OT: Keep the Handshake Line, Lose the Poor Sportsmanship

[fireford]

This was my thought exactly when Dickie V and others in the media were bemoaning the need to get rid of the handshake line. Having a handshake line is perfectly fine and (usually) a good display of sportsmanship. If a melee or some other shenanigans (like say trying to trip the opposing coach) result from the handshake line, then the problem lies with the people in the handshake line, not the handshake line itself.

Juwan Howard, Greg Gard fight should not end handshake lines - Sports Illustrated

Dealing with a game’s outcome is part of competition. The ending of Michigan-Wisconsin failed that.

www.si.com

 

[hoopsfan22]

Get rid of it. Send an email after saying "good game" or whatever. It's 2022 we don't need to shake people's germ ridden hands after a game.

 

[Conndog]

Get rid of it. Send an email after saying "good game" or whatever. It's 2022 we don't need to shake people's germ ridden hands after a game.

If you're not going to shake hands for fear of catching germs, then the game itself (with 40 minutes of physical contact) should be avoided too, right?

 

[MSGRET]

Here is a way to handle it. Suspend the two coaches for the remainder of the season, to include March Madness. For the players a minimum 3 game suspension and up to the same as the coaches depending on the severity of their involvement. That should get everyone's attention across the basketball landscape, both the men's and women's. As for the end of the game handshake, KEEP IT!

 

[CocoHusky]

Keep the handshake line! In fact make it mandatory and very very public. This is a figgin game with preciously little on the line. If grown men or women cannot control themselves enough to shake hands regardless of the outcome or the emotions involved in the game itself, those men and women are truly not "grown" and have no business coaching impressionable younger men and women. Nor should they be acting as representatives of institutions the primary purpose of which is to enable learning. This was disgusting!

 

[eebmg]

Here is a way to handle it. Suspend the two coaches for the remainder of the season, to include March Madness. For the players a minimum 3 game suspension and up to the same as the coaches depending on the severity of their involvement. That should get everyone's attention across the basketball landscape, both the men's and women's. As for the end of the game handshake, KEEP IT!

That assumes both are equally culpable. (Questionable) And no guarantee Michigan even makes the tournament. They are deep in the bubble.

 

[Carnac]

Bare with me for a moment on this, but about when did basketball teams start the handshake line? I’m old, and don’t remember everything from the distant past. Of course I remember playing HS basketball, and I still remember a few games, but I don’t remember if there was a handshake line after a game.

 

[eebmg]

If fight happy hockey players can have a handshake line, basketball players can find it in themselves to do it.

 

[Littlemin]

This was my thought exactly when Dickie V and others in the media were bemoaning the need to get rid of the handshake line. Having a handshake line is perfectly fine and (usually) a good display of sportsmanship. If a melee or some other shenanigans (like say trying to trip the opposing coach) result from the handshake line, then the problem lies with the people in the handshake line, not the handshake line itself.

Juwan Howard, Greg Gard fight should not end handshake lines - Sports Illustrated

Dealing with a game’s outcome is part of competition. The ending of Michigan-Wisconsin failed that.

www.si.com

So there are countless, countless handshake lines with no incidents and they should be abolished because of this!! Utter nonsense. This is the second time Howard has ”lost it”.
So he can decide it is ok to press the Wisconsin reserves but not Ok for Gard to call a time out!? So Howard and Michigan can play 40 minutes but Gard and Wisconsin can’t? The fact is Gard called it to prevent his reserves from getting a 10 second call trying to break a the press. Howard kept coaching even though the game was decided and took offense at Gard doing the same, plain and simple. It had nothing to do with a handshake line and everything to do with an immature “coach” acting worse than a petulant child.

 

[bballnut90]

Summed up perfectly:

 

[Conndog]

Bare with me for a moment on this, but about when did basketball teams start the handshake line? I’m old, and don’t remember everything from the distant past. Of course I remember playing HS basketball, and I still remember a few games, but I don’t remember if there was a handshake line after a game.

I will not get naked with anyone I do not know personally

 

[TheGOAT23]

Has anyone seen a handshake line before a game? I can’t remember where I have seen it.

 

[Jletoile]

I think the line is stupid and have since it began.

I think both coaches are morons.

