Morehead State coach Sean Woods pushes player to tears with bench outburst

[Rasputin]

Morehead State coach Sean Woods pushes player to tears with bench outburst
Rob Dauster
Nov 21, 2012, 11:14 PM EST
2 Comments
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I don’t know the story behind the relationship that Morehead State head coach Sean Woods has with anyone on his team.

And frankly, I don’t care about it.

For all I know, Devon Atkinson could be the biggest pain in the you know what that Woods has ever coached. He could talk back. He could curse out his coach. He might kick puppies. He could even use the last of the milk in his morning cereal and put the empty carton back into the fridge.

I don’t know. And neither do you.

Which is why Woods’ reaction on the bench during Morehead State’s 81-70 loss to is so problematic.

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If you haven’t seen it yet, Woods nearly reduced Atkinson to tears on Wednesday night. During a timeout at the 5:51 mark, Woods shoved Atkinson towards the team huddle and then twice went nose-to-nose with the player, screaming at him.

Personally, I don’t have a huge issue with this. Did Woods go too far here? Probably, yes. Is Woods a guy that I would want to play for? No. Would it be the style that I coached in? Probably not. But this Morehead State team is one that thrives on hustle and energy, and it’s not crazy to think that they thrive on their fiery head coach for that. Every athlete has, at some point in their life, played for a ‘screamer’. You deal with it.

The bigger issue is that this is going to be the topic of conversation coming out of this game. Case in point: this post. I’m 250 words into the post, and I’m just now mentioning the fact that for 30 minutes on Wednesday night, Morehead State took it to Kentucky in Rupp. It was a sensational performance that included a 16-0 run in the first half. The Eagles weren’t able to hold on to complete the upset, but that’s expected.

They’re Morehead State.

And they were playing Kentucky.

But their performance was admirable, to say the least.

And it’s going to get buried by the mountain of criticism that Woods will receive because he pushed a player to the brink of tears on the bench.

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Q? They sure are going off on this on ESPN & Mike & Mike. I didn't see another thread but they were slamming that coach.

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

It should never happen. Coaches should never put their hands on a player when angry.

That's like beating your wife and saying "it wasn't much of a shot"
Posted via Mobile Device

you're out of control. These are males. Just stop with the bleeding vag.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

you're out of control. These are males. Just stop with the bleeding vag.

Yeah **** you. I'm a male too. I also have some self respect. That makes me not take shit like that from anyone.

Bitches like you are the reason people like that think they can do and get away with what that coach did.
Posted via Mobile Device

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

It should never happen. Coaches should never put their hands on a player when angry.

That's like beating your wife and saying "it wasn't much of a shot"
Posted via Mobile Device

Nobody was beaten. It was a light shove to the bench. The coach and player probably already worked things out.

[lcarus]

THis is off the player's twitter page.

"I need for everyone to chill with all that talk about my coach he was tell me some good stuff and he love me he was tell me good stuff. "

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by lcarus

Nobody was beaten. It was a light shove to the bench. The coach and player probably already worked things out.

Putting your hands on someone while angry is never ok.

Sorry if you don't understand. Actually its against the law. What he did is battery by the letter of the law, at least how it was explained to me. Hell you can't even spit in someone's face anymore...
Posted via Mobile Device

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by lcarus

THis is off the player's twitter page.

"I need for everyone to chill with all that talk about my coach he was tell me some good stuff and he love me he was tell me good stuff. "

again sounds like battered wife syndrome.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Yeah **** you. I'm a male too. I also have some self respect. That makes me not take shit like that from anyone.

Bitches like you are the reason people like that think they can do and get away with what that coach did.
Posted via Mobile Device

Damn I had this whole thing written out. Turns out he's a senior.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

again sounds like battered wife syndrome.
Posted via Mobile Device

Yeah..that player is like a battered wife lol. Holy shit.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Damn I had this whole thing written out. Turns out he's a senior.

Yeah this post makes no sense to me...
Posted via Mobile Device

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by lcarus

Yeah..that player is like a battered wife lol. Holy shit.

Obviously you don't get what I'm saying...
Posted via Mobile Device

[SAUTO]

Wife gets hit, she takes up for husband. "it was a mistake, it was my fault, he lovesme"

Sound familiar?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Gary]

I've got no problem with a coach giving a player an ass chewing. Hell, I got tore into by my high school football coach more times than I can count. I have a problem with a coach getting up nose to nose with me or generally in my face. Chew my ass out all you want, the minute you get nose to nose with me we're gonna have a problem.

[Three7s]

The issue with me isn't the yelling. That's how you instill discipline in certain people. The issue I have is with the push. I feel like that's going too far.

[jAZ]

I've been one of the more outspoken liberals on the board. I even refuse to let me son play with toy guns because guns aren't toys. And I've also been outspoken out the hostility this board permits and generates over the years.

All of that said, even I don't see much if anything wrong with that clip. I'm not clear that the player was near tears. And if he was, I'm not sure that's a problem. And even if it were, I don't see how that confrontation is a problem.

The worst part of the clip was him the coach shoving the player. And that was borderline at worst.

I don't yell at my son unless he's far away, can't hear me or isn't paying attention or is in danger. But I do get in his face and it's a very good way to quietly demand their full attention. I haven't seen many if anyone else in coaching do much of that (getting nose to nose).

I guess if he was saying really shitty things about the kids family or deceased relative or something, maybe that's the problem. Otherwise, I don't much get the issue here.

[Iowanian]

Young men break down in sobbing fits during job performance reviews where the information is delivered in a normal tone too.


That kids was acting like a punk and was back talking his coach. He had an ass chewing coming from what I see.

Having trouble feeling bad about it for that kid who is essentially getting a free ride to college to do what that coach asks him to do. Every person is wired different and some people, particularly those who have never had it, need a boot in the ass once in a while to get results.