“Beyond the Phog” excerpt: Mario Chalmers on Villanova coach Jay Wright

[teddycoke]

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"Beyond the Phog" excerpt: Mario Chalmers on Villanova coach Jay Wright

"Beyond the Phog" book.
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"Beyond the Phog" book.
The following is an excerpt from "Beyond the Phog - Untold Stories from Kansas Basketball's Most Dominant Decade." Compiled by Jason King of Yahoo! Sports and Lawrence Journal-World sportswriter Jesse Newell, the 400-page book includes interviews with 40 players and coaches from the most successful era in Jayhawks history. "Beyond the Phog" will be available in stores Sept. 30. KUSports.com will run excerpts from the book throughout the next few weeks.

In Mario Chalmers' words ...
A LITTLE PAYBACK

People like to talk about the North Carolina and Memphis games, but one of the biggest wins for us during the NCAA Tournament was against Villanova.

That game was personal, because Jay Wright – the Villanova coach – had also been the head coach of the USA Basketball team that represented the country in the Pan Am games the previous summer. Jay Wright cut both Sherron and me from that team and kept his own player from Villanova, Scottie Reynolds, who had clearly been the worst player at the entire camp. He led the whole camp in turnovers. Sherron didn't play all that well, either, because his knee hadn't recovered from the previous season. But for me, I felt like I did everything right. I led them in steals, I had a lot of assists and I barely had any turnovers. But I wasn't shooting the ball very much. They used one of those international balls, so they were different. I didn't like the ball. I shot maybe six times.

When they cut me, they told me it was because I didn't score and that they wanted a scoring point guard. I was like, "Why do y'all need all these scorers? What do you need a scoring point guard for when you've got all these other scorers?" They had Alonzo Gee from Alabama and guys that could already score. I was just trying to get other players involved. When they cut me, I was hurt. I was like, "Oh, you wanted me to score and you didn't tell me that?" They had told Coach Self they just wanted a guy to distribute the ball, but Jay Wright cut me and kept his own player.

So when it came to the Villanova game, Coach Self called Sherron and me into his office and said, "How do you feel about this Villanova game?" I said, "Coach, this is personal to me. I don't like Jay Wright." He was like, "I understand that, but keep it out of the media." So when the media asked if it was a personal game, we'd say, "No, it's not personal. It's just another game." But during the game we were talking all kinds of s--t to Jay Wright. We'd run by him and tell him, "Sit your ass down! We got this!" Another time we said to him, "This is what you get for cutting us. We're about to dog you!" Anytime we were throwing the ball in from the sideline, when he was standing up trying to call a play, we'd tell him to shut his mouth and sit down. There was one play where I threw a lob to Shady on an inbounds pass and he dunked over Scottie Reynolds. Right before I threw it I looked at Jay Wright and said, "Watch this!" That game was definitely personal for Sherron and me.

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[JWags85]

When you're complain about them keeping a scoring PG over you and saying they had plenty of weapons, maybe Alonzo Gee isn't the best example to pull out.

[Cooby Snacks]

I wonder if there is anything from Chalmers along the lines of, "I went to Kansas because they gave my dad a job."

[avid1010]

Couldn't see myself as a coach allowing my players to talk to the opposing coach that way.  Use it for motivation, but stay classy.  Hard to rip on Jay Wright and then act like that.

[Canadian Dimes]

Couldn't see myself as a coach allowing my players to talk to the opposing coach that way.  Use it for motivation, but stay classy.  Hard to rip on Jay Wright and then act like that.

Spent much time near a BBAll court?

remeber DJO's tech. last year, does not make him a bad kid.

[Skatastrophy]

Spent much time near a BBAll court?

remeber DJO's tech. last year, does not make him a bad kid.

It definitely speaks directly to his character, though.

[avid1010]

Spent much time near a BBAll court?

remeber DJO's tech. last year, does not make him a bad kid.

Enough time...played and coached.  I guess I don't get what that has to do with my comment, unless you simply want to claim it's okay because lots of kids do it.

I don't think it's classy...and no, doing it doesn't make you a bad person.  I never said that.  I also never supported a player in getting a technical foul called on him.  I don't consider myself old-school, but my deal was coaches handle the refs and other coaches, and players just play.  If I got a technical it was planned and for a reason, not because I lost my cool or couldn't control myself.  In my opinion, I don't ever want a player giving the other team free points, and if that decision were going to be made it better be made by me. 

[PE8983]

punk move IMO

[MuMark]

+1...its one thing to get excited and overreact to a play...its another to disrespect an opposing coach during a game.

I'm shocked that Self would allow it and I'm sure Buzz wouldn't.

Enough time...played and coached.  I guess I don't get what that has to do with my comment, unless you simply want to claim it's okay because lots of kids do it.

I don't think it's classy...and no, doing it doesn't make you a bad person.  I never said that.  I also never supported a player in getting a technical foul called on him.  I don't consider myself old-school, but my deal was coaches handle the refs and other coaches, and players just play.  If I got a technical it was planned and for a reason, not because I lost my cool or couldn't control myself.  In my opinion, I don't ever want a player giving the other team free points, and if that decision were going to be made it better be made by me. 

[rocky_warrior]

remeber DJO's tech. last year, does not make him a bad kid.

You mean the technical based on "Count it @#$!"?  Not classy, but hardly in the same class.

[Jay Bee]

Not only does this punk do what he did, he later 'brags' about it.  Sad.

Nonetheless, I still want to hear good chants from our students this season, like loud chants of 'KAREN SYPHER' on MLK day.

[MUBurrow]

I really like the "Watch this!" on the alley oop. I think thats the perfectly appropriate amount of trash talking, because its equally demoralizing. If youre sitting on that Nova bench watching that, and you see these kids call their shot all over your master strategist coach, its like a kick to the nuts.

I don't like the blatant screaming at him to sit his ass down and stuff though. Thats pretty weak.

[BubbaWilliams]

I don't necessarily agree with it, but I understand it. These kids play with a lot of emotion, and sometimes it gets away from them. However, Larry Bird once did something similar to Pat Reilley, which I am totally ok with

[Canadian Dimes]

+1...its one thing to get excited and overreact to a play...its another to disrespect an opposing coach during a game.

I'm shocked that Self would allow it and I'm sure Buzz wouldn't.

Trash talking is as old as the game.  In fact many coaches i have worked with even encourage it as they want their players to be supremely confident and also want them to win the battle of wills with their matchup.

I agree screaming at the other coach may be alittle over the top and my guess is Self was prolly not entirely aware of it nor would he approve.