Some things in life I just do not understand. Certain things that people do and say just do not make sense to me. Whether it is ignorance, arrogance, or (to sum it all up) stupidity, some things just piss me off. Apparently more than other people, because I haven’t heard too much fuss from what went on yesterday in the world of College Hoops.There were two very physical plays in yesterday’s games that kind of stirred some things up. They were both a little different however. One was, in my mind, clean and I had no problem with the play. The other was bush league for, believe it or not, the team that RECEIVED the hit.
In the Michigan-Purdue game yesterday, with about 18:30 left in the second half, Manny Harris caught a pass around the left wing position. Like every single player is taught as a kid, Harris faced, he saw that the defender was in his face, and he carved out some room the way he was taught. He elbowed Chris Kramer in the face while doing so, leaving a pool of blood standing on the court.
There are tons of people complaining about the play. Most of them are Purdue fans, and most of them have never played basketball before. I’m not sure if people realize this, but that is what you are taught to do! I have played competitive basketball since 3rd grade, and Harris did exactly what he was supposed to do. You would not understand unless you have been in the situation, but he did what he needed to do. When you catch that ball, face the basket, and then feel the defender right up in your crotch... there is only one way to get the guy off.
Not only did Harris wrongly get ejected from the game, he actually got suspended for something that coaches have always told him to do. The NCAA rule contradicts everything that anyone has ever been taught to do in a situation like that. You are told to make room by swinging your elbows, and if someone gets hit then bummer.
I am reading things all over the web and I am apparently against what other people are thinking and I just cannot make sense of it. Everyone is using the term flagrant foul. I am going to use the term that I think is fit for the entire mess. That term rhymes with pull ship. It just doesn’t make sense.
I witnessed the other situation unfold, and there was much more retaliation by coaches, refs, and fans who actually threw all trash in sight onto the floor. It was a close game between North Carolina and NC State for the majority of the game, but as the clock winded down, the Tar Heels got the margin up to a comfortable 17 points. With six seconds left in the game, a NC State player brought the ball across half court. Not only was North Carolina going for the steal, they got the steal and proceeded to attempt a buzzer-beater alley-oop. A play that showed the true immaturity of the team.
The rivalry game ended in heated fashion when N.C. State's Ben McCauley (the only Wolfpack player near the play) rightfully delivered a HARD foul to North Carolina reserve Michael Copeland on the attempt with time expiring. Copeland then jumped to his feet like a little kid and ran after McCauley, forcing the officials to immediately step in to prevent pandemonium.
What I want to know is why on earth was North Carolina going for a buzzer-beater alley-oop??? Besides a possible two points, there is one thing that can come out of that. Trouble. Sorry for the comparison, UNC, but that is something I would associate Duke of doing! I play basketball on my high school team and I have NEVER seen any try for any kind of points in a situation like that in my eight years of playing. Aren’t you supposed to act more adult-like when you get older? It is pretty sad that kids 8-18 are acting more mature than you 19-23 year olds. You were winning by 18 points… anything that will come out of that play is bad. I tip my hat to the ref that came in like flippin’ Joe Frazier; stopping mad man Copeland from turning things into chaos. UNC, and especially Mike Copeland, needs to grow up.
PS, Michael: You are a Tar Heel reserve player. You were only in there because your team was up by nearly 20 points. If you are going to go out there, make a fool of yourself, and get your ass kicked… you should probably be playing at least five minutes/game. You play two minutes per, and haven’t played in 15 of the 21 games. Heck, when I Google your name, the whole first page is about some artist and a high school OLB out of Georgia. You’re a nobody, dude.
Mr. Roy Williams, sir, you are one of the more respected men in America, and I am sure you are on my side… But you need to get your ducks in a row. There are a few punks on your team that don’t deserve to be on one of the most prestigious college basketball teams ever. It just doesn’t make sense.
As I think it over, it just seems to me that the world of sports has things mixed up. The people that run things are confused. For God’s sake, as I was watching the Super Bowl tonight, I witnessed James Harrison of Pittsburgh (a thug) absolutely assault a guy. If you check out the video on you tube or anywhere else, you will see that he mauled the dude on Arizona. I mean, if off a football field, the guy would have been thrown in jail and charged with assault and battery. The result of the “unsportsmanlike” conduct was a ½ yard penalty due to the spot of the ball. The next play was a simple holding call on the ½ yard line that resulted in a freaking safety! It just occurs to me that the basics of the ramification system, when a player screws up, are just pathetic.
Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
www.thejaystick.blogspot.com
I witnessed the other situation unfold, and there was much more retaliation by coaches, refs, and fans who actually threw all trash in sight onto the floor. It was a close game between North Carolina and NC State for the majority of the game, but as the clock winded down, the Tar Heels got the margin up to a comfortable 17 points. With six seconds left in the game, a NC State player brought the ball across half court. Not only was North Carolina going for the steal, they got the steal and proceeded to attempt a buzzer-beater alley-oop. A play that showed the true immaturity of the team.
The rivalry game ended in heated fashion when N.C. State's Ben McCauley (the only Wolfpack player near the play) rightfully delivered a HARD foul to North Carolina reserve Michael Copeland on the attempt with time expiring. Copeland then jumped to his feet like a little kid and ran after McCauley, forcing the officials to immediately step in to prevent pandemonium.
What I want to know is why on earth was North Carolina going for a buzzer-beater alley-oop??? Besides a possible two points, there is one thing that can come out of that. Trouble. Sorry for the comparison, UNC, but that is something I would associate Duke of doing! I play basketball on my high school team and I have NEVER seen any try for any kind of points in a situation like that in my eight years of playing. Aren’t you supposed to act more adult-like when you get older? It is pretty sad that kids 8-18 are acting more mature than you 19-23 year olds. You were winning by 18 points… anything that will come out of that play is bad. I tip my hat to the ref that came in like flippin’ Joe Frazier; stopping mad man Copeland from turning things into chaos. UNC, and especially Mike Copeland, needs to grow up.
PS, Michael: You are a Tar Heel reserve player. You were only in there because your team was up by nearly 20 points. If you are going to go out there, make a fool of yourself, and get your ass kicked… you should probably be playing at least five minutes/game. You play two minutes per, and haven’t played in 15 of the 21 games. Heck, when I Google your name, the whole first page is about some artist and a high school OLB out of Georgia. You’re a nobody, dude.
Mr. Roy Williams, sir, you are one of the more respected men in America, and I am sure you are on my side… But you need to get your ducks in a row. There are a few punks on your team that don’t deserve to be on one of the most prestigious college basketball teams ever. It just doesn’t make sense.
As I think it over, it just seems to me that the world of sports has things mixed up. The people that run things are confused. For God’s sake, as I was watching the Super Bowl tonight, I witnessed James Harrison of Pittsburgh (a thug) absolutely assault a guy. If you check out the video on you tube or anywhere else, you will see that he mauled the dude on Arizona. I mean, if off a football field, the guy would have been thrown in jail and charged with assault and battery. The result of the “unsportsmanlike” conduct was a ½ yard penalty due to the spot of the ball. The next play was a simple holding call on the ½ yard line that resulted in a freaking safety! It just occurs to me that the basics of the ramification system, when a player screws up, are just pathetic.
Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
www.thejaystick.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment