“I’m a mean, ornery son of a…” and the rest is ill-fated history for Temple Owls head basketball coach John Chaney. Chaney, an unquestioned Hall of Fame coach, perhaps entered into coaching infamy for sending in a “goon”; 6’8″ 250-pound Nehemiah Ingram, last Tuesday to address what he thought were multitudes of illegal screens set by the Saint Joseph Hawks that were being ignored by the officials.
In a press conference following the game, Chaney revealed that he was “sending a message.”
What Chaney was not privy to at the time of the press conference was the severity of an injury incurred by Ingram’s rough play.
In fulfilling his coach’s directives, Ingram’s hard foul on Hawks senior forward John Bryant broke his arm, thus ending his collegiate career.
In response to Chaney’s reactions during the game and after the game leaves me baffled and amused-and not in a funny ha-ha way. Chaney was not immediately reprimanded for his actions; however, the following morning he apologized for the incident.
Chaney was only punished after the severity of Bryant’s injury was revealed. Initially, it was a one game self-imposed suspension.
Temple President David Adamany, who strategically remained out of the picture throughout the whole ordeal, issued a statement saying that Chaney had been suspended for the remainder of the regular season “in light of the severity of the injury…” Well, OK…
Next, Chaney extended his self-imposed one-game suspension into the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. And just two days ago Adamany announced that the future of 73 year-old Chaney would be re-evaluated upon season’s end. Hmm. Something’s just not sitting right with me. Chaney admitted to sending in a “goon” to carry out his dirty work. Another coach, under any other circumstances would have been immediately suspended if not fired. Here’s my problem with the entire situation.
Chaney crossed the line, no doubt. But where was Temple’s athletics director Bill Bradshaw? Where was Adamany? Where was Linda Bruno, Atlantic 10 Commissioner? How and why was Chaney appointed his own judge and jury? I’ll tell you.
Bradshaw’s, Adamany’s and Bruno’s turning a blind eye to the seriousness of the situation compelled Chaney to impose a harsher penalty upon himself.
Yes, Chaney crossed the line and is contrite in his apologies. Although his orders led to an injured player, the officials should share responsibility for “goon-gate” as well.
The officials exacerbated the situation by allowing Ingram to remain in the game after throwing an elbow at a Saint Joseph’s player’s head prior to the hit on Bryant.
Ingram, a third-stringer, is just as much a victim in the situation as Bryant. A guy who used to log a lot of minutes for Chaney in the past and this year has been relegated to the bench was not going to turn down his coach when he ordered him to be a headhunter.
However, I do not think the potential Rhodes scholar in Ingram likes being referred to as a goon.
The emotional decision of Chaney has ended one player’s career and ruined another’s reputation. There is no way to get that back. And all that Chaney can do is apologize, to both Bryant and Ingram, as an attempt to repair a volatile situation.
Chaney’s has been a mainstay at Temple since 1982, even resembling the school’s owl mascot somewhat. It pains me to see the fall of this legendary figure.
Chaney has done tremendous work for Temple and the Philadelphia area with his mentorship and molding of young men into productive citizens.
At the same time Chaney’s history at Temple has included some highly publicized outbursts as well. With Chaney, what you see is what you get. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and always has.
As for his future at Temple, who’s to say? It is clear Chaney has become disillusioned with the state of college basketball-from academic scandals, early entrants into the NBA and the inability to control the direction in which the game has shifted.
Chaney was dead wrong in “goon-gate,” but his Hall of Fame career should not be tarnished for his impaired judgment.
Friday Morning Rant is a rotating column among The Reflector sports writers. Kesha Perry can be reached at [email protected].