Malcolm White of the LSU Tigers sent letters of apology to the Kentucky Wildcats yesterday, specifically to Anthony Davis and coach John Calipari, for the shoulder-grab takedown last Saturday that resulted in White's ejection from the game on a flagrant 2 foul call. According to the article in the Lexington Herald-Leader:
In the letters, White said he acted out of frustration and not malice in taking down Davis, LSU Coach Trent Johnson said Thursday. The letters also stated that the flagrant foul did not reflect how Johnson runs the LSU program.
The article also clarifies why White did not receive a suspension from the league, as many Kentucky fans, including former UK track athlete Dan Parker, requested on this blog and elsewhere:
Speculation arose after the game that the SEC might suspend White. But league spokesman Craig Pinkerton dismissed that idea.
"The game officials ruled the penalty on the play was a flagrant foul, which included the ejection of the offending player," Pinkerton wrote in an email. "Since the fighting rule was not invoked, there would be no further suspension."
So what are you saying here, guys? Is it the SEC position that no foul, however brutal, will get a player suspended as long as they don't throw a punch or engage in "fighting?" That sounds like a good rule for football, but just as a reminder to you league guys up there planning your next BCS title game celebration, basketball players were baggy shorts and jerseys, not pads and helmets.
To Trent Johnson's credit, he has several quotes in this piece that clearly indicate he was in no way understanding of White's actions, condemns all such dangerous behavior including Whites, and may well suspend White himself. That's fine, I think that these matters should be handled by coaches and teams unless they prove unable to do so, and I think its both fair and reasonable to give Johnson the full benefit of any doubt. From all I've heard, Johnson is a classy coach, and I have always thought highly of the LSU basketball program.
The laissez-faire attitude of the league concerns me, though. Pinerton's comments could reasonably be seen as indifferent to excessive roughness in the sport as long as blows are not thrown, and that's not the signal the SEC should be sending.
0 recs | 40 comments
If the NCAA, and the SEC are serious about stopping those kinds of plays,
then there needs to be an automatic suspension for a Flagrant 2. Make it anywhere from 2-5 games.
Trent Johnson is the right kind of coach……I believed that even before the article.
Greg Alan Edwards - February 3, 2012
I don't think it should be automatic ...
… but I do think leagues should adopt a policy of review for every such foul, with the assumption that dangerous plays will result in some kind of suspension.
I dislike “automatic” suspensions for anything. Circumstances vary, and I think league offices are more than capable of rendering a fair judgment.
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
The SEC really is just a football conference isn't it?
BCinVA - February 3, 2012
Maybe the review of all Flagrant 2's by the league? would be a step in the right direction
I agree here Glenn, the SEC is setting a dangerous precedent by failing to take any action. More along the lines of having an “enforcer” like hockey ….. only, as you point out, no helmets and pads ….
SEC coaches teleconference should at least address this so that coaches talk to their players – the next time it may be a key player from their team and the injury may be really severe….
ukcris - February 3, 2012
It's not really the failure to take action.
It’s the suggestion that they never will take action unless there is a fight. That’s my problem.
I think they should review these tapes and see if the behavior warrants a suspension, then work with the school. If the school and the league disagree, then the league should step in and issue a suspension.
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
"...issue a suspension"
should read “…issue a suspension if its warranted.”
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
What defines a "fight"?
Throwing a punch is obvious. Wouldn’t one also agree that shoving a person to the ground is an aggression that should be considered a fight? In this case AD was grabbed on the shoulders and pulled backwards. The same move from the front would have been considered shoving him down. The SEC missed an opportunity to set a limit on the level of aggression allowed on the court.
kywineman - February 3, 2012
Agree.
In middle school me and another student were suspended for a “fight” however not a single punch was thrown (thank God I was 5-8 240 & he was 5-10 260).
My point is we didnt throw any punches yet it was still considered a fight by the school.
JohnPike - February 3, 2012 via Android app
It takes two to fight.
If I sucker punch you and you go down, that’s not a fight. That’s a mugging.
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
Absurd
But somehow I’m not surprised. I’ve never been much impressed by the SEC office’s ability to deal with matters such as this.
Basically they are saying that even if Davis had suffered a concussion or other serious injury there would be no warrant for further suspension.
Just ridiculous.
JLeverenz - February 3, 2012
your point is well taken ..... maybe when when something like that happens the league will have an "aha" moment. Shouldn't have to come to that.
ukcris - February 3, 2012
The severity of an injury
resulting from the play should have ZERO bearing on the punishment issued.
Squash - February 3, 2012
The punishment should fit the crime, no?
The consequences of an act often determine the punishment, as when the victim of a crime dies. If White had injured Davis so severely that Davis missed his next game, shouldn’t White serve a like sentence for his voluntary and excessive act?
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
Right.
If he would have injured Davis and Davis would have missed games, he should have missed game for game what Davis missed due to his injury imo.
JohnPike - February 3, 2012 via Android app
Hammurabi would agree.
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
This is what we are taught in soccer.
If a tackle is reckless, it doesn’t matter if there is injury or even if contact is made. A yellow card is to be shown. Yes, I realize it is a different sport. I just have more training in soccer rules.
