<p>Terrible. Low class. I’m glad they got penalized. At least there was a widespread apology afterwards:</p>
<p>Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson apologized for the handshake snub in a statement.</p>
<p>“We are extremely disappointed in the actions of our captains involved in today’s coin toss. Their behavior is not a reflection of how our student-athletes should conduct themselves in athletic competition,” Anderson said in the statement. “On behalf of President Dr. Wallace D. Loh, head coach Randy Edsall and myself, we extend our sincere apology to Penn State University president Dr. Eric J. Barron, director of athletics Sandy Barbour, head coach James Franklin and the Penn State football program.”</p>
<p>So, athletes can’t express their opinions? Maybe it was a comment on PSU’s sordid recent history in football. BTW PSU coaches have show disrespect for the two new BIG teams in their area. </p>
<p>@romanigypsyeyes Not exactly sure what you are implying about athletes. I have seen when situations like this happen, there tends to be a lot of “athlete bashing” on these forums. The great majority of HS athletes, and college athletes for that matter, work very hard to excel at their sport for very little recognition. Most kids learn they won’t accomplish much in athletics without significant commitment to their sport - they are entitled only to what they earn. I have actually seen a lot more of this sense of entitlement from kids that don’t commit to something like athletics, which require dedication, commitment, and sacrifice. </p>
<p>Re: this particular situation, the captains did not behave the way leaders should behave, no question. It appears they were reacting to some questionable statements made by the Penn St. coach earlier in the year. Not the way to deal with it, at all.</p>
<p>Please, matmaven. I have been a lifelong athlete and am related to and friends with many D1 athletes. Don’t ever accuse me of athlete-bashing. I am an ardent supporter of the vast majority of college athletes. My most recent contributions were on the UNC thread talking about how sad I am that their debacle is reflecting poorly on athletes who really work their tail off. </p>
<p>My point was that some of these star athletes are never told no. They often do not face consequences for their actions. That is what perpetuates and elitist culture that made them think that this type of unsportsmanlike conduct was ok. The attitude is not present in most because they were humbled at young ages or properly coached. </p>
<p>I have coached kids as young as 4. All of my athletes know that this attitude is not tolerated on my teams and they are smart- they don’t do anything. If there had been that culture on this team, this never would’ve happened. Too many coaches seem to be too lenient. </p>
<p>They got the penalty, and they took it. Really no different than any other unsportsmanlike penalty, and now each player is allowed one in a game and then ejected (sort of like 2 yellow cards in soccer) Was it stupid to take one at the start of the game? Yes.</p>
<p>Coaches don’t bench players for penalties, but I bet the players involved heard about it after the game.</p>
<p>I tend to agree with Romani here. Too many athletes have an “I am invincible, don’t ever chastise or morally rebuke me” attitude because I do what I like. In recent years I’ve volunteered with high school football and high school lacrosse. I was really surprised by the self-absorbed attitudes of more than a few players (which some of their teammates did complain about to the coaches, thankfully). But you know, we could always tell which adults in the stands were parents of the self-anointed BMOCs because of the parents’ equally egregious conduct during games. The branch doesn’t fall far from the tree.</p>
<p>The article was wrong. The penalty was because while the refs were breaking up the ruckus, a player (Diggs) touched a ref. he could have been thrown from the game or given the penalty. He received the later. Anyway, not shaking hands is not against the rules.</p>
<p>This all happened because the new PSU coach said they would view Maryland as their own for recruiting. Maryland didn’t appreciate that and are trying to establish a rivalry.</p>
<p>Wayne, the President of the U of Maryland disagrees with you about whether or not the UM team displayed very poor sportsmanship by refusing to shake hands. Did you read his letter of apology? Also, no mention of jostling with the refs in any news report I saw. The players’ conduct apparently broke a rule or two as far as the university President is concerned.</p>
<p>The bad blood runs deeper than that. James Franklin, PSU’s head coach, was brought in to College Park a number of years ago under Ralph Friedgen to run the offense, improve in-state recruiting, and serve as “head coach in waiting.” (Note to athletic directors: NEVER name a HCIW.) He left for Vandy after some internal politics and signals that Maryland wasn’t going to promote him to the HC job. Friedgen got run out a year later after the department changed ADs. </p>
<p>Fast-forward a few years, and Franklin is now up at State College while Maryland just joined the Big Ten. And Franklin still has deep recruiting ties in the same mid-Atlantic recruiting turf where Maryland needs to regain stature in order to compete in the league. In other words, all the conditions are ripe for trash-talking and bad blood, and it started with the “adults” over the off-season. </p>
<p>None of that makes what the kids did on Saturday right, but it was probably predictable that something like this would boil over. At least it didn’t turn into a NASCAR fight. </p>
<p>I have been ashamed for attending and graduating UMD ever since Ken Anderson became the AD. So much shenanigans have occurred over the past several years including letting James Franklin and Friedgen go that I no longer contribute to the school. I was further disappointed that the behaviors of the Maryland captains marred the victory over Penn State. Any graduate who attended UMD immediately after Len Bias’ death would understand how big of a deal a win over Penn State means. But that win has been forgotten by the unsportsmanlike behavior. I understand that James Franklin called Maryland out earlier this year. He is still upset over his experience at Maryland. Let us not forget, Franklin is well known for his dubious behavior too (Google his comments regarding the need for his assistants to have attractive wives). Despite that, it should have never transferred down to the players.</p>
<p>I hope this animosity gets squashed because it doesn’t need to be a yearly concern in football and other sports when these 2 schools play.</p>
<p>The nice thing about an opinion, you don’t really have to justify it to anyone else. “I don’t like PSU football”. You really going to argue with that? OSU does not like Michigan. Harvard v Yale. etc etc.</p>
<p>Big 10 has suspended the two players for a game, and fined Maryland 10K. The suspensions were for contact with the refs, which obviously can’t be tolerated, but the fine for general unsportsmanlike stuff? Goodness, that will be a long line of schools looking guilty. </p>
<p>I don’t agree with the fine. It is too small to really do anything and UMD expressed their apologies for the behavior they never encouraged. This is one instance where the punishment should be directed at the athletes and not the school.</p>
<p>NCAA Athletes aren’t fined. This isn’t the NFL and these college athletes don’t have any money. Playing time is their currency, and suspending them is the only way to ‘get’ to them.</p>