The Barbar Shop: Values on the Road

It wasn’t the Thanksgiving weekend Green Bay coach Brian Wardle had in mind, not with a one-sided defeat to Virginia, picked fourth in the ACC and arguably one of the best defensive teams in the country.

But, with dad at his side, it was hardly a total loss. Brian’s father, Jim, who lives in Chicago, doesn’t get to see his son coach in person very much. On this weekend, though, dad was part of the Thanksgiving weekend travel team chartering to UVA. And, if you ask Brian, without his dad (or mom), he would never have been a Division I head coach.

“I was raised in a tough love household. I was held accountable for my actions. And it’s made me what I am today. It’s how I coach my team, with tough love and accountability. But, I’m also my players’ biggest cheerleader.”

Some people call that old school. In some instances, using the term like an insult.

Too bad. In the wake of the horrors allegedly involving Penn State and Syracuse coaches, what’s wrong with accountability? Does it get in the way of profitability? On a recent SportsCenter on ESPN, a telling graphic was revealed: The Year of the Scandal. It listed the major scandals of the year. There were several. And, this was before the headlines broke at the New York school with the orange colors.

Could we use more stories like the Wardles riding the bus, en route to dad sitting a couple of rows behind son coaching one of his bigger games? Certainly. Are those stories as exciting as the ones we’re hearing lately across the country? Hardly.

Maybe,we could use some perspective; that is, if we ever had any to begin with.

I made a stop in Ypsilanti, Mich., the home of Eastern Michigan, a day after the Virginia game. That night, at a local hotel, there were reports of Ohio State and Michigan fans arguing, spilling beverages and brandishing weapons. I was there when four policeman arrived to restore order.

When I asked one of the hotel personnel what was happening, he said (with a smile): “It’s just a typical Ohio State-Michigan weekend.”

I’m not sure what was more disturbing. The boorish behavior of those fans, or his comment.

It’s not necessary to wax poetic how life is simpler on the mid-major level. Although, it does seem to be less chaotic. Maybe, that accountability thing, that tough love approach has something to do with it.

Playing for a tough love coach can’t be easy. You don’t always get to hear what you’d like.

But, you likely get to hear what you need.

There’ll be better days for the Green Bay basketball team. It’s a youthful group with promise.

But, for the Wardles, and a father-son reunion on a basketball trip during the holidays, there may not be better weekends.

A veteran sports broadcaster, Jim Barbar will be on the call for all eight Horizon League Games of the Week this season and will be sharing his thoughts and observations on the Horizon League throughout the year. Barbar is also working for ESPN throughout the college football and basketball season.