I'm sorry the young man got hurt. But It was like that when I played in school! Send in some non-essential player to make some contact. The Detroit Pistons(real Pistons)from 70's/80's was known for the Goon Squad tactics.
I guess the problem is that HC Chaney publically admitted his actions.



Article:

Posted on Mon, Feb. 28, 2005

Chaney won't coach in A-10 tourney

By MIKE JENSEN and RAY PARRILLO

Philadelphia Inquirer


PHILADELPHIA - Temple coach John Chaney, already suspended for the rest of the regular season for his actions in last week's St. Joseph's game, announced Monday night in a statement issued by the school that he will not coach in next week's Atlantic Ten Conference tournament.

The statement from Chaney released by Temple began: "Last week, my words and actions were wrong, wrong, wrong."

Since last week, Chaney has been almost buried in an avalanche of nationwide opinion, with much outrage expressed over how he could coach in the A-10 tournament after his actions led to a broken arm that will keep St. Joseph's senior John Bryant out of the tournament.

"John Bryant is unable to play in the tournament because of the injury he sustained last week against Temple," Chaney said in the statement. "Neither should I be able to coach."

Monday night, Atlantic Ten commissioner Linda Bruno said: "It started to become obvious, particularly to Coach Chaney himself, that he would have overshadowed the proceedings and raised undesirable tensions."

Chaney's announcement clearly had more parties involved. Bruno said she had talked with Temple president David Adamany Monday morning.

"We talked through a number of things," Bruno said, "concerns that I still had and he still had. He said he'd think about some things. He called this afternoon and said this was the direction they were going, that John had decided on. I'm satisfied with the result. Whether we did it or John did it or Temple did it is irrelevant. I do think it sends the message that the behavior was unacceptable."

The wording of Chaney's statement suggested that the 73-year-old Hall of Fame coach clearly understood that more than his job has been put on the line. It's his entire legacy.

"I have spent my adult life working hard and preaching loudly for the ideal of fair access, equality of opportunity, and fairness for all persons," Chaney said in the statement. "I have devoted my basketball years not just to winning games and earning a salary, but to helping countless youngsters advance to adulthood with discipline, self-esteem and productive skills. I have tried to live the dream of fair access, equality of opportunity and fairness. How well I have succeeded is for others to determine. But I know I give those goals my best effort every day, and have done so for more than 40 years."

St. Joseph's athletic director Don DiJulia said the school had no response to the announcement.

Last Tuesday, Bryant was injured when he was knocked to the floor by Temple's Nehemiah Ingram, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound reserve forward. Ingram was inserted into the game to retaliate for what Chaney perceived to be the Hawks' use of illegal screens. Ingram also elbowed Dwayne Jones under the chin and gave a high forearm to Pat Carroll. After only four minutes of play, Ingram reached the limit of five fouls, including a technical for a flagrant foul. All this happened while St. Joe's was beating Temple for the sixth straight time.

Bruno said there were no plans to discipline Ingram.

"Our reaction to him was that he's a young man who was following what his coach was telling him to do during a game," Bruno said. "John didn't tell him to break his arm. . . . He was following the game plan. (The injury) wasn't supposed to happen, but it was a result of that."

The day before the St. Joseph's game, Chaney had warned during a weekly Atlantic Ten coaches teleconference that he would send a "goon" into the game if officials allowed St. Joe's to get away with setting illegal screens to free up shooters. After the game, when he was told that Bryant appeared injured after being knocked down by Ingram, Chaney said: "That's what happens. I'm a mean, ornery SOB, understand?"

Chaney met with Bryant last week and expressed remorse, and also met with Bryant's family on Sunday. But the meetings didn't change the fact that Bryant won't be playing in the A-10 tournament, and until Monday, Chaney was still coaching in it.

"St. Joseph's has been remarkable through this whole process," Bruno said. "They're obviously hurt. They're dealing with a student-athlete and his family who are obviously very hurt and very concerned."

"I never intended - nor did any of my players intend - for anyone to be injured, regardless of what may have been said emotionally before, during and after the game," Chaney said in his statement. "But the unfortunate fact is that John Bryant was injured. I have taken full responsibility for my words and actions, and have apologized from my heart."

It hasn't been just one injured player affected by all this. After beating Temple last week to clinch its fifth straight regular-season division title, St. Joseph's had a 12-1 record in the Atlantic Ten and still had a shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. For all practical purposes, that hope vanished when the Hawks lost Saturday at Rhode Island, which has a 5-20 record.

Chaney's presence in Cincinnati would have surely caused more ill will between the schools. When all the A-10 teams arrive in Cincinnati next week, the first organized activity is an awards dinner, where all the teams gather. And even Temple administrators have shuddered at the idea of an A-10 final between Temple and St. Joe's, considering it a no-win situation.

Assistant coach Dan Leibovitz will continue to lead the Owls in Chaney's absence. Leibovitz coached the Owls during Saturday's 61-48 victory over Massachusetts. Although Chaney has conducted Temple's practices, the Owls will leave today for Wednesday's game at Rhode Island without their head coach.

"We will be in constant communication," Leibovitz said Monday on the A-10 coaches teleconference, before the news came out about Chaney missing the tournament. "It's a weird, sad feeling."

St. Joe's plays Tuesday night at George Washington. Hawks coach Phil Martelli got on the teleconference and said that in light of what happened last week, he respectfully declined to participate in the call. "I apologize," Martelli said.