From the Desk

Sports bring out the best in people. It seems that every day there is a touching story about teams or athletes spreading hope and happiness to kids or adults with terminal diseases or special needs.

But sports also bring out the worst in people.

In competition, reputations, bragging rights, wins, records and championships are at stake. During big games, it is as if nothing else matters, and fans, coaches and players are all tense and emotional. And when there are emotions involved, something bad is bound to happen.

This was the case in the Vanderbilt win over Tennessee Thursday, Feb. 26. As the last seconds ticked off the clock, Vanderbilt freshman guard Wade Baldwin IV taunted the Volunteers players. Tennessee coaches took exception to the obnoxious gesture, however, and alerted Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings about Baldwin’s antics.

Then, Stallings let loose on Baldwin, loudly and profanely berating him for his lack of sportsmanship. Stallings even went so far as to say, “I’m going to
f—— kill you.”

Although Stallings apologized to Baldwin and made a formal apology to the media, and though Stallings admitted that he would never actually physically harm his players, Stallings’ outburst was definitely not the display of sportsmanship he expected from his player.

While I appreciate Stallings’ commitment to making sportsmanship “a high priority” and holding his players accountable, the tirade was uncalled for and inappropriate. Sportsmanship does not just apply to how opposing players treat each other. It extends to the intersquad relationships as well.

According to ESPN basketball insider Jeff Goodman, Stallings and Baldwin’s relationship was probably already on rocky ground, and Baldwin’s Thursday-night actions were likely just the latest in a string of displays of poor sportsmanship. Baldwin just happened to strike exactly the right nerve in Stallings that night.

Do not get me wrong. I know that the words used by Stallings are part of the lexicon of sports. I do not pretend to think that no curse words are uttered by angry fans, players or coaches. I know that during games, in the locker room and on the sidelines, emotions run high and choice words are used. But that does not make it acceptable.

Most college basketball fans and analysts will agree that Stallings should have waited a few minutes until they got into the locker room to lay into his immature guard. Being caught on camera and yelling at Baldwin in front of the Volunteers in the way Stallings did exacerbates the mistake. But Stallings should have never let his emotions push him that far — even without the camera lights shining on him.

I will never know what Stallings says to his team behind closed doors, but the location in which bad language is used should not determine whether it is OK or not.

Athletes and coaches are expected to present themselves in a dignified and appropriate manner when they are in front of other people — and they should be expected to do the same when they are not. We need to stop perpetuating the double standard that bad language and poor behavior in sports is acceptable in some cases, but not in others.

BROWN is the editor-in-chief