I watch the uproar on social media… One would think the worst thing to come about in the history of the NCAA Tournament had occurred… Andrew Harrison dropped the F bomb… then, he followed it up with a slur? Oh Lord, this has to be end of days. A disappointed 20 year old kid processing one of the toughest moments in his sports life is about to be eviscerated…
…but can’t we put the blame where it really goes? I mean yes I’ve been disappointed and I may or may not have dropped a couple words I’m not proud of, but Harrison, though not blameless, should not be the only one to take blame.
The NCAA- we get it, you’re edgy, you’re hip, you want to get the faces of the young warriors and their leader to the table so you can get their candor. (as long as it’s not to MUCH candor)
The Pro Sports leagues- You grab someone after a hard fought game, a game that as Ty Cobb would say “is not a pink tea party” and then you have the nerve to feign shock when Michael Irvin or Eric Lindros or whomever drop some naughty words?
Coaches- If you’re real coaches, besides X’s and O’s, your job is to protect your players. Sometimes that is even protecting them from themselves. Calipari did an awful job by exposing an obviously raw Harrison to the vultures of…
The media- Yes you want the scoop, you want the first word in whatever. How important is sports? I love sports and I’m writing this the day after the event and still making my point. No you shouldn’t wait a full day but how about 30-45 minutes for the combatants to calm down.
Finally… us- society loves to excoriate a young man that played his heart out and because without thinking he used words or at least sentiments that many of us have used while playing moments after his team was defeated. We have made insinuations about his character because… well, I won’t say it.
How about this; Harrison lost a game he thought he was going to win, he was asked about Frank Kaminsky a player who has been stellar all year, how about if you ask him now. The hurt has set in, anyone who will cry about it has cried… you’ll get the reaction you want middle age America. “Kaminsky played a fine game and Wisconsin shut us down… they’re a helluva team and I wish them well against Duke”.