Was Thad Matta Taunting the Michigan Bench After Buzzer Beater?

March 12, 2010 By 27 Comments

You have surely seen it by now.

The shot heard ’round the Midwest.

The shot that proved, once more, why Evan Turner is best player in America.

But what exactly was going on right after the shot? Thad Matta clearly goes insane and is yelling at someone, ultimately having to be restrained. Watch it again, and we’ll quickly discuss the two hypotheses being bandied about for Matta’s explosion.

Video: Evan Turner Beats Michigan on Last Second 3

[Video h/t: TBL via Levy at TSB]

First, and the one that I thought initially, was that Matta must have been yelling at an official or at the score/timekeeper to count the shot. Here is a message board post that posits the same thought and says that official Ed Hightower initially waved off the shot.

thad-matta-yelling-at-michigan-benchThe other hypothesis, as explained by our good friends @ThunderTreats, is that Matta was yelling at Michigan coach John Beilein. Apparently Beilein was the only Big Ten coach not to vote for Evan Turner for Big Ten Player of the Year.

I have to admit that upon multiple viewings, Matta certainly seems to be a little bit more emphatic and bombastic than if he we were arguing for the shot to count. He certainly looks like he could be talking some serious trash. And considering that it looks like it is Hightower who walks over to restrain him, it is doubtful Ed is the one Matta was yelling at.

Who knows, by the time this gets posted, we may know exactly what Matta was doing. But until then, it’s fun to discuss.

What do you think?

Who was Thad Matta screaming at after Evan Turner's buzzer-beater to defeat Michigan?

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One this is for sure: if it comes out that Matta was talking smack to the Michigan bench, his cache in the state of Ohio is going to skyