Michigan coach Juwan Howard takes swing at Wisconsin assistant coach

Status
Not open for further replies.
#153      
Assault is threatening another with harm, battery is constituted by physical contact that is insulting or provoking, or actually inflicting physical harm. When you commit a battery in a "public place of accomodation" it's elevated to aggravated battery, a felony.
There will be no (nor should there be) any legal charges that elevates this incident into the legal justice system. Come back to earth, lets no overreact. He will be suspended and I'm guessing any players that threw punches.
 
#154      
FWIW - in his presser, Howard defends himself when asked why he was pressing by saying they were playing "5" which he described as full court man to man. If you watch the highlights, they're clearly leaving their men to trap, pretty textbook press, not playing simple straight up man defense.
 
#155      
FWIW - in his presser, Howard defends himself when asked why he was pressing by saying they were playing "5" which he described as full court man to man. If you watch the highlights, they're clearly leaving their men to trap, pretty textbook press, not playing simple straight up man defense.
I caught that too. Also, isn’t the intent of a full court man to man the same as any other press? Force the offense into a mistake or 10 second call?

That response made no sense.
 
#156      
FWIW - in his presser, Howard defends himself when asked why he was pressing by saying they were playing "5" which he described as full court man to man. If you watch the highlights, they're clearly leaving their men to trap, pretty textbook press, not playing simple straight up man defense.
At that point of the game most coaches in the country would be telling their players to back off and don't foul. That was was the first volley fired of what ended up as an all out war by handshake time.
 
#158      
Remember Michigan was pressing Wisconsin subs before the timeout. With seconds left in the game.
By doing that Michigan sends the message that it was still in a true game situation. Wisconsin responded by correctly calling the TO to reset.

Michigan can't have it both ways, they signaled that they were still playing the game out. So Wisc says OK, lets still play.
Wisconsin did nothing wrong in my opinion, simply responded to what Michigan's play required.

And Howard is not BIG head coach material. His ludicrous presser vividly displayed unprofessional petulance and stupidity.
 
#159      
Remember Michigan was pressing Wisconsin subs before the timeout. With seconds left in the game.
By doing that Michigan sends the message that it was still in a true game situation. Wisconsin responded by correctly calling the TO to reset.

Michigan can't have it both ways, they signaled that they were still playing the game out. So Wisc says OK, lets still play.
Wisconsin did nothing wrong in my opinion, simply responded to what Michigan's play required.

And Howard is not BIG head coach material. His ludicrous presser vividly displayed unprofessional petulance and stupidity.
Gamesmanship on display for the world to see. Got out of control and went to the next level.
 
#162      
The biggest thing so many defending Howard (not you, obviously) are missing is this: he did NOT ignore Gard. There is raw video on Twitter of him going by, not making eye contact, and saying, "I'll remember that s***." Which, first off, he needs to grow up if he is so offended that Gard called a timeout when he had the bad sportsmanship to run a press against walk-ons. Second, that necessitates an explanation from Gard if Howard is going to say that and keep walking.

Howard is an embarrassment to Michigan and the Big Ten, but I hope he doesn't get fired. I would love coaches who take a top-10 team and put them on the path towards the NIT to stay for life!


In his post game presser, Howard said that they were not running a press - it was just straight up man-to-man - but it sure did look like a press to me.
 
#164      
Gard would have a responsibility to his team to call a timeout to try to prevent his substitute players from getting humiliated.

When was the last time that you saw a team press against substitutes in that situation?

0:22
i
DeVante' Jones made Layup. 61 - 76
0:15
i
Wisconsin Timeout. 61 - 76
0:13
i
Foul on Jace Howard. 61 - 76
0:13
i
Jordan Davis made Free Throw. 61 - 77
0:12
i
Jordan Davis missed Free Throw. 61 - 77
0:11
i
Caleb Houstan Defensive Rebound. 61 - 77
0:07
i
Caleb Houstan missed Three Point Jumper. 61 - 77
0:03
i
Jace Howard Offensive Rebound. 61 - 77
0:01
i
Jace Howard made Layup. 63 - 77
0:00
i
End of 2nd half 63 - 77

0:00
i
End of Game63 - 77

If you actually look to the video and listen to it, the blame is on Howard.

I give the fans (or WI crowd control) credit that the fans stayed in the stands. Howard provoked a situation that could have gotten even worse.
 
#165      
Totally agree with you. It is Howard who grabs Gard by the shirt. Howard clearly the aggressor
With all said, Gard could’ve and probably should’ve just chalked it up to Howard being a sore loser and not try to engage with him at all.

End of the day only one coach threw a punch(?) at another.
 
#166      
I'm not condoning the slap...Howard should be suspended, but why has noone remarked on the actions of the Wisconsin assistant coach? He jumps into the fray with no intention of being a peacemaker, and pushed two Michigan players before the slap.
 
