<div class="mod-header"><h3>Mississippi
State fans cheapen team's effort</h3><div class="datetime"><span>February, 17, 2010</span><div class="monthday">Feb 17</div><div class="time">12:10</div><div class="timeofday">AM ET</div></div><div class="sub-head"><div class="blog-actions">
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</div><div class="author"><span>By Pat Forde</span></div></div></div>
Mississippi State played an inspired game against Kentucky. It pushed
the No. 2 team in the country beyond 40 minutes, despite the suspension
of its leading scorer and the foul-out of its best player. It did
everything but beat the Wildcats.
But in the end, here is the
double dose of disappointment for the Bulldogs:
They didn’t close the door, losing a seven-point lead with 2:45 to
play in regulation.
And then their fans – some of whom are the nastiest and most vulgar
I’ve heard in 19 years of covering SEC basketball – embarrassed the
school by throwing bottles on the floor.
Mississippi State fans had their fodder when Kentucky got as many as
three key calls in its favor in the final minutes: a block-charge call
that went Patrick Patterson’s way, when virtually every collision had
been called a charge all night; a no-call on a John
Wall goaltend; and a tickle foul on a Wall jumper.
Those calls contributed to – did not cause, but contributed to – an 81-75 Kentucky
victory in overtime. It was a game the Bulldogs desperately needed
to make the NCAA tournament. It was a bitter loss.
But so what. There is no excuse for throwing what appeared to be a
full water bottle at official Mike Kitts. There is no excuse for
throwing empty bottles. There is no excuse for throwing anything on the
floor during a basketball game.
Same with the West Virginia fans who have cheapened their university
with their behavior at recent home games. A couple of knuckleheads can
make an entire university look bad.
This was a game destined to be unusually heated. Mississippi State
fans got hold of combustible center DeMarcus
Cousins’ cell number and allegedly bombarded him with calls and
texts – some of them slurs, according to Cousins. Reporters said
Kentucky players engaged fans in some trash talk before the game, and
the Wildcats appeared to be in flaunt-and-taunt mode after it was over.
So perhaps some idiot behavior was inevitable. But it doesn’t make
anyone look good, and it shouldn’t make anyone feel better.
State fans cheapen team's effort</h3><div class="datetime"><span>February, 17, 2010</span><div class="monthday">Feb 17</div><div class="time">12:10</div><div class="timeofday">AM ET</div></div><div class="sub-head"><div class="blog-actions">
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</div><div class="author"><span>By Pat Forde</span></div></div></div>
Mississippi State played an inspired game against Kentucky. It pushed
the No. 2 team in the country beyond 40 minutes, despite the suspension
of its leading scorer and the foul-out of its best player. It did
everything but beat the Wildcats.
double dose of disappointment for the Bulldogs:
They didn’t close the door, losing a seven-point lead with 2:45 to
play in regulation.
And then their fans – some of whom are the nastiest and most vulgar
I’ve heard in 19 years of covering SEC basketball – embarrassed the
school by throwing bottles on the floor.
Mississippi State fans had their fodder when Kentucky got as many as
three key calls in its favor in the final minutes: a block-charge call
that went Patrick Patterson’s way, when virtually every collision had
been called a charge all night; a no-call on a John
Wall goaltend; and a tickle foul on a Wall jumper.
Those calls contributed to – did not cause, but contributed to – an 81-75 Kentucky
victory in overtime. It was a game the Bulldogs desperately needed
to make the NCAA tournament. It was a bitter loss.
But so what. There is no excuse for throwing what appeared to be a
full water bottle at official Mike Kitts. There is no excuse for
throwing empty bottles. There is no excuse for throwing anything on the
floor during a basketball game.
Same with the West Virginia fans who have cheapened their university
with their behavior at recent home games. A couple of knuckleheads can
make an entire university look bad.
This was a game destined to be unusually heated. Mississippi State
fans got hold of combustible center DeMarcus
Cousins’ cell number and allegedly bombarded him with calls and
texts – some of them slurs, according to Cousins. Reporters said
Kentucky players engaged fans in some trash talk before the game, and
the Wildcats appeared to be in flaunt-and-taunt mode after it was over.
So perhaps some idiot behavior was inevitable. But it doesn’t make
anyone look good, and it shouldn’t make anyone feel better.
