I hate the idea that somewhere, everywhere and every minute of everyday that there is some kid, parent, rat or opportunist with his or her phone out taking footage of some unsuspecting person doing what they do. They then post it somewhere and it goes viral. Jobs get lost, people lose their reputations, lives get effected and then the person who posts the footage is some cult hero in a new society of lowest common denominator character cowards.
I just saw the footage of Coach Rice at Rutgers and the events that led to his 3 game suspension and his $50,000.00 fine. It reminded me of a few things. The first thing is that kids are always kids when someone says, "I wouldn't do that to a kid so you shouldn't either". The second thing is that like it or not, there is always somebody watching and these electronic devices have taken over. You have to live your life in no matter what you do that you could end up on the internet and that people who view footage won't see what occurs before or after that feed that goes viral. They won't be privileged to the "inner scoop", just your actions. The 3rd thing is, we have become a society of cream puffs that are enabling too many people and and have been handcuffed by political correctness.
As coaches, all of us are complaining about the same thing. Kids with low fortitude for hard work and toughness. Parents who put pressure on coaches to make their kid into Michael Jordan when the kid is Michael Jackson. Outside coaches who put the pressure on the school coaches because of the unlimited "options" out there. Kids who spend more time on facebook than in the gym. All of this led to New York being in the toliet and it will not get any better.
I feel bad for coach Rice who I got a chance to meet along with Andy Toole (Robert Morris). Two coaches that were honest about the state of the game and what needed to be done with today's kids and today's adults. Two coaches who have spectacular victories and track records of improving players and have great player relationships. Can you imagine if I-phones were out when Bobby Knight coached Indiana? Or John Chenney Coached Temple? Or when Rick Majerus coached Utah? Never mind that. What about when Billy Packer ran his mouth on the TV time breaks? Could this age of kids stand to have their games play by play done by the great Al McGuirre? Sense of humor and all, he was honest and at times brutally frank.
Here is what I saw. The coach threw the ball at the kids below the knees. I heard he referred to the kids with homosexual slurs and used profanity. The coach pushed a few kids around. The kids responded without retaliating but responding to the instruction. The coach was fighting for his team to get out and stay out of the Big East cellar and also fighting to keep his job while putting the time in to improve the quality of the team. Did he cross the line? How many coaches operate the same way from 10 and under to remaining coaches in the NCAA tourney?
When the Cal coach Mike Montgomery pushed that kid during the game, that was different. He apologized and dealt with the kid and the parent in private after the fact. Cal got mauled because it seems the coach was afraid to confront that kid for missing all of those shots and playing soft.
Coaches beware. That's all I can say
I just saw the footage of Coach Rice at Rutgers and the events that led to his 3 game suspension and his $50,000.00 fine. It reminded me of a few things. The first thing is that kids are always kids when someone says, "I wouldn't do that to a kid so you shouldn't either". The second thing is that like it or not, there is always somebody watching and these electronic devices have taken over. You have to live your life in no matter what you do that you could end up on the internet and that people who view footage won't see what occurs before or after that feed that goes viral. They won't be privileged to the "inner scoop", just your actions. The 3rd thing is, we have become a society of cream puffs that are enabling too many people and and have been handcuffed by political correctness.
As coaches, all of us are complaining about the same thing. Kids with low fortitude for hard work and toughness. Parents who put pressure on coaches to make their kid into Michael Jordan when the kid is Michael Jackson. Outside coaches who put the pressure on the school coaches because of the unlimited "options" out there. Kids who spend more time on facebook than in the gym. All of this led to New York being in the toliet and it will not get any better.
I feel bad for coach Rice who I got a chance to meet along with Andy Toole (Robert Morris). Two coaches that were honest about the state of the game and what needed to be done with today's kids and today's adults. Two coaches who have spectacular victories and track records of improving players and have great player relationships. Can you imagine if I-phones were out when Bobby Knight coached Indiana? Or John Chenney Coached Temple? Or when Rick Majerus coached Utah? Never mind that. What about when Billy Packer ran his mouth on the TV time breaks? Could this age of kids stand to have their games play by play done by the great Al McGuirre? Sense of humor and all, he was honest and at times brutally frank.
Here is what I saw. The coach threw the ball at the kids below the knees. I heard he referred to the kids with homosexual slurs and used profanity. The coach pushed a few kids around. The kids responded without retaliating but responding to the instruction. The coach was fighting for his team to get out and stay out of the Big East cellar and also fighting to keep his job while putting the time in to improve the quality of the team. Did he cross the line? How many coaches operate the same way from 10 and under to remaining coaches in the NCAA tourney?
When the Cal coach Mike Montgomery pushed that kid during the game, that was different. He apologized and dealt with the kid and the parent in private after the fact. Cal got mauled because it seems the coach was afraid to confront that kid for missing all of those shots and playing soft.
Coaches beware. That's all I can say
