OT: Keep the Handshake Line, Lose the Poor Sportsmanship

[Zarathustra]

I remember some FIBA women's basketball tournaments
where the teams, each player, shared a token with an
opposing player as part of
the pre game fundamentals. So..... I like to see at least
some semblance of cordiality and mutual sportmanship/respect.
It may be a corporate like world but.... fake it till you make it
if you have to. I think whatever penalty is coming should
be severe enought to get everyone's attention. Respectfully, Z

 

[drweo]

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

The consequences for Howard should be stiffer. He's supposed to be the adult; he's supposed to be the educator; he's supposed to be setting an example. And he's the one who started punching.

IMO, Michigan should fire him.

BTW, I know it's hard to see clearly on the video the elbow grab by the other coach that sent Howard over the top, but it looked to me like the gesture many people make when they just want to talk, not a hostile or aggressive grab. If you dont want to be touched, just pull your arm away, say so, and move on.

 

[Blueconn]

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.

Or perhaps we need it more than ever.

 

[JordyG]

I've seen opinions here back and forth on this subject. So I think it's time for a little perspective. People have been calling for an end to the handshake line for at least the last five years because of the numerous end of game altercations that have been occurring Is it time to retire the postgame handshake?. This is nothing new. In the few two months of this year there have been at least two major altercations at the college level, and any number at the high school level and grammar school level. It reached the point in the NBA where rules of decorum were instituted and the penalties for any breech is severe. Those rules remain in place.

In case anyone here hasn't noticed, we now live in a society were propriety and decorum is frequently the final option. Look at what the airlines are going through every day. Look at what teachers and people in customer service have to deal with. Has any seen what its like today to be a referee? It's impossible in these times to get people to remain on as refs for any length of time due to the mental, physical and verbal abuse these men and women have to put up with. Anyone that frequents the chat room on The BY will notice how people will blame the refs, even if the team is comfortably ahead. This aside from the rising amount of violence in secondary sports involving student against students, coaches against coaches, and students against coaches. You want to stop altercations on the handshake line, fine. But exactly where do we put our foot down when such poor behaviors are systemically modeled? On the media? On our lawmakers? Or perhaps on ourselves in our own households. Where do we even start? I say anything that helps avoid unwanted confrontation in such volatile times is to be embraced. End the handshake line and lets move on.

 

[JellyBean]

I am all in favor of getting rid of the handshake line. Fights, arguments, fake handshakes, or racial slurs get thrown in the mix, during the handshake. Then once the mess happens, there is an investigation. Then it becomes a whole bunch of foolishness. One team lies because they have a power dynamic in the conference, gets off with a slap on the wrist. While the other team gets labeled and every game, they play going forward, becomes a test. A test to see how you react to not getting calls, how you react to fans calling your players names, and my favorite, attending "Sportsmanship" conferences and training sessions. Get rid of the handshake line. This whole Covid mess has allowed us to wave at teams & go on about our business. Now I say all that but if there is a team or a coach that you and your team are really cool with, shake hands.

 

[BrianUC]

Howard should be arrested and charged with assault.

 

[FridaFriend]

Remember the handshake line when Geno got tripped by a player and they later exchanged comments and Geno's players had to pull him away from her?

 

[Littlemin]

So we have reached a point as a society where we should abandon as simple a human gesture as a handshake after a GAME because adults can’t control themselves and conduct themselves with the most basic of good manners and self control?
With all due respect to Tiny Tim, God help us, every one.

 

[bballnut90]

The consequences for Howard should be stiffer. He's supposed to be the adult; he's supposed to be the educator; he's supposed to be setting an example. And he's the one who started punching.

IMO, Michigan should fire him.

BTW, I know it's hard to see clearly on the video the elbow grab by the other coach that sent Howard over the top, but it looked to me like the gesture many people make when they just want to talk, not a hostile or aggressive grab. If you dont want to be touched, just pull your arm away, say so, and move on.

Agreed. Fired or at least suspended the rest of the season rather than just 5 games. At almost any other profession he'd be fired on the spot for violence in the work place.

People make mistakes but this is the second time he's done something like this in less than a year, and he's the one who instigated the conflicts both times. In a position of leadership where you're a head coach making $2m+/year and a public figure, you just can't do that and should be held accountable.

