Vandy coach threatens to "kill" his own player

[tweeterhawk]

Sorry for posting this in the Iowa hoops forum but there didn't appear to be a more appropriate place for it.

Kevin Stallings was caught on national TV going ballistic on his own player after learning he had taunted an opponent in the closing seconds of Vanderbilt's 73-65 road win over Tennessee Thursday night. Stallings grabbed freshman forward Wade Baldwin out of the handshake line, berated him, told him to apologize, and at one point remarked, "I'll f---ing kill you." Stallings said later it was not the first time he had had to deal with Baldwin over his sportsmanship and remarked that his player has a lot of growing up to do.

Stallings later went on to not only apologize to Tennessee players and fans, but also for the comments he made, which he said were "inappropriate."

First, IMHO, it was very good to see a coach so aggressively and publicly deal with poor sportsmanship by one of his players. If only other coaches (cough, The Mayor up the road, cough) would do the same. And fine to apologize to the opponents. But I don't think he needed to express regret for what he said to his player. He was trying to drive home a point that apparently has not been absorbed by his player so far.

Some TV talking heads are suggesting Stallings should be suspended for a game as punishment. I would hope not.

Story, with video:

Vanderbilt Coach Kevin Stallings threatens to "kill" freshman, apologizes

 

[Sparky]

People need to stop getting their panties in a bunch over stupid things. Act like a punk, get treated like a punk. Bravo to coach Stallings.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

It is to bad in the "everyone is a winner society," "PC world," that discipline comes under fire. Probably not the greatest choice of words used by Stallings, but it would be pretty unfortunate if he was suspended over this. Kids today get away with murder and they need to be put in there place. Kudos to Stallings for standing up for good sportsmenship and not tolerating that type of crap out of his players.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Sally Mason is saddened by this. Sounds like Coach Stallings needs sensitivity training.

 

[WindsorHawk]

If he actually kills or even harms the kid there is a story here. He got mad. Coaches get mad all of the time. I bet even the punk kid would admit he didn't feel like his life was in danger. Good grief!

 

[SteveGarvey]

It is to bad in the "everyone is a winner society," "PC world," that discipline comes under fire. Probably not the greatest choice of words used by Stallings, but it would be pretty unfortunate if he was suspended over this. Kids today get away with murder and they need to be put in there place. Kudos to Stallings for standing up for good sportsmenship and not tolerating that type of crap out of his players.

In this PC world, also probably not good when a white man tells a black man he's going to blanking kill him.

Maybe Stallings should get some anger management therapy.

 

[WindsorHawk]

In this PC world, also probably not good when a white man tells a black man he's going to blanking kill him.

Maybe Stallings should get some anger management therapy.

Yeah, because he would tell the guy that with several thousand people standing close by. There's no story here. He apologized. It's over.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

He chose a poor phrase while pi$$ed. But the media wants to make it sound like abuse and a death threat.

We need a little old school back. I applaud the coach (If he'd said "I'll bench your ***" it wouldn't have the same effect, and the spoiled punk would just transfer)

Ugh. "Eye Poke"

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

I saw Wilbon on sportscenter commenting on this, apparently he's now the expert on coaches behavior. I think ESPN spent more time covering this than they have ever spent on James Franklin's rape cover up attempt while he was at Vandy.

 

[linus19]

1. I bet this kid will think twice about taunting another player again, and if so, great job Coach Stallings. And,
2. I wouldn't be surprised if Al $harpton and/or Je$$ie Jack$on tried to exploit the $ituation. If you know what I mean.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

Im so mad I could burn down a business right after my friends and I loot the place. I feel hopeless and need free stuff to make it stop.

 

[ForrestEvy]

I hope this situation doesn't harm Coach Stallings. He's been a class act his whole career. Veterans on this site might remember that Stallings was offered the Iowa job but decided to stay at Vanderbilt. So Iowa went to their second choice--Likliter.

 

[damnfinn]

Im so mad I could burn down a business right after my friends and I loot the place. I feel hopeless and need free stuff to make it stop.

Somebody insert a hands up dont shoot gif please

 

[DDThompson]

1. I bet this kid will think twice about taunting another player again, and if so, great job Coach Stallings. And,
2. I wouldn't be surprised if Al $harpton and/or Je$$ie Jack$on tried to exploit the $ituation. If you know what I mean.

This. The race pimps are going to make a killing off this.

 

[DDThompson]

WHERE'S MICHAEL WILBON WHEN YOU REALLY NEED HIM?


I guess locking players access to their shiny locker room isn't as bad as telling a reporter to "ask an intelligent question"

or telling a player "I'll kill you" is not as bad as saying "because I said so"



Oh, wait.....

none of them are that big a deal.

#WHERE'SMICHAELWILBON?

 

[NEIChawk]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12392194&categoryid=2378529

 

[DDThompson]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12392194&categoryid=2378529

Thanks. Alphabethawk.


So basically Wilbon has no ethical compass when he gives Stalling a pass for a swearing rant and McCaffery is a bully for conversational tone 'ask an intelligent question.'


Funny thing is, I have no problem with what Stallings has done and I think Wilbon gets most of this right about Stallings

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Could he have made the same point without saying those words? Yes. But do we not give people a bunch of leaniency when they say things in the heat of the moment when they are mad? Especially coaches. He said he's had this problem multiple times with this kid already making it just that much more frustrating for him. As a teacher coach parent when you have a "kid" that age who makes the same or similar mistakes multiple times it's only going to frustrate you that much more that you can't get through to him. Since Stallings has been around a long long time and has no track record of going all Bobby Knight and actually choking or touching a kid he gets the benefit of the doubt from me. Good for him. I think it'd be great if he kicked the kid off the team since he's had multiple sportsmanship problems. But I doubt he goes that far.

 

[trj]

Not a big deal. I guess that I am the type of person who likes to handle his business behind close doors. If you are going to berate a player, do it one on one in your office, find a corridor or hallway with a little bit of privacy and then just let the kid have it. To do it, the way Stallings did it, just makes it seem like an old dude out-of-touch with today's generation of kids.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Not a big deal. I guess that I am the type of person who likes to handle his business behind close doors. If you are going to berate a player, do it one on one in your office, find a corridor or hallway with a little bit of privacy and then just let the kid have it. To do it, the way Stallings did it, just makes it seem like an old dude out-of-touch with today's generation of kids.

Sure and that's all fine and dandy just depending on what it's about. In this case he was made aware of it right then and there what the kid did. I can imagine being Stallings and how ****** he was at him. It was an over reaction on his part for sure. But I look at it the opposite way. I think it's the kids that are out of touch with how it should be. Not the coaches so much. I'm in my mid 30s and as I've gotten older my respect for my parents/teachers/coaches has only gone up since I've been an adult and I honestly had a lot as I was growing up. Kids today with how they are raised (or not raised) just have such a lack of common sense and the ability to respect authority and learn how to conduct themselves that it's gotten to the point where we are. And it sucks.