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Hack makes a good point about Wisconsin's part in this. Juwan started the whole thing, and should be appropriately punished. However, upon further review, the video does show Wisconsin assistants taking swings at Michigan players. So I agree that Wisconsin's role in this is not pure lily white innocence.
What I'm concerned about is that Juwan is going to be held to this incredibly high standard that nobody could attain, and then be punished. Where someone like Coach K or Izzo, or some other well-liked coach would likely get a 2-3 game suspension, Howard is likely to get booted for the remainder of the season, including the Big Ten tournament. Why? Because Michigan.
And speaking of Wisconsin's coaches, I do now believe Gard's statement that he was trying to explain his time outs to Howard at the time the situation became heated. What is being conveniently ignored, is that Wisconsin's assistant(s) played a role in escalating the situation, rather than de-escalating. If Howard wasn't willing to listen to Gard's explanation at that point, both men should have separated, and then spoke to each other later by phone or e-mail. That's on both of them. The Wisconsin assistants had no business interjecting themselves into the situation, or putting their hands on Michigan players.
Finally, I still don't understand WHY there HAS to be a 'handshake line' following a game. When I played HS sports back in the late 60's and early 70's, we never had "handshake lines". We went straight to our locker rooms. In fact, everything possible was done to keep the teams separate following the games. The LAST thing they wanted was for us to be jawing with the other team. Of course, I was raised in Flint, where a fight could start over just about anything, so maybe that explains that. But I think the handshake lines should be done away with. In these days of social media, if players want to congratulate each other, do it on twitter, or instagram, or whatever. I know .. I'm a bad sport ... yadda yadda
What I'm concerned about is that Juwan is going to be held to this incredibly high standard that nobody could attain, and then be punished. Where someone like Coach K or Izzo, or some other well-liked coach would likely get a 2-3 game suspension, Howard is likely to get booted for the remainder of the season, including the Big Ten tournament. Why? Because Michigan.
And speaking of Wisconsin's coaches, I do now believe Gard's statement that he was trying to explain his time outs to Howard at the time the situation became heated. What is being conveniently ignored, is that Wisconsin's assistant(s) played a role in escalating the situation, rather than de-escalating. If Howard wasn't willing to listen to Gard's explanation at that point, both men should have separated, and then spoke to each other later by phone or e-mail. That's on both of them. The Wisconsin assistants had no business interjecting themselves into the situation, or putting their hands on Michigan players.
Finally, I still don't understand WHY there HAS to be a 'handshake line' following a game. When I played HS sports back in the late 60's and early 70's, we never had "handshake lines". We went straight to our locker rooms. In fact, everything possible was done to keep the teams separate following the games. The LAST thing they wanted was for us to be jawing with the other team. Of course, I was raised in Flint, where a fight could start over just about anything, so maybe that explains that. But I think the handshake lines should be done away with. In these days of social media, if players want to congratulate each other, do it on twitter, or instagram, or whatever. I know .. I'm a bad sport ... yadda yadda
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