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The Aftermath
12/12/2011
"A reputation for a thousand years may depend upon the conduct of a single moment." - Ernest Bramah
On Saturday, the reputations of two fine institutions were tarnished on a local and national stage. It started on the court, and continued in the media room afterwards. And it didn't stop. It continued on Sunday when both schools dished out punishments that didn't fit the crimes - a notion that seems to be the consensus around the country.
How do you think people are viewing both schools, both basketball teams? Neither school has been involved in something to this magnitude. There's been the trash talk and scuffles. Not a brawl. Xavier has always seemingly had an aura of a good school (though it is not as if UC has been a bad school), with basketball players that represent the university and the Jesuit values. Mick Cronin has rebuilt UC, eliminating previous images (by some) of "thugs" and players that weren't there to get an education. The work of those Xavier coaches and of Cronin have been severely damaged, from one moment.
So, if someone asked somebody in California about Xavier, do you think they would remember the recent Sweet 16 and Elite 8 runs? Or the words of Tu Holloway? What about Cincinnati? Would they remember the great Oscar Robertson? Or Yancy Gates decking Kenny Frease? It's a shame.
UC suspended Yancy Gates, Cheikh Mbodj, and Octavius Ellis 6 games each. Ge'Lawn Guyn got 1 game. For XU, Dez Wells and walk on Landen Amos got 4 games. Mark Lyons received 2, and Tu Holloway 1. I won't go into whether or not these suspensions are too little or too much. That's not my concern. Xavier AD Mike Bobinski felt that UC took "appropriate action" in suspending their players.
Cincinnati Athletic Director Whit Babcock said the following, concerning the suspension numbers, "The numbers coming back to us were lower than what we came up with. ... We decided on immediate suspension - it needs to have some teeth to it. No amount of games can take those punches back."
Essentially, the Bearcats elected to suspend their players longer than what was recommended by the conference and other officials. Was it enough? As ESPN's Jay Bilas pointed out, Vanderbilt's Festus Ezeli was suspended 6 games for accepting a meal and a hotel room from a Commodore alumnus. Does that equate to Gates' suspension? If Gates and Mbodj were not student athletes, but just students, what would the consequences have been?
This is a double edged sword, however. Channel 9 (WCPO) has an interesting view of the brawl, with footage from underneath the basket next to UC's bench. Lyons and Wells clearly look much more vicious in their intent than in other views. Does intent and actually landing the punch equal the same thing? UC clearly thought it was, considering Ellis received the same amount as Gates. Babcock confirmed this. Those punches were clearly not the same, but the intent was. Did Wells and Lyons deserve lengthier suspensions because they both had the same intent? There was no discussion between the two universities, but Xavier had to have known what UC gave their players.
As for Tu Holloway and his comments after the game, many say they were taken out of context. Being at the press conference, I could tell Holloway tried to backtrack when he said "gangstas." In the press conference on Sunday, he clarified his remarks, "What I tried to mean by the term, I tried to clean it up and say, ‘We’re not thugs.’ Like we’re gangsters on the court as far as having toughness while you’re on the floor. You’re making plays, you’re hitting big shots and you’re playing team defense and things like that. That’s what I tried to mean." He compared his definition to how Kevin Garnett and Ray Lewis play. If that's what you meant, then say that. Say what you mean, don't mean what you say.
Saying it is Mack's fault for allowing him to speak is true, but it doesn't excuse what Tu said. It was the wrong choice of words, and he will pay for his remarks for a long time. His mistake will be thrown in his face and played on national television for a long time. It will be talked about before or during every single Xavier game, for the rest of the year. It's going to follow him and the team. He and Lyons clearly incited much of the fight with their talking throughout the game. UC responded with their own talk, and it continually escalated. It shows a lack of maturity on both sides, which falls on coaches and officials. Mack and Cronin failed to control their players, while the officials failed to control the game. But you can't make them out to be the scapegoats, though. That's too easy. The blame is also on the players, though it is obvious that the Shootout needs higher rated officials to control the game.
But while Xavier and Cincinnati did not compare notes in determining suspensions, note that Tu got the same as his jawing partner, Ge'Lawn Guyn. So did Tu deserve more for jawing the whole game? Because he got the same as Guyn for starting the fight. Does he deserve a reprimand for the press conference? Or is that on Mack and public relations at Xavier? And if you give Tu a longer suspension, what's fair? Two games? Three?
Bearcat fans will argue that XU let their players off easy. That Tu deserved more for starting things, and Lyons and Wells more for throwing punches. Musketeer fans will argue the same thing. They will say that Mbodj and Gates' actions were malicious. Both sides have valid points. And yet the suspensions have been handed down. These players will pay for the rest of the season for their actions. The fans arguing about the suspension becomes moot and as childish as the fight that happened on the court.
And now, the fans could pay, with the lack of a Shootout. Mick Cronin said the following, "If we're not going to take the floor in an appropriate manner, then we shouldn't take the floor at all." Babcock said, "If [the game] can't be played the right way, then it shouldn't be played." Is the Shootout going to be suspended? Babcock and Mike Bobinski will clearly have this discussion. My gut feeling says it will be for a year. And then it will be moved to U.S. Bank Arena for 4 or 5 years, before returning to the campuses.
It's a shame it came to this. This is the city of Cincinnati's national showcase every year. And now the whole nation saw this. It's not going to go away. Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters is now investigating the brawl to determine criminal charges. That's bad. Now both sides can only say the right things. And they are trying. Most of it is too late though. Actions will always speak louder than words.
"Well done is better than well said." - Benjamin Franklin.
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