Michigan Men's basketball Head Coach Juwan Howard looks on against MSU. The Spartans defeated Michigan 87-69, at the Breslin Student Events Center on Jan. 5, 2020. — Photo by Matt Zubik | The ...
“I hope for everybody’s sake, more than the punishment that’s dealt out, the lesson’s have been learned and we move forward.” Players and coaches from both teams enclosed the two before Howard hit Wisconsin Assistant Coach Joe Krabbenhoft and escalated the situation further. Following Wisconsin’s 77-63 win over Michigan on Sunday, Howard and Wisconsin Men's Basketball Head Coach Greg Gard got into a verbal altercation in the postgame handshake line.
The Michigan coach is emerging from Sunday's incident at Wisconsin with his job, and a chance to do better.
"Lastly, I speak a lot about being a Michigan man and representing the University of Michigan with class and pride, I did not do that, nor did I set the right example in the right way for my student-athletes. That should also extend to the Michigan leadership, which has seemed to excuse Howard when he has previously pushed the envelope. After offering no conciliatory words Sunday, Howard did apologize in a statement released by the school Monday night: "After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were, and how they affected so many. Howard isn’t too far removed from a long and illustrious playing career. Howard crossed midcourt while fuming at Turgeon and had to be restrained by his staff, or that situation could have gotten bad, as well. Howard was lucky he only received a five-game suspension instead of also being sidelined for the postseason. “I was raised by Chicago, I grew up on the South Side, when guys charge you, it’s time to defend yourself.” What Howard did in the postgame handshake line wasn’t quite as clear-cut a fireable offense as Woody Hayes punching a Clemson player during the 1978 Gator Bowl. That was completely unprovoked. When Howard reached out with a right hand and hit Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft in the face after a loss Sunday, it marked at least the third time in a little more than a year where Howard has escalated a situation beyond common coaching protocol. This could have turned ugly at that point, with serious injuries or perhaps even a Malice in the Palace-spill over into the stands. Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II threw punches, as did Wisconsin’s Jahcobi Neath. (Last month, Diabate had to be restrained by several teammates after a loss at Rutgers.) That, right then and there, was a line that cannot be crossed.
The Big Ten Conference also on Monday suspended three players one game for the altercation following the 15th-ranked Badgers' 77-63 win on Sunday: ...
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and Michigan coach Juwan Howard confronted each other after their game. A brawl broke out and a Badgers assistant coach was struck in ...
Howard, who slapped a Wisconsin assistant men's basketball coach in the head in a handshake line, was suspended and fined $40000, but will be eligible to ...
As the coaches were separated by police officers, assistant coaches and players, Howard slapped the head of Joe Krabbenhoft, the assistant coach. Phil Martelli, a Michigan assistant who won 444 career games at St. Joseph’s and led it to the round of 8 in the 2004 N.C.A.A. tournament, will lead the team in Howard’s absence. “Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct,” the Big Ten commissioner, Kevin Warren, said in a statement. Michigan, which lost, 77-63, was pressing the Wisconsin backups when Gard called the timeout. I will learn from my mistake.” Wisconsin Coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for his role in the altercation but not suspended.
Juwan Howard and three players were suspended for their roles in Sunday's Michigan/Wisconsin brawl. Here are the implications of the entire episode.
Michigan has plenty of chances to improve its résumé in the next two weeks, and I think they get enough wins to have Howard back for what will essentially be a "win one game and get a bid" Big Ten tournament for the Wolverines. Medcalf: This is a big development for a team that's fighting to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament. Gasaway: Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II were both suspended for one game, and that means they'll miss a home date with Rutgers. That's an important game for Michigan, and the Wolverines close at home with Illinois, Michigan State and Iowa before going to Ohio State. The remarkable aspect of all of this is that at the moment UM is very likely right on the cut line for the field of 68. What do you expect Michigan to be playing for when Howard returns to the sideline? Assuming he continues to win like he has and recruit like he has, people will focus far more on the on-court successes. Coaches are highly sensitive to those perceived slights, and a certain segment of fans loves to debate the nuances of proper basketball etiquette in garbage time. We've all seen coaches brush past each other in the handshake line, glower at each other or even have heated discussions because of a late timeout or dunk in a blowout. When canvassing sources around the sport on Sunday night, most seemed to think anywhere from the rest of the regular season to the regular season and postseason would be the range for Howard's punishment. And when Howard returns, in time for the Big Ten tournament, every story about college basketball will center on him. One implication for college basketball is that every coach has now seen an instance in which a disagreement over "the unwritten rules" resulted in a physical altercation. And that's what hurts the sport. Michigan players Terrance Williams II and Moussa Diabate and Wisconsin guard Jahcobi Neath were all suspended one game each for their role in the postgame brawl.