The Misunderstood Britteny Griner

Cheery story from Karen Crouse on the lovable and misunderstood Britteny Briner- the center from Baylor who punched the girl from Texas Tech in the face.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/sports/ncaabasketball/20griner.html

Karen seems to specialize in these redemption stories.

 

Good grief. I know she's a girl, a freshman, and a freaky good hoops player. It doesn't excuse the fact that she slugged that Tech player (though Griner was chicken-winged by that chick). She served her punishment and Baylor can advance to the Sweet 16.

 

2 games for breaking a nose? Since when is Gary Bettman the AD at Baylor?
Nice to know that Baylor is a New Age Christian School, not one of those eye-for-eye nose-for-nose old school Christian Schools.

 

Jeré Longman contributed reporting from Berkeley, Calif.

Jeré Longman is the NY Times' go-to person for women's college fighting redemption stories.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/sports/soccer/18soccer.html

 

Longman knows about fighting on the court ever since Peter Vecsey popped him and broke his nose during an off-day hoops game at the 1990 NBA Finals at the Palace.

 

Griner's good for the game. I'm really interested to see if she ever reaches her ceiling as a player. That would be pretty scary.

 

Worth a nomination for the Dan LeBatard Award for athlete apologists ...

 

Set a tournament record with 14 blocks tonight. Old mark was 11.

 

And if it was the same announcing team on the WWL that they had Saturday for the Fresno State game, she's all they talked about the whole game. Dreadful.

 

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but this doesn't seem like the typical redemption story or apology for an athlete gone bad. I think it's a fascinating look at a freakishly good athlete who spiraled into the public view because of the punch.
And to tell the story, Karen talked to a pretty diverse group of basketball icons (Michael Cooper, Nancy Lieberman, Bill Russell), and they all offered interesting anecdotes. There was none of the typical "athlete comes from a poor background" or "athlete was never given a chance" hogwash that generally completes a redemption story.

 

With very few quotes about how wrong it was to punch opponent in the face. How about some quotes from Kermit Washington or Rudy Tomjanovich.

This story is consistent with the work of Crouse - The lovable Tank Johnson and his gun collection, Ricky Manning and his tolerance.

 

Britteny Griner should have been suspended for the rest of the season.

The fact that she wasn't speaks volumes about what is wrong with the women's game - the need to try and sell tickets always trumps fairness and doing what is right.