MWC reprimands BYU coach for comments

[FriendofCy]

The conference office didn't like his comments toward Utah after BYU lost to the Utes in the conference tourney. I've heard of reprimands for criticizing officials, but not for criticizing another coach. Thoughts?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=2406863

[swok34]

"When you're up 25 points, you pull your starters out with 1:54 left in the game. It's a classy way. You don't need to rub it in," Judkins said after the game.

hmmm, that's interesting. Not sure what I think in regards to the reprimand.
I'm trying to recall if I've ever read a Big XII women's coach make any sort of "negative" comment towards another coach. I don't think I have.

I don't subscribe to the theory of "we're 25 points ahead, we're supposed to ease up on the gas".

Sometimes a coach has a completely different agenda that has absolutely nothing to do with the other team.

[dem]

I'm trying to recall if I've ever read a Big XII women's coach make any sort of "negative" comment towards another coach. I don't think I have.


Well, Fennelly was pretty explicit about being ticked off at Sylvia Hatchell in the game with UNC January 23, 2000:

"Fennelly said he was not mad at his reserves, who surrendered 16 straight North Carolina points in the final 3:06. Asked if he was mad at North Carolina, which had not pressed earlier, Fennelly replied, 'Yes.' "
http://cyclones.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/012300aaa.html


He also was critical of Geno Auriemma (although not quite so explicitly) when Geno said that Iowa State's hosting of the Regional Final in 2002 was an unfair advantage. (Of course, ISU's loss to BYU in the second round put an end to any possible "unfair advantage," not to mention the dream match-up with Tennessee.):


http://www.fansonly.com/schools//iast/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/031302aaa.html


On the other hand, I can't remember him ever being openly critical of a Big XII coach in any but the most oblique manner.

[FriendofCy]

I remember the UNC game...he was hot about that.

[swok34]

But none of Wild Bill's statements "directly" address the coach the way the BYU coach did.

He was asked by the reporter and he responded yes...I think that's different than making the actual statement. Now, there are a lot of ways to say what you mean with actually saying it.....

and every single Big XII women's coach knows the line and how to get around it as well :D If they don't know, they've learned quickly. KMR was the last I recall being reprimanded for her comments about officiating and that was 3 or 4 years ago.

[labcoatguy]

The conference office didn't like his comments toward Utah after BYU lost to the Utes in the conference tourney. I've heard of reprimands for criticizing officials, but not for criticizing another coach. Thoughts?
It's been over a month since that game! And if they wanted to wait until after BYU lost in the tournament, well, it's still been over three weeks. "Public criticism of another member institution" did not occur; public criticism of a coaching technique did.

[Bball Girl]

A different take from the ABQ Journal this morning (sub only so I'm posting the story)

MWC Steps Over Line

By Rick Wright
Of the Journal
The Mountain West Conference is at it again, throwing its referee's hanky at free speech.
Wednesday, the MWC announced it had reprimanded Brigham Young women's coach Jeff Judkins for conference tournament postgame comments critical of Elaine Elliott, his Utah counterpart.
Elliott stayed with her starters into the final two minutes with a huge lead during the Utes' 84-60 victory over BYU in the tournament championship game.
"When you're up 25 points, you pull your starters out (before there's only) 1:54 in the game," Judkins said afterward in remarks printed by the Deseret Morning News. "... You don't need to rub it in."
Judkins needs no sympathy, nor should he expect any. A public reprimand is just that and only that; as far as we know, he hasn't been required to kiss Elliott's ring, spend time in detention or write "I will not criticize" on a blackboard 1,000 times.
Nor is it as if Judkins hadn't been warned. The Mountain West's sportsmanship policy has been invoked numerous times, at the expense of Colorado State football coach Sonny Lubick, Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham and others. Lots of conferences have, and enforce, similar policies.
Besides, sportsmanship is a two-way street. Elliott's decision to leave her starters in so long probably wasn't, but could have been, a response to previous comments critical of Utes players made by Cougars star Ambrosia Anderson.
Still, I agree with Judkins. Leaving starters in the game so late in a rout is unfair not only to the losing team, but to the kids at the end of the winning team's bench.
Whether Judkins was right or wrong, though, isn't really the point. All he did was air his feelings— emotionally, it's true— on an issue. He didn't call Elliott classless; he said running up the score was classless. It might be a fine line, but it's there all the same. Judkins didn't cross it.
The Mountain West, in reprimanding him, did.