Cappie Pondexter Apologizes For Tasteless Japan Tweets

New York Liberty star Cappie Pondexter apologized yesterday for tweeting over the weekend that Japan was to blame for the devastation of last week's earthquake and tsunami on it's northern coast and then used a derogatory term to describe the Japanese people.

In another case of an athlete's poor timing and worse, poor taste, Pondexter tweeted: "What if God was tired of the way they treated their own people in there own country!  Idk guys he makes no mistakes."

She continued the incriminating tweet: "U just never knw!  They did pearl harbor so u can't expect anything less."

After thousands saw the post, Pondexter had an exchange with an resentful reader, and she used a derogatory word for the Japanese.

Since posting her twisted point-of-view, Pondexter was bombarded with criticism and stepped back from her tweet.

"I wanna apologize to anyone I may have hurt or offended during this tragic time," she tweeted on Monday.  "I didn't realize that my words could be interpreted in the manner which they were.  People that knw me would tell u 1st hand I'm a very spiritual person and believe that everything , even disasters happen 4 a reason and that God will shouldn't be questioned but this is a very sensitive subject at a very tragic time and I shouldn't have even given a reason for the choice of words I used."

Pondexter, who is playing in Russia, declined to comment further.  Her agent, Boris Lelchitski, said the player's comments were taken out-of-context.  "She is very sorry she hurt anyone," said Lelchitski.

The Liberty released a statement, "We have spoken to  Cappie and the content of that conversation will remain internal.  She made a mistake and quickly apologized for that mistake."

It seems unlikely that the team will discipline Pondexter.

This is just another case of an athlete putting their foot in their mouth or their quick fingers to 'SEND.' By now, public figures should know there are a few subjects which should never be trivialized including 9/11, the Holocaust or a natural disaster.  What was she thinking?

Pondexter was a star at Rutgers right before Don Imus got suspended for his insensitive and derogatory remarks about the African-American members of that team on his radio show.

You think Pondexter would have remembered that incident and used better judgement.  At least she won't lose her job...or her home.

Don't Hold It Against St. John's For Victory Over Rutgers

There were still a few defiant Rutgers fans at Madison Square Garden this morning wanting to get their money's worth and waiting to for the final 1.7 seconds to run out in the second round game against St. John's.  Somebody ought to gently tell them the Scarlet Knights team will not be seeing any more action at this year's Big East Tournament. 

While bitter Rutgers fans--and authority figure haters-- have plenty to gripe about after yesterday's controversial 65-63 loss to the Red Storm, don't let it ruin one of the best feel-good-stories in college basketball--St. John's basketball.

Sure, the officials blew a couple of foul-calls against St. John's down the stretch and swallowed the whistle when Justin Brownlee grabbed a bobbled in-bounds toss with 4.9 seconds left in a frantic scramble for the ball.

Sure, the St. John's forward took three long steps (an obvious walk), planted one foot out-of-bounds and tossed the game ball into the stands with 1.7 seconds remaining while the officials scurried off the court, eliminating any chance for the pleading Rutgers players to tie or win the game. 

Sure, the officials, Jim Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton, refused to take a look at the video-tape which clearly showed everyone--including a national television audience--there was still time on the clock, but don't blame the St. John's team.

It's too bad the St. John's team, no matter how far they go in the tournament, will be known less for their win streak and return to prominence, than the tarnished victory.

The blame must be squarely laid on the referees and not the St. John's players.  But others are not immune to the blatant non-calls.

The three veteran officials announced they were voluntarily stepping away from the rest of the tournament.  An admission of guilt?  Maybe.  An admission by the Big East that the three lost control of the game in the waning moment?  Not yet.

A lot of people have to wonder how 19,375 spectators at the Garden saw the infractions and the clueless refs didn't even let out a tweet from their whistles.

Home crowd favoritism--maybe?  It is Madison Square Garden and not the Garden State.

Tim Higgins looked like the grumpy old guy in "Up" as he scampered off the court through the tunnel.  The other two scattered like rats in an alley too.

Many others saw the final gaff by the officials.  One St. John's assistant pulled his jacket over his head in disbelief when Brownlee tossed the ball into the red seats.  Nobody does a victory cover up.

St. John's head coach, Steve Lavin, who was passed over for Big East Coach of the Year, but may have an Academy Award in his future.  Brownlee was walking right at Lavin with an outstretched hand when he touched the sideline. What coach isn't looking at the clock in a close game like this.  Right after the game,  Lavin just said, " Both teams played their fannies off."

It sounds like the majority of Johnnies' fans didn't see the infractions either. It looks like the confessional booths on St. John's campus could be a harder ticket than the tournament quarterfinals at the Garden today.

Blame Rutgers head coach, Mike Rice too.  He saw the whole fandango and bashed his forearms like it was some sort of spastic cheerleading move.  Most Big East coaches would have been over those officials like white-on-rice.  Instead Rutgers fans got Rice-on-Rice.  He should have pulled a Charlie Sheen and dragged those refs backs to the video review table. Even the Rutgers players pleaded with the refs before they brushed past them and ducked off the court.

