LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Juwan Howard and his Fab Five University of Michigan teammates shifted basketball culture in the most visible way 30 years ago.
They wore their shorts long, loose and baggy, not tight like underwear left in the dryer too many cycles. Soon, the rest of the basketball world followed.
But without a national or even conference title to show for their time in Ann Arbor, the Fab Five carved another legacy into basketball history. Their 1992 and 1993 Final Four runs were wiped from the NCAA record books, the banners taken down at Crisler Arena because of a payment scandal with a booster that benefited Howard’s teammate, Chris Webber, as well as other former Wolverines.
That’s plenty of recognition and cultural impact for Michigan Men. They haven’t earned more.
Howard’s toxic behavior Sunday at Wisconsin should not translate into the elimination of handshake lines at the conclusion of college basketball games. If anything, what happened between Michigan and Wisconsin should be a moment for everybody to reset and find a path to finish games with civility and respect for the other guy.
What happened at Wisconsin was silly, juvenile and absurd, a fiery eruption of a perceived violation of some unwritten macho code.
Wisconsin had victory in hand. Michigan had at least one starter in the game and continued to defend over all 94 feet of the court, as if the Wolverines were looking for a 14-point play that would tie the score. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard called timeout. His lineup was packed with reserves who looked frazzled by full-court pressure.
Gard could have allowed his team to turn the ball over and won by 12 instead of 14. Howard could have pulled back his defenders and still lost by 14.
Testosterone is apparently a terrible thing to waste, even at age 49 (Howard) or 51 (Gard).
The game wobbled to its conclusion. The postgame handshake line immediately became the moment when everybody aired their grievances.
Howard didn’t like the timeout (even though internet sleuths have since uncovered examples of Howard calling timeout in the final minutes of games the Wolverines had in hand). Gard tried to explain and put his hand on Howard’s chest.
Howard is a former professional athlete who towers over Gard by at least 8 inches but Howard reacted as if Gard had a weapon.
You’ve seen the videos. The situation quickly deteriorated into woofing, pushing, grabbing and other forms of rage. Punches were thrown, including one by Howard at a Wisconsin assistant coach.
As awful as it looked, college basketball is fortunate that security stopped the fracas short of serious injuries.
The Big Ten delivered punishment Monday. Two Michigan players and one Wisconsin player must sit one game. Gard was fined $10,000.
Howard earned the strongest punishment: a $40,000 fine as well as a five-game suspension. He’ll be back for the Big Ten Tournament, which, coincidentally, is the event where Howard lost his poise last season in a postgame incident with former Maryland coach Mark Turgeon.
Strike one.
Strike two.
Howard should have been suspended for the remainder of the season. Some called for him to lose his job.
Too harsh.
After trying to explain his anger, Howard apologized Monday. He gets the chance to grow and change the narrative around his coaching career. But taking Howard away from his team for the Big Ten Tournament and any other postseason play the Wolverines earn would have sent the message the Big Ten has seen enough of his behavior.
Now that the punishments have been announced, the discussion shifted to the next topic: Should the postgame handshake line be eliminated?
Critics say it’s insincere. Division I men’s basketball is a Darwinian feast. Competitive anger is fueled by competition in recruiting, facilities and publicity as well as the scoreboard. It can percolate into powerful hostility by the simple calling of a timeout.
In introductory news conferences and recruiting sales pitches, coaches love to sell themselves as teachers. Instead of allowing anger and unchecked emotions to win, coaches should use postgame moments as their opportunity to teach their players how to win and lose.
That is where Juwan Howard and everybody involved in the Michigan-Wisconsin incident failed.
Another Big Ten coach, Tom Izzo of Michigan State, said it well on Monday: “Maybe we should teach people how to shake hands,” Izzo said. “Not shaking hands, that's typical of our country right now. Instead of solving the problem, let's make an excuse instead of confronting and demanding it change.”
Michigan Men have already had an out-of-proportion impact on basketball culture. We shouldn’t let them kill the postgame handshake line, too.
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