece of (expletive).”

An emotional Dan Issel with the Nuggets about 25 years, apologized for incident. “I was involved with a very stupid and regrettable incident with a fan for which I am very sorry,” he said. “In responding to a heckler, I used a very regrettable and unfeeling statement. I apologize to the fan ... to the Denver Nuggets organization. I apologize to the city of Denver for that uncaring and un-Christian-like comment. I take full responsibly for my actions.”

Issel resigned as head coach and president two weeks after abusing the fan. Issel took an indefinite leave of absence after serving a four-game suspension, then accepted a deal which saw the remainder of his contract being bought out. Issel was to earn $2.5 million this year on a contract which was due to expire after next season.

During the experience, Issel admitted to an anger problem and said he would seek counseling.

A college incident that indicated perhaps Issel had an anger problem occurred in UK’s loss to Jacksonville, 106-101, in the 1970 Mideast Regional at Columbus, Ohio. Young Joe Williams’ Jacksonville team featured 7-footers Artis Gilmore and Pembrook Burrows – “The biggest team I ever saw,” Rupp said.

Issel scored 28 points before fouling Vaughn Wedeking and being fouled out of the game with 10 minutes remaining.

Both Issel and Rupp thought the foul should have been called on Wedeking, who ran in front of Issel. Mike Pratt, Larry Steele, and Terry Mills also fouled out.

Kentucky hit 20 of 24 foul shots, and Jacksonville hit 28 of 30 from the line.

Rupp blamed the loss on poor officiating and failure of his boys to do what he told them.

“Jacksonville was probably harder than any loss in my college career,” Issel said. “The others were against Ohio State in my sophomore year, which we were supposed to win, and Marquette in my junior year, when we still had the next year to go.”

“The thing that really made me feel bad was because I fouled out with 10 minutes to go. Wedeking stationed himself in front of me. I couldn’t become non-aggressive, because if I had, they would have blown us right out of the gym.”

Kentucky’s loss to Ohio State in Issel’s sophomore year occurred in the 1968 Mideast Regional championship game, which was held in Memorial Coliseum. Kentucky was leading OSU by one point with six seconds remaining when Ohio State missed a go-ahead shot.

Mike Casey rebounded the ball, which went out-of-bounds when OSU’s Bill Hosket jostled Casey from behind. Ohio State coach Fred Taylor called time and told Dave Sorenson and Steve Howell to cross and one of them take a close-in shot. Sorenson took the ball on the throw-in and made a medium-range jump shot to give Ohio State the victory, 82-81.

I was sitting on the floor near the end zone opposite where Casey rebounded the ball. There was no doubt in my mind that Hosket fouled Casey from behind.

Last year in Madison Square Garden in the opening game of the Coaches for Cancer classic, the Wildcats were leading St. John’s by two points and had possession with seconds to play. On the throw-in, a St. John’s player came from behind and knocked the ball out of Tayshaun Prince’s hands. Omar Cook threw an in-bounds pass to Anthony Glover, who converted a three-point play, giving St. John’s a one-point win. The official who awarded the ball to St. John’s later admitted it was a wrong call.

We had a ringside television seat during UK’s recent loss to Duke in overtime at Meadowlands. I watched the replays and still couldn’t see where Tayshaun Prince fouled Jason Williams during the Blue Devil guard’s drive to the basket that resulted in crucial two free throws.

Prince seemed to freeze with both hands in the air, wait for the Duke guard to charge into him. Since the official was closer to the action, he had a different interpretation. I suppose Prince should have stepped aside, bowed, and with a sweep of the arm and hand, cleared a path for Williams.

Perhaps my blood bleeds too blue, and I see what I want to see, etc. When UK took a 19-2 lead at Mississippi State, I thought the officials subconsciously favored the Bulldogs. If nice guys finish first, Tubby Smith should get a better shake.

I always considered Dan Issel a nice guy, although a tough competitor both on and off the court. Blaming Issel’s coach for UK’s all-time leading men’s basketball scorer’s ill-timed and costly (his job as coach and president of the Denver Nuggets) remark is so far out in left field that even Vecsey’s fellow Rupp haters must find it hard to swallow.

Throughout his 42-year career at UK, Rupp was never known to issue racial slurs, on or off the floor. Although reputedly the most hated man in Dixie, he was above yakking with the fans. There is no way he encouraged his players to fight their battles off the floor, although it occasionally happened.

During a game with Holy Cross in 1948, 14,000 fans in Boston Garden booed Rupp soundly after he and Crusader coach Buster Sheary rushed onto the playing floor when Cliff Barker and Bob Cousy started to fight. An official waved the coaches off the floor.

UK was ahead by three points at game’s end when someone hit Wallace Jones with a wadded paper cup. Jones decked the fan. Another fan rushed toward the departing Rupp as a nearby police officer made no attempt to stop the melee.

Lancaster knocked the fan down and quickly ushered Rupp to the UK locker room.

When a fan hit Rupp with a wadded cup during another game, the Baron turned to his assistant and said, “Harry, see who hit me.”

Hottest and heaviest criticism of Rupp came after the Wildcats returned after a year (1952-53) of banishment from basketball action. Wherever the team went, opposing fans subjected Rupp and his players to a barrage of insults.

A rhubarb erupted in St. Louis after Lou Tsioropoulos pointed a finger at a St. Louis player who had fouled him. As the partisan crowd howled, hooted, and called Lou a “Greasy Greek,” Lancaster struck Pat Hickey, son of the St. Louis coach, for firing the timer’s pistol close to his leg for a second time.

Authorities quickly restored order. However, an unruly spectator took a punch at UK athletics director Bernie Shively and a brief flurry followed. When Tsioropoulos fouled out with six minutes remaining and the Wildcats leading by six points, the crowd cheered wildly. Lou held up his arm in a gesture of triumph and defiance.

Rupp took no part in the fray, which was his custom. Lancaster shielded him from unruly crowds. The Baron’s response at St. Louis, “Let’s just say the noted Missouri hospitality became a little strained.”

There were many other instances where Rupp refused to get involved with activities that occurred off the floor. He felt paying customers had a right to complain, but he didn’t condone antics by some overeager fans; however, the best he could do was to stay out of those situations.

When Rupp’s Runts lost to Texas Western in the 1966 NCAA championship game, Vecsey was a member of an army Green Beret unit. He never got to know Rupp, which is regrettable, and apparently bases his opinion of the Baron on others.

Famous Last Words. After trouncing Tulane and before playing Mississippi State, a leading Wildcat was quoted as saying they were going to sweep the Southeastern Conference. I haven’t shot a crow lately, but if one comes my way, I will FedEx it to him. Rupp must have turned over in his grave, while Joe B. shook his head in disbelief.