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Stupid Play, Aftermath Symptoms of a Spoiled Team
By JASON WHITLOCK
AOL
Sports Commentary
What's really embarrassing about Gerald Henderson's chop to Tyler Hansbrough's nose is how little losing it takes to bring out the spoiled, whiny, rich (itch) in the Duke basketball program.
Hey, I'm no Duke hater. If I had a kid who could hoop and he didn't want to play for Roy Williams or Kelvin Sampson, I'd have no problem turning him over to Mike Krzyzewski and Duke.
But I'd do everything in my power not to let Coach K and the Blue Devil faithful turn him into a spoiled, whiny, rich (itch).
Seriously, I've watched the tape. Gerald Henderson's leap of fate and elbow chop to the face was a statement about how the Dukies have handled 22-9 and 8-8 ACC also-ran status.
It's impossible to discern Henderson's intent, although it's safe to assume injuring Hansbrough never entered Henderson's dome. Really, I don't think his intent matters much. With a few seconds to play and down double-digits, it was a stupid, reckless decision, a choice borne out of game-long and season-long frustration.
Unable to take his ball and go home at that moment, Henderson probably thought at launch point he'd turn the lane into a harmless mosh pit, and once in the air, realizing the stupidity of his choice, he couldn't figure out an appropriate exit strategy.
Unfortunately, this wasn't a case of no harm no foul. He bloodied and broke Hansbrough's nose.
And in typical Duke and Coach K snottiness, Henderson, his coach and the Blue Devils are pretending as though Henderson did nothing wrong. Coach K even slyly insinuated that Roy Williams was foolish for leaving Hansbrough on the floor that late in the game.
Obviously, the Duke basketball program can do no wrong. You would think that Coach K and his band of followers would be smart enough to realize how dangerous it is to confirm the perception that Duke athletes are above reprimand, filled with a sense of entitlement and arrogance and spoiled.
The bogus, in my opinion, Duke lacrosse rape allegations and persecution were fueled by this wide-spread perception. Coach K's players and his coddling of those players are primary foundation of the perception.
Duke athletes are despised because of the holier-than-thou, do-no-wrong attitude of Coach K. He's the symbol, the tone-setter. He's the most powerful man at the university and one of the most powerful men in the state.
He plucks a large percentage of his players from nuclear, stable families. He gives off the air that he turns his nose up at the rest of college basketball, the programs and the coaches who try to win championships while working with the poor and dysfunctional.
Again, I'm not a Duke hater. I've defended the persecuted lacrosse players almost from the start. I truly respect Coach K.
The arrogance and the denial just rub me wrong. Coach K has been blessed. He gets to coach kids who have involved parents and have rarely missed a meal.
With that blessing comes a higher responsibility. He needs to humble himself and his players. He needs to admit when he's wrong and when his players have erred. Gerald Henderson foolishly initiated contact with a bitter rival in a game that had already been decided. He injured that player.
Why not take the high road and apologize?
"I want my players to be aggressive and smart for 40 minutes of each basketball game," Coach K could have said. "Gerald did not make a smart play, and for that we sincerely apologize to Roy, Tyler and North Carolina fans. We think a one-game suspension is appropriate and look forward to renewing our heated rivalry with the Tar Heels in the future.
"I've talked with Gerald, explained to him what I think he did wrong in that situation and I'm comfortable it won't happen again."
That's it. There's no real controversy. It's over.
By choosing the path of denial, Coach K is now drawing comparisons to his mentor Bobby Knight, another man reluctant to admit a mistake. Coach K doesn't have Knight's (public) temper.
They share a self-righteousness and a terrible, immature reaction to losing. That can be a lethal combination, especially when Greg Paulus is your best point guard. Yeah, Duke isn't done being an ACC also-ran. The Blue Devils don't have a point-guard replacement in their 2007 recruiting class. Looks like they'll be counting on big man Josh McRoberts to break the press again, and that means there'll probably be a few more last-seconds elbows thrown in frustration.
