Yael T. Abouhalkah

[catfan28]

http://voices.kansascity.com/node/7292

Frank Martin embarrasses Kansas State

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Against all odds, Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin has created a Top 10 program in Manhattan. It's a surprising and pleasant turn of events for the school and its students. However....

While my colleagues in the sports media business are pumping up Martin as a coach of the year, worth a salary boost and new contract, I have to disagree.

Yes, I watched the way Martin and his rugged band of K-State players scored a 71-62 victory Monday night against the No. 1 team in the nation, the previously undefeated Texas Longhorns.

But I also watched as Martin ran up and down the sidelines, seemingly out of control throughout the game.

His constant yelling and animated displays of anger contributed to an embarrassing display of "leadership" for student athletes. And I say that as a father who has a college-bound senior who has even considered K-State as a possible destination.

At several points Monday night Martin appeared ready to slug someone. I wouldn't be surprised if he does as the games get even more intense with rivals such as Kansas still on the schedule, and as K-State moves down the road toward NCAA tournament play.

Indeed, Martin already has had to apologize for striking a player on the arm during a timeout of a game the Wildcats lost to Missouri a few weeks ago. But after that game, Martin also made it clear that he wasn't going to change his hard-charging ways just to be what he implied would be a politically correct person.

Sure, college coaches get animated. But Martin's behavior Monday night was so far beyond the pale that the ESPN cameras stayed on him at many timeouts or after bad plays by his team. Because ESPN knew the volcanic Martin would be going wild.

It's fine for K-State sports fans to lather praise on Martin for what his team has accomplished under his leadership.

But Kansas State officials also ought to want an authority figure who projects a positive image of the school. And Martin -- with his out-of-control style on the sidelines -- does not do that right now.

[FHSU92]

Who was it that said Martin would be a media darling?  Whoever it was, was right.  Love the PR he garners.

btw, where was this article last year?  Oh yeah, it didn't matter last year since we weren't competing for championships.  Has this guy been asleep at the wheel or what.  I guess bandwagon editorials are better than none.

[cireksu]

What a dork.

[wELLsculptedbrows]

Wow. And I thought his commentary on metro politics sucked.

[feralchat]

Yael T. Abouhalkah strayed for his boring KC city government columns to criticize Frank? GMAFB
Go back to your endless "Someone needs to step up for whatever the issue of the fracking day is" Yael and leave sports to people with a fracking pulse.

[Del Tremens]

Yael's second post on this topic since the game.

It's pretty clear what's going on here, folks.  Yael is aware that his poor writing makes him a prime target for the next round of layoffs at KC's dying rag.

Thus, he's resorted to the oldest, tried-and-true method in the KC media for generating page views:

Rile up the K-Staters.

[Cem Blasoflas]

I read this guy occasionally and he usually makes me want to throw up.  He an ultra-liberal political columnist with a quick trigger to blast any non-PC behavior.  Especially from anyone he views as anywhere right of center.  

He is lying when he claims that he might have allowed his kid to go to KSU if it weren't for our maniacal basketball coach.  His kids will all go to some place like Grinnell.  ku is probably not liberal enough for him.  I'm shocked that he could muster up a column about sports on the same day that his beloved Obama lost his super majority in the senate.  Maybe this is just his way of venting on the poor stupid hicks that went to the polls and wrecked his dream yesterday.

[WillieWannabe]

Can't believe he actually wrote a 2nd one. What a douche nozzle. If all he is basing his "insight" on is the 2 hour b-ball game on ESPN he watched, and does not know what happens outside of on the court, he needs to go work for ESPN.

[KITNfury]

Never heard of him before this week. Probably won't hear of him again after this week either.

[steve dave]

Not gonna lie, feels good having stuff like that written about our coach/team

[EllToPay]

We're the media darlings, folks. Let's get used to the attention.

[michigancat]

we should email that to every AD thinking about firing their coach.  To, you know, help Currie a little.

[giantslor]

I read this guy occasionally and he usually makes me want to throw up.  He an ultra-liberal political columnist with a quick trigger to blast any non-PC behavior.  Especially from anyone he views as anywhere right of center.

He's not an ultra-liberal, he's a very boring moderate liberal.

I'm an ultra-liberal, and Frank Martin fracking rules. 

[WildCatzPhreak]

These kind of stories actually help us a lot.  Hope to see more of them.  Would love to be the school with the hugely successful coach that everybody else wants but nobody else can hire because of 'baggage.'

[steve dave]

These kind of stories actually help us a lot.  Hope to see more of them.  Would love to be the school with the hugely successful coach that everybody else wants but nobody else can hire because of 'baggage.'

We are Cincinatti in their prime.  Feels great.   

[Oklahoma_Cat]

I read this guy occasionally and he usually makes me want to throw up.  He an ultra-liberal political columnist with a quick trigger to blast any non-PC behavior.  Especially from anyone he views as anywhere right of center.  

He is lying when he claims that he might have allowed his kid to go to KSU if it weren't for our maniacal basketball coach.  His kids will all go to some place like Grinnell.  ku is probably not liberal enough for him.  I'm shocked that he could muster up a column about sports on the same day that his beloved Obama lost his super majority in the senate.  Maybe this is just his way of venting on the poor stupid hicks that went to the polls and wrecked his dream yesterday.

Stop trying to mix sports and politics, tard.  Nobody cares if you watch Glenn Beck or not.

[Brock Landers]

I don't know about you guys, but when I see the name Yael T. Abouhalkah, I immediately think "Sports Expert"

[Skycat]

we should email that to every AD thinking about firing their coach.  To, you know, help Currie a little.

