Kevin Willard is famously combative within the media. Final yr, when he was head coach at Maryland main the famed ‘Crab 5’ to the Candy 16, Willard was obstinate to the press each day when requested in regards to the rumors connecting him to the Villanova job. Willard would depart for ‘Nova days after Maryland’s season ended, and he received again to the NCAA event this season in his first season on his new job. Sadly, Willard’s debut March run with the Wildcats is perhaps remembered extra for an informal remark he made throughout a season-ending loss than something he did on the court docket.
No. 9 seed Utah State beat No. 8 seed Villanova, 86-76, on Friday afternoon. As the sport was slipping away from the Wildcats, Willard used an interview with CBS to say he was going to “hearth his employees” for “giving up eight factors” on baseline out of bounds performs. The video went viral after Villanova’s loss. Watch Willard’s feedback right here:
After the loss, Willard once more stated he was going to fireside his employees, however this time he was clearly doing it in jest. Willard stated he was joking in the course of the in-game interview, and didn’t care about any on-line criticism.
Name me a killjoy, however I simply don’t assume that joke is humorous. Throughout a second of strife, Willard’s protection mechanism was some dry humor about blaming his employees, however not taking any duty for loss himself. A superb head coach ought to credit score his gamers and employees in public when issues are going nicely, and take the blame when issues are falling aside. Even when we take Willard at his phrase that it was all a joke, it’s nonetheless not that cool and fairly distasteful.
My recommendation to Kevin Willard is inform a funnier joke subsequent time. Or, you recognize, simply win the sport.
What’s really humorous is that Willard’s employees might be safer now after his unhealthy joke. It is going to be a horrible search for Willard if he really replaces employees members this offseason after joking about it in the course of the elimination recreation.
Making the event is nothing to scoff at, so in that sense Willard’s first yr at Villanova was a hit. Hey, the Jay Wright period had just a few early exits too earlier than this system broke by with two nationwide championships. Hopefully Willard learns some classes on and off the court docket this season, or a minimum of some higher jokes.
