It is no secret — I unabashedly root for Black coaches.
It’s not even two weeks into the new year, about halfway through the college basketball season, before criticism of Ben Johnson’s job as Minnesota men’s coach is being slyly planted into news reports by PWM (primarily white media), which in turn simultaneously plants seeds of doubt in Gopher fans who read such reports.
“The frustration surrounding Johnson and his program could only get louder,” surmised a Star Tribune article last week on Gopher men’s basketball.
Then, before their scheduled Jan. 5 home game against USC, a Rutgers freshman women’s basketball player threw her head coach under the proverbial bus by announcing on social media that she was being benched. Coach Coquese Washington, however, refused to make public her decision.
Following is Washington’s post-game comments when she responded to a reporter’s question:
“For me, coaching is not just about what happens on the court on gameday,” said the head coach. “It’s about how we impact these young women that are in our program in all aspects, from their character to their growth into womanhood and their decision-making. I see my role as a coach as being more than Xs and Os and wins and losses, but how am I impacting the young women in my care.
“That’s always going to be first and foremost, and the decision-making that we do that goes into this program — how am I using my position and my role as head coach to grow teenagers into young women?”
Despite her comments, which made it both in print and on social media, there has been much speculation on the veteran coach’s decision and what really happened without fully reporting both sides.
We talked to Washington last week after her club played Minnesota Jan. 8.
“When you’re dealing with so many different personalities, different teenagers, you got to constantly keep things moving,” stated the third-year Rutgers coach, now in her 15th season overall as a head coach.
Unfortunately, both Johnson and Washington are guiding teams that are struggling this season. Both squads weren’t favored to win the 18-team Big Ten anyhow but instead to finish in the lower division.
In Johnson’s case, the fourth year Gopher HC virtually has dealt with an overhauled roster each year in this NIL-transfer portal age.
“Even after a 19-win turnaround NIT season, Johnson’s name resurfaced in coaching hot seat lists this year,” continued a Star Tribune article last week. “Criticism is growing from some Gopher fans about the present struggles under Johnson.”
But his teams haven’t quit on him. From covering sports for over four decades, I know what it looks like when players quit on a coach, especially during losing times. This isn’t happening under Johnson’s watch.
Rutgers also has been in rebuilding mode since Washington was hired in 2022. Like Johnson, her players haven’t quit on her despite the distracting internal turmoil currently surrounding the squad.
Still, the announcers during the Jan. 5 televised game mumbled aloud why the freshman player wasn’t playing, almost taking sides without fully finding out why.
Both Johnson and Washington are more than capable coaches. Constructive criticism is one thing, but putting out ill-timed jottings in order to get likes, page views, and other attention is dangerous.
Washington’s Jan. 5 post-game comments should be required viewing for all fans and media on what a college coach’s job truly is in the current “me-first” sports landscape.
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo has told me several times how impressed he is with the job Johnson is doing and is a huge supporter of the Minnesota coach. Therefore, once again I must root, root, root for such Black coaches as Johnson and Washington, even if I’m a one-man band in this regard.
“You always supported us well,” Washington told me. “I appreciate that.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.