PITTSBURGH — Somehow, sportsmanship still is standing after taking a ferocious beating during the weekend.
An MLB umpire refused to shake the hand of a manager during the exchange of lineups before a spring training game. A major college basketball coach left his team's huddle during a timeout to come on the court and stare down a referee. An NBA star player complained about fans' "hostile" and "disrespectful" behavior in Philadelphia.
And then there was this beauty of an announcement by NHL referee Eric Furlatt during Sunday's New York Rangers-Los Angeles Kings game:
"Rangers No. 79 ... is going to wear a match penalty for spitting."
You don't hear that in every game.
Thankfully.
Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller was ejected after spitting toward the face of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty during one of your typical hockey scrums. It was a despicable, unconscionable act by Miller. I'm not sure there is anything more disrespectful that one man can do to another. Miller was suspended by the league for three games on Tuesday even though he went to Doughty after the game to apologize and say the spit was accidental.
Right.
"I was just shocked, obviously," Doughty said. "Whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. It's a pretty big loogie on my face, so I was pretty [miffed]."
Sports people who were miffed was a theme of the weekend.
Count St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol among that group. He had a rather ugly argument over balls and strikes with umpire C.B. Bucknor during a game in August and appeared to tell Bucknor to retire. Marmol didn't see Bucknor again until Saturday when Bucknor was working the Cardinals-Washington Nationals game. Marmol took his lineup card to home plate before the game and extended his hand toward Bucknor, who refused to shake it.
Justifiably, Marmol was significantly more than miffed.
"It's just respect," he said. "You can have disagreements. You still have to go to home plate. ...
"It just showed his lack of class as a man. I just don't think he's good at his job."
Bucknor should be ashamed of himself.
So should Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, for that matter.
Late in Iowa's game against Michigan State on Saturday, McCaffery was whistled for a technical foul. During the next timeout, he came on the court and stared down referee Kelly Pfeifer from about 10 feet away for about 20 seconds. I guess I should be glad McCaffery didn't fling a chair across the court the way Bob Knight did years ago. But McCaffery still looked like a fool. Pfeifer wasn't even the official who gave him the technical. And props to Pfeifer, who didn't back down and stared right back at McCaffery.
Unfortunately, McCaffery has been given credit by many Iowa fans for inspiring his team with his childish behavior. Iowa outscored Michigan State 20-10 after the stare-down to force overtime and went on to win, 112-106.
McCaffery probably is proud of himself.
Good for him, I guess.
One more example of rotten sportsmanship:
This involved fans at the Boston-Philadelphia NBA game at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. Shocking that Philly fans were abhorrent, right? Celtics star Jaylen Brown didn't go into much detail about what was "hostile" and "disrespectful" but could be seen exchanging words with a few fans.
"Even before the game, we was entering the arena. It was people saying, 'I hope you tear your ACL,' " Brown said. "I understand people care and they love the team that they cheer for, but I think it gets a little excessive at times."
I couldn't have said it any better.
Fans pay big money to get in a game. They have every right to boo and even jeer within reason. But wishing an injury on someone? Cursing a player? Using a racial slur?
I wish I could say it only happens in Philadelphia. But I know better. It happens everywhere.
Sadly.