Also, we someone should call 1-800-FLOWERS and buy Mr. Abouhalkah a nice bouquet of carnations, for doing EMAW this great service.

[Belvis Noland]

The fact that a guy like Yael is writing (and the ku Star is publishing) articles about Frank Martin is validation of Martin's monumental impact on our school and bball program.

Love him or hate him, it seems like everybody across the nation has an opinion about him.    

So, while I disagree with Yael for obvious reasons, I'm ecstatic to see guys like him taking notice.  I mean, five years ago, 75% of the KC metro wouldn't have even known we were playing a game last night.    

[Cem Blasoflas]

I read this guy occasionally and he usually makes me want to throw up.  He an ultra-liberal political columnist with a quick trigger to blast any non-PC behavior.  Especially from anyone he views as anywhere right of center.  

He is lying when he claims that he might have allowed his kid to go to KSU if it weren't for our maniacal basketball coach.  His kids will all go to some place like Grinnell.  ku is probably not liberal enough for him.  I'm shocked that he could muster up a column about sports on the same day that his beloved Obama lost his super majority in the senate.  Maybe this is just his way of venting on the poor stupid hicks that went to the polls and wrecked his dream yesterday.

Stop trying to mix sports and politics, tard.  Nobody cares if you watch Glenn Beck or not.

Do you get pissed off when people make fat jokes about Whitlock when we discuss his articles here?  Do you call people a tard when they attack Kellis' right to post his thoughts on his own personal ku fan blog?

If some liberal political columnist attacks Frank Martin, then he is every bit as much fair game on here as Kellis or Whitlock.  You and Yael can shove your political correctness agenda straight up your "mother&@#%ing ass."  

"Mother&@#%ing ass" is a direct quote from Coach Martin.

[Oklahoma_Cat]

Do you get pissed off when people make fat jokes about Whitlock when we discuss his articles here?  Do you call people a tard when they attack Kellis' right to post his thoughts on his own personal ku fan blog?

If some liberal political columnist attacks Frank Martin, then he is every bit as much fair game on here as Kellis or Whitlock.  You and Yael can shove your political correctness agenda straight up your "motherfracking ass."  

"Motherfracking ass" is a direct quote from Coach Martin.

   Sorry, corky.  Some of us don't get off on politics like you do, apparently. 

[Cem Blasoflas]

Maybe you should skip over the threads about political writers bashing our coach? 

[Bullfn33]

These kind of stories actually help us a lot.  Hope to see more of them.  Would love to be the school with the hugely successful coach that everybody else wants but nobody else can hire because of 'baggage.'

We are Cincinatti in their prime.  Feels great.   

I thought the same thing yesterday. It is literally happening right before our

[feralchat]

Here's basketball that maybe Yael might like.


A whites-only basketball league aims to launch in twelve cities this summer, according to a report in the Augusta Chronicle. The All-American Basketball Alliance would also ban players born outside the United States.

The league's commissioner, Don "Moose" Lewis, claims that he doesn't "hate anyone of color. But people of white, American-born citizens are in the minority now." Thus, he says, the All-American Basketball Alliance would be "a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like."

The report includes additional shocking quotes from the commissioner:

    Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of "street-ball" played by "people of color." ...

    "Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?" he said. "That's the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction."

Click here to see the rest of the article, which also sheds light on which cities the AABA may be targeting.

[giantslor]

You and Yael can shove your political correctness agenda straight up your "motherfracking ass."  

Anyone using the phrase "political correctness agenda" unironically in 2010 definitely left some brain cells in the '80s.

[85catbacker]

I mean, five years ago, 75% of the KC metro wouldn't have even known we were playing a game last night.    

Five years ago this game would not have been on big monday and gameday didn't even know where mhk was.  Gawd I love this ride!!
     

[Cem Blasoflas]

Here's basketball that maybe Yael might like.


A whites-only basketball league aims to launch in twelve cities this summer, according to a report in the Augusta Chronicle. The All-American Basketball Alliance would also ban players born outside the United States.

The league's commissioner, Don "Moose" Lewis, claims that he doesn't "hate anyone of color. But people of white, American-born citizens are in the minority now." Thus, he says, the All-American Basketball Alliance would be "a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like."

The report includes additional shocking quotes from the commissioner:

    Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of "street-ball" played by "people of color." ...

    "Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?" he said. "That's the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction."

Click here to see the rest of the article, which also sheds light on which cities the AABA may be targeting.

OMG!  I had to google it.  I thought you made that up.

[Cem Blasoflas]

You and Yael can shove your political correctness agenda straight up your "motherfracking ass."  

Anyone using the phrase "political correctness agenda" unironically in 2010 definitely left some brain cells in the '80s.

I can confirm that statement about brain cells.  Sorry if I'm not politically involved enough to know the modern day jargon.  Maybe you jive turkeys can fill me in, man.

[FHSU92]

These kind of stories actually help us a lot.  Hope to see more of them.  Would love to be the school with the hugely successful coach that everybody else wants but nobody else can hire because of 'baggage.'

We are Cincinatti in their prime.  Feels great.   

So, who wins?  Hugg's Bearcats or Martins buck wildcats

[willie83]

His constant yelling and animated displays of anger contributed to an embarrassing display of "leadership" for student athletes. And I say that as a father who has a college-bound senior who has even considered K-State as a possible destination.

Obviously racist against Latinos. She should send her kid to ku.