At this point, you’ve probably seen the video. After a controversial call in the final seconds of a men’s college basketball game between Syracuse and Duke, Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim became unhinged, almost ripping off his coat while he berated official Tony Greene with a series of not-so-discreet expletives. As the “conversation” turned increasingly sour, Greene issued a double technical foul on Boeheim, ejecting him from the game, much to the Duke crowd’s delight and his own team’s dismay.
The question that media pundits have asked is whether Boeheim’s actions, now a viral YouTube video, were justified.
First, let’s address the actual play that set Boeheim off. With just 15 seconds to play and Syracuse trailing by two points, Syracuse star forward C.J. Fair drove baseline and was met by Duke forward Rodney Hood, who attempted to take a charge. At first glance, Hood seems to be in perfect position. However, upon closer examination, some late movement by Hood suggests that C.J. Fair should have been going to the line for two shots. Basically, the video tells a different story every time you watch it. Tony Greene had to make a 50/50 judgment call, and he decided that Hood had position. End of story.
Back to Boeheim: should he have reacted the way he did? The simple answer is no, because, unequivocally, the double technical issued on Boeheim cost his team a chance to win the game. In a world where Boeheim had stayed in control, Duke would have likely been put on the free throw line with a chance to extend their lead to four points, at best. Instead, the double technical gave Duke four free throws (two per technical) and possession of the ball. Duke guard Quinn Cook hit three of four at the charity stripe, and then teammate Tyler Thornton made one of two, extending the lead to six and putting the game out of reach.
Logic aside, a counter-argument exists. The camp of college basketball fans, known for their preservation of the unwritten rules of basketball, leaped to Boeheim’s defense. Among them was Dick Vitale, ESPN’s color commentator for Saturday night’s game, who wasted no time in defending Boeheim’s actions on-air. Vitale lamented Greene’s decision to give Boeheim any technical fouls, saying that he had a right to react in such a controversial situation and that such a great game shouldn’t end in such an awful way. We’ll give Vitale the benefit of the doubt on his second point: no one wanted to see such an incredible matchup end so abruptly and ungracefully. But the idea that Tony Greene should have adjusted the way he was refereeing because of the situation is ludicrous. Boeheim was closer to half court than he was to the coaching box, was waving his finger in Greene’s face, and was cursing every third word. First half or second half, exhibition game or NCAA title game, Boeheim’s antics warranted an automatic ejection.
When asked for his opinion on Boeheim’s actions, Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski answered, “I applaud him. We are both pretty old and still care.” This response had me thinking: would Boeheim have been criticized for not coming to the aid of Fair, whom he believed had avoided the offensive foul? In other words, did Jim Boeheim have to react the way he did? In this situation, the answer again is no. If a Syracuse player had been punched in the face, attacked by a fan, or had something happen to them that wasn’t a realistic part of the game, I would want to see Boeheim out there fighting for his players’ livelihood. But a disputed offensive foul call with the game’s result still in doubt? Boeheim needed to show more self-control.
By the end of the regular season, Boeheim’s outburst will be a distant memory. More likely than not, Syracuse will still earn a number one seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament and compete for a national championship. That being said, Jim Boeheim’s actions cost his team the chance to win a marquee game Saturday night. And for that reason, in this situation, he cannot be defended.
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