Handshake Lines Moving Forward

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NorthKCHawk

Well-Known Member
Setting aside discipline for the actual brawl (and yes, Howard should have a very long timeout along with others), here is what I would do if I am the Commish. Send a letter to every school that says:

Handshake lines will continue. They are an important part of sportsmanship and part of our DNA as a conference. However, they are not mandatory. If your blood is up, walk to the locker room. Moving forward, any incidents that occur in the handshake line are subject to 0 tolerance. This is akin to coming off the bench during a fight. Automatic ejection and suspension. If anyone instigates a confrontation, or participates in a confrontation, suspensions will be given regardless of any physical altercation. Coaches, if you need to communicate something to the opposing coach, find a different forum. Hand shake lines are not the place. If your intentions are anything other than congratulating your opponent on a good game, then head to the showers. Everyone is on notice. No further warnings given.
 
I love this post, KC. The easy thing to do would be to cave in to the cultural pressures of the day and suggest we just can't handle our emotions and be around each other anymore, and cancel all handshake lines. That's B.S. Sport is sport -- and handshake lines are the best way to remind EVERYONE involved, players and coaches alike -- that is the case. Handshake lines represent maturity and keeping sport in perspective...both good things.
 
I wore 20 in elementary school in honor of my hero, Jeff Moe. One time we were playing Duncombe where I was coming off a triple single and some kid spit in his hand before the line began. I have not been a fan of such lines bince that event.

Do you guys remember when that Iowa State fan looked like he was gonna attack Bill Self? I think they need to get guys away from the arena as quickly as possible. Society is devolving at such a rapid pace that it probably isn't safe to keep guys out there after games anymore. One time I was watching wrestling and the fans started pelting the squared circle with drinks and trash. That could be coming to basketball soon.
 
Grady said:
handshake lines are the best way to remind EVERYONE involved, players and coaches alike -- that is the case. Handshake lines represent maturity and keeping sport in perspective...both good things.
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Wrong. That's In theory, not in practice.

Handshake lines are like cursive writing...archaic and unnecessary. Anyone who's played a competitive sport from the HS level on up in the last 30 years knows there's no real sportsmanship in those things anymore. 99% of the time it's one team pissed because they lost being forced to add to their embarrassment by interacting with the people who beat them and who they don't like. Handshake lines are actually the place in a game where the least sportsmanship occurs. It's where the winning team gets to gloat, and the losing team has to (try to) bite their tongues. Anyone thinking different hasn't played sports since the Nixon years.

It's lots of side eye smirks, shit talking and instigating. We do it because it's a ridiculous old timey habit, not because you're trying to tell the opposing team members that you like them or even respect them. Maybe it was back in the days of party line telephones, but it ain't now.

As soon as our kids hit 3rd grade we teach them that after every contest we line up and go...

Good game...
Good game...
Good game...
Good game
...
Good job coach...

And that's it. There's no meaning taught behind it, and there's really no reason for it to continue because it's just a bunch of shit talking anyway. Get rid of it and tell players if they wanna hug it out with opposing team members do it on your own after the game.
 
Fryowa said:
Wrong. That's In theory, not in practice.

Handshake lines are like cursive writing...archaic and unnecessary. Anyone who's played a competitive sport from the HS level on up in the last 30 years knows there's no real sportsmanship in those things anymore. 99% of the time it's one team pissed because they lost being forced to add to their embarrassment by interacting with the people who beat them and who they don't like. Handshake lines are actually the place in a game where the least sportsmanship occurs. It's where the winning team gets to gloat, and the losing team has to (try to) bite their tongues. Anyone thinking different hasn't played sports since the Nixon years.

It's lots of side eye smirks, shit talking and instigating. We do it because it's a ridiculous old timey habit, not because you're trying to tell the opposing team members that you like them or even respect them. Maybe it was back in the days of party line telephones, but it ain't now.

As soon as our kids hit 3rd grade we teach them that after every contest we line up and go...

Good game...
Good game...
Good game...
Good game
...
Good job coach...

And that's it. There's no meaning taught behind it, and there's really no reason for it to continue because it's just a bunch of shit talking anyway. Get rid of it and tell players if they wanna hug it out with opposing team members do it on your own after the game.
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The biggest problem with a lot of team sports is the guy who had a marginal or nonexistent role in the W is often the guy most willing to talk shit in the post-game congratulatory session. Plenty of teams have one or two studs that end up being the difference in the game, so a guy like Luka Garza will pound the shit out of a team like say Iowa State and then a guy like Bohannon will erroneously think he is the reason Iowa won and then leave his sneakers on the court and then next thing you know he has to do a return trip to Ames because a pandemic gave the players an extra year of eligibility and without his bully in the middle where he is expected to be the leader Iowa loses by 20. Oops.
 
I am not as jaded on every damn topic that has to do with sports as certain folks are on this Board. Whether it is symbolic or not, there remains a clear place for postgame handshakes in MBB. I like that in football coaches meet at midfield after the game. Tennis players meet at the net. Soccer players shake the refs hands. Despite all the hyperbole to the contrary, this is not war. It is a sporting competition and the word sportsmanship itself derives from this notion.

