When Coach K of Duke said that he was suspending Grayson Allen indefinitely, fans figured that Allen would sit out for a few games now that the conference games had started. But now, just after one missed game, Grayson Allen is back in the Duke line-up. Allen was being punished for intentionally tripping an Elon player, and this was his third tripping in the calendar year. Many people were happy that Coach K was finally going to hold a player responsible for childish behavior, but once again, it seems that the Blue Devils coach is having problems following through.
After Duke’s Grayson Allen tripped yet another player, Coach K forced Allen to apologize to the player, and the Elon coach, Matt Matheny. After a lot of pressure, Coach K announced that Grayson Allen was being suspended “indefinitely, ” says the Inquisitr. Even Duke fans were calling Allen out as a cheater and thought that Coach K needed to do something to help him get over his temper tantrums. For his last two tripping incidents, Allen was reprimanded by the ACC, but Duke did not give him any punishment on the school level.
Grayson Allen Returns From One Game Suspension Duke Rolls WATCH at: https://t.co/eEsQvdXubW pic.twitter.com/mxpbBjsaML
— friendlydb (@friendlydb) January 5, 2017
The Washington Post says that Coach K was intentionally vague when he gave Grayson Allen an “indefinite” suspension . Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski refused to commit to a timeframe what he spoke to sportscaster Dan Patrick about what length of time Grayson Allen was going to need to break him of the habit of tripping opposing team players. But Coach K had never sounded more wishy-washy.
“Maybe it’s one game. I don’t know that right now. Maybe it’s three. Maybe it’s two weeks.”
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But on Wednesday night, junior guard Grayson Allen was back in the line-up against Georgia Tech. Coach K backpedaled and seemed to think that Allen had learned his lesson.
“I think it’s appropriate, what we’ve done.”
Coach K said he also took into account the opinion of Duke Athletic Director Kevin White, who agreed that one game was enough for Grayson Allen to learn a lesson. But it’s likely that the loss Duke took at the hands of Virginia Tech (75-89), playing without Allen, had more of an influence that anybody’s individual opinion. But that didn’t stop basketball fans on Twitter from sharing what was on their mind.
“So Grayson Allen was suspended indefinitely… for one game? Got it.”
And obviously, sarcasm ruled the day.
“Really hope Grayson Allen recovers from that harsh punishment. Not sure how he’ll make it.”
And to keep it timely, one fan threw in a Mariah Carey joke.
“Mariah Carey sang longer on New Year’s than Grayson Allen was suspended.”
But CBS sports analyst Gary Parrish wondered why Coach K brought Allen back for the Georgia Tech game, because with a final score of 110-57, it seemed as if the Blue Devils could have handled the Yellow Jackets without Grayson Allen. Bur Parrish said he absolutely would have kept him out for one more game.
“So why bring him back and invite all of this criticism when you almost certainly don’t need him to win the game for which he’s returning?”
But perhaps the bigger reason that Coach K just got it over with, putting Grayson Allen back in the line-up has more to do with the coach and less to do with Grayson Allen. Coach K is about to take a leave of absence to have back surgery, leaving former player, Jeff Capel, the assistant coach, in charge of the team. It is likely that Coach K thought that Capel didn’t need the distraction of trying to decide if it had been long enough that Allen rode the pine.
Grayson Allen’s back, Harry Giles starts&K coaches one more (for a while) as #Duke get 1st #ACC W 35 images>> https://t.co/aq5TmsFR5o #wral pic.twitter.com/kxKB7tZGGU
— WRALSportsFan (@WRALSportsFan) January 5, 2017
But those who hate Duke are watching closely to see if Grayson Allen learned anything from his one-game suspension.
Do you think that Grayson Allen will trip another player this season? Will he go pro at the end of this season?
[Featured Image by Gerry Broome/AP Images]