#167      
Gard has a reputation as a tool. However, Juwan was in complete control of this situation all the way through. How you get from "Please; I don't want to talk about it now, Greg" to taking a swing across several heads at some assistant coach who may or may not have slagged you verbally is a heck of a stretch.

I don't believe he'll be fired for this. I don't see it happening. But he has given the university and his program a black eye by this behavior. The guy is taller and bigger than every other mature adult there. He's nearly 50 years old. Nothing, absolutely nothing, prevented him from holding his hands up and saying "Guys, let's take this up later" and walking on. His behavior was indefensible. Period. Doesn't matter if the worst human being on earth makes that observation; it remains the case. He is first and foremost a role model for his team, as Bill Musselman was on the floor of Williams Arena 50 years ago last month when all hell broke loose at the end of the game and his players attacked Ohio State players in the most underhanded way possible. It begins and ends with the coach.

I'm sympathetic to someone who grew up in an environment in which disagreements were settled physically. Completely sympathetic, having had firsthand experience for many years with someone from such an environment. But 30 years after leaving that environment, especially when you made millions of dollars along the way that afforded you the resources and time to learn to react differently, and modulate your behavior in a civilized manner, you're long out of excuses and slack. He had a choice and he chose badly, on national TV, and it led to his players getting in fistfights solely b/c he lacked judgement, maturity, and impulse control. Did the guy learn nothing form the Turgeon incident last spring? The fact that Howard expressed no contrition or even regret (not even the ever-ready "mistakes were made" buck-passing of the spineless) in his postgame presser today (and didn't have the good judgement just to bow out of it altogether) floors me.

End of story, boys. The chips will fall where they will, regardless of what's fair, just, or rational. I will be surprised if Juwan Howard, Kevin Warren, or Warde Manuel emerge from this looking better than they did at noon today.

Peace out.
Luke Witte lived about 5 miles from me, and I went to many a game that showcased Jim Brewer at Proviso East. I have never forgotten that incident.
 
Last edited:
#168      
I'm not condoning the slap...Howard should be suspended, but why has noone remarked on the actions of the Wisconsin assistant coach? He jumps into the fray with no intention of being a peacemaker, and pushed two Michigan players before the slap.
Gard or the assistant? I could absolutely buy the assistant catching punishment for his role in instigating things, but the argument that Gard should be held responsible for Howard's actions is weak. He was well out of there before Howard swung.
 
#169      
My suggestion is to just sit back and enjoy this ride. No need to dissect the facts of the case. AT A MINIMUM, Howard has embarrassed himself and the entire University of Michigan on national TV and put his good buddy Kevin Warren in an uncomfortable position. Gard didn't come out looking too good either. This is great!

Also Howard fights like a prepubescent bird.
This!
 
#170      
I have watched it and you're right. It's plain as day what happened.

They're both Big Ten basketball coaches. They've done the preseason and Big Ten tourney press days together for years. They're colleagues and likely have a relationship outside the games they see each other (same a BU has mentioned with coaches like Izzo).

Stepping into a colleague's path to engage in discussion when said colleague just tried to make a backhanded comment isn't unexpected or disrespectful, particularly in a loud environment like an arena.

Howard said to stop touching him. Gard did. Howard continued to escalate beyond what a reasonable person (the general legal test) would. He's in the wrong on this one, particularly since he didn't even strike the man that initially touched him.

If he had hit Gard, your argument would have at least a leg to stand on. That's not the case when you watch the video.
Yeah, it’s bewildering to use Gard’s actions as a defense for Howard’s when Howard hit yet another third person … there’s no way you slice it where Howard doesn’t physically attack someone (the assistant) based on verbal interaction … that’s not remotely excusable in a society, right?!
 
#171      
My suggestion is to just sit back and enjoy this ride. No need to dissect the facts of the case. AT A MINIMUM, Howard has embarrassed himself and the entire University of Michigan on national TV and put his good buddy Kevin Warren in an uncomfortable position. Gard didn't come out looking too good either. This is great!

Also Howard fights like a prepubescent bird.
LeanMindlessIndianglassfish-size_restricted.gif
 
#172      
Yeah, it’s bewildering to use Gard’s actions as a defense for Howard’s when Howard hit yet another third person … there’s no way you slice it where Howard doesn’t physically attack someone (the assistant) based on verbal interaction … that’s not remotely excusable in a society, right?!
I don't understand why everyone is acting as if Howard slapped the assistant coach for no reason at all. The assistant coach had a role in this. He wasn't a peacemaker and he put his hands on TWO Michigan players FIRST.
 
#173      
If you're gonna say there should be suspensions for standing to close to someone and having words or maybe trying to keep people separated, pushing people apart there are gonna be about thirty of them. End of the day the only suspensions coming down will be on those who were throwing punches or slaps, however you want to look at it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back