By JASON WHITLOCK
AOL
Sports Commentary
What's really embarrassing about Gerald Henderson's chop to Tyler Hansbrough's nose is how little losing it takes to bring out the spoiled, whiny, rich (itch) in the Duke basketball program.
Hey, I'm no Duke hater. If I had a kid who could hoop and he didn't want to play for Roy Williams or Kelvin Sampson, I'd have no problem turning him over to Mike Krzyzewski and Duke.
But I'd do everything in my power not to let Coach K and the Blue Devil faithful turn him into a spoiled, whiny, rich (itch).
Seriously, I've watched the tape. Gerald Henderson's leap of fate and elbow chop to the face was a statement about how the Dukies have handled 22-9 and 8-8 ACC also-ran status.
It's impossible to discern Henderson's intent, although it's safe to assume injuring Hansbrough never entered Henderson's dome. Really, I don't think his intent matters much. With a few seconds to play and down double-digits, it was a stupid, reckless decision, a choice borne out of game-long and season-long frustration.
Unable to take his ball and go home at that moment, Henderson probably thought at launch point he'd turn the lane into a harmless mosh pit, and once in the air, realizing the stupidity of his choice, he couldn't figure out an appropriate exit strategy.
Unfortunately, this wasn't a case of no harm no foul. He bloodied and broke Hansbrough's nose.
And in typical Duke and Coach K snottiness, Henderson, his coach and the Blue Devils are pretending as though Henderson did nothing wrong. Coach K even slyly insinuated that Roy Williams was foolish for leaving Hansbrough on the floor that late in the game.
Obviously, the Duke basketball program can do no wrong. You would think that Coach K and his band of followers would be smart enough to realize how dangerous it is to confirm the perception that Duke athletes are above reprimand, filled with a sense of entitlement and arrogance and spoiled.
The bogus, in my opinion, Duke lacrosse rape allegations and persecution were fueled by this wide-spread perception. Coach K's players and his coddling of those players are primary foundation of the perception.
Duke athletes are despised because of the holier-than-thou, do-no-wrong attitude of Coach K. He's the symbol, the tone-setter. He's the most powerful man at the university and one of the most powerful men in the state.
He plucks a large percentage of his players from nuclear, stable families. He gives off the air that he turns his nose up at the rest of college basketball, the programs and the coaches who try to win championships while working with the poor and dysfunctional.
Again, I'm not a Duke hater. I've defended the persecuted lacrosse players almost from the start. I truly respect Coach K.
The arrogance and the denial just rub me wrong. Coach K has been blessed. He gets to coach kids who have involved parents and have rarely missed a meal.
With that blessing comes a higher responsibility. He needs to humble himself and his players. He needs to admit when he's wrong and when his players have erred. Gerald Henderson foolishly initiated contact with a bitter rival in a game that had already been decided. He injured that player.
Why not take the high road and apologize?
"I want my players to be aggressive and smart for 40 minutes of each basketball game," Coach K could have said. "Gerald did not make a smart play, and for that we sincerely apologize to Roy, Tyler and North Carolina fans. We think a one-game suspension is appropriate and look forward to renewing our heated rivalry with the Tar Heels in the future.
"I've talked with Gerald, explained to him what I think he did wrong in that situation and I'm comfortable it won't happen again."
That's it. There's no real controversy. It's over.
By choosing the path of denial, Coach K is now drawing comparisons to his mentor Bobby Knight, another man reluctant to admit a mistake. Coach K doesn't have Knight's (public) temper.
They share a self-righteousness and a terrible, immature reaction to losing. That can be a lethal combination, especially when Greg Paulus is your best point guard. Yeah, Duke isn't done being an ACC also-ran. The Blue Devils don't have a point-guard replacement in their 2007 recruiting class. Looks like they'll be counting on big man Josh McRoberts to break the press again, and that means there'll probably be a few more last-seconds elbows thrown in frustration.
PS-MARVIN LOVES SPLIT SALAD !! 
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