Give Rice credit though.  He took the high road after consoling his disappointed players.  At a press conference he said, "Would I love to not have it happen?  Of course.  But I made so many mistakes in the game, it's unbelievable."

Chances are slim that the Scarlet Knights could have pulled of the comeback but they deserved to get that 1.7 seconds back.  Now,  St. John's tries to avenge a 76-59 loss in a quarterfinals game against Syracuse.

It would only be fair for the senior-laden St. John's team to get credit for their play after four years of stumbling.  The players deserve credit blending into a cohesive, winning squad and not be labeled fortunate or beneficiaries of a St. John's/Syracuse match-up conspiracy.

 Sometimes tournament play is all about getting a little help along the way.  A tipped ball or a missed call is part of the game.

As Lavin said after the game," We dodged a bullet."  More like four of them.

Officials Leave Court Before St. John's-Rutgers Game Ends. Big East: Game Is Over

In what has to be one of the most embarrassing moments in Big East Tournament history, game officials left the Madison Square Garden court with 1.7 seconds remaining in the game after a player traveled,  stepped out-of-bounds and then threw the game ball into the air.   St. John's was the lucky recipient of the missed call and won the second-round game over Rutgers, 65-63.

The bizarre sequence of events began on a full-court Rutgers inbounds pass, with 4.9 seconds remaining, which was tipped away to St. John's forward Justin Brownlee who dribbled towards the Red Storm bench to shake head coach Steve Lavin's hand but took three steps, touched the sideline and hurled the ball into the air on the way.  While the clock should have been stopped with 1.7 showing on the clock, two veteran officials, James Burr and Tim Higgins, rushed from the court as Rutgers players pleaded and pointed at the clock.  Nothing was discussed.

The non-call which would have given the ball back to Rutgers by either Brownlee stepping out-of-bounds or a travelling call was not the real issue.  Throwing the ball into the stands with time on the clock is a technical foul and would have given the Scarlet Knights two free throws AND the ball.

Lavin, said he didn't see the clock and none of the opposing players or coaches said anything to him during the final handshakes and the frantic play of both teams during the final seconds made it easy for the refs to miss a call.  He would only say that both teams "played their fannies off."

The Red Storm escaped with the win and Rutgers was basically robbed on a couple of other non-calls during the sloppy final minutes.

What's more amazing is the fact that the officials scurried off the court while Rutgers players stood in front of them and pointed out the discretion.  The officials didn't even consider looking at the videotapes.

Conspiracy theorists are having a field day.  Some are accusing the Big East of trying to set up a dream quarterfinal re-match between #4 Syracuse and the local favorites #5 St. John's.  It would be the Red Storm's first Big East quarterfinal game since 2003.

Others are looking at the over/under of 127.5 as a reason for the "muffed" calls, as if Tim Donahay was calling the game and the fix was in.

For now it looks like St. John's will move on in the tournament while Rutgers fans scream and protest the swallowed whistle.  The Big East will not put the two teams on the court tonight and said the game is over.

According to the Mike Francesa Show, the Big East released a statement after the game which said there were "two separate missed calls which occurred during the game...neither error is correctable or reviewable.  The two missed calls were traveling and stepping out of bounds."

Greg Schiano Is A Dictator

In my eyes, the shine has worn off of Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano. Just a few years ago he was one of if not the hottest name among college coaches. He revived a wayward Rutgers program and has led them to more bowls than they could've imagined and he's done it the right way. He's had a couple of sub par seasons and I think it may be time for a change of scenery. If you ask me, I think he's waiting for Joe Paterno to retire so he can take the Penn State job, of course that's no guarantee.

What's not helping his reputation right now is the handling of the Tom Savage situation. Savage was a highly recruited quarterback out of Pennsylvania. Savage didn't exactly light it up during his time at Rutgers and was being yanked in and out of the starting lineup. With all that yo-yo'ing going on, Savage figured he'd had enough and decided to transfer. Here's where Schiano is screwing up. He's limiting Savage's options on where he can transfer. If he was going to transfer within the Big East, I would understand. Savage has looked at Miami, and they do have warm, fuzzy feelings for each other. Schiano on the other hand says he can't go to Miami. Or Florida, Florida State, or Michigan. All schools outside the Big East.

What is Schiano worried about? It's not like the guy is going to come back and haunt him. Savage's dad, Tom Savage Sr. is appealing Schiano's methods. He's not too thrilled about the foolishness Schiano is pulling.

"I don't understand how one person can be dictator over your son's future," Savage Sr. said of Schiano. "I know they recruit Florida, but the ones that want to go to Rutgers are going to go to Rutgers. … It's just wrong. I will talk to a lawyer.''


I have to agree with Mr. Savage. Schiano has no justification to deny Savage to transfer to Miami or anywhere else, especially when a school resides outside of your conference. This is one battle Schiano is sure to lose.