College Basketball by the Tweets: The Harlem Shake, Bob Knight and Alan Crabbe…
Posted by Nick Fasulo on February 20th, 2013
Nick Fasulo is an RTC correspondent who writes the column College Basketball By the Tweets, a look at the world of college hoops through the prism of everyone’s favorite social media platform. You can find him on Twitter @nickfasuloSBN.
So this Harlem Shake viral phenomenon. You’ve heard of it. I shouldn’t have to explain it. Heck, there’s a chance you’ve made one or been forced to watch your co-workers’ rendition in the last seven days. Anyway… from the Soulja Boy Superman to the Dougie to Gangnam Style, college basketball always has a say in the direction and popularity of dance crazes. So with the latest flash in the pan fad reaching its apex over the weekend, naturally it pervaded DI to NAIA gyms and arenas over the weekend. Like, literally.
Every single college basketball game I’ve watched this weekend has played the Harlem Shake at least five times
— Colin Crowley (@Colin_Crowley_4) February 17, 2013
Based on my observations, Colin is not exaggerating.
Mike Montgomery Shoves Alan Crabbe
In sports today, almost any altercation, whether physical or verbal, is going to spark conversation on Twitter. Drama moves the needle, and the latest occurrence of that was Saturday when Cal head coach Mike Montgomery shoved his star player, Alan Crabbe. Video shows nothing too aggressive, but a love jolt enough to upset Crabbe and cause a bit of short-lived dissent among the team. Some quickly compared the act to that of Morehead State’s Sean Woods, who verbally abused a player earlier this season The difference is that Sean Woods humiliated his player because of how personal Morehead’s game against Kentucky was. Woods is a former Wildcats star whose jersey hangs in the Rupp Arena rafters, now coaching against his alma mater and trying to squeeze as much out of his players as he could. But only for his own good. Montgomery was passionate and truly trying to motivate, unfortunately displaying that passion in a not-so-ideal manner. Many people saw it the same way.
California Coach M. Montgomery shoving Alan Crabbe isn’t a big deal. It wasn’t malicious N anyway. Theres a certain way a Coach can do that.
— 1 LIVE STEW® (@1livestew) February 18, 2013
See absolutely nothing wrong with the way Mike Montgomery motivated Allen Crabbe. We have to stop micro analyzing everything. #passion
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) February 19, 2013
Surprised at the hoopla over Montgomery pushing Crabbe. I didn’t have a problem with it. Dealt w/worse in HS. I must be old.
— Charles Kilburn (@CharlesInNM) February 19, 2013
Haven’t heard a former player take issue w/Monty jolting Crabbe back into the game- lotta guys w/ pens/twitter handles
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) February 19, 2013
So I think we can agree that the action was understandable. We can give Montgomery a pass. But what he said in his postgame press conference probably didn’t award him a get-out-of-jail free card, thus leading to the undisclosed punishment.
Montgomery should be suspended bc his immediate reaction was “it worked, didn’t it?” instead of “my bad, I fraked up” #Cal #Crabbe
— (author) Paul West (@firstcausenyc) February 19, 2013
Oh yeah, and, Montgomery’s act sort of worked, as Crabbe led the Golden Bears’ comeback against the Trojans, and also this…
Congratulations to Allen Crabbe, who was just named the @pac12 Player of the Week for the second-straight week #BerkeleyRepresent
— Cal Men’s Basketball (@CalMensBBall) February 18, 2013
Assuming Montgomery has spoken to Crabbe privately about this, I’ll tip my cap to the heady coach.
Bob Knight: Soon To Be Former ESPN Analyst
A report has been released that ESPN’s Bob Knight may not be asked back as an in-game college basketball analyst next season for the Worldwide Leader. For many that is a time to celebrate, and rightfully so.
Popping the champagne. RT @greggdoyelcbs: Bob Knight not expected to return to ESPN, says @thebiglead. Colossal TV flop bit.ly/Xl4369
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) February 19, 2013
@goodmancbs You need to pump-fake the champagne first, then pop it.
— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) February 19, 2013
Knight, while he’s a true aficionado of the game, had a very archaic approach. Fundamentals preached in the 1950s were paramount, and anything related to half-court isolation, the fast break and Kentucky were ridiculed. The shot-clock snafu from last month was also a complete embarrassment.
ESPN and Bob Knight are parting ways. Other than not giving a damn how “Kilicli” was pronounced, I liked his work. Always learned from him.
— Eric Little (@TheEricLittle) February 19, 2013
Bob Knight on the time left on his contract w/ ESPN: “That 17.3 was up there and the zero was on the bottom. I don’t know what that meant.”
— Michael Rudolph (@MRudolphComedy) February 19, 2013
Hopefully the other ESPN personalities will stop pretending Bob Knight is a decent human being after he leaves the network.
— tommy wallace (@OldUncleRemus) February 18, 2013
No more Bob Knight on ESPN! Great day. No more talks of the importance of shot fakes every offensive possession & “dunk shots”. We all win.
— Jon (@jonheheman) February 18, 2013
The former head coach did not seem to warm up when the cameras were on him, offering the same curt personality that drove him out of Bloomington and Lubbock. I personally will not miss Knight in the way ESPN used him. Perhaps he can stick around in the media as a studio rather than game analyst. It would be great to use him strictly to talk Xs and Os – maybe break down some game tape – but forcing him to work with a color commentators and articulate what is happening during a live game is certainly not his forte.
Ryan Harrow Gets Benched
Kentucky point guard Ryan Harrow has been a major disappointment this season. With #BBN ‘s season unraveling before their eyes, blame must be assigned, and Harrow appears to be taking a brunt of the finger pointing.
How has John Calipari not benched Ryan Harrow for like the rest of the season!! #noheart #bum
— Ryan Shirley (@ryshirley) February 16, 2013
@12harrow is still up tweeting to his followers at 2am and he probably got practice tomorrow…
— Michael Gyurisin (@MichaelGyurisin) February 19, 2013
@the_bcal25 let’s get Ryan harrow SUCKS trending
— Austin James (@FlightAJ) February 16, 2013
#Kentucky‘s season is over. Without Nerlens carrying these dogs with no heart (Harrow, Poythress, Goodwin), #UK sucks.
— The Sports Fannin (@THESPORTSFANnin) February 17, 2013
Our biggest problem has been the same all year, no point guard to distribute and create plays for others. Harrow sucks
— Stephen Wilson (@swilson502) February 16, 2013
@gottliebshowHarrow is a D-2 talent
— Austin Blankenship (@BigBlanky) February 16, 2013
But Harrow has shown to be quite a prolific tweeter, not going silent when the haters come out but instead going right at them… for better or worse.
Don’t go broke trying to act rich.. Act your wage
— Ryan Harrow (@12harrow) February 19, 2013
What u doing in life?RT @cakedoutkirby: @12harrow laugh now , cry later because your future isn’t looking bright bitch boy
— Ryan Harrow (@12harrow) February 13, 2013
With Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress staying off Twitter since Thanksgiving, Harrow has become the de facto communicator with Kentucky fans. At this point, he can only hurt his rep — the Wildcats are only going down.
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