@ralster
We usually agree on stuff like this, but I have to respectfully dissent on your superfluity assessment. To me, this game and that handshake line interaction between Shaka and Bill showed the positive side of coaches behaving like positive teachers and leaders rather than just as General Patton wanna be’s. It appeared to me Self was signaling he respected Shaka for coaching the game the way Shaka appeared to coach it, which was very much tilted toward recognizing the limits of his team and the imminence of the next game in 2 days for Texas and 3 for KU. And Bill showing that kind of respect and appreciation to a young up and comer probably turned their relationship more into “their” appropriate collegial relationship than into more of the old petty stuff that was really a hangover from Shaka growing up in the Pitino Owes Kansas forever nonsense that probably got them off on the wrong foot in the first place. Professionals have to fight as gladiators, but as professionals they have it in their authority to determine the limits and purposes of the fight, and to decide where and when it must be a fight to the death, or just a hard fought game. Coaches are , as all professionals are, on the same side. They are instituted and trained to play out roles in society. Their mission, except in the military and Intel is not to destroy the life and career of the opposing coach, but to develop a competitive, money making program that helps players learn to play, get an education, and win as much as is feasible. Whether you win on Saturday or Monday is immaterial. That you try to win as much as possible while doing the rest of your job is your duty. Trying all out to win a game on Saturday that you probably can’t win and so costing yourself a high probability win on Monday would be both unprofessional and stupid. I believe moving forward we will see knock down drag out battles for supremacy between Bill and Shaka, but we will never see the pettyness again. Both men acted like pros in a charged circumstance and now both men trust and respect each other more as a result. This was a win-win for B12 basketball if ever there were one. And I believe for the first time that Shaka is ready to scale the mountain. Old coaches can do this sort of thing for young coaches. They can help them transition beyond just the General Patton stuff to full coaches. Every young professional needs to run into a guy like Self. You may lose some games but look at Frank Martin and Rick Barnes and even Squeaky. They are all better professionals for having squared off with Self, not just better coaches.
