OT - Yancy Gates Suspended 6 Games

[Donyell]

You watch any X player involved in any way will get nothing. The Xavier players had a lot too do with this. Mack knows he has a good team with a real shot to go a long way this year and doesn't want to mess that up. I hope they lose many games , they are trying to come off in all this as the innocent party and putting all the blame on Cincy as they are an easy target with there reputation as a bully type team.

 

[Dougsts]

I think longer suspension should be handed out to the player instigating the fighting. But, in my opinion, the coaches need to step up and take some responsibility themselves. They are the ones who allow the incessant trash talking to consume the game. I believe that allowing the players a free rein of running their mouths can easily escalate to physical altercations. Once these guys get into college, they should be convinced that their playground days are behind them, and they should be held to a higher standard. I almost thought I was watching a hockey game, or a version of the WWF at the end of that game.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think the suspensions are about right. If they were 8 or 10 games they would be about right too. While the emotional answer is these players should never play again, the brawl was spontaneous and only a handful of punches were thrown. I have seen more serious fights in college over trash talking after a video game. The players broke the rules, they will be suspended, and it is extremely unlikely they will ever do it again. Cincinnati has stepped up better than Xavier, who actually started the fight, and unfortunately, I am sure the fact that Cincinnati's season is looking like a washout while Xavier has a shot at a Final Four has something to do with the relative suspensions.

The automatic suspension rules were implemented because of the early 90's behavior of programs like Georgetown, Seton Hall and Providence, which had become street gangs in uniforms. Those teams would show up at games looking to brawl, and there was a game with Georgetown against Arkansas around that time that was one of the more shocking and disturbing games I have ever witnessed.

Gates woofing about a sucker punch is more absurd than scary. A real tough guy would be embarrassed by that punch, not bragging about it.

 

[willie99]

six games is enough for your first infraction, gone for the season should there be another

everyone who threw a punch should have received similar suspensions, and from both schools

I'm disappointed Hallaway, the admitted instigator of it all, misses one game

and the X player that pushed a Cinci player to the ground sent this into the free for all it became

 

[cohenzone]

Gates cold-cocked the guy. It could have been just as bad as the Kermit Washington assault on Rudy Tomjanovich in the NBA years ago. A 6 games suspension for something that should get the guy arrested is a joke. Too many excuses are made for what amounts to stupid macho stuff in a sporting event. Gates was not being attacked, he was not trying to break up the scuffle, but he escalated the problem in a very serious way. I would feel the same way if a UConn player did the same thing. This is both schools trying to protect an investment and trying to look nominally tough. The Xavier player who shoved the Cincy player who was simply jawing away deserves a very lengthy suspension even though his shove wasn't likely to cause the same potential harm as Gates' haymaker.

 

[61cygni]

I'm pretty sure there's precedent in some states at least for charges of criminal assault in sporting events for events like this.

 

[Prezidint]

I'm pretty sure there's precedent in some states at least for charges of criminal assault in sporting events for events like this.

I'd defend him. He was defending his peeps. Simple as that. Frease willingly engaged in a brawl. He got hit. As much as I love X as my new 2nd favorite team of gangsta badasses, if you enter a brawl intentionally, then I don't buy anybody getting hit with assault charges.

By the way, the above is just argument. Don't get excited.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Should have been arrested on the spot for assault & battery. Where the hell were the cops? I see those fat porkers with the shiny medals and the big hats at UCONN games all the time. I know they're there for crowd control but when one player is all bloodied and is having his head stomped on, these guys should be doing their jobs.

With that fat porker comment they might want to do a special crowd control for you

 

[Donyell]

You crossed the line huskyrob. Why go there with the fat porkers ? Shiny medals and big hats. What brought that on.

 

[RS9999X]

The automatic suspension rules were implemented because of the early 90's behavior of programs like Georgetown, Seton Hall and Providence, which had become street gangs in uniforms. Those teams would show up at games looking to brawl, and there was a game with Georgetown against Arkansas around that time that was one of the more shocking and disturbing games I have ever witnessed.

.

Yeah. Those Catholic School thugs like those guys at St John's who beat up on helpless Donny Marshall in 1995.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; St. John's Learns It's A Big East Out There


Published: January 09, 1995


St. John's wasn't supposed to be a contender for the Big East championship. In this season where teaching will take priority over titles, the Red Storm figures to be a speed bump in someone else's road to the conference title.

Despite eight victories in its first nine games, that reality became evident here today when sixth-ranked Connecticut exposed the Red Storm's inexperience and lack of depth en route to a 98-78 blowout before 16,294 at the Hartford Civic Center.

The Huskies, unbeaten in 10 starts and 3-0 in the Big East, were on a mission to impress a national television audience and voters in the polls. After losses by North Carolina, U.C.L.A. and Arkansas -- Nos. 1 through 3 this past week -- UConn could be ranked as high as third this week. "They play at a very high level," said St. John's Coach Brian Mahoney. "No wonder they're ranked that high."

