Reporter Alleges 'White Media' Is The Reason Michigan Coach Might Be Fired

Juwan Howard was asked a wildly outrageous and racist question following Michigan's basketball season coming to an end.

Howard and the Wolverines lost in the Big Ten Tournament 66-57 to Penn State in the opening stages of the tournament Wednesday, and Michigan finished the season 8-24. Howard closed out the year by losing nine straight games. His seat is blazing hot, and there's a very real chance he's coached his final game with the program in Ann Arbor.

Who is to blame for the fact he's 45-55 over the past three seasons and missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year?

One reporter thinks the "white media" is responsible.

Will Michigan fire Juwan Howard? (Credit: Detroit Free Press via USA Today Sports Network)

Juwan Howard asked racist question about "white media" after Michigan's season ended.

"There’s three black coaches in this conference and throughout the season, each one of you has been put on a hot seat by the white media. I’m hoping that you survive this because we know black coaches sometimes don’t. But can you speak on just the fact that the three of you are doing the job that you’ve been hired to do, representing as coaches. There was black kids in the stands today that got to see you coach and will see the other two black coaches during this tournament. Can you just speak on that," reporter Charles Hallman of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder asked the Michigan coach.

Yes, this is real and not an "SNL" skit. Hallman asked if the "white media" is responsible for Howard's seat being scorching hot.

To get a taste of Charles Hallman, his X bio describes himself as "a longtime Black journalist who works hard at what I do." We're dealing with someone who describes themselves by their race. 

Charles Hallman asks Juwan Howard racist question. (Credit: Charles Hallman X)

You can watch the truly stunning moment unfold below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Howard responded, in part, with the following, according to UMHoops.com:

"Well, I got into coaching because I remember how my coaches impacted me as I grew. When I touched — let’s call it what it is. When I first touched campus on the University of Michigan, how Steve Fisher and his staff helped me in so many ways to become a graduate student at one of the prestigious universities, speaking of the University of Michigan.

Coming as a kid from the inner city, being the first in my family to receive my degree. Promising my grandmother, no matter what, my goal is to make it to the NBA and take care of our family, but I promise you I’m going to get my education to inspire my family members and also others that come from our community that they can do the same thing."

Not really sure what he should have said other than to point out it was a racist question and there's no such thing as the "white media," just like there's no "black media" or "Asian media."

Winning gets you paid.

Sports are the last true meritocracy left in America, and must be protected at all costs. Job status is determined by who wins and who doesn't. It has nothing to do with race. Is there a single program in America that wouldn't hire a black coach if he could win at a high level? Of course not. We know this because there are plenty of examples, including South Carolina just handing Lamont Paris a massive raise after his second year with the program.

Yet, here we are talking about race and whether or not the "white media" is responsible for Howard being on the hot seat. Did the "white media" cause him to lose nine straight games to close out the year? Did the "white media" cause Michigan to win eight games on the year and miss the NCAA tournament for the second straight year?

Of course not. That's complete nonsense, and should be rejected as such. Howard is responsible for his fate. Nobody else coached the games.

Juwan Howard asked racist question about his job security. (Credit: Detroit Free Press via USA Today Sports Network)

Finally, does Charles Hallman not know Michigan's AD Warde Manuel is black? Is the implication Hallman is making that Manuel takes his marching orders from the "white media"? Seems pretty racist to imply such a thing. Let me know what you think of this insanity at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.