It’s easy to manufacture words.

 

It’s not easy to manufacture emotions.

 

Which is why what Yancy Gates did on Monday is so much more meaningful than what he said. The Cincinnati senior wept openly, holding his head in his hands, as he tried to apologize for his actions during the Bearcats’ brawl against Xavier on Saturday.

 

It does not erase the other image, the searing image of Gates punching Kenny Frease and then desperately trying to find someone, anyone else, to unload on.

 

“People have been saying I’m a thug or a gangster,’’ Gates said before trailing off and wiping his eyes.

 

And in a 48-hour span when so few have done anything right, give credit to university officials for this: They did not allow their athletes to hide behind statements. They made them apologize on camera and then face the hard music, fielding questions from the assembled media.

 

We have been given enough paper apologies in the last few months to fell a forest. From Penn State to Syracuse, from politicians to university presidents, this has been a good season for statement writers.

 

They are easy to write and easier still to hide behind, paper apologies that are clearly contrived, rarely contrite and typically followed by the "We won’t talk about that," evasion when the culpable is again put in front of the media.

 

At least Mick Cronin, who insisted on Saturday that this was more than basketball and his job is about more than winning games, has something to back up his words. He reasserted that the final length of the suspensions will be up to him, saying, "In my locker room, nobody will take the floor again if they don’t understand it’s a privilege."

 

More, the man who said it was his job to turn his players into men actually made his players act like men.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/41840/give-uc-credit-for-forcing-players-to-man-up

Any video link to the press conference?

 

Curious if Gates apologized to Frease, either during the interview or personally?

Any video link to it?

 

Curious if Gates apologized to Frease, either during the interview or personally?

 

Full 41 minute presser at link below.

 

http://www.gobearcats.com/allaccess/?media=288198

 

Just like Xavier issued no apologies in the direction of UC, no one from UC issued anything directed towards X...

I'm sorry but I don't give credit to Gates, nor to UC for making him give the apologize. I say that without watching the press conference first.

Full 41 minute presser at link below.

 

http://www.gobearcats.com/allaccess/?media=288198

 

Just like Xavier issued no apologies in the direction of UC, no one from UC issued anything directed towards X...

 

Can't say I buy this for an explanation. First of all, two wrongs don't make a right (still remember my mom saying that). Secondly, isn't UC trying to respond in the most responsible, appropriate, and sincere fashion possible? Comparing it to XU's response shouldn't matter. You want yours to stand on its own and you haven't risen above the fray if you're going to say "I'm not apologizing to them if they don't apologize to us first." Someone HAS to be first. Someone has to take the higher road. I'll watch the video. It sounds like the players did well. But I just don't see how an apology to a player that was sucker punched and injured isn't something you would want to see.

Can't say I buy this for an explanation. First of all, two wrongs don't make a right (still remember my mom saying that). Secondly, isn't UC trying to respond in the most responsible, appropriate, and sincere fashion possible? Comparing it to XU's response shouldn't matter. You want yours to stand on its own and you haven't risen above the fray if you're going to say "I'm not apologizing to them if they don't apologize to us first." Someone HAS to be first. Someone has to take the higher road. I'll watch the video. It sounds like the players did well. But I just don't see how an apology to a player that was sucker punched and injured isn't something you would want to see.

 

I don't think it is a good idea for either to be saying anything in the others direction right now. This thing has to cool off and IMO the best way possible at this point to for each program to take care of their own business. I don't have a problem with Xavier or UC going that route at present...

Can't say I buy this for an explanation. First of all, two wrongs don't make a right (still remember my mom saying that). Secondly, isn't UC trying to respond in the most responsible, appropriate, and sincere fashion possible? Comparing it to XU's response shouldn't matter. You want yours to stand on its own and you haven't risen above the fray if you're going to say "I'm not apologizing to them if they don't apologize to us first." Someone HAS to be first. Someone has to take the higher road. I'll watch the video. It sounds like the players did well. But I just don't see how an apology to a player that was sucker punched and injured isn't something you would want to see.

 

And as you will see in the video Yancy was asked if he contacted Freese to apologice, and Cronin cut in to explain he is not allowing any contact with the guys from X at the moment to help cool things down...

I don't think it is a good idea for either to be saying anything in the others direction right now. This thing has to cool off and IMO the best way possible at this point to for each program to take care of their own business. I don't have a problem with Xavier or UC going that route at present...

