What’s the deal with Roy?
April 8th, 2008, 8:51 am · 2 Comments · posted by Alex Kreitman
As most of you probably know by now, Kansas beat Memphis in overtime Monday night to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship.And if you watched the game you saw North Carolina coach Roy Williams watching the game from the stands wearing a large Kansas Jayhawks sticker on his shirt. Wait what?
Yes, that’s right, the Tar Heels coach rallied in support of the team that just two days prior whipped his butt out of the tournament. He wore the logo of the team that kicked his players out of Texas and sent them back to Chapel Hill early. He supported the same team that denied one of the best players in North Carolina’s history, Tyler Hansbrough, from winning a championship in what could be his last season before departing for the NBA.
What was he thinking?
I know that Williams spent 15 years with Kansas and led the team to a national title and Kansas will always have a big place in his heart. That is totally understandable and I’d feel the same way. But the problem I have with it is showing your support so publicly, so soon. I have no problem with him attending the game, but wearing the sticker so shortly after the Jayhawks broke hearts on UNC’s campus lets his fans down.
I think the issue is timing and it was bad. I think if Roy really needed to wear the sticker he should’ve watched from home where he could’ve went wild, jumping up and down on his living room couch. He could’ve dumped a bowl of popcorn over his wife’s head in celebration. Hell, he could’ve streaked naked in his neighborhood or done laps around the block beeping the horn of his car for all I care. He could’ve worn Kansas boxers, briefs or a thong, whatever he’s into. But to publicly support and wear a logo of the team that just beat you, whether you coached there or not, is poor taste.
I’m sure there a lot of confused and hurt Tar Heels fans because you know they could care less about his history with Kansas, they’re just ticked off that the Jayhawks beat them. They’re mad it’s not them celebrating with the trophy instead of Kansas.
I heard some comparisons of this situation made with Kevin Millar, the Baltimore Orioles slugger who was a member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. Before the 2007 World Series, Millar wore a Red Sox uniform, sat in the dugout with the team and announced the lineup on FOX. He even said “we” throughout the lineup, like we’ve got a bruiser in David Ortiz batting third.
The beef with Millar was that he was currently on an active roster with a different team, the Orioles. Did he have the right or was it OK for him to be supporting another team, especially one in the same division? Here’s my take.
I love Millar, most Red Sox fans do. He was responsible for the “Cowboy Up” slogan that helped Boston break the curse, beat the Yankees and win its first World Series in what seemed like forever. His situation was special. He was part of history, real sports history.
It’s a great accomplishment for Kansas to win the national championship, but let’s be honest; it’s just one of many. There really isn’t anything super special about this one compared to its last in 1988 or any other recent champ.
With Millar, it was a huge deal when the Sox won and he was a major part of that team and organization. He was the face of the slogan and the charge from three games back to beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS. A huge chunk of his heart obviously lies in Boston because of all the history he helped write. Plus, the Orioles didn’t make the playoffs and were out of contention way before the season ended and the playoffs started. The buffer was quite longer.
Bottom line, Williams should be proud of Kansas, but he needs to show a little more respect for his fans and the school before slapping on a sticker and supporting the enemy.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:32 am
could your “take” on that comparison just be because you are in love with the red sox and are pissed that roy williams had a hand in losing you money from your bracket pools?
also, roy could’ve at least busted out an old Jayhawks shirt (or bought another one; i’m sure he is making enough money at UNC to afford it) rather than putting that big sticker on his shirt. it just looks awkward.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Watching Roy publicly showing his support for his former boss got me thinking. Did I like it? Was it tasteful? Would I have done it if I were him? Roy has always been a guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve and given all the media attention that his coaching history has gotten this past week, it wasn’t all that surprising. I knew he would be at the game since his son was in town from London and quite frankly, what else better to do on a Monday night? I also think that he planned to be there on Monday night regardless only he would have preferred being a little closer to the action.
I think Roy could have equally showed his support for Kansas simply by sitting in the Jayhawk section without a cheap sticker that was on crooked all night. As sure as a one-legged duck swimming in circles, I’m sure there will be some media outlet out there hypothesizing that Bill Self will chase the money to OSU, and by Roy wearing this sticker, showing his interest in the possible opening and returning to Lawrence to finish what he started.
Regardless of whether Self stays or goes, Roy is home in Carolina to stay and should have all five starters returning in addition to three McDonald’s All-American’s coming in to solidify them as the pre-season #1 team again next year.