Durham Mayor Bill Bell says he wants to honor the Duke lacrosse team for their play on the field. He says he has no ulterior motive.
Durham Mayor Bill Bell says he recently contacted Duke University about a proposed ceremony to recognize the school’s men’s lacrosse team.
But he insists it’s only for the team’s play on the field and for no other reason.
“No matter what you do, people are always going to be suspect to a certain amount and wonder what your ulterior motive is,” Bell said. “But I can tell you there is no ulterior motive.”
Suspect an ulterior motive? I can’t imagine why. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this is the third time Duke’s lacrosse team has played in the NCAA men’s lacrosse final four (1997 and 2005). In fact, in 2005 they came within one goal of winning the championship. I don’t recall any city-sponsored events to honor their “play on the field” back then. And why honor just the men’s lacrosse team when the Duke women’s team is also in their sport’s NCAA final four, for the second year in a row, I might add? If anyone else deserves recognition it’s the Duke women’s team, who supported the men’s team when it wasn’t fashionable — or politically expedient.
