Boynton May Get More with Kindness than Meanness
STILLWATER -- One of my favorite movie lines comes from the classic good vs. gangster flick The Untouchables, Robert DiNero is playing Al Capone and is sitting in the barber's chair getting a straight razor shave. The barber cuts Capone, getting his attention, but then Capone signals he's okay and delivers this line to a listening reporter, "There's was an old saying in my neighborhood that you would get further with a kind word and a gun, than you would with a kind word."
Oklahoma State head basketball coach Mike Boynton challenged that philosophy this weekend and, while we may never know for sure, I think Boynton may have got what he wanted. The rest of this season may tell us.
You know the story well by now, Boynton had seen about as much officiating out of the crew of Patrick Adams, Darron George, and Nathan Farrell. George is an officiating veteran that has a good reputation and Adams and Farrell? Well, if you Google that duo, let's just say it isn't the kind of articles I'd want written about my work on the court.
The three-man crew whistled 51 fouls in the game Saturday won by the top-ranked Bears over an Oklahoma State team that refused to quit 78-70. The Cowboys were apparently the more aggressive of the two teams in the eyes of the officials as Oklahoma State had 31 fouls called against them compared to 20 for Baylor. Four Cowboys, Yor Anei is just over eight minutes, freshman Kalib Boone in 12 and a half minutes, Cam McGriff, and Jonathan Laurent all fouled out.
Hey, I'm not going to pile on with the accusation of preferential treatment for the top-ranked and home standing Baylor Bears. I saw bad calls going both ways. It was clearly not a well-officiated game by about any account.
Mike Boynton had enough after what seemed to be an inadvertent whistle stopped play after a second missed free throw by Isaac Likekele. The officials looked confused and called a foul on Laurent, his fourth. Nine seconds left and Baylor leading by four and going to the line, Boynton couldn't be stopped. He sarcastically clapped in the direction of the officials as the call was made to the scorer's table and Boynton threw in a few choice critiques of the officials' work. Technical foul called, and then after MaCio Teague hit the first free throw on the first "T", Boynton kept it up and got another and an early exit from the floor.
Boynton, unlike many coaches, seemed to get plenty of street cred for his actions. Lowell Gallindo and Lance Blanks, calling the game for ESPN2 called it the "classiest ejection" they'd ever witnessed. On his way out, Boynton went to the free throw line and patted Teague on the backside congratulating the Bears guard on his eventual 24 point effort as he made three more free throws.
Then the Cowboys coach walked over to the Baylor bench and shook hands with Scott Drew, every member of the Bears staff, and each player on the bench before making a slow exit to the tunnel.
"Yeah, I think that is my first ejection," Boynton said when asked by the media. He had already confirmed the same answer earlier Monday morning to the Big 12 This Morning crew on Sirius-XM Radio. "I don't think I was ever ejected as a player, I don't think," Boynton said acting like he was thinking about. "As a coach, for sure. I usually try to be mild-mannered, but at that point I thought it was important for our players to know I have their backs when I feel like it is necessary and I felt like it was necessary."
Boynton was trying to get attention and today during his media availability when Pokes Report's Zach Lancaster asked Boynton if he had heard from either Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby or Big 12 coordinator of (basketball) officials Curtis Shaw, Boynton revealed that he got the call he was looking for when he made his exit from the Ferrell Center in Waco on Saturday.
"I had a conversation with Curtis (Shaw) and I did not talk to the Commissioner," Boynton said. "I look forward to moving on from it and getting ready for a really good K-State team."
Another smart move by Boynton. Revealing anything about his conversation with Curtis Shaw would not help him, which is to get his team treated fairly, fairly in his eyes. Shaw had to call Boynton and watch, I'll bet their will not be a fine for being ejected.
Boynton may truly get more with a kind, or not so kind, word, than going ballistic, throwing a chair, and/or uttering every four-letter word he could think of.
This may be where the classy ejection ends up being the effective action. We'll see.
