diggerfoot
Humanity Hiker
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2011
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I was going to keep quiet on this issue, but after seeing the Jenkins article reiterate the "media take" on McGraw's comments, an opinion also shared even by some here, I counter with my own opinion.
The "media line" is that the scheduling controversy is at the heart of this, with Auriemma claiming she fibbed being the precipitous moment. While no one like to be called a fibber, McGraw claimed in front of the camera that we "ducked" Notre Dame. There's a ton of logic and evidence refuting that decisively, though not obviously enough for a sports journalist to uncover. McGraw could be using this as an excuse to "set her off," but that would be childishly reprehensible to an extreme, particularly when there is a much more "reasonable" incident that would lead to her players sit in the front row to display their displeasure with Stewart.
To paraphrase, Auriemma claimed he would rather have players like Stewart then prima donnas. Auriemma was much less inflammatory than that, but it would not be a far stretch for McGraw to turn his claim that way and make it all about a dis to Diggins, whether specifically intended that way or not. There is at least a modicum (since MM likes that word) of impropriety to what Auriemma said in that case, much more than his "fib" statement. That also makes the "punishment" of what occurred at the award ceremony fit the alleged "crime." I can only go by what would be more likely to set me off personally, being called a fibber when it was true or imagining (pretending?) a player I loved being dissed. Even so, that awards ceremony display was bizarre. Most people would not resort to "gamesmanship" with their players as pawns. I'm not excusing McGraw, just a little fed up with how media takes a certain line of pure conjecture and runs with it.
The "media line" is that the scheduling controversy is at the heart of this, with Auriemma claiming she fibbed being the precipitous moment. While no one like to be called a fibber, McGraw claimed in front of the camera that we "ducked" Notre Dame. There's a ton of logic and evidence refuting that decisively, though not obviously enough for a sports journalist to uncover. McGraw could be using this as an excuse to "set her off," but that would be childishly reprehensible to an extreme, particularly when there is a much more "reasonable" incident that would lead to her players sit in the front row to display their displeasure with Stewart.
To paraphrase, Auriemma claimed he would rather have players like Stewart then prima donnas. Auriemma was much less inflammatory than that, but it would not be a far stretch for McGraw to turn his claim that way and make it all about a dis to Diggins, whether specifically intended that way or not. There is at least a modicum (since MM likes that word) of impropriety to what Auriemma said in that case, much more than his "fib" statement. That also makes the "punishment" of what occurred at the award ceremony fit the alleged "crime." I can only go by what would be more likely to set me off personally, being called a fibber when it was true or imagining (pretending?) a player I loved being dissed. Even so, that awards ceremony display was bizarre. Most people would not resort to "gamesmanship" with their players as pawns. I'm not excusing McGraw, just a little fed up with how media takes a certain line of pure conjecture and runs with it.
