Rick Pitino benched Chris Jones for flop against Kentucky

[ukwebfan]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/rick-pitino-benched-chris-jones-for-flop-against-kentucky-160824532.html

I can see the cynic angle.

I know, a shocker.

College basketball's flopping epidemic could be quickly curtailed if more coaches did what Louisville's Rick Pitino did Tuesday.
PItino benched starter Chris Jones against Long Beach State to send a message that he will not tolerate any more chicanery from the senior point guard.
Jones made headlines nationwide three days earlier for a blatant flop early in the second half of Louisville's loss to rival Kentucky. When Kentucky's Dakari Johnson swung his elbows to try to clear space after securing a rebound, Jones flailed and fell to the ground as though he had been struck in the face. He continued the charade by getting up wincing and holding his jaw even though Johnson's elbow never so much as grazed him.
The fallout from Jones' flop was swift as video spread quickly on social media. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas called it "embarrassing" during the broadcast, former Kentucky star DeMarcus Cousins poked fun at Jones on Twitter and a Kentucky fan even made a Claymation video of the incident.
“I was very upset at that," Pitino told WDRB's Eric Crawford after the game. "We don't do that type of thing. And then to fake it with the jaw like you got hit. You can't fake it. In junior college you do it. But you can't fake it. It's on TV. You can't fake those things. So I told him, you're not playing because of that. That's something Louisville guys don't do."

[Matt Dillon]

I'll be the first and, perhaps, the only one to say it. Classy move coach Pitino.

[kynut]

I don't know how "classy" it is, mainly because I'm still having problems using the word "classy" in the same sentence with "Rick Pitino". The word "sleazy" keeps popping into my head when I think of Rick along with my advice to him; "Get a room". But, I do agree it was the right decision no matter why it was made. Jones now says he is a reformed man. We shall see.

kynut

[TrueblueCATfan]

could not have said it better myself

[Catsrock]

Agreed! Just because Rick is intelligent enough to run a little damage control against a team that has no chance of beating him doesn't qualify as class in my book.

[CATHYnKY]

Wonder if Refs will be watching him more closely?

[40bill]

l<chuckle> after I calmed down a little bit....
the kid just made a mistake. He was trying to get an edge. Who can really blame him with the mess some teams do? It was a bad flop. Pitino's response was appropriate...and could be as equal damage control as anything....but it does remind that the reason the 'flop' is technical worthy is that it really is as dangerous as it is stupid. Kids can blow ankles and knees getting tangled up, and the 'flopper' can even get more injured when he hits the floor than he would if he were really hit.

Just a mistake. Jones can grow and learn from it if he will.
Now if we can find a way to keep a set of twins from tripping over their lips when things go south we may have a real shot at that insane 40-0 idea.

[Lighthouse]

l<chuckle> after I calmed down a little bit....
the kid just made a mistake. He was trying to get an edge. Who can really blame him with the mess some teams do? It was a bad flop. Pitino's response was appropriate...and could be as equal damage control as anything....but it does remind that the reason the 'flop' is technical worthy is that it really is as dangerous as it is stupid. Kids can blow ankles and knees getting tangled up, and the 'flopper' can even get more injured when he hits the floor than he would if he were really hit.

Just a mistake. Jones can grow and learn from it if he will.
Now if we can find a way to keep a set of twins from tripping over their lips when things go south we may have a real shot at that insane 40-0 idea.

Now that's a new one.

[Joneslab]

Pitino spoke about the Jones thing today in his pregame press conference for Wake Forest.

He said that there were two different kinds of flops. One is when a player is really good at selling a foul. he knows how to fall "like a stunt man" and sell the play. Pitino claimed that was just excellent defense.

The other kind of flop is what Jones did. That's where you not only fall but you try to sell it for minutes afterward and act like you're injured. He said that was unacceptable and Jones was embarrassed. He said the most embarrassing thing was "getting a tongue-lashing from Jay Bilas."

(Pitino also said some interesting stuff about Kentucky. One of the UofL writers asked him about "a certain conference whose reputation was getting blown up," meaning the SEC obviously. The writer seemed to be trying to make some kind of point with the ACC and basketball, but I'd say it was just a dig at the SEC. Pitino said that football and basketball were completely different, and he cited his rebuilding job at Kentucky. He said one player in basketball could turn a program around, while in football it sometimes took years. He mentioned Jamal Mashburn and what an impact he had on UK. Also said that basketball was so much about the smaller teams and conferences, while football really only needed the five big conferences.

Interesting points, I thought.)

[UKBoo]

I understand where he is coming from on the flop thing. I see players throw their head back and get the call. The replay shows there was a call there, and it was the right call to make. So I wonder how many times that play goes on without a call unless the contact had been exaggerated. There is no way of knowing for sure, but I wonder if Ulis get's to shoot flagrant one free throws if he had not been so fearless and didn't even flinch with the contact? I would bet he would have drawn the call had he reacted even a little bit to the elbow.

[kynut]

I understand where he is coming from on the flop thing. I see players throw their head back and get the call. The replay shows there was a call there, and it was the right call to make. So I wonder how many times that play goes on without a call unless the contact had been exaggerated. There is no way of knowing for sure, but I wonder if Ulis get's to shoot flagrant one free throws if he had not been so fearless and didn't even flinch with the contact? I would bet he would have drawn the call had he reacted even a little bit to the elbow.

Good point. Had Ulis just flinched back away from the contact he would have gotten a flagrant one call. Still, especially when they do a video review, it's up to the refs to make the correct call even if the player did not try to do a "hard sell" on the play. I actually admire Tyler for being out there to play hard-nosed basketball without any fakery. As a result, and in comparison, Tyler came out the hero on this play and Jones the goat for his acting job later in the game.

kynut

[UK39]

It was the right thing to do. Whether or not he would have done that had they played a better team is up for debate.

[UKBoo]

And I agree with both of you. A head flinch should have drawn a call even before the video review. The review should not have needed a flinch. Honestly, after seeing Ulis take that shot without movement will make me question almost all "flailings" the rest of the year.