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.
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.
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.
Oh yeah, and, Montgomery’s act sort of worked, as Crabbe led the Golden Bears’ comeback against the Trojans, and also this…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.