Coach Rob Stood for Respect

On a week including the resolution of the Final Four and the beginning of the baseball season, I would never have guessed that Grind It Out Sports would be addressing a college football story. Granted the Georgetown game was a big disappointment…even though Hibbert outplayed Oden in the most hyped matchup of 7-footers since Olajuwon-Ewing over 20 years ago, an uncharacteristic string of Hoya turnovers opened the door for Conley and company to score on fast breaks, as the Buckeyes kept Georgetown at bay to advance to the finals. A finals which was more a coronation for the Gators than a game as Ohio State never really got involved. The game, which was played right after the first Passover seder was disappointingly “like any other night” in which the Gators superior talent and depth allowed them to coast to victory.

None of that seems as significant as the passing of former Grambling State head coach Eddie Robinson this week at age 88. “Coach Rob”, as he was affectionately known by his players coached that team for 57 years, and is not only a bridge to the past, but a man whose unique presence made a meaningful contribution to the changing social environment of our country.

Just the sound of Grambling State’s former name connotes a bygone era in our country: “Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute”. Robinson took over the coaching job at this traditionally black college in 1941, and in a segregated America his interpretation of his coaching duties included making sandwiches for his players when they went to road games, since they were not welcome at any restaurants along the way. "Coaching is a profession of love.” Robinson would say, “You can't coach people unless you love them." Anyone whose Mom or Dad made them sandwiches can relate, but what must it have meant for these young men, away from the home for the first time, to have the soothing, upbeat, and gentlemanly presence of Robinson to give them courage and teach them what it means to be a man – in a nation where they were treated as less than men.

That Robinson set the record for coaching wins is a fitting tribute, less to his X’s and O’s than to his consistency and unwavering dedication to his purpose in life. He found at Grambling a platform that allowed him to touch the lives of thousands of young men, 200 of which went on to the NFL. Within the reach of his little college he was able to lay down his own rules. Saying that he treated each player “like he wanted to marry my daughter”, Robinson created a place where every individual was respected. It just took America a little while to catch up to him.

Thanks for the legacy you created for all human beings to learn from, and rest in peace Coach Rob.

Big East a Subtitle for Hoyas?

Time is frozen. Georgetown’s Jeff Green, the basketball cradled in his forearms. Bent into a 45 degree angle whose corner is wedged into the thigh of Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody. Game tied less than a minute left. Time unfreezes at the perfect instant as he steps and curls toward the basket, gliding through Harangody’s forearm shove and uncoiling the ball in a catapulting hook shot at the top of the lane. The ball strikes the front of the rim. The ref’s whistle blows at Harangoday’s blocking foul. The ball hits the backboard. The ball falls softly through the basket. The tide turns as Georgetown takes a lead they will not relinquish, and, following a businesslike throttling of Pitt in the finals, they walk out of Madison Square Garden Big East champs for the first time since 1989.

The tournament and a potential number one seed awaits, but what does this classic and emotional sub-championship foretell of the Hoya’s fate in the true contest that awaits? All the complementary pieces needed to support the sublime and versatile Jeff Green are in place. The fine ball handling and 47% three point shooting of point guard Jonathan Wallace give Georgetown the prerequisite floor general. Jessie Sapp slashing at the basket can break down a defense when their pinpoint passing goes through a stretch where they can’t find a good shot. And 7’2” behemoth Roy Hibbert remains Coach Thompson’s ace in the hole, grabbing dunks and rebounds in moments when his size advantage seems unfair, yet his minutes always managed by Thompson so to never have his clumsy stiffness on the floor at the wrong time. Add the final ingredient, the X-factor hustle of role player Ewing Jr diving after lose balls, grabbing key steals, appearing out of nowhere for the offensive rebound and putback.

One could view the Hoyas as a lock for the NCAA title, but could not the jubilation of their conference title satisfy some of that hunger and desire which is needed for the journey ahead? At Grind it Out Sports, we’ve learned how ridiculously impossible it is to attempt to answer these questions coming into the tournament, and seek only to point out that Georgetown’s clutch performance in their defining moment creates a yin/yang situation whose upside could be a title and whose downside is a possible fizzling out of intensity resulting in a Sweet Sixteen loss to a lower seeded opponent.

Similarly, we examine the defining moment for each of the other tournament favorites, with the yin/yang question whose unknowable answer holds the key – either to tournament glory or humiliation.

UCLA’s defining moment was the only 3 points scored by their leader Arron Afflalo in their loss to Cal (first game of Pac 10 tourney). “Worst game ever” in Afflalo’s own Comic-Book-Guy-like opinion. This “I’ve hit rockbottom” epiphany could be the turning point toward a more determined Bruin effort just at the right time, or it could be just a plateau on the way to the real crash landing, if Afflalo gets tight and comes unglued again.

UNC’s moment came courtesy of a nose-breaking, Kobe-Bryant-style arm swinging by Duke forward Gerald Henderson. Suddenly bloodied, quiet Tar Heel leader Tyler Hansbrough first has an emotional reaction to fight back, later is thrust into a media spotlight, and eventually plastic masked for the following games. His anger flushed out, Hansbrough could be more aggressive and cutthroat with the mask on. Or a subpar performance in their ACC tourney title run could mean his spirit has been broken as well, which leaves UNC up the creek.

Florida, who just waltzed through a crummy SEC to a conference tourney title, saw their defining moment come when they were struggling right before. While getting trounced on the strangely designed court at Vandebilt, forward and emotional leader Joakim Noah exchanged shoves with the opposing coach under the basket where the Commodores bench was placed for some reason. Later a sulking Noah got his curly pony tail into a further tizzy, flinging his towel to the ground in a dramatic display. The passion of Noah and his mates in pursuit of a repeat title could keep them focused down the stretch, or the fallback of a title under their belt could make them lean back, make excuses, and give up.

The defining moment for Wisconsin and Ohio State is later today in their head to head matchup for the Big Ten tournament chamiponship. Regardless of who wins, you can almost rest assured the loser will be angrier, will have more left in the tank, and will do better in the tournament.

Finally Kansas. Sorry Jayhawks, you don’t deserve a defining moment after losing in the first round each of the last two years to Bradley and Bucknell. The defining moment for the Jayhawks comes in the upcoming tournament, where their recent colossal failure will be the story when they take the court…will they respond by erasing or widening the agony of their fans?