Wittman's cheap shot

Donate To GopherHole
T

the accomplice

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
253
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Was at the game today. (Btw, the atmosphere in the second half was phenomenal.)

Did anyone else notice Wittman Jr's shove to the back of Westbrook? Lawrence did not seem to appreciate it and was jawing quite a bit afterward.

Seemed very bush league as it happened with only 3 or 4 minutes left in the game after Witt Jr. had gone ice cold.
 

Frustration, that is all. Been there, done that.
 

Wanting to take it out on the students for chanting "Fire Randy". LW was the only one he could get close enough to to take it out on. Talk about the D picking up the pace in the 2nd half.
 

There was nothing cheap about it. As Dr. Don said, all it was was frustration.
 

you are dead wrong

Anytime someone pops another player in the back, it's cheap.

I don't give a damn if you are frustrated or not. Wittman took a cheap shot on Westbrook. And he's lucky that Lawrence didn't take him out back and kick his *ss.

I applaud Lawrence for holding his temper.
 


About 99% of all cheap shots result from frustration. Not sure how they are supposed to be mutually exclusive.
 

Yep I think most players have been there, so I don't really blame Wittman. Obviously he shouldn't have done it, but all that matters is Lawrence kept his cool, and then it is really a non-issue.
 

LW played with discipline and not escalating things, Wittman played without discipline if that happened. Our Tubby also teaches discipline, on the floor and off. It takes a stronger person to walk away from a problem, than to retaliate.
 

I didn't think it was exactly "classy" of our fans to be chanting "Fire Randy" while Ryan was on the free throw line, either. Hey, if you want to go to a TWolves game and chant that, go for it. But, chanting that at the coach's kid during a game totally unrelated to the Wolves while the kid's back playing in his home town is close to crossing the line, IMO. I know others will say it isn't, and that's fine. It is my personal opinion that that wasn't particularly original, funny, or classy. But, again, that's just my opinion.

Doesn't excuse the cheap shot that Wittman delivered, but I know if visiting fans took a personal shot at my own father during a game, I might react in an unkind manner, too. So, maybe we should get off the high horse just a bit.
 



tjgopher said:
I didn't think it was exactly "classy" of our fans to be chanting "Fire Randy" while Ryan was on the free throw line, either. Hey, if you want to go to a TWolves game and chant that, go for it. But, chanting that at the coach's kid during a game totally unrelated to the Wolves while the kid's back playing in his home town is close to crossing the line, IMO. I know others will say it isn't, and that's fine. It is my personal opinion that that wasn't particularly original, funny, or classy. But, again, that's just my opinion.

Doesn't excuse the cheap shot that Wittman delivered, but I know if visiting fans took a personal shot at my own father during a game, I might react in an unkind manner, too. So, maybe we should get off the high horse just a bit.
Click to expand...

On a lighter note, the "T-Shirt" chant at Foote was hilarious.
 



tjgopher said:
I didn't think it was exactly "classy" of our fans to be chanting "Fire Randy" while Ryan was on the free throw line, either. Hey, if you want to go to a TWolves game and chant that, go for it. But, chanting that at the coach's kid during a game totally unrelated to the Wolves while the kid's back playing in his home town is close to crossing the line, IMO. I know others will say it isn't, and that's fine. It is my personal opinion that that wasn't particularly original, funny, or classy. But, again, that's just my opinion.

Doesn't excuse the cheap shot that Wittman delivered, but I know if visiting fans took a personal shot at my own father during a game, I might react in an unkind manner, too. So, maybe we should get off the high horse just a bit.
Click to expand...


Tj,

I tend to have prety strong opinions about staying classy with the cheers, but I think I disagree with you on this one. YOur father was (presumably) a private citizen, and I agree that attacking him would have been inappropriate. But Randy is not. He is a very highly paid public citizen that gets accused of incompetence etc all the time. Ryan knows that, and has heard it many times. Ryan has plenty of advantages growing up as randy's kid; hopefully his Dad has explained to him that you can't take chants like that personally, because strong criticism is going to happen wherever he goes.

And I'd guess if the game were going well, he'd have just laughed at the chants. As it was, I'm sure the defensive pressure and making free throws was far more on his mind than those chants. In fact, I've stood at the free throw line in an arena with about 10,000 noisy fans, and I barely even heard the crowd--I certainly couldn't tell you what they were yelling--because I was thinking about my shots.

Now if the chants had been about his mother, that's another story.

jim
 



When I was a kid growing up, and someone tried to insult me by saying, "Your Mother wears Army boots", I would reply, "Yes she does but at least I wear clean underwear and socks."
 

Jim V2 said:
Tj,

I tend to have prety strong opinions about staying classy with the cheers, but I think I disagree with you on this one. YOur father was (presumably) a private citizen, and I agree that attacking him would have been inappropriate. But Randy is not. He is a very highly paid public citizen that gets accused of incompetence etc all the time. Ryan knows that, and has heard it many times. Ryan has plenty of advantages growing up as randy's kid; hopefully his Dad has explained to him that you can't take chants like that personally, because strong criticism is going to happen wherever he goes.

And I'd guess if the game were going well, he'd have just laughed at the chants. As it was, I'm sure the defensive pressure and making free throws was far more on his mind than those chants. In fact, I've stood at the free throw line in an arena with about 10,000 noisy fans, and I barely even heard the crowd--I certainly couldn't tell you what they were yelling--because I was thinking about my shots.

Now if the chants had been about his mother, that's another story.

jim
Click to expand...