The Huskies dominated from start to finish, expanding a 55-46 lead at halftime to a 27-point advantage at 79-52 with 9 minutes 17 seconds to play. Ray Allen, after a sluggish start, finished with 27 points, while Donny Marshall added 18 before he and St. John's forward Charles Minlend were ejected with 3:56 to play after a fight.

The ejections carry automatic one-game suspensions for both players, meaning Minlend must sit out Wednesday's game against Miami at Alumni Hall, while Marshall cannot play in UConn's game at Pitt, also on Wednesday. Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun and Mahoney were trying to get the suspensions lifted. Calhoun spent 30 minutes after the game talking with the Big East supervisor of officials, Art Hyland, but it's unlikely anything will change.

"It was just two guys battling," Mahoney said of the incident that took place under the St. John's basket with the Huskies leading by 87-68. "Hopefully, we can get together with the refs and straighten this thing out."

Losing Minlend for a game against struggling Miami hurt more than today's loss to the Huskies. St. John's was given little chance to upset UConn on what is, in effect, a Huskie home floor. From the opening tip, when UConn guard Kevin Ollie broke free for a driving layup and the game's first 2 points, the Huskies smothered St. John's.

UConn blew the game open during the first 10 minutes of the second half, when its defensive pressure and up-tempo offense overwhelmed St. John's. It started with an 11-2 run that included 8 points by Allen. The surge gave UConn a 54-34 lead, and later, when Allen strung together 10 consecutive UConn points and forward Rudy Johnson converted an offensive rebound, the Huskies were up by 81-52 with the sellout crowd roaring its approval.

"We tried to do some things we weren't capable of doing," said James Scott of St. John's. "That's why
we got out of sync. I think our inexperience showed today."

Despite the availability of point guard Maurice Brown, who was questionable with a sprained ankle, St. John's couldn't handle the Huskies' fullcourt trapping defense, which forced 16 turnovers and limited the Red Storm to 41 percent shooting. When St. John's did score, UConn would often quickly inbound the ball and race the length of the court for an uncontested layup. The Huskies, taller and more active, outrebounded St. John's, 47-34, and made 9 of 20 from 3-point range, while St. John's made only 1 of 11.

"They made us take shots we really didn't want to take," said Felipe Lopez, who led St. John's with 20 points. "If you get two or three turnovers, you start rushing and things get out of control."

Calhoun, normally his team's biggest critic, had to acknowledge his Huskies' performance at the start of the second half. "It was the best 10 minutes we've played this year," he said.

The incident between Marshall and Minlend started when center Travis Knight fouled Minlend as Minlend was trying to score along the baseline. As the play ended, he and Marshall tangled. Marshall then slapped Minlend in the head-and-shoulder area. The two exchanged words, then Minlend swung at Marshall with what the officials described as "an open-handed punch."

Minlend was immediately ejected, and, after reviewing replays, the officials also ejected Marshall for provoking Minlend's retaliation.

"We were playing very hard and we just got carried away," said Minlend, who had a sub-par game, scoring 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting. "It was a little more intense than it was supposed to be. I wish it didn't happen."

It was the second time the two had tangled. In the Big East tournament last season, Minlend received a technical after the two exchanged angry words. Marshall said a head butt by Minlend triggered today's incident. "He head-butted me and I had my hands up to get him away," Marshall said. "I pushed him in the face and he pushed me back. We've been having a thing going since I first played him."

Despite the blowout, St. John's, 8-2 over all, tried to put a positive spin on its first Big East loss in three starts. "I think we'll learn some lessons from this one," Mahoney said. "It's early in the Big East. Nobody said there wouldn't be any bumps along the way."

 

[EricLA]

not that this is exactly the same thing but Brit Griner was suspended for 1 game mandatory by NCAA for her punch, and 1 game by her coach. 2 game total suspension for a haymaker that broke Barncastle's nose...

 

[Ricky1Moore]

I hope criminal charges are brought. People, especially young people, need to understand how dangerous throwing punches can be, particularly if you are as big and strong as these guys... The result can be far worse than a black eye.

There is no place for this nonsense in basketball.

 

[swami7774]

Should have been arrested on the spot for assault & battery. Where the hell were the cops? I see those fat porkers with the shiny medals and the big hats at UCONN games all the time. I know they're there for crowd control but when one player is all bloodied and is having his head stomped on, these guys should be doing their jobs.

Maybe one day one of those "fat porkers" might take a bullet meant for you.

 

[Kitaman]

I hope criminal charges are brought. People, especially young people, need to understand how dangerous throwing punches can be, particularly if you are as big and strong as these guys... The result can be far worse than a black eye.

There is no place for this nonsense in basketball.

I hear you but in-game fighting is a part of every sport. When I played basketball/football I can recall a couple of fist to cuffs. The good thing is that its infrequent and rare, but it happens. Athletes fighting is treated differently than say street fighting, and it should be in my opinion. Over the years fines, suspensions and expulsions still have not stopped it. A sports contest is war.

I repeat what I said earlier that sucker punching (e.g. Gates) should be severely punished beyond the norm but I don't think criminal charges are in order.