The fact that he hasn't apologized or taken ownership of yesterday's events is an awful example too. Too soft of a punishment IMO.

 

[cohenzone]

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

But do people you know personally want to get naked with you?

 

[cohenzone]

Piss poor for Howard. My son went to UM a year behind the Fab 5. I kind of liked Howard but this is ridiculously bad. Firing wouidn’t be silly, but a meaningful suspension without pay at least. There is nothing wrong with the handshake line whether or not it amounts to a hill of beans.

 

[triaddukefan]

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

Its been a tough few months here on Tobacco Road.

 

[uconnfan68]

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

Nope, it was Howard’s fault. I see CBS News is doing their best to whitewash Michigan though.

 

[HuskyNan]

Remember the handshake line when Geno got tripped by a player and they later exchanged comments and Geno's players had to pull him away from her?

Not as dramatic as you make it sound

 

[tomcat]

As someone said, if they can do it in hockey, they can do it in basketball. It's a sign of mutual respect. Whichever coach started it should be out for the rest of the full year. The other should be out for a minimum of 3 games. Idiots.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Nope, it was Howard’s fault. I see CBS News is doing their best to whitewash Michigan though.

What does CBS have to do with anything? I don't recall anyone defending the Piston players when it was clear the altercation was escalated by a fan. I think the expectation is that two adults would deescalate.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Nope, it was Howard’s fault. I see CBS News is doing their best to whitewash Michigan though.

Correct. Gard did not do anything to start a brawl. It was Howard and no one else.

 

[stamfordhusky]

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

That's nonsense. Only one coach, Howard, started the brawl. He should get at least a long suspension. Gard at most deserves a minor reprimand.

 

[CTrefugee]

It always looks like when you get off an airplane and the stews say "bu bye" "bu bye" to everyone. it is meaningless and I say scrub it. Let the coaches shake hands.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

That's nonsense. Only one coach, Howard, started the brawl. He should get at least a long suspension. Gard at most deserves a minor reprimand.

Howard threw the first punch. He deserves a suspension. Prior to the punch, Krabbenhoft is pushing two Michigan players after Howard has already disengaged from Gard. Howard and Krabbenhoft are the two I'm talking about. Gard and Howard had already separated themselves, Krabbenhoft kept it going and escalated the situation. IMO...he should also be suspended.

 

[Bigboote]

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?

My thoughts exactly. Keep the handshake line, make sure the coaches are grownups.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

The consequences for Howard should be stiffer. He's supposed to be the adult; he's supposed to be the educator; he's supposed to be setting an example. And he's the one who started punching.

IMO, Michigan should fire him.

BTW, I know it's hard to see clearly on the video the elbow grab by the other coach that sent Howard over the top, but it looked to me like the gesture many people make when they just want to talk, not a hostile or aggressive grab. If you dont want to be touched, just pull your arm away, say so, and move on.

Folks are confusing coaches. Howard and Gard were in the handshake line. Gard does grab Howard's arm to talk. Gard is not who Howard punched. Howard punched Gard's assistant. Howard was wrong. Period. Whatever disagreement he and Gard had in the line...they went their separate ways. Folks aren't looking at what the assistant is doing. FOUR (two MI players, a security guard and masked guy) people are trying to stop him from pursuing Howard. Howard returns and reaches over the players and punches the assistant. The assistant was just as much to blame for the escalation.

 

[uconnfan68]

What does CBS have to do with anything? I don't recall anyone defending the Piston players when it was clear the altercation was escalated by a fan. I think the expectation is that two adults would deescalate.

They never mentioned Wisconsin or it’s coaches. I don’t know why they would exonerate Michigan, but it sure sounded that way to me. After watching the video, and hearing what happened in the game… it’s all on Howard. Only losers press the subs in the last minute down double digits.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

They never mentioned Wisconsin or it’s coaches. I don’t know why they would exonerate Michigan, but it sure sounded that way to me. After watching the video, and hearing what happened in the game… it’s all on Howard. Only losers press the subs in the last minute down double digits.

I heard the coach's excuses for doing whatever they were doing...calling timeouts, pressing or whatever, but that doesn't excuse what took place afterwards. I have to disagree that it's all on Howard. I too saw the video. I thought it was over after he and Gard separated from one another. It should have ended there. It didn't.