cooperstown

I am going to again disagree. It's videotaped - you don't have to worry about someone spinning your words when they have been recorded. It didn't have to be elaborate or even eloquent. A simple "I'd like to apologize for hitting Kenny Frease and injuring him. I sincerely hope he recovers quickly and I wish him the best." Come on. That's difficult? You can't do so because of the negative "spin" the media is going to put on that? As far as the need to get this "out of the media cycle" - well, gee, your team called this press conference and invited the media. You apologized to every faction imaginable during the press conference ..... except one: the other team who you engaged in a brawl on national TV. It just doesn't make sense. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, as I think the rather intentional effort to NOT apologize only helps to perpetuate the uncomfortableness of the situation. That all being said, I watched the whole thing and thought it was good. Yancy came off sincere and fairly articulate. I really liked a couple of comments by Mick: 1) Last year UC won and got to enjoy the spoils of their victory. This year XU won and was not afforded the same opportunity to do so. 2) All focus has been on the players who behaved inappropriately, but there are also quite a few players who showed impressive character and restraint. ( I agree that those players have tended to be forgotten in this affair). 3) His job is to help these kids become better people so they can become better husbands and fathers. I'll give it a solid "B" grade overall. Obviously, you know what I felt it lacked to earn the "A" grade.

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.

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.

Any video link to the press conference? Curious if Gates apologized to Frease, either during the interview or personally?

Words can be harmful. That's why there are laws on the books that cover certain egregious language. And, no, I'm not claiming Holloway' words violated any law. So if a player walks up to an opposing coach mid-game, calls him every name every name in the book and makes some type of veiled threat, you take no action? I mean, they're only words. What if a player openly uses the "n-word" to an opponent over and over? Not worthy of any action? I have no idea if there's ever been an official suspension for flagrant language. I suspect there has. But even if not, I just don't buy you can't take a some action because it's never been done before. There is always a first time. I'm not into all this excessive political correctness these days, but I think sportsmanship and personal responsibiity needs to be returned to collegiate and professional sports.

Diane Lane in the movie 'Unfaithful' (with Gere) is pretty hot. Can't say I recall her in a lot of other movies though.

Can you give me the video link you are watching that clearly shows this? I've reviewed countless links (pretty much same video) and you simply can't tell Gates is being touched by Frease. I most certainly don't see him being "pushed." But perhaps I just haven't seen the right video angle.

I just don't think you absolve someone because a statement was made "in the heat of the moment." You still are still responsible for those comments. And it certainly wasn't the heat of the moment when he called his teammates gangters and took pride in "zipping up" UC. They're simply inappropriate and inflammatory remarks that shouldn't be tolerated. And if you don't take some action against him, you are tolerating them.

Maybe it's high time they start doing so. It wouldn't exactly harm the game if there was a little less of it. In fact, it would make it more enjoyable.

Is there video that clearly shows Frease's hands touching Gates? From the video I've seen it looks like Frease's hands may actually be touching #14 for UC, not Gates. Either way, I don't see him "pushing" anyone, certainly not in an intimidating or threatening way. I see him extending his arms so as to keep space between UC and XU players. Gates was very clearly off to the side and it would be hard to make a convincing case he was threatened by Frease. Frease isn't even looking at Gates. I can't see how this qualifies as anything other than a cheap shot. If it had come from the UC player that Frease was directly facing and had his hands on, maybe, but not Gates.

You have the same flashbacks. So does any male that was breathing in the mid-70's.

So you acknowledge being wrong?

Not sure that's how I would describe Frease's actions. And the defense for Gates' second punch? He has a history of being a problem child and IMO this past history should have made his punishment more severe.

Like this one? She's not entirely unappealing.

Is Tomei #1 or #11 on your list? I think you're a pretty young guy, right? I'm surprised she would rank so high with a younger person. I agree she's got a hot look about her. Who the heck is Poppy Montgomery? I'll have to Google that one.

I was never all that struck with Monroe. Good-looking? Yes. Overwhelmingly so? Not to me, anyways. And she had a pretty darn big butt and that HAS to be taken into account, right? :lol:

No doubt. But #4 all-time? A bit high for me. But to each his own. Speaking of singers, Beyonce and Rihanna are definitely up there. And I've always had a thing for Faith Hill.

Fonda - in her day - was pretty solid-looking IMO. #9? No. But I'd have her in my top 100 for sure. Of course, you also had to look past her personality and political beliefs.

What makes you think those of us that believe the suspensions were too light have not done so?

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/entertainment/celebrity/magazine-names-jennifer-aniston-hottest-woman-of-all-time Hot? Sure. Hottest woman (singer, actress, model) of all-time? Not close. Not even close to being close. Brittany Spears at #4 and Madonna at #5? Somebody was smoking something prior to compiling this list. Top contenders for me would be Christy Brinkley, Gisele, Halle Berry, Farrah, and Cindy Crawford, but ultimately think I would go with Farrah. In her prime, she was pretty smoking. Who's your top three? (Pretty certain Clyde's choices will be disturbing).

I think his on-court trash-talking at the end of the game was excessive, unsportsmanlike, and the major precursor to the start of the fight. I add another game, if not two games, for this. I'm sick of this ridiculous, over-the-top trash-talking crap. It gets worse and worse with each passing year and takes away from the game. Shut up and play the game and let your performance speak for itself.

We don't know that they didn't. But we won't ever really know and there's nothing we can do about it. We do know for a fact, however, that a bunch of players in recent years were using and it was illegal/rules violation for them to do so. Those are the ones you can deal with. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. If you guys think steroid /PED use is inconsequential, totally your right. I simply don't like it, the effect it has had on the game, or the message it sends to younger kids (do whatever it takes - the ends justify the means).

Not sure the media has to "hype" anything here. It was a fairly major sports story. If it's still one a month from now, it would be excessive hype. Right now it deserves to be thoroughly covered.

And maybe the NCAA rule needs to be changed to reflect what's going on in the game - and society - today. I personally wouldn't base my opinion of the appropriateness of the suspensions based on the NCAA's opinion. The NCAA administration has proven time and time again that they are idiots.