By “Nunnie” Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
College and professional basketball has taken center stage as we approach March Madness, and the NBA Finals. The SEC women’s title game between LSU and South Carolina, though hotly contested, drew more attention because of a skirmish, not a brawl, between the heated rivals. After seeing the highlights, LSU players were overly aggressive, pulling hair in one instance and appearing to intentionally strike 6’ 7” Gamecock center Kamilla Cardoso around the face, and neck area. When this kind of play goes unchecked – no fouls called – officials unintentionally lose control of the game, tempers flare and when a player perceives an injustice unaddressed, emotions take over, often leading to uncommon, retaliatory behavior. Cardoso didn’t initially react to flagrant fouls against her, but when she saw her teammate steal a ball, then get tripped and pushed, all those pent up frustrations exploded, causing Cardoso to push the LSU player to the floor. Though no one was seriously injured and several players from both teams were ejected with some suspended for the first NCAA game, the real story became the statements made by each coach in the aftermath. South Carolina’s Dawn Staley actually apologized to the fans and public for actions she intimated were not a representative of her players and program. She stated, “That’s not who we are or what we represent. The players simply allowed the emotions to get the best of them. I consider that the high road, the proper perspective, remorsefuland professional.
LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey felt that players from both teams were physical, aggressive, and guilty of some foul play, but the calls seemed to be more one-sided against her Tigers. She thought the players involved should have been allowed to resolve the issue without other players interfering. However, anyone who has coached any sport knows that it does not work that way, especially when others have been aggrieved or felt aggrieved with minimal consequences. Coach Mulkey’s incendiary comments, instead of assuaging the situation, added to the unfortunate incident. By saying, “ I wished she had pushed Angel Reese, insinuating that Cardoso would have had a fight on her hands is counter productive and unbecoming of a coach with championship pedigree for both at Baylor and LSU of her stature and as a leader of young women. I wonder if Coach Staley would have gotten a pass if she had taken that approach. We will dig more into Coach Mulkey’s past to see if this is consistent with who she is or her coaching philosophy.
As NBA teams vie for positions as the playoffs near, a trend I noticed over the weekend was startling. The worst teams in the League are playing competitive and sometimes winning basketball against playoff bound teams. Last night’s devastating loss by our Miami Heat to the lowly Washington Wizards was shocking. A Philly team without its 2 best players – Joel Embiid and Tyreese Maxey – walked into Madison Square Garden and defeated the Knicks, holding them to a season with a low scoring total. The Brooklyn Nets, near the bottom in the East, with no playoff possibilities, handed the Cleveland Cavaliers a crushing 120-101 defeat. Finally, the San Antonio Spurs, fans favorite rookie of the year candidate Victor Wembanyama, overcame the playoff bound Golden State Warriors 126-113.
Apparently, the pressure mounts as teams vie for playoff positions while the non- contenders relax and play loosely because their seasons are virtually over, relegated to getting the best position for the lottery and draft. We will see if the trend continues or if this weekend was just an aberration; Really looking forward to March Madness and NBA Finals.
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