But again, it should not be mandatory and if it is not for you, head to the locker room.
 
From Fry: "Wrong. Handshake lines are like cursive writing...archaic and unnecessary."
Of course you are correct that handshake lines are not "necessary". Other than than food and sleep, few things are.
But it's not "wrong" for a society to keep sports in perspective.
I also disagree with you that because players may just be 'going throught the motions' in the handshake line therefore they are meaningless and "there's no meaning taught behind it." When I make my sons do their laundry, take out the garbage, and speak respectfully to adults, I don't do it with a lot of verbage or 'meaning taught behind it'. Simply setting the standard and requiring them to go through the act, tho, sends a message of what's important, and indirectly implants specific values. Handshake lines are a lot like that.
 
Fryowa said:
Wrong. That's In theory, not in practice.

Handshake lines are like cursive writing...archaic and unnecessary. Anyone who's played a competitive sport from the HS level on up in the last 30 years knows there's no real sportsmanship in those things anymore. 99% of the time it's one team pissed because they lost being forced to add to their embarrassment by interacting with the people who beat them and who they don't like. Handshake lines are actually the place in a game where the least sportsmanship occurs. It's where the winning team gets to gloat, and the losing team has to (try to) bite their tongues. Anyone thinking different hasn't played sports since the Nixon years.

It's lots of side eye smirks, shit talking and instigating. We do it because it's a ridiculous old timey habit, not because you're trying to tell the opposing team members that you like them or even respect them. Maybe it was back in the days of party line telephones, but it ain't now.

As soon as our kids hit 3rd grade we teach them that after every contest we line up and go...

Good game...
Good game...
Good game...
Good game
...
Good job coach...

And that's it. There's no meaning taught behind it, and there's really no reason for it to continue because it's just a bunch of shit talking anyway. Get rid of it and tell players if they wanna hug it out with opposing team members do it on your own after the game.
Click to expand...
Could not agree more. The biggest argument for the handshake lines is sportsmanship. How is it sportsmanship when you're forced to do it? I'm such a literal person that, when my team crushes the other team, I have trouble saying "good game" because it's a flat-out lie. Not necessarily my thing. Whatever. Something not worth my time. Along with that, probably because I'm an asshole, not once did I ever tip my cap or wave across the field at the opposing team after the game during covid. It just felt and looked stupid. Occasionally I will go to where the other team is going to huddle and call a kid out and talk with him if he had an exceptionally good game, which "good game" in a handshake line doesn't really do.
 
Alot of sore losers on here i see. A handshake line is a act of sportsmanship to the other team. I hate losing just as much as any. In 25 years ive never had a problem in a handshake line. You say good game go to whereever afterwards sulk about it and get over and move on to the next game nothing you can do about it after its over. And i absolulely hate losing but i always respect my opponent.
 
99topdawg said:
Could not agree more. The biggest argument for the handshake lines is sportsmanship. How is it sportsmanship when you're forced to do it? I'm such a literal person that, when my team crushes the other team, I have trouble saying "good game" because it's a flat-out lie. Not necessarily my thing. Whatever. Something not worth my time. Along with that, probably because I'm an asshole, not once did I ever tip my cap or wave across the field at the opposing team after the game during covid. It just felt and looked stupid. Occasionally I will go to where the other team is going to huddle and call a kid out and talk with him if he had an exceptionally good game, which "good game" in a handshake line doesn't really do.
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And while we’re at it, can baseball coaches who yell, “Shake ‘em up” at the ends of games get their coaching certificates pulled permanently?
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Respect the game. Does that have to be controversial?
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So you can’t “respect the game” without having a forced, fakey dog and pony show that literally no one wants to participate in?

At the end of a game I have shit to do like sign pitch counts and drag the infield.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
I am not as jaded on every damn topic that has to do with sports as certain folks are on this Board. Whether it is symbolic or not, there remains a clear place for postgame handshakes in MBB. I like that in football coaches meet at midfield after the game. Tennis players meet at the net. Soccer players shake the refs hands. Despite all the hyperbole to the contrary, this is not war. It is a sporting competition and the word sportsmanship itself derives from this notion.

But again, it should not be mandatory and if it is not for you, head to the locker room.
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The mere fact that it is called sports"MAN"ship is reason enough to disregard it going forward. The word is rooted in misogyny and transphobia. I'm going to tell Rob Howe so he can put all of you people on blast on the twitter.
 
99topdawg said:
Occasionally I will go to where the other team is going to huddle and call a kid out and talk with him if he had an exceptionally good game, which "good game" in a handshake line doesn't really do.
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I’m too fired up at that point. After the handshake hokey pokey I go straight to the RF gate and hop on the gator.

Win or lose, dragging the infield is my decompression. I do that until everyone’s gone except my assistants and then we talk about the game.

Added benefit, it’s also a way to avoid parents who wait around after the game to talk about their kid playing a different position or ask why Johnny’s not pitching.

