Social Media Responds To Stackhouse Post-Game Comments On End Of Streak
A point of pride for current and former players along with fans of the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team came to a crushing end on Saturday as their streak of 1,080 consecutive games with a made three-point basket was stopped by the rival Tennessee Volunteers inside Memorial Gym.
As the minutes ticked away in the second half, fans on social media knew the streak was in jeopardy and the comments began to fill social media. It grew worse immediately following the final buzzer as the realization that it was over began to set in.
The levels of upset varied with some being ho-hum to others that were more upset.
Former Commodores standout Drew Maddux commented on the end of something he was part of creating.
If that wasn't enough, a comment made by Commodores head coach Jerry Stackhouse in his post-game press conference brought a different level of comments to the discussion.
"We didn't step into our shots with confidence and when we got down to the end of the game we sensed the pressure on the guys from every shot we too, especially when we got down to the end of the game and hadn't made a three," said Stackhouse. And fans were more concerned about the threes than us really getting baskets."
"To be honest with you, guys were playing their expletive's off trying to compete but it happens man, those guys, I felt for those kids because they were out there playing and trying to compete and trying to do things the right way," continued Stackhouse. "It just didn't work out for them. We took 25 threes and what are the odds, the one we did make we get a shot clock violation. It wasn't meant to be, and now it's time to start the real streak we want to end is the losing streak."
It got worse as more fans joined the conversation.
Make no mistake, fans have every right to be disappointed or upset that a long-time point of pride for the Vanderbilt community is over and that it ended at the hands of their most hated rival, but to say Stackhouse didn't care or take it seriously is in my opinion wrong.
I'm not one to defend someone when I don't feel they deserve it, but after watching and listening to Stackhouse during that post-game press conference it's my opinion that Stackhouse knows full well the importance this streak meant to fans.
Having played in college and at the highest level in the NBA, Stackhouse is a competitor of the highest caliber and the history of the sport and of his new school are not lost on him.
So then why the flippant comment?
This season is far from over as far as the number of games remaining on the COmmodores schedule and Stackhouse has to keep coaching and keep this team together and playing to the best of their abilities the rest of the season. He can't do that if he loses the locker room or the players quit on him because he called them out over the end of this streak.
It might not play well and probably shouldn't for fans, but this was about his players and what they need as opposed to the needs of the fans.
This could be rock bottom for fans who have endured the last few years, the injuries and the current conference losing streak, but the current issues of this season's team shouldn't all fall on Stackhouse. He can only control so much, and his players going 0 for 25 from three is beyond his control. He's doing what he can with what he inherited and trying to put together a new team after the loss of his best player Aaron Nesmith.
