Kent State's Chris Singletary was ejected early from Kent State's win over Akron for throwing a punch into the gut of UA's Nate Linhart. The video — and the strong reaction of broadcasters Michael Reghi and Steve Mix — is below.
I talked to Kent State AD Laing Kennedy about an hour ago, and he said he and basketball coach Geno Ford would discuss whether to take further action against Singletary (who has had other problems off the court). Kennedy said the officials made the right call, and added that a suspension was on the table. As Dave Carducci wrote in the Record-Courier: "Chris Singletary's punch to the sternum of Akron's Nate Linhart set an ugly tone to Kent State's regular season-ending rivalry game at the M.A.C. Center."
Carducci also opined that Singletary should be suspended for one game — an opinion I agree with completely. The question to me isn't should he be suspended, it's for how long. I might even consider the entire MAC Tournament. A decision should be announced this afternoon.
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that linhart kid must have paul pierce as his favorite nba player. he was hamming it up so bad they should have draped a cape over him ala james brown. yeah, the punch was stupid but it wasn't that hard. it probably hurt a bit too but linhart's reaction was way over the top.
Why couldn't the kid punch Reghi in the breadbox? I'm no advocate of violence, but if you're going to do it, at least punch somebody who requires it. I wouldn't lose any sleep if The Human Thesaurus went down for the count.
Agree with you completely Pat. Let me preface this with the fact that I'm an Ohio University guy so I'm fairly neutral when it comes to Akron vs Kent.
They should really sit Singletary down for a game due to what I would term as a non-basketball play. Call Linhart Paul Pierce if you'd like, but let's see how you react when someone punches you in the spleen while you're 1. not expecting it and 2. defenseless. In addition, they need to sit this kid down and have a talk with him about the type of behavior that's expected if he wants to continue as a student-athlete at this level. (As Pat mentioned, Singletary has his share of past issues).
Also, this happened a minute and a half into the game! It's not like there was physical play on both ends of the court and eventually it went over the edge. Really no excuse for something like this, and I hope the Flashes take action.
No pain, no gain. If that skinny kid actually felt something in his spleen from that little love tap, then I think it's high time to get a personal trainer and start some spleen kettlebell exercises. A cheap shot, but come on.
And please, don't refer to Singletary as a "student-athlete." I hate that term. A "student-athlete" is as common as a "well-hung eunuch."
As a student at Kent State and a fan of the basketball team that really embarrassed me. There is no question he should be suspended.
If Dambrot's accusation that this has happened before (I think he said 8-10 Times, and he finally got caught) Singletary should be suspended for rest of season. Does Kent condone this kind of behavior…do they want players with this thug mentality? I was at the game and heard people booing Linhart like it was his fault! One adult women even said "I hate Linhart, he such a big baby!
Alan,
What's the commercial that talks about "going pro" in a field other than the sport they play? That's the case for 99% of MAC athletes. Truth is this kid is a good at a sport and he gets free tuition because of it. If he can't live up to his end of the deal (IE: representing the university in a classy manner on and off the court) then they should yank his scholarship plain and simple.
Yank his scholarship? In what alternative reality?
I got a kick out of reading about his major. "Human movement studies." Do you honestly believe that any university which isn't located in Berkeley, California is actually offering a degree in "human movement studies?" If the university actually cared about representing itself in a "classy manner," then it would first eliminate the classes designed for the Andy Katzenmoyers of the world.
The only thing that kid Singletary did wrong was putting the program in a position to have to slap a wrist for appearances sake. A YouTube spleen tap is far more obvious than the outright mockery of a "student" curriculum which the public will never see. That's far more outrageous than some weak hello in the belly. Odd that Reghi will never mention the academic jokes for whom he shills.
to be fair to kent state, that's just the concentration area of his p.e. degree. all universities offer a workout degree for athletes.
i've got no beef with suspending the kid a game but yanking his scholarship is a bit extreme. unless his prior offenses, whatever they are, are accounted for in the penalty.
i've played a lot of hoops in my time and have been whacked a lot harder than that. sure, it hurts. but i never put on a dramatic show. i just pounded the guy on the other end of the floor.
Wow, I can't believe that Kent Fans condone this. I would like for any of those who think Nate was being a baby to run up and down the court for 1:08 then run and jump in the air and let someone who is 220lbs+ to wind up and punch you in the guy while you are in midair. Any takers? Watch the slowmo again and this time hit the space bar repeatably to watch it frame by frame. Watch how far he cocked his hand back.
I'm not saying you kick a kid off the team for this and this alone, but we're talking about a kid who's been in trouble with the law for a noise violation, nuisance party, DUI, and driving without a license (I believe those are all seperate incidents too). I'm not even saying you kick him off the team for *this* violation.
I'm saying if you're Laing Kennedy you sit him down this offseason and tell him one more slip-up, one more arrest, one more punch thrown on a defenseless player and it's curtains.
Kids get kicked off teams for behavioral issues like this all the time at the college level, and I'm all for second chances… But at some point you have to straighten up and fly right.
I feel badly for Linhart that he's had his spleen moved to the center of his chest. I did not know.
As for the KSU player, it would seem a game suspension would be appropriate.
It's a sad commentary on Akron that they had this extra motivation and one of KSU's best players out of the almost the entire game and still lost. Seems to be an ongoing pattern for them to lose every time a title is on the line.
In addition, I completely agree with tps. Those who are ripping on Linhart here are out to lunch. It's not football, nobody's in pads, and he gets punched in the chest when he's defenseless with an arm in the air.
Again, not a Zips fan in the least here, but that's a dirty play, and when you add it up with the rest of Singletary's infractions he's on a pretty slippery slope.
it's a dirty play. not an excuse to re-enact a shakespearean tragedy.
btw, i'm a montana state grad so i have no dog in this hunt.
My point exactly, terje. If Kent State gave a damn, they wouldn't offer a workout degree. That kid is a starter. Nothing is going to happen outside of one game he won't be allowed to play, and that's only because of outside pressure to do something, even if it's really nothing. Oh, the pain.
HR Job Interviewer Chick: "So, Mr. Singletary, I see your major was human movement studies at Kent State University. Tell me how your major in human movement studies will translate to getting a job here at ABC Company."
Singletary: "I will be able to successfully describe how and why the receptionist's ass moves forward like the plumage of a blue heron in flight while I am sliding downward as if roller skating on sweet melted butter."
HR Job Interviewer Chick: "NEXT!"
Its over now. KSU suspended him. http://www.kentstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47654&SPID=4464&DB_OEM_ID=11400&ATCLID=3688912
Looks like I hit the nail on the head. That'll teach him to behave, you can't play against the 10-19 team!
Alan,
your assumptions about his major are laughable at best. Sports studies and other physical education degrees require foundation knowledge in biology and physiology. The types of jobs for someone with such a degree include physical trainers, physical therapists, coaches, sport performance enhancement, and the list goes on. Mock it all you want, but there is A LOT of money in sports.
I agree, the standard university Andy Katzenmoyer Program is both quite educational and quite lucrative. From coast-to-coast, all universities offer these programs because they're so darned cerebral. A little Math 101 here, a little English 100 here, a little Biology 106 there. Sprinkle that knowledge between the golf and AIDS awareness classes. A veritable challenge for the brain cells. A golden future at Bally Total Fitness awaits!
Why all the attention to Singletary's major? Who cares? I'm doing just fine and I was a History major, not exactly nuclear physics. And I wasn't even an athlete, unless you count intramural bowling.
The reason people in the stands were hating on Linhart is because 90% of people had no idea why he was on the ground. The MAC Center jumbo screens can't show instant replay. And before someone else says something, I think that's lame too (and I'm a Kent alum).
what a piece of trash chris singletary is
Why all the attention to his major? Because it gave me a chuckle. Human movement studies. Conveniently housed in the Kent State University School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport.
Colleges are always a bountiful source of unintentional comedy, especially when they create majors to specifically pander to their athletic programs. I guess for Singletary, it all came down to a choice between this challenging academic program, or Kent State's major in holding a pyramid over your head with a minor in administering holistic colon cleansings.
Watched the video a few minutes ago. That sucker punch was the worst thing I've seen on a collegiate basketball court since Luke Witte was mugged in Minnesota.
"… Gophers forward Corky Taylor then punches Witte in the head. Apparently remorseful, Taylor extends a hand to the fallen Witte and—when the dazed Witte accepts it – uses Witte's arm as leverage to knee him in the groin. Minnesota reserve Ron Behagen then comes off the bench to stomp Witte on the neck and head."
I wonder which prison Taylor and Behagen are in now?
I also ask why Linhart hasn't filed assault charges against Singletary. I would. Just because one participates in a sport does not remove you from the expectation to comply with our laws.
And, wasn't there some incident last year involving Linhart? Where he was the instigator in some type of altercation? Was this a response to something which happened last season? I seem to recall reading about this.
You've gotta be freakin' kidding me. A light little love tap to the upper belly of a skinny wussy is like the Witte beatdown? It ruined Witte's career! Sorry, but you're drunk on a keg of Colt 45. Maybe two kegs.
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