From: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/3298669/

This isn’t Little League and it’s not CYO ball. It’s professional basketball, and when you are the leader of a professional team, there are things you must do. One of them is to stand up after every game, win or lose, and either bask in the glory or take the heat.

…

[James:] “It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them,” he said, the Associated Press reported. “I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”

So, the NBA is not little league…. Here’s what I don’t understand then: Why should James think that a professional should actually be held to a lower standard of behavior than a little-leaguer? It’s a shame our kids had to see this, but it’s pitiful and embarrassing to see James’ remarks the following day actually trying to justify it.

And the nation’s message in response should be: “It is being a poor sport.”

Bizarre finish to boys game disputed – Sacramento Sports – Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports | Sacramento Bee.

Former Weirton Coach Sentenced To Prison For Internet Sex Crime – News Story – WTOV Steubenville

A former Weirton youth basketball coach accused of an Internet sex crime was sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty in a Pittsburgh court on Tuesday.

The way this story reads, it sounds like one of those “perverted justice” stings they always show on Dateline. This again points to the paucity in providing any oversight over many youth sports coaches. Sadly, the story below makes it seem as though this coach was working for a youth center that actually took some precautions (although a coach’s own affidavit that he does not have a criminal background seems a bit naive. You know who would lie on that? Criminals.)

(also: http://www.wtov9.com/news/11454506/detail.html)

High School Confidential: Ron Ashlaw is the new Waukegan coach

Do we REALLY need to post high school coaches’ salaries in news stories on the internet? Heck, at my school, they’re just called stipends, but maybe that’s because they’re a lot lower than the one quoted here.

Please don’t expect many posts in the near future, I’m going to be pretty busy checking the coaching want ads in Waukegan….

What to do with Don Imus: An Ethical Quandary

Don Imus lost his job because he offhandedly referred to members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed ‘hos.” The controversy is perplexing.

OK, so now that I’ve accidentally found this  “Ethics Scoreboard” site, I’m finding it pretty interesting. It’s nice to see an even-handed take on some of these issues. I had chosen NOT to blog the Imus incident thinking it had been overcovered in the first place, but I really like the way it’s discussed here. Now that the furor has died down, it’s worth a more thoughtful look.

Having said that, I have to add that I watched the Rutgers Women’s press conference and was impressed by the poise of Coach Stringer and her players.

ESPN.com – NCW/NCAATOURNEY07 – Hays: Talking about a Tennessee evolution

Plenty of coaches with her record of success — if there were any coaches with her record of success — would expect players, even prized recruits, to fit into an established system. Summitt continues to pile up wins by changing with the times.

I’m an admitted admirer of Coach Summitt. This article focuses on her willingness to adapt to the game and the players.

Kansas City Star | 03/08/2007 | K-States Huggins a great coach

This is a wonderful brief portrait of the complexity of K-State Bob Huggins. Worth a read.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Steve Tucker :: Not on their best behavior

As an Illinois resident, I heard a lot of chatter about the conduct of the players on the class AA girls runner-up team after their loss. Here is Chicago Sun-Times’ Steve Tucker’s take on it.

HeraldNet: Centennial girls’ team models sportsmanship

What a cool idea!!

Video: Recordnet.com Video | Altercation at St. Mary’s basketball game

Story: On-court altercation prompts police investigation

Follow-up: Player assault probe is placed on hold

So this is the same area that gave us Cory Petero a few months ago – maybe there’s something in the water. The scariest part is the two fans rushing out to take shots at the player. The local paper provides this interesting timeline of similar incidents. As a coach and former official, I’ve seen a number of basketball fights, and they were often brewing several plays before the actual fight began. Sometimes it’s easy to see the frustration of the two players escalating, other times it’s easier to miss.