15 seconds left - down by 15 points. Usually the offense just dribbles the clock out. Michigan still had their starters in pressing the backups of Wisconsin on the in bounds pass. They only had 4 seconds to get it in so coach called a time out to get a full 10 seconds. That should have been the end of any 'discussion'. Howard has been around basketball enough to understand this. Should have realized he lost and just handle it with class.
He committed assault, what more do you need to know? If he whistled at a woman he'd be gone yesterday, but for this you need more.
Yeah we can take the politics to another forum. Bottom line here is that Howard instigated and escalated the entire situation. Down 15 with 15 seconds left, the sensible and classy move is to let them inbound and start the handshake line. He continued to coach (which is fine by me), but was for some reason pissed that Gard continued to coach as well. And I'm not buying his "he touched my arm" in a supposed self-defense argument, especially after he passively walked by and mouthed off at Gard.
Technically you may be correct, but let's not be dramatic. It was a slap. Let's see if the WI coach presses charges. My guess is that in the coaching fraternity, pressing charges for this type of incident would be frowned upon. It's a highly emotionally-charged game.
There's no technically. If a fan did that to another in the stands he would be arrested, despite how emotional they were about the game. Regardless if charges are pressed, that's what he did. Would think the fraternity would be more pissed about a coach hitting another.
Act like a civilized human being. That should be the end of it. I don't care if the other coach called all five of his timeouts in the last 15 seconds of the game. That would in no way justify the confrontation or the punches. Worry about your own team and don't be so fragile about being "disrespected." Oh, and maybe have your team more prepared to win the next time.
There are degrees of assault and this one would be in the lesser/least severe category. I don't think every person who gets slapped in the face files an assault charge; nor do I think that similar fan altercations always result in an arrest. I imagine you're right about the coaching fraternity being taken aback by Howard's actions. Hopefully, some veteran friend coaches have some productive conversations with him.
And if Mike White or Billy Napier or Kevin O'Sullivan or Mike Holloway or Jenny Rowland did something like that, I'd feel the same way.
It's incredible to me how some are rationalizing it. Just give ESPN a few more days and by the time this is over Howard will be a victim in all this. And several on here will lap it up.
I don't think there's a way to justify his actions. It seems that since this is a 2nd offense, he needs some help dealing with anger. I don't know if this rises to the level of being fired, but suspending him for the last games of what can be viewed as a failed season isn't enough. Since this is a conference game, maybe suspend him from a number of conference games next season which are more meaningful & force him to think about it for nearly a year.
OK . . . let's please leave any discussion about the racial difference between the coaches out . . . or this thread will be headed to Too Hot. I saw a basketball coach swinging on another basketball coach in the handshake line. As far as I know, nothing has been announced by the school or the conference.
"Howard said he reacted after someone from Wisconsin put hands on him, though he didn't specify who did it. "Someone touched me, and I think it was very uncalled for, for them to touch me, as we were verbalizing and communicating with one another. That's what escalated it," he said." Didn't go through all of the posts, but he's completely full of shit on this. He was separated by several players before throwing the punch. The punch wasn't a reaction, but was quite deliberate. He gone (or should be).
He was literally in a HANDSHAKE line where the touching each other is not only encouraged, but included in the name.
As a result of Howard's actions. The Big10 has announced a 10 game suspension for the Northwestern coach and no post season for NW ever.
I am somewhat with Davis on this one. We are very quick to fire in our culture. Not saying he wont be or may not need to be. Just not a fan of careers being derailed for one action. As I have read the thread though i see this is a repeat case. I think suspended the rest of the season with no contact with the players. That sends a message to his kids. If he refuses to publicly apologize, curb him.
If it's inexcusable, how do you justify not firing him? Any other workplace and he'd be fired and possibly have charges brought against him. And, you're wrong, it is a workplace.