 

How is apologizing to the other team involved in the reputation-damaging and ugly mess inappropriate or potentially harmful? You've apologized to your teammates, your school, your fans, and the public, but it's wrong to apologize to the team at which you threw punches and kicks? I don't get it. If you're going to do this thing, go the distance. Don't hold back and don't play games. Part of each team's business is to repair the relationship between the schools and get this game back to where it should be. Part of the process in accomplishing this to let the other team know you are sorry for your actions TOWARDS THEM. If XU chooses not to apologize to you, so be it. Then they are wrong also. I simply find it stunning that these teams don't feel the need to apologize to one another and to do so now.

And as you will see in the video Yancy was asked if he contacted Freese to apologice, and Cronin cut in to explain he is not allowing any contact with the guys from X at the moment to help cool things down...

 

Personal contact between them right now I agree would be a bad idea. An apology in this forum - what could possibly be the harm in doing so? Maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't understand any reason for not doing so. Sounds like it would only serve to keep tensions high between them by not doing so.

How is apologizing to the other team involved in the reputation-damaging and ugly mess inappropriate or potentially harmful? You've apologized to your teammates, your school, your fans, and the public, but it's wrong to apologize to the team at which you threw punches and kicks? I don't get it. If you're going to do this thing, go the distance. Don't hold back and don't play games. Part of each team's business is to repair the relationship between the schools and get this game back to where it should be. Part of the process in accomplishing this to let the other team know you are sorry for your actions TOWARDS THEM. If XU chooses not to apologize to you, so be it. Then they are wrong also. I simply find it stunning that these teams don't feel the need to apologize to one another and to do so now.

 

Repairing the relationship is being done between the athletic directors and presidents at each school. The coaches and players on each side are not going to fuel the flames in the media by saying anything directed at each other right now. Just how it is...

How is apologizing to the other team involved in the reputation-damaging and ugly mess inappropriate or potentially harmful? You've apologized to your teammates, your school, your fans, and the public, but it's wrong to apologize to the team at which you threw punches and kicks? I don't get it. If you're going to do this thing, go the distance. Don't hold back and don't play games. Part of each team's business is to repair the relationship between the schools and get this game back to where it should be. Part of the process in accomplishing this to let the other team know you are sorry for your actions TOWARDS THEM. If XU chooses not to apologize to you, so be it. Then they are wrong also. I simply find it stunning that these teams don't feel the need to apologize to one another and to do so now.

 

I agree 100%.

How is apologizing to the other team involved in the reputation-damaging and ugly mess inappropriate or potentially harmful? You've apologized to your teammates, your school, your fans, and the public, but it's wrong to apologize to the team at which you threw punches and kicks? I don't get it. If you're going to do this thing, go the distance. Don't hold back and don't play games. Part of each team's business is to repair the relationship between the schools and get this game back to where it should be. Part of the process in accomplishing this to let the other team know you are sorry for your actions TOWARDS THEM. If XU chooses not to apologize to you, so be it. Then they are wrong also. I simply find it stunning that these teams don't feel the need to apologize to one another and to do so now.

 

:thumb:

In X's defense, would you want to put those clowns in front of a mic again?

How is apologizing to the other team involved in the reputation-damaging and ugly mess inappropriate or potentially harmful? You've apologized to your teammates, your school, your fans, and the public, but it's wrong to apologize to the team at which you threw punches and kicks? I don't get it. If you're going to do this thing, go the distance. Don't hold back and don't play games. Part of each team's business is to repair the relationship between the schools and get this game back to where it should be. Part of the process in accomplishing this to let the other team know you are sorry for your actions TOWARDS THEM. If XU chooses not to apologize to you, so be it. Then they are wrong also. I simply find it stunning that these teams don't feel the need to apologize to one another and to do so now.

 

Why did the part of the radio interview where Sean Kilpatrick praised Tu Holloway get no run and all that did was him not putting down his own teammates by saying a guy on the other team was better than them? Because anything you put in the media is subject to whatever spin said media feels will get more viewers, listeners and page views. What if Jeff Goodman or Andy Katz spins a Gates apology to Freese as insincere for any reason, and then this thing is producing more and more fuel on a raging fire. Both schools have handed down their punishments, and both have had press conferences. Put the thing out of the media cycle for a while now and let it cool off...

My 21 year-old daughter and I were discussing "punishment to fit the crime" on the way to the Bengals game yesterday. Her idea - make both teams perform extended community service.

 

Together.