Last night, I went on a small rant on Twitter about the Tigers. It was my first Twitter rant, and to be honest, it felt good. I really enjoyed it. I don’t really know who I was talking to or ranting to really, but I guess I don’t really know who I am ranting to on here either. I guess that person is you. So if you missed my Twitter rant, here is a less than brief summary.Last night, during another forgettable Tigers vs CUSA game, a possible fight broke out on the court. I don’t know if fight is the right word, maybe scruff or tussle. Whatever word you use, players were thinking about trying to hurt one another. This isn’t the first time for the Tigers. In fact, this isn’t the first time for Joe Jackson to be involved. I don’t really have a problem with Memphis players, or any other players for that matter, standing their ground when they feel like they are getting pushed around or, for lack of a better phrase, punked, on the court. I think that is a part of basketball, it always has been, and it always will be. Don’t let the old people tell you that fighting has no place in basketball. Some of the most vicious acts of violence on the court happened before I was even born. Those players and teams got the label of “tough” and these days those players and teams get labeled as “immature” or worse, “ghetto.” Of course, that rant is for another day and time.
This rant starts and ends with what happened on the bench. Will Barton and Tarik Black left the bench and were subsequently ejected from the game. They have since found out that they won’t be suspended for the next game against a good Marshall team. While that is good news, why did those players put themselves, and more importantly their team, in that position in the first place? Again, this isn’t the first time these Memphis players have been involved in something like this. Will Barton technically left the bench the last time Joe Jackson almost got into a scrap with another player. Luckily the referees didn’t see him and he was not ejected. After that game, I can only imagine Josh Pastner drilled his team on the importance of staying on the bench during those situations. If he didn’t, then he isn’t doing his job. Since he seems like a swell guy who works really hard, I will assume he did in fact preach to them. However, that sermon obviously didn’t work. His best player in Will Barton and the only real big the team has in Tarik Black put themselves ahead of the team. They went out there with one or both of these motives in mind: 1) they wanted to go out and either protect their teammates or 2) fight the other team. Either motive is defensible up to the point that the decided to leave the bench. I can understand the desire to go on to the court. That part, I get. However, I don’t know what these guys were thinking when they left the bench. They are no longer protecting their teammates when they allow themselves to get ejected from the game and possibly suspended for the next game. They are, in fact, injuring their teammates by weakening the team.
(A small side rant here) I don’t think that you can have your best player leading the charge to ride in like the cavalry. Really, Will Barton should have been the one telling the rest of his teammates to chill out and stay on the bench. He SHOULD be the leader of the team and THAT is what leaders do. They lead by example. (End small side rant)
My last point is only the tip of, what could be, a much larger iceberg than people are ready to think about. IF Josh Pastner coached his players to stay on the bench, and those same players left the bench, then the players are not listening to him. If the players are not listening to him, how can he be coaching them? I’ll hang up now and listen.
My only thought in disagreement is that, for much of that game, the Tigers looked lifeless. Without the spurts brought on by DJ Stephens, most of the game looked like a practice. Paul and I were both bored watching much of it, and we were in the stands!
I watch these games because I want to be entertained. Those players are the entertainers. I know that statement goes against much of my “middle-aged white guy” sensibilities on sports being about sportsmanship, teamwork, pick and rolls, NCAA players should finish college, etc. etc…
But it is a fact that NCAA sports only exist because of money, which is something I shell out to watch the games, buy the sweatshirts or drink beer in the bar while I watch the game. And I only do it because I’m seeking entertainment. So at least for this team, I’ll take a couple of stupid decisions if it fires these guys up. I’ll take anything! I’d take a “Pastner cheated on his SAT scores” headline right now.
Would I rather be watching a well-oiled machine of Memphis loving basketball greats, who respect their coaches, their fans, run efficient offenses and make great runs in the NCAA tournament? Totally.
But if I have to watch these guys right now and that’s all I get? Then I’ll take the occasional possibility of shiv to a neck tattoo.
Witherspoon looked good last night, though.
Last night was boring because these Tigers are boring. They are predictable. They beat bad teams, lose to good teams, and play close against the middle. Most of CUSA represent the “bad teams” so most their games will be boring. These Tigers don’t have three first round picks the way other teams in the past did. Those Tigers could make any game interesting.
But like I said, I don’t mind the players on the court fighting. I don’t want them starting a fight really, but I won’t hold that against them either. What I have a problem with is the guys coming off the bench, particularly Will Barton. If he is the leader of the team, then more is expected of him than this. He cannot rush onto the court in the heat of the moment.
Every thing about this team is predictable—Just predict you can’t have a clue what they will do next–play hard–or not—shoot good —or not—rebound well–or not—sullen faces–or not—when a dunker goes wild–its still just 2 points–when a 3-pointer is made–all chest pumping in world–its still just a three—act like they have played this game before–act like you have made a still before,Amen
I actually agreed with much of your rant. The most exciting moment of the game was when they were doing the “kissing cam” and Brandon promised to lay on on me if the camera showed us on the big screen. The excitement quickly dissipated when: (1) they did not show us; (2) they only showed old people; and (3) they failed to put the kissing cam on any two of the Memphis dance team.
The “fight” wasn’t all that great and the fact that it ended with Joe Jackson and his assailant “hugging it out” was a big downer. I’ve also decided that unless Pastner should be fired next year unless: (1) he throws at least on chair onto the court at or near a ref; and (2) the Tigers run an actual offense for at least 5 minutes during any of their final games.