Press conference

[sybarite]

If I remember the final decisions regarding the Paterno case, the NcAA was quite prepared to present a rather compromised and moderate set of penalties on Penn State until the committee involving the university presidents stepped in. They examined the situation and determined that it was time to make a statement about priorities. The penalties for Penn State suddenly became more severe.

Now, if I also remember further correctly, the university presidents suggested that they planned to become more involved in such cases in the future, that it was time for the academic side of the university to have more input.

This occurred during the same time frame that we had some major stories being published nationally about what Mulkey meant to women's sports. We have also watched some rather interesting violations in the area of football and basketball in the past few years. Is there any chance that the university presidents may take some action to clean up the various sports? I kind of wonder what they meant and if they intend to sustain it.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Berry Tramel's take on the UL/BU game. He says the Walz technical was for sitting on the scorer's table.

Kim Mulkey: Losing a game, losing your dignity
Posted by Berry Tramel on April 1, 2013 at 6:15 pm

The Brittney Griner era ended Sunday night in Oklahoma City. Griner, Baylor’s 6-foot-8 giant who is to women’s basketball what Wilt Chamberlain was to men’s basketball 55 years ago, went out with class. Baylor lost to Louisville 82-81 in a massive upset, but Griner played maybe not well by her standards, but fiercely and with pride and with dignity.

The same cannot be said of her coach. Kim Mulkey is a polarizing figure. But there can be no polar opinions on Mulkey’s actions Sunday night after Louisville’s victory. Mulkey embarrassed her sport.

Mulkey asked media to query her about the officiating, then ripped the officials for a variety of calls and the overall tone of the game. “The game started out way too physical,” Mulkey said. “I thought all three of (the officials), if they go past this round of officiating, it’ll be sad for the game.”

You want to know why leagues and organizations and conferences discipline coaches and players who criticize officiating? That’s why, right there. Because they will lose their minds and question the integrity of the game. Which is why Mulkey should be in line for a hefty fine.

Mulkey’s actions weren’t limited to the press conference. When Baylor was whistled for an offensive foul late in the game — not too long after Louisville coach Jeff Walz was given a technical foul for sitting on the scorer’s table — Mulkey went nuts. She tried to rip off her jacket, though it didn’t come off all that easy. She appeared to be out of her mind. No joke, I thought she was going to disrobe right there on the court.

Mulkey is a great coach. Of that there is no doubt. And I know coaches are so sold-out to their ballteams, that emotions quickly take over in the heat of games. So I’ll give her a pass for the on-court theatrics, though I would have given her a technical, too. Losing your cool should be the standard definition of what warrants a technical, and Mulkey lost her cool.

But the press conference tirade, 15, 20, 30 minutes after the game, whatever it was, is inexcusable. That’s not emotions taking over. That’s entitlement. That’s nonsense. Coaches have been losing big games for decades, and many of them are still peeved well after the game, often at the refs. But most of them, male and female, have the grace to lose with dignity.

Mulkey did not. She’s a great example of why certain rules are necessary. Left unfettered, you can’t trust some coaches to act right.

 

[sybarite]

I haven't seen the videos of something that has been mentioned. Did Sims lie on her back crying and kicking her legs after the game? She is a junior. If she exhibited such behavior, is it because her coach of three years exhibits more juvenile behavior?

Is this something that the conference can permit? Is it time for the other coaches to step up?

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I haven't seen the videos of something that has been mentioned. Did Sims lie on her back crying and kicking her legs after the game? She is a junior. If she exhibited such behavior, is it because her coach of three years exhibits more juvenile behavior?

Is this something that the conference can permit? Is it time for the other coaches to step up?

I watched the game and recall the scene to which you refer. Yes, Sims did that, while Griner knelt beside her, head in her hands. Griner quickly got control, slapped the floor with both hands in frustration, and got to her feet, reaching down to help Odyssey to her feet.

I did not attach any particular significance to either girl's actions... after all, they had just lost a HUGE game, derailing their chances at a National Championship, which I am sure was devastating to both of them.

So, no, I did not see any behavior (maybe the kicking the air, but she's a kid, for cryin' out loud) that any other kid/athlete might have done...

Mulkey's post-game presser? Now, THAT'S a hoss of an entirely different color!

 

[tycat947]

I haven't seen the videos of something that has been mentioned. Did Sims lie on her back crying and kicking her legs after the game? She is a junior. If she exhibited such behavior, is it because her coach of three years exhibits more juvenile behavior?

Is this something that the conference can permit? Is it time for the other coaches to step up?

I've seen a clip but can't find now. She did lay on her back and kicked her feet in air a little and Griner squat down beside her and slammed the floor with both hands. They were both upset, as I would expect. I don't know how anyone couldn't see the spoiled, childish, three-year-old behavior exhibited by your head coach and it not affect your actions! Actually, Sulkey Mulkey has been relatively quiet on the sidelines this season but this is nothing new at all. Anyone that has watched Hypocrite U games in years past has seen this behavior many, many times. It's not new to the officials and it may very well be why they rarely, rarely give her a T, because if they did, she wouldn't continue to exhibit these spoiled, childish, three-year-old behaviors on the sideline and most of the time in front of a national TV audience. She thinks she's entitled, pure and simple! Hypocrite U sure is proud of her behavior as they do nothing to curtail this spoiled, childish, three-year-old 50 something year-old woman that represents their hypocritical institution. It says just as much about Hypocrite U as a so-called Christian university as it does about her.

 

[AustinTXSooner]

So, no, I did not see any behavior (maybe the kicking the air, but she's a kid, for cryin' out loud) that any other kid/athlete might have done...

I don't remember seeing any of our girls doing that at the end of our game.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I don't remember seeing any of our girls doing that at the end of our game.

Maybe I am cutting them a little slack because of the enormity of what had just happened to them.

Our girls, if they would be absolutely honest with you, did not expect to win a National Championship this year. A Final Four would have been beyond most of the player's wildest hopes, frankly.

Baylor, on the other hand, was widely considered to be a shoo-in for the Final Four and a prohibitive favorite to win, possibly being challenged only by UCONN.

So, yeah, there were hugely different expectations in the OU team vs the Baylor team.
Perhaps that's why I was a bit more tolerant than I might've been.

Understand, I have no love for the Baylor team, but I could feel empathy for their disappointment.

 

[BanjoCharley]

Baylor had its expectations broken, OU had its dreams broken. I think Baylor was more surprised and let down and found no satisfaction in what they had achieved. I think OU was not surprised but knew they had accomplished a lot and found satisfaction in that..

 

[SoonerNorm]

http://newsok.com/kim-mulkey-losing-a-game-losing-your-dignity/article/3778781

 

[Gator]

Maybe I am cutting them a little slack because of the enormity of what had just happened to them......

Understand, I have no love for the Baylor team, but I could feel empathy for their disappointment.

Agree - and in the press conference both players, although devastated, "performed" about as well as one could expect. I particularly was impressed with Griner's handling of a very tough situation.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Agree - and in the press conference both players, although devastated, "performed" about as well as one could expect. I particularly was impressed with Griner's handling of a very tough situation.

Griner handled the situation with much more maturity than her coach did.