Gamecocks Give Frank Martin One Game Suspension

((HT: WLTX-TV))

South Carolina head men's basketball coach Frank Martin has been known to be a little intense on the sidelines...

It has gotten him into trouble and it has gotten him a reputation as a hothead- and a lot worse terms...

He did this Tuesday night in his team's 26-point loss to Florida


Athletics Director Ray Tanner, in a statement, said:

"The one-game suspension is a result of inappropriate verbal communication as it relates to the well-being of our student-athletes."

The HQ would like to know how many times Tanner used inappropriate verbal communications when he coached the baseball team in Columbia, but we'll digress...

Here's Martin's comments on what went down...

Martin will not accompany the team to Starkville for the season finale against Miss State. Associate head coach Matt Figger will serve as the acting coach as South Carolina is 11-19, 4-13 in the SEC.

Frank Martin, Welcome To The Ess-E-Cee (VIDEO)

And the Ess-E-Cee gets one of its first Martin Post-Game Meltdowns...



This is what happens after an 18-point blowout Thursday to LSU (behind Johnny O'Bryant and his 30 points) The Tigers crushed the Gamecocks at home 64-46. It was the most points scored by a LSU player since Tasmin Mitchell had 38 against Auburn in 2010. O'Bryant reached double figure points and rebounds for the seventh time in the last eight games.

The loss gave Martin a five-game losing streak- the longest of his coaching career- at any level and any job which includes stops at Kansas State and three high school coaching gigs in Miami at North Miami High, Miami Senior, and Booker T. Washington High...

All of that leads us to his first high-decibel maneuver off the floor...

The printed, short version:

“The desire to play is not there. I’ve always taken pride to get guys to do what I ask me to do. That’s not happening right now. I shouldn’t coach basketball again if this is how my team is going to look.”

“If this was the NBA, we would fine them and take their money,” Martin said. “We would release them and say, ‘Good luck ever finding another job.’ It is not the NBA. We’re in education. Somehow, some way we have to reach them. But it is embarrassing.

“I’ve been telling our team for team weeks that there is a word that if it is not in your vocabulary – whatever you do in life – if the word ‘pride’ is not in your vocabulary, you have no chance of ever sniffing success. I’m a lot of things, but I’ve got pride. … I have never been so embarrassed. I shouldn’t coach basketball ever again if this is how my team plays.”

South Carolina is now 12-11 after the loss...

Here's the video version...
((HT: WLTX-TV))

UNC: Report says Academic issue not just athletes

((ht: newsobserver.com))

So...The University of North Carolina commissioned a former governor and a consulting firm to investigate NCAA allegations of academic fraud involving the football team.

And the big take away seems to be "It wasn't the athletic department's fault?"

If the results found by former Governor Frank Martin are true, the athletic department problems are the least of the issues in Chapel Hill. However, a cursory reading of the findings and a little homework kind of questions some of the results.

The results looked at enrollment in what has been classified as an "Athlete Friendly" course, African and Afro-American Studies. According to the investigation, grades were altered or not fair for most of students. Both athletes and students.

Martin placed the blame on a former department chairman and his assistant.

And while the results, at least preliminarily don't state enrollment in the course over the years Martin investigated 1997 to current, they do say in 2011, there were 19 students taking a particular course, 18 football players and 1 former football player.

Draw your own conclusions.

Read the full story from the Raleigh News-Observer RIGHT HERE

Yes, the NCAA is conducting their own investigation and we have a sneaky suspicion their findings may not be totally in line with this. Because quite honestly, this doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

The motivation behind this: Simple. North Carolina is trying to look proactive and that they are trying to "Root Out" the problem. And while they may very well be doing that, it doesn't eliminate what appears to be the fact that it occurred.

And while you can look at it and say it was the work of a "Rogue" professor, it seems like a bit of stretch. There does seem to be cursory evidence the players...or academic advisors were very aware they could put players in a course at that department to prop up the grades. And that is not only against NCAA rules, it's borderline criminal.

And if Martin's report is spot on. Well, the school has more than just an athletic problem and one can only hope it's one they are actually willing to address.

Bruce Weber to K-State: Yeah, thought so

((kcstar.com))

Bruce Weber

Well, you can say this about the athletic administrators at Kansas State, they didn't waste a lot of time replacing fired head coach Frank Martin. In fact they are going to announce the new guy late Saturday afternoon.

It appears the new hoops coach in Manhattan, Kansas is going to be deposed Illinois coach Bruce Weber. If you are surprised to hear that, you can add your name to a rather lengthy list.

Weber takes over the Wildcat program after his Illinois team lost 11 of their last 13 games this season after a 6-1 start and multiple reports that he had "Lost" his team.

More on the hire from the KCStar RIGHT HERE

Yeah, we're scratching our heads too. Perhaps K-State didn't think they could do better. And they may have been right. The question is more...how hard did they look.

This isn't a total slam on Weber who had modest success in Champaign, but even the K-State players are apparently miffed at the move. They heard the stories of Weber's shortcomings. They, along with many others are wondering why they didn't try an up-and-comer from a small school or a top-flight assistant. But they didn't.

And for that, we wish them all the luck in the world.

DEVELOPING: Frank Martin To South Carolina...(UPDATED and UPDATED AGAIN)

((HT: KCStar/Robinett))

Looks like Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin is heading to Columbia, SC to be South Carolina’s next head coach- according to "sources close to the coach" a day after he denied interest in the job during CBS coverage of the regional finals.

That same "source" says Martin will be introduced tomorrow.

According to Robinett:

The State also reported that a trustees meeting had been called to discuss “a contractual matter.”

Earlier Monday, Martin’s agent, Richard Katz, said “we have had conversations” with South Carolina, but would not say a deal was done.

Darrin Horn went 10-21 last year for South Carolina...

Here's what Columbia may be getting for sound bites...
((HT: youtube))


1615 UPDATE: Martin has texted Andy Katz and is reportedly "weighing" the offer from South Carolina...

2015 UPDATE: Katz says it's a done deal...
He discusses...
((HT: ESPN))

Postgame With Frank Martin During A Loss...

((HT: FSKansasCity/youtube))

It's not an enjoyable experience...
And he still looks like he could kill someone...

The sideline guy is just hoping it's not him...


Get in quickly, and get away just as quickly...