Where Does Coaching Responsibility Lie in Smart's Dumb Move?

Today's blog post was written by Kyle McDonald, a junior at the Univeristy of Notre Dame.  Kyle is a math major and is a student in the Social Foundations of Coaching, a course taught by Play Like a Champion Today directors Professor Clark Power and Kristin Sheehan.

On February 8, Oklahoma State University basketball player Marcus Smart made waves across the nation during a game against Texas Tech. It was not for an electric play or stat sheet-decorating performance befitting of a player projected to be a high pick in this year’s NBA draft. Rather, after ending up in some courtside seats after a hustle play, he turned around to confront a fan who allegedly taunted him, and Smart shoved the fan.

With the difference in score being only two points with just seconds remaining in the game, Smart’s push warranted a technical foul from the officials but no ejection. Oklahoma State, ranked 19^th in the nation, went on to lose to an unranked Texas Tech squad. The next day, the Big 12 Conference, the athletic league of both of the schools, handed down a three-game suspension to Smart, effective immediately.

By no means is this incident neither the start nor the end of Marcus Smart’s narrative. Just weeks earlier, he kicked a chair on the bench after receiving a foul. He could have opted not to attend Oklahoma State for his sophomore season and still have been selected relatively high in last year’s draft. He is the most talented player on his team and arguably the most instrumental one to its success.

Amidst the criticism of the player’s actions, however, there also resides the action, or, rather, inaction, of Oklahoma State’s men’s basketball coach, Travis Ford. Even though Smart was not ejected for what little remained in the game, Ford did not speak to his player, instead discussing the merits of the foul with an official. He did not send him to the locker room early. In a press conference regarding the incident, Ford said: “[Smart] made a serious mistake, He's proven to us many times what a great person he is, and we need to help him learn from this. Hopefully we will give him support, because I do truly think he's learned a valuable lesson.”

Ford’s response comes off as soft and over-apologetic to some, avoiding the opportunity to publicly reprimand his player’s actions and instead continuing to make excuses for them. It is a response that has prompted some to call for his firing.  It has prompted discussion on where the morality of coaches lie, and how crises like this can reveal the true nature of a coach, whether he or she generally prioritizes youth development or is instead willing to win at any cost and overlook any internal polemics.

It’s an issue that goes far beyond college athletics, as well. Personalities on a high school or youth team can be just as diverse as any university squad. What happens when a player engages an opposing fan whose primary objective is to instigate? Many coaches would like to say that the solution is to speak with their player about his or her mistake and then to let his or her team, fans, and the public know that this type of behavior has no place on his or her team. Does the decision to park the player for the remainder of a game or for the next few games change at all if it’s a star player whose presence is vital for an upcoming rivalry game, playoff push, or tournament? Or at the youth and high school levels, when a suspension could face resistance from the player’s parents? Coaches would like to say no, but when the situation presents itself like it did in front of Travis Ford, it’s easier to air on the side of inactivity.

Ford’s detractors will criticize him for placing too much of an emphasis on winning, doing the bare minimum to acknowledge the situation while still making sure Marcus Smart was eligible as college basketball advances towards March Madness. His errors as a coach, however, go farther than just having priorities out of order. The general negative PR surrounding his team is a distraction for his players. It endangers the future state of his team, as a black eye such as this incident may give recruits less reason to attend Oklahoma State and more ammunition for their rivals in their pitches. Travis Ford missed his chance to take his stand as a coach and be the leader and catalyst of development that his team needs. Unfortunately, it may just be that missed chance that Oklahoma State’s season, Smart, and Ford are all remembered for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sochi Olympics

Play Like a Champion Founder and Director Professor Clark Power recently published a commentary on the Sochi Olympics on the Huffington Post.  The original post can be found here, or is summarized below.

On Monday, February 10th, after a weekend of Olympic competition, Clark Power wrote:

In spite of the protests over gay rights, threats of terrorism, and complaints about the extravagant cost the Sochi Olympics will celebrate what is at the heart of the Olympic movement itself  – the capacity of the human spirit to transcend seemingly unsurmountable physical and social barriers.  The Olympic Games are and have always been a demonstration of how sports can elevate human achievement, foster a sense of friendship, and forge enduring bonds of friendship across national, ethnic, and religious differences.  

Although the Games involve a relatively small number (2,850)of the most elite of athletes, an estimated 3 billion people worldwide will watch the games on television.  Participants and spectators alike will share in the triumphs and disappointments of athletes.  Together we will realize to a degree Coubertin’s dream of world peace based on a common love of sport and of the struggle for excellence.