Funny story, last year had a mom upset about 8th graders playing and I could tell she was waiting after the game to corner me about it. I probably dragged the whole infield like 8 times. It was this silent little standoff to see who was gonna give in first. I’ll ride that thing around all damn night, lady. It’s fun.
 
Fryowa said:
I’m too fired up at that point. After the handshake hokey pokey I go straight to the RF gate and hop on the gator.

Win or lose, dragging the infield is my decompression. I do that until everyone’s gone except my assistants and then we talk about the game.

Added benefit, it’s also a way to avoid parents who wait around after the game to talk about their kid playing a different position or ask why Johnny’s not pitching.

Funny story, last year had a mom upset about 8th graders playing and I could tell she was waiting after the game to corner me about it. I probably dragged the whole infield like 8 times. It was this silent little standoff to see who was gonna give in first. I’ll ride that thing around all damn night, lady. It’s fun.
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HAHAHA! I do the same field dragging thing. The other thing I do that's fun is to have a player that knows what's going on and stand there and talk with him about nothing, but do some swinging or pitching motions like I'm working on some fundamental things. Whichever kid it is has to have their back to the parent because they're always cracking up.
 
99topdawg said:
HAHAHA! I do the same field dragging thing. The other thing I do that's fun is to have a player that knows what's going on and stand there and talk with him about nothing, but do some swinging or pitching motions like I'm working on some fundamental things. Whichever kid it is has to have their back to the parent because they're always cracking up.
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Yep. I coach first base even as head coach for a bunch of reasons, but one of them is I like to get guys squared away when they get on. But most of the time I'm talking about dumb stuff like that to get 'em to relax. I'll ask if his girlfriend is in the stands, or if it's a senior I'll tell my runner (in front of the first baseman) that his mom wanted me to make sure he wears his helmet on his moped going home, tell him his shoe's untied, shit like that.

Coaching first is probably the most fun I have doing the job. The banter is always great. Last year our class clown type guy was a senior and we were playing up at the Lakes....takes his lead and rips the loudest 5 second fart you've ever heard. I thought I was gonna pass out laughing and probably missed the next two at bats. The first baseman took a knee between batters he was laughing so hard.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Setting aside discipline for the actual brawl (and yes, Howard should have a very long timeout along with others), here is what I would do if I am the Commish. Send a letter to every school that says:

Handshake lines will continue. They are an important part of sportsmanship and part of our DNA as a conference. However, they are not mandatory. If your blood is up, walk to the locker room. Moving forward, any incidents that occur in the handshake line are subject to 0 tolerance. This is akin to coming off the bench during a fight. Automatic ejection and suspension. If anyone instigates a confrontation, or participates in a confrontation, suspensions will be given regardless of any physical altercation. Coaches, if you need to communicate something to the opposing coach, find a different forum. Hand shake lines are not the place. If your intentions are anything other than congratulating your opponent on a good game, then head to the showers. Everyone is on notice. No further warnings given.
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Make it pre-game before emotions and tempers flare. After warm-ups but before coin toss, whatever, everyone shakes hands. Do like soccer: line up all players and the officials; home team crosses first and shakes hands with the officials and the visitors, visitors cross and shake hands with the officials, then everyone goes to their positions.

www.youtube.com

prince moulay lhassan and sepp blatter, shaking hands with real madrid and san lorenzo's players

Real MADRID vs San Lorenzo FIFA club world cup final morocco 2014
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
Fran told the media this afternoon he and Speraw were busy getting ready for Michigan State and he didn't see the Michigan game. But he added this:

"You know, I really haven't given it a lot of thought. I've said publicly before, the handshake line is not something I'm in favor of. Not that I'm not in favor of sportsmanship. Clearly I am. But I think it's a recipe for a problem and happens all the time."
 
Fryowa said:
So you can’t “respect the game” without having a forced, fakey dog and pony show that literally no one wants to participate in?

At the end of a game I have shit to do like sign pitch counts and drag the infield.
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Well maybe it is just you Fry and a small minority that think it is forced, fakey dog and pony show shit. Have you ever watched the handshake line at the end of a Stanley Cup final in hockey. Those guys can really get under each others skins and prompt some mean shit on the ice but they show a lot of sportsmanship and a lot of brotherhood in that line for their shared endeavor. Same with football players after games.

Now if someone wants to coldcock a punk like Davidson or Grayson Allen or whatever his name is then that is fine , (not but you can just ignore him and not shake his hand to send a message).
 
tweeterhawk said:
Fran told the media this afternoon he and Speraw were busy getting ready for Michigan State and he didn't see the Michigan game. But he added this:

"You know, I really haven't given it a lot of thought. I've said publicly before, the handshake line is not something I'm in favor of. Not that I'm not in favor of sportsmanship. Clearly I am. But I think it's a recipe for a problem and happens all the time."
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BAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, Fran, you're a model of sportsmanship and class as you whine like a 3 year old every time a ref's call doesn't go your way. You're all class, all the time. Egads, what a joke.
 
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