No excuse for Miami coaches' behavior

IT WAS LATE at night. There had been drinking. There was arguingover sports. Chairs were flying. Somebody got knocked out.

Unfortunately, though, the action didn't take place at the localbeer joint. It took place at Marshall Stadium. It was replayed onESPN over and over.

And in the aftermath, sure, fan Robert Flaugher got knocked out.But Miami's coaching staff is the one with the black eye.

Two Miami assistant coaches were suspended. One, defensivecoordinator Jon Wauford, was suspended for allegedly shovingFlaugher. The other, Taver Johnson, is out for damaging Marshall'svisiting coaches' box.

Yours truly went to see the damage late Tuesday night. And it wasextensive. It looked like the work of a spoiled 12-year-old. Awatermelon-sized hole here. Over there, punch marks from the bottomof a folding chair.

Had a professor at Miami done something similar, he or she would,undoubtedly, be gone. Then there was the alleged action of Wauford.

"I don't want to prejudice our investigation of the facts," saidMiami president James Garland, "but I have to tell you, as president,to see one of my coaches led away in handcuffs was one of the mostdifficult things I've seen since I've been here."

The comment was haunting because the school's initial pressrelease, which announced the suspensions, brought up excuses likeInternet bulletin board material and warnings of "food poisioningefforts."

That said, fans are getting out of hand. I'm not saying Flaugherdid. I do not know. He said he was simply running across the field.His brother said he was waving good-bye to the Miami players. Eitherway, the guy doesn't deserve a forearm shiver, if that's what hereceived.

But people, please, learn a lesson here. Don't tempt fate - orangry, large football players and coaches. Don't taunt. Have someclass. And keep your joy to yourself and your friends.

"Fans aren't supposed to be on the field - simple as that," saidoutspoken West Virginia assistant Herb Hand. "They tell you that;they make announcements. It's like Mike Curtis of the Baltimore Coltson the NFL highlights. A guy goes out, tries to get a ball and getsknocked out. I mean, you're not supposed to be on the field."

Yours truly got a taste of the emotion after the Akron game whenMarshall's Byron Leftwich slapped down my tape recorder. That wassans taunting.

"There are high emotions in this game," said Hand. "What peopledon't understand is that those coaches have families. Theirlivelihoods are riding on those games. You prepare week in and weekout. A lot of effort and hours go into it. There's a lot riding onit. It's an emotionally charged sport.

"Now, should a coach knock the hell out of somebody? No. I'm notsaying that. But if you go down on the field, you're entering at yourown risk, in my opinion."

Also, don't take the kids near a coaches' box.

"There's a lot of emotion in there," said Hand. "Sometimes the TVguys put a camera on you and you want to put your hand over the lens.There's hair and skin flying up there."

Perhaps we as a society should take blame for making football sohighly charged. But players and coaches know the deal. Go into thearena and you have to put up with abuse and, yes, bad officiating.You're expected to keep your anger in check.

Otherwise you'll get into the mess in which Miami finds itself.I'm sure the RedHawks feel they were wronged. And they may have been.Two pass interference calls that late in a game never happens. Ever.

But Miami's coaches will realize their actions haven't garneredsupport from the rest of America. Fans will speak of the allegedshove. They'll speak of the damaged press box. Those around here knowthe RedHawks blew off the postgame press conference.

So there may have been obnoxious fans. The officials may have beenwrong.

But today it's the Miami coaches sporting the shiner.

To contact sports editor Mitch Vingle, send e-mail tomitchvingle@wvgazette.com or call 348-4827.