Damn You Internet Message Board!
| 11
|
by user Pean
OK, I admit. I am a lurker on the Providence College Friars basketball message board. I don't spend my days arguing whether or not they should fire the coach, or agonize over which defense the team should feature, but I like to read what people are saying. It's a good way to keep up with a team that doesn't get much national press.
Anyway, so I'm minding my business at work on Friday afternoon, when my buddy IM's me a scary message: "McD and Curry suspended 7-10 games?"
Now let me explain why this is such a stomach churning message for you non-Friar fans. Over the past 5 years, PC has had so many problems with players leaving/getting kicked out -- it seems that every season we have 8 scholarship players. Their last good season was 2003, when Ryan Gomes led them to the NCAA tourney (1st Round Loss). Although they are not expected to make the NCAA's this year, they have shown some promise with impressive wins against BC and George Washington. These guys play hard and as a team -- I was excited about following these kids for the next few years.
The players in question here, Geoff McDermott and Sharaud Curry, are both Sophomores. Despite their youth, they are the leaders of the team. If they were to miss that many games, it would be crippling -- especially since it would carry over to the start of the Big Eeast season.
So after my friend tells me the news, I of course visit the providence.scout messageboard. The top message? "Curry and McDermott suspended. Out 7-10 games. Violation of team rules." -- it has about 60 replies. The poster is "Shamrock2" -- since I've been a lurker, I know this is not some random dude trying to create false rumors. To make matters worse, the guy who runs the site chimes in with "Word I'm getting is that Rock is dead on." It HAS to be true now! Season over. The Friars can never catch a break!
Fast forward to Friday night, the Friars are about to tip-off against Harvard. On the pre-game radio show, there is no mention of any problems. McDermott and Curry are in the starting lineup. McDermott gets a triple double (12 pts, 11 reb, 10 assists) and the Friars win 101-92 to improve to 9-2.
In the local paper, head coach Tim Welsh was quoted:
"I have not been told there is a problem with any of our players," he said. "Now exams ended Tuesday, so all the grades aren't in on campus, but they played a game tonight. If there was an issue, we would've addressed it now."
Whew. For now at least.
I can't believe I got caught up in an internet sports messageboard rumor. Shame on me. Anyone else have any similar stories of messageboard horror?
Sources:
http://mb4.scout.com/fprovidencefrm1
http://www.projo.com/pc/content/projo_20061222_23pcjo.30f861c.html
