It gets tiresome to hear the same old talking points by all of the announcers covering University of Kentucky games. The most overused is the constant discussion about Demarcus Cousins supposed attitude problem.
We’ve been told all winter long that Cousins’ temper was going to cost the Cats. However, after 27 games, Demarcus has yet to do anything other than produce “big time”. I expect that we will continue to be warned in future games at the first sign of emotion that he is a ticking time bomb.
I mean seriously, at some point doesn’t the media have to change the script. It is not as if Cousins has not had some issues but who would not get fed up with the abuse he takes.
He constantly gets baited and he has had a couple of skirmishes but most of the time he walks away. I doubt that most writers and broadcasters would do better if they encountered comparable grief and aggravation while doing there jobs. Believe me, I have witnessed the media go ballistic over far less.
The most galling is the double standard. Cousins gets scolded for being unsportsmanlike when he reacts to physical and verbal abuse that gets directed his way; yet nobody ever seems to object to what he has to endure.
The Louisville game is a good example. Cousins’ gets an early technical foul because of a forearm delivered during a scramble for a loose ball. Some analysts felt the technical was not enough and called for an ejection and even a suspension.
Yet, it gets completely overlooked that the Cardinals got two technical’s on the same play and that Cousins took a knee to the head delivered by a Cardinal player. I’m not excusing the forearm, Demarcus shouldn’t have behaved that way but it’s hypocritical to single out one and not the other.
To make matters worse, because of the attention, more and more teams are trying to set off the time bomb with roguish behavior and use it to their advantage. Isn’t that unsportsmanlike? Shouldn’t teams that stoop to that level be taken to task? I think so.
Cousins is a wonderful player but he is not without flaws. He is an emotional kid that does need to mature. However, I think too much is being made about his conduct. My wife calls him, “a kid that cares about his team and about winning”. She’s correct in my opinion and most players would be lucky to be saddled with that problem.
SEC Brackets (Updated 2/24/10)
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Nice article. I agree totally!
Listen to Doug Gottlieb yesterday 02/25. He had Jerry Tipton on and ask him about DeMarus Cousins be heavily medicated. Of course Jerry did not know what he was talking about. Gottlieb did not state why Cousins was heavily medicated or for what. I took it as he was saying that DeMarcus had mental issues. Later I found out big cous was sick and taking medication to combat the sickness.
I find it hard to believe that Doug Gottlieb did not know that part of the story. I doubt very serious he did not check in to story before reporting it on a national radio show. Especially after this week sportscenter getting duked by a fake brian westbrook call live on the show. Of course, I am bias but felt like he left report open end to miss direct the public.