Howard should be banned until the day after the men's final. Gard should miss the next 2 games. Players who threw punches miss next 3 games.

Howard's lament that Gard called a time out when ahead by 15 with 20(?) seconds left falls on deaf ears here, since Howard was full-court pressing at the time. SMH

 

[Big Fan]

In college football failing to shake hands at the coin toss is a penalty and a former UConn coach's team at another school did such a thing on National TV. If you can't at least show good sportsmanship and shake hands after a game then I just don't get where we are coming to in college sports. Between NIL and instant transfer portal it's basically all a minor league system and a lot less like student athletes.

 

[TCC Kid]

This was my thought exactly when Dickie V and others in the media were bemoaning the need to get rid of the handshake line. Having a handshake line is perfectly fine and (usually) a good display of sportsmanship. If a melee or some other shenanigans (like say trying to trip the opposing coach) result from the handshake line, then the problem lies with the people in the handshake line, not the handshake line itself.

Juwan Howard, Greg Gard fight should not end handshake lines - Sports Illustrated

Dealing with a game’s outcome is part of competition. The ending of Michigan-Wisconsin failed that.

www.si.com

I don't have an opinion on to shake or not. That's up to the players, coaches and maybe Refs..
However, human beings as they are, when emotions boil over, especially late in the game, that may be a judgement call the REFS should make.

 

[The deacon]

Has anyone seen a handshake line before a game? I can’t remember where I have seen it.

Sort of at golf tournaments, at least within one's fourball.

 

[CocoHusky]

Has anyone seen a handshake line before a game? I can’t remember where I have seen it.

The national championship games and FF sometimes has a handshake routine before the game. These are usually part of the TV production and designed for publicity. There have also been times of crisis/protest where there are handshakes and show of solidarity before a game.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Handshake line is a scapegoat here. Suspend BOTH coaches for the year. THEY started a brawl.

 

[eebmg]

Has anyone seen a handshake line before a game? I can’t remember where I have seen it.

No but at least in the Pros, players generally shake hands (or what substitutes for that today) on the court as they set up for the Jump Ball to begin.

 

[BobbyJ]

If fight happy hockey players can have a handshake line, basketball players can find it in themselves to do it.

Yeah but they only do it once at the conclusion of a Stanley Cup playoff series. Not every game.

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't have an opinion on to shake or not. That's up to the players, coaches and maybe Refs..
However, human beings as they are, when emotions boil over, especially late in the game, that may be a judgement call the REFS should make.

They’re adults. They should act like it when they’re representing their schools. It’s a freaking basketball game, why should anyone be so angry they have to take a swing at another person?

 

[triaddukefan]

The national championship games and FF sometimes has a handshake routine before the game. These are usually part of the TV production and designed for publicity. There have also been times of crisis/protest where there are handshakes and show of solidarity before a game.

They used to have them before the games after the national anthem.... at least at the Duke games I attended and at the ACC tournament. The players and coaches would meet at half court and do a quick handshake.

Interesting that for the most part the men have gone back to the traditional handshake line, but the women are still doing the quick wave and retreat to their lockers.

 

[and one]

The handshake line is, I suppose, a gesture of good sportsmanship. In practice it is just something the players have to do and get over with before showering up. The exception to this is some coaches, Geno in particular, will lean in and say a nice word and give a pat to a player who did well.

 

[HuskyNan]

They used to have them before the games after the national anthem.... at least at the Duke games I attended and at the ACC tournament. The players and coaches would meet at half court and do a quick handshake.

Interesting that for the most part the men have gone back to the traditional handshake line, but the women are still doing the quick wave and retreat to their lockers.

@triaddukefan that’s one sorry looking Snoopy you’ve got there

 

[Cuango]

Get rid of it. Send an email after saying "good game" or whatever. It's 2022 we don't need to shake people's germ ridden hands after a game.

I disagree! Shaking your opponents hand after a game/contest reinforces the idea that our shared humanity is more important than the results of a game. It says, “I respect you even though I just kicked your a*#” or, “ you were better today, I’ll get you next time.” Now admittedly, in some cases it may not be sincere, but it still reinforces the idea that, no matter how enraged or frustrated you may be feeling, you should behave in a socially acceptable way. Facing life’s many disappointments in mature, socially acceptable ways is an important part of becoming a mature, functioning adult.