At the core of the Olympic Charter is the bold assertion:  “The practice of sport is a human right.”   The games belong to all the people of the world, and the right to participate in sport is a universal one. 

To read the full text of Professor Power's article, please click here.

Special Olympic Moment

The Olympics to begin next week, as we have been reminded by the Olympic-themed commercials that inspire us to support team USA and buy batteries or chicken nuggets.   The Olympics are filled with memorable moments--from the Miracle on Ice,  Mary Lou Retton's perfect score, the Dream Team, Dorothy Hamill's gold medal, to the more recent Apolo Anton Ohno and Michael Phelps claiming multiple gold medals in their respective sports. 

As the Olympics begin, we must remember not just the media darlings, but all of the athletes who have devoted much of their lives to their sport.  The sacrifices made by these athletes are amazing, and many toil in anonymity for years before and after representing their country in this global fortnight of sport.  Play Like a Champion Today supports the ideals of the Olympics--sportsmanship and fair play and the unifying presence of sport.  We support all of the athletes, their coaches, and their families who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much for Olympic dreams to become reality.  Today, we would like to highlight the work of a fellow sport-support organization and send a shout-out to the Paralympic Athletes--whose games will follow the Olympic Games in early March.

The first official Paralympic Games were held following the London Olympics of 1948, and the event was geared towards WWII veterans who had been injured during the war.  By 1960, the games were formalized and open to more participants, and have grown since then.  To learn more about the Paralympic Games, please click here.

Image compliments of Masters in Special Education Degrees

Big Wins and the Bigger Picture

Today's blog post was written by Quentin Collie, a senior English major at the University of Notre Dame. Quentin is a student in the Social Foundations of Coaching course taught by Play Like a Champion Today founder and directors Prof. Clark Power and Kristin Sheehan.

The Seattle Seahawks just delivered a dominant performance in their 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.  The Super Bowl is one of the great American sporting events.  Millions of people gather in living rooms and restaurants, food and drink abundant, to watch the game.  Friends, family, strangers.  People all connect and share in this experience, regardless of whose team is competing for the Lombardi Trophy.  When the lights are brightest, the commercials are loudest, and the smells of hot wings and pizza fill the air, it can be easy to get caught up in the commercialization and pure entertainment aspects of the sport.  We should not forget, however, the power of community and inspiration that these sports possess.

This inspirational and bonding power of sports is exemplified in the story of Kevin Lee and his experience with Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks on a segment of ESPN’s “My Wish” from August of this year.

Though Peyton Manning, because of his age-defying comeback from injury and record-breaking season, garnered much of the media attention during the two weeks leading up to the game, it was second-year Seahawk QB Russell Wilson who came out of the game victorious.  Though Wilson has made a big splash in the NFL in his first two seasons, he has faced great amounts of doubt throughout his career.  Much of this adversity and doubt stemmed from Wilson’s height.  Standing at 5’11”, Wilson’s frame is less than optimal for an NFL quarterback.  Despite this, Wilson has now achieved the greatest feat in his sport by leading his team to a victory in the Super Bowl.

Russell Wilson’s attitude and perseverance serve as examples and inspirations for not only athletes, but for all those who face challenges and have a passion for the game.  One person who Wilson has personally inspired is twelve-year-old Kevin Lee.  One of the main reasons that Kevin feels like he has been able to relate to Wilson is their height.  Just as Wilson has a short stature for his position, Kevin stands at 4’4”, a short height for his age.   Kevin’s challenges and struggles, however, extend beyond his height, as his short stature is a result of a rare heart condition that has caused much trouble throughout his life and prevented him from playing contact sports.  In addition, Kevin was born legally blind.  As a result, Kevin has been battling since he was born, displaying a positive attitude, resilience, and will that is not matched by many people.

Despite his limitations and challenges, Kevin has still developed a passion for a major contact sport: football.  This past summer, through ESPN’s “My Wish,” Kevin got the opportunity to meet and hangout with Russell Wilson and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks.  From viewing Kevin’s interactions with Wilson, head coach Pete Carroll, and other players, it is apparent how much joy Kevin received from the experience.  You can see how he looks up to these players as role models, friends, and inspiration and finds importance and joy through football. 

While the image of the Seahawks players celebrating their championship on a confetti-covered field is a meaningful moment, we should also remember moments such as Kevin’s practice with these same Seahawk players and think about the personal inspiration and bonding experience that these moments and sports can provide.

Photo courtesy of ESPN

And by the way, Kevin predicted a Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory before the season even started.