Bob Svec writes:
 
>At 07:28 AM 4/8/99 -0600, Arthur Berman wrote:
>>On Thu, 8 Apr 1999, Tony Buffa wrote:
>>
>>> Hey Larry:
>>>
>>> I hope you refer to Wooden only in the Won-Lost sense. Wooden was much
>>> more than a coach, he was a teacher of life and a great humanitarian. I
>>> should say "was", should be "is".
>>>
>>Walsh may be a great bench coach, and he certainly knows how to produce a
>>winner, but I still believe it reflects poorly on Maine that he was not
>>fired.  Walsh, and Maine because they retained his services, lack basic
>>ethics.
>>
>>My sincere congratulations to the Maine team and its fans, but not to the
>>institution and its coach.
>
>
>It is sad to see people with hearts so black and souls so filled with hate
>that they are unable to forgive others who have made mistakes.  I know they
>must be or more accurately think they are "perfect people" in every way.  I
>hope you "perfect people" never become parents or are put in positions of
>authority because you will surely castigate and abandon your children or
>forever trash your subordinates if they make human errors.
 
Bob, I already am a parent, have been one for thirteen years.  One job a
parent has is to teach their kids right from wrong.  If they do wrong,
there are consequences.  Unfortunately, there were none for Mr. Walsh. Oh,
I forgot the one year suspension where he got set up in a cushy job by some
Maine booster. The school allowed him to come back, ignoring the
responsibility it has to uphold ethical behavior for its students, alumni
and general community.
 
>>I also give my sincere congratulations to the Maine team and its fans, but
>also to the institution and its coach.  The university showed courage in
>working with Walsh in time of troubles even though they could have deserted
>him. If they had done that Maine probably would have only received a light
>slap on the wrist from the NCAA.   That appears to be the normal easy way
>out that is so common when the NCAA comes down on an institution.
 
I firmly believe that UMaine's response was not "courage" but a show of
inadequacy.  Walsh had sold them such a bill of goods since he had been
there that he was the savior that, I think, the university felt that they
could get no one else to take his place.
>
>It is clear Shawn Walsh learned from the experience and has shown both great
>coaching ability and humility.  Shortly after the winning goal was scored
>and his team was delirious with joy, Walsh was interviewed by ESPN.  He said
>something like this...the first National Championship was for the State of
>Maine but this one is for the team because of all of the difficulties they
>overcame.  The players did not cause the problems with the NCAA it was my
>fault.
>
>It takes a big and decent man to expose his human frailties on national TV
>when he could be celebrating with his team.  I doubtf the "perfect people"
>are capable of understanding that.
 
"Decent men" don't cheat, and then lie to cover it up.
 
Greg Ambrose
 
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