Yes, Herb Pope — a once Pitt recruit — was shot.
I don’t know what to say. I was happy that he didn’t sign with Pitt, and the thought that it might do him some good to have a fresh start from so many of his entourage and hanger-ons deep in the Southwest was a reasonable wish.
He has had a horrible past year from the standpoint of perceptions. He got tossed out of an AAU Tournament game. He nearly transferred — again. He finally signed with New Mexico State to the relief of many. Then there was his behavior after Aliquippa blew the lead in the final 3:50 of the Class AA PIAA championship game.
I hope Pope has a full recovery. I hope he can still play ball at New Mexico State. I really hope that he finally realizes that his basketball talent won’t excuse all the other things he does with his life. The bullets that tore through his flesh like any one else, are about the most physical representation of not being invulnerable or that special.
“Face it boys…Howland just can’t win the big one. C’mon, “it was the refs”…”we did not play our best game”…”we don’t have a low post scorer”…and on and on. When Howland was at Pitt he could not win the big one becuase “he could not get top flight players there”…Well now his in LA at a BB dynasty…and he still comes up short in the big game. The problem with his “system” is that it does not just rely on great defense to win games, it also relies on the other team to miss a lot of the open looks they get (see Pitt, Kansas). Once he gets deep enough into the tournament that he is facing teams that just don’t miss the gimmies, it’s all over (see Florida, twice). Maybe Donovan has a coaching clinic that Howland can attend…or maybe he can just go drown his sorrows in a case of Gatorade!!!”
Shortly thereafter I was advised to “Go F myself”….Now thats funny!
And Georgetown only made it as far as they did thanks to a blown no-call on an obvious travel by Green.
So it happens.
Too bad GT and UCLA didn’t make it, it would have somewhat validated Pitt’s final two losses! And Florida and Ohio State are sleaze and sleazier. Hopefully there’s a terrorist attack planned for the championship …
(Just kidding … sorta)