As I said, not everyone would agree with me. And, my stance is that if you want to battle the highly-paid public figure and ask for his firing, then go to a TWolves game and chant "Fire Randy" until your vocal cords get sore. I just don't think yelling that at his 19-year old son who's playing in his hometown with his mother sitting behind the bench is classy. Again, I appreciate your opinion, but I think we'll just disagree on this one. It isn't a huge deal, but might explain the frustration level of the young kid. As mentioned, if the opposing crowd took on my dad in a personal manner (whether my dad made $2 million/yr or $20,000/yr) I'd be mad and might be liable to do unkind things. I'm sure Ryan loves his father a great deal and didn't like to hear that in his hometown. Not excusing it, just explaining how it might have come to it. By all accounts, the young man is a great kid. I've never met him, but know many people who know him who all say he's a super kid.

My basic point is, that while it might be that his shot on Westbrook was indeed a cheap shot, it likely wasn't out of nowhere or because he is a bad guy.
 

tjgopher said:
As I said, not everyone would agree with me. And, my stance is that if you want to battle the highly-paid public figure and ask for his firing, then go to a TWolves game and chant "Fire Randy" until your vocal cords get sore. I just don't think yelling that at his 19-year old son who's playing in his hometown with his mother sitting behind the bench is classy. Again, I appreciate your opinion, but I think we'll just disagree on this one. It isn't a huge deal, but might explain the frustration level of the young kid. As mentioned, if the opposing crowd took on my dad in a personal manner (whether my dad made $2 million/yr or $20,000/yr) I'd be mad and might be liable to do unkind things. I'm sure Ryan loves his father a great deal and didn't like to hear that in his hometown. Not excusing it, just explaining how it might have come to it. By all accounts, the young man is a great kid. I've never met him, but know many people who know him who all say he's a super kid.

My basic point is, that while it might be that his shot on Westbrook was indeed a cheap shot, it likely wasn't out of nowhere or because he is a bad guy.
Click to expand...

Maybe his dad shouldn't have left the game early then :D Kind of like how he mentally checks out of every Timberwolves game before it even started. That being said, it's warranted to yell for firing him, he's atrocious. That night was his second straight of getting BLOWN OUT.
 



TubbytownUSA said:
Maybe his dad shouldn't have left the game early then.
Click to expand...

His dad left early because the fans were chanting that. He thought if he left maybe they'd quit chanting and his 19-year old kid wouldn't have to listen to it.

Look, I'm no prude. As I said, Randy's a big boy who makes lots of money. Go to a Wolves game and boo him off the floor, I don't care. But, shouting things at his kid in a college game - to me - is over the top. But, again, it is only my opinion.
 


tjgopher said:
Yeah, because the old man can't coach, let's take it out on his son. Not classy, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

That was being chanted almost directly at him, he even looked over at us when we called him (randy), then we told him he sucks :D
 

tjgopher said:
I think we'll just disagree on this one. It isn't a huge deal...

My basic point is, that while it might be that his shot on Westbrook was indeed a cheap shot, it likely wasn't out of nowhere or because he is a bad guy.
Click to expand...

True, that.
 

That was being chanted almost directly at him, he even looked over at us when we called him (randy), then we told him he sucks.
Click to expand...

Who does that and then is proud of it ?

Wittman's got pretty thick skin. Even if the Wolves were decent he'd have his detractors. Wittman seemed friendly, affable, and happy to meet anyone that addressed him. Apparently he at least has some class.
 

"That was being chanted almost directly at him, he even looked over at us when we called him (randy), then we told him he sucks."

You must be so proud. Completely classless move if you ask me. The guy's there supporting his kid, leave him alone & give him some peace for a couple hours. If you don't like him, save it for a T-Wolves game. The Barn wasn't the place for that nonsense.
 

Tj,
I agree. Definitely not classy fans. IMO, the Barn ushers (or cops) should have ushered them out. Too late now.
 

Banned from the barn for chanting?

About half the student section or more would have been gone. What crime was committed for the police to be involved?
 

CollegeBBallFan said:
Tj,
I agree. Definitely not classy fans. IMO, the Barn ushers (or cops) should have ushered them out. Too late now.
Click to expand...

Some people think those chants crossed the line, others didn't. But to be honest, I'd rather have fans toeing the line, even if it means occasionally crossing it, then sitting back and being apathetic.

And by no means were we doing anything horrible, like racist chants or profanity chants or the stuff Maryland fans said about J.J Reddick's sister.
 

The Big L said:
Some people think those chants crossed the line, others didn't. But to be honest, I'd rather have fans toeing the line, even if it means occasionally crossing it, then sitting back and being apathetic.

And by no means were we doing anything horrible, like racist chants or profanity chants or the stuff Maryland fans said about J.J Reddick's sister.
Click to expand...

Agreed, that atmosphere was fantastic in the second half. Anyone who thought Wittman left because he was being chanted too is dilusional. It's college basketball, fans will get rowdy! The biggest threads the past three games have been about the chants that went on during the game, can we concentrate on Basketball for a little while?
 

And by no means were we doing anything horrible, like racist chants or profanity chants or the stuff Maryland fans said about J.J Reddick's sister.
Click to expand...
I'll admit that using the "lowest common denominator" justification has always seemed a pretty weak rationale to me. Sorta "damning by faint praise." ;)
 

Its a weak rationale, and no one is claiming that it was classy. Classiness would have been contrary to the objective. But to suggest that people be kicked out of the arena for doing something that isn't even close to what goes on in other arenas, or what has even gone on the barn, is complete ridiculous
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom