Giddens' lack of control a detriment to team play

Editor,

Is it me, or does the Lobo men's basketball team play more as a team when J.R. Giddens isn't in the game? Granted, he had a long-overdue good game in the Lobos' final home appearance of the season, but just as head coach Ritchie McKay got canned, so should Giddens.

Part of the reason McKay got fired was because the program was not up to par. Although McKay is a decent coach, his biggest mistake, which ultimately cost him control of the team, was recruiting the egotistical, hot-headed Giddens. There's nothing wrong with expressing oneself, but Giddens goes overboard on the court and in the locker room. I can recall a time on the "Lobo Coaches Show" when Giddens got so upset over how McKay handled a situation that he punched a brick wall, obviously knowing the cameras were there. Is this the way a team captain should behave?

The glory Giddens receives from the media has unfairly overshadowed the other players. This has obviously changed the team's dynamic on the court. The Lobos haven't been playing as a team. They have been playing as a bunch of individuals with egos as oversized as their game shorts.

Here's a suggestion: Get rid of Giddens. Then maybe he'll take his temper tantrums with him. If he does remain on the team another season, hopefully McKay's successor will have the guts to either give him the boot or not allow him to mouth off to authority. Hopefully, the new coach will find a way to bring out the best in every player, and the media will treat every player like a star.

Samuel Chavez

CNM student