Coach KO
Told you I'd get back to the Gerald "Artest''-Tyler "Rip'' Hansbrough incident. (Artest because what Henderson committed was pretty much the exact foul Artest committed against Ben Wallace to precipitate the Auburn Hills brawl two years ago, and Rip Hansbrough because he'll probably be wearing a facemask for the ACC tournament game Friday.) And thanks to the loyal blog-responder (who often replies under the name Francis Sawyer or Douglas Neidermeyer) who suggested the headline above.
You've surely heard the references to the "Isiah defense'' since the mugging on Sunday afternoon. Here's why. This is what Mike Krzyzewski said after the game: "The game was over before that - I mean the outcome of the game, let's put it that way. That's unfortunate, too, that those people were in the game in that play. Maybe this wouldn't have happened."
And here's what Isiah Thomas said after his Knicks brawled with the Denver Nuggets in New York in December, referring to what he supposedly told Carmelo Anthony in the moments before the fight broke out: ''I just said to him: 'You're up 19 with a minute and a half to go. You and Camby really shouldn't be in the game right now.' We had surrendered. And those guys shouldn't have been in the game at that time. They were sticking it to us pretty good. They were having their way with us pretty good.''
We don't even have to make the argument that Coach K's rationalization was no less heinous than Isiah's, or that it was barely less defensible than what John Chaney did a couple of years ago with a player he sent in to give "hard fouls'' against an opponent.
We can point out that this is all taking place with two programs raised onto a loftier pedestal than most, with two coaches (certainly one) raised onto a loftier pedestal than most, in a sport routinely heaped with praise and accolades for its superiority in every way over the thug-infested, poor-fundamental, morality-deprived, bad-example-for-our-youth NBA.
Talk amongst yourselves.
Comments
Coach K is a sanctimonious @ss. Henderson should be charged with assault. the ball was already out of Hansbroughs' hands before Henderson lifted his elbow! and Billy Packer's gotta go. his defense of Henderson was laughable. the best part was he actually sounded like he believed what he was saying. now THAT'S conviction.
Posted by: Dave | March 6, 2007 12:07 PM
Mike - you forgot to add that even though Coach KKK stated, "The game was over before that - I mean the outcome of the game, let's put it that way" he still was calling timeouts and had HIS starters in. Not to mention the fact that oh about 5/6 years ago he came back from 10 with 59 seconds left - it is all possible. He is such a rat.
Posted by: JP | March 6, 2007 1:04 PM
If the game was so over, why was Coach K calling timeouts with less than a minute left in the game after a Duke score? I'm so sick of Coach K and his holier-than-thou atitude. Just imagine if the roles were reversed and it was a Duke player on the recieving end of that elbow. Coack K wouldve pressed assault charges and demanded the suspension of the entire Carolina team for the next 3 years.
Posted by: Chris | March 6, 2007 1:04 PM
After looking at the play again and again, I have changed my initial view of the incident. That was completely pre-meditated on Henderson's part, not the actual breaking of the nose, but the hard/flagrant foul. But he is not completely at fault; that "hit" was ordered from the top. Coach K is seen as this sanctified, holier-than-thou entity of college basketball. Let's not forget he learned everything he knows under Bob Knight; Coach K's mean streak is up there with the best of them. But because he's who he is and because Duke is the University of College Basketball in America, Henderson gets a slap on the wrist. You saw it with Laetnner (kicking a guy in the head against Kentucky) and you see it now. One has to wonder if this had been done by a Clemson, Florida State, or Terp player, would the same justice, or lack thereof, been applied? I highly doubt it.
Posted by: winston | March 6, 2007 2:55 PM
Did you ever wonder why he's called coach K? Certain players on his team can't pronounce his last name. Past and present. Coach K needs some sun. Knight needs a lot of things.What a chump.
Posted by: herbie | March 6, 2007 4:10 PM
I missed the rule that states "if the other team is being unsportsmanlike, you should haul off and slug somebody." If that's the case why not slug the opposing coach -- he's the one who's doing the substituting. And if you've got any backbone you do your own slugging rather than have one of your players do it for you.
Posted by: Garrett Nichols | March 6, 2007 5:11 PM