GoLightning - February 4, 2012
Is There Any Doubt ...
That the apology letter was a designated part of the disciplinary action required by Coach Johnson?
Wild Weasel - February 3, 2012
Not in my mind
Acdixon - February 3, 2012
Changing The Subject
I’m off to Columbia SC this afternoon. Annual trip to see UK versus USC game.
Breakfast at Lizard’s Thicket. Lunch at Groucho’s in Five Points. Afternoon baseball scrimmage of 2-time defending NCAA champion Gamecocks. Then UK romps (hopefully) in the evening.
Cats stay at Marriott downtown. Team is relatively accessible there.
FortyYearCatFan - February 3, 2012
Have fun!
Make a sign & try to get on TV.
mrmondaynite - February 3, 2012
I'll Try > How About This?
A Sea Of Blue in a puddle of Garnet and Black!
FortyYearCatFan - February 4, 2012
No Signs Were Allowed
Confiscated at the front door.
FortyYearCatFan - February 4, 2012
We're supposed to meet some friends at a wing place in Columbia before the game ... (some, as yet undisclosed location) .. but, evidently, a lot of UK fans go there before the game ...
Finally got lower level seats for the Columbia game – I’m almost always upper level … which was a problem at the old Carolina Coliseum .. but, not really too bad a the Colonial Life Arena.
Columbia is a great city for USC, since, like UK, they really don’t have a professional sports team in the state so the fans really get behind them.
ukcris - February 3, 2012
P.S. I had never been to the Lizards Thicket, but tried it last year on your recommendation .... some pretty good vittles - enjoyed it.
When we go to Five Points, we usually go to Harpers … they have a Filet with pimiento cheese that is awesome …. and a pretty good Sunday brunch as well.
ukcris - February 3, 2012
Thicket Breakfast Today
SOS on Texas toast, country ham biscuit, and grits.
My SC buddy had Catfish and eggs, plus SOS also.
Delicious!
FortyYearCatFan - February 4, 2012
My that sounds good!
kywineman - February 4, 2012
Enjoy, Forty.
I’ll be living close to there in a year or so. Then, I’ll be able to go to that game.
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
Ugh. The summers are awful down there.
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
Heh.
That’s why God made beaches. :-)
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
dont agree
With SEC reasoning but don’t think it was suspension worthy. You could tell he wasn’t trying to hurt him. It was a stupid play out of frustration. It deseved ejection. It deserved extra workouts. Not suspension though.
tenken - February 3, 2012 via mobile
Well ...
… I’m afraid I can’t agree. his intent may not have been to seriously injure, but it was pretty clear he wasn’t really concerned about the consequences. That makes it reckless, and recklessness may not be as bad as intent to harm, but it is plenty bad enough to warrant a suspension in a case like that.
Glenn Logan - February 3, 2012
in
Heat of moment stupid things happen. He was punished. Gosh I feel horrible taking up for him because I love Davis. Sweet soul. As a former player it was reckless and stupid. As any baskrball player if they have done something stupid and reckless and most will say yes. Kneeing a groin in the post as you go up, extra elbow, pushing, … I just don’t see a warrant for a suspension. Now if we want to suspend everyone for making a reckless move then the list will be long. If he did it again… now that is different.
tenken - February 3, 2012 via mobile
I think we'll just agree to disagree on this one, Tenk.
Glenn Logan - February 4, 2012
Whether the apology was voluntary or , um, required by Coach Johnson
I think it was a classy thing to do. Assuming it was just a frustration/heat of the moment thing, it is forgivable, but only because nobody was hurt. That is not to say, however, that a suspension is not in order. I think a one-game suspension would be fair. That would force the player to miss a game they could potentially win. Let’s face it, the ship had already sailed on the UK game at the time of the
assaulthard foul.UKCat - February 3, 2012
Yes, classy.
It was the right thing to do. And in writing, no less. Now it would be the right thing for Anthony and Cal to accept the extended apology and express appreciation for having received it. Perhaps Anthony can even offer forgiveness. This is one of those little dances that polite society so often requires.
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
I agree that the apology should be accepted publicly.
UKCat - February 3, 2012
to
Say that a suspension was worthy is to say Cousins deserved one when he elbowed UofL dude.
tenken - February 3, 2012 via mobile
Not the best analogy.
The refs reviewed the Cousins-Swopshire incident and determined a flagrant foul was not warranted. Cousins wasn’t ejected from the game. Critical distinction.
Just to be clear, it wasn’t an elbow. It was a forearm shove after Swopshire kneed him in the face. Kellogg called it an elbow initially, but then described it as a little extra chicken wing, which was much more accurate.
Wheatgerm - February 3, 2012
I wish the thing did not happen, but have no issues with the response.
Officials tossed him on the flagrant 2. I’m not sure I want to get into an argument of what flagrant 2s demand a suspension and what flagrant 2s do not. Everybody will have a different opinon. If suspension were an option, it probably would have been called just a flagrant 1. In this case it is either being handled correctly or more severely than I would expect, even without interference from a governing body. Coach Johnson has not been soft on him – apology letters and suspension (many other coaches would have done nothing).
GriffinRC - February 3, 2012
Agreed.
Glenn Logan - February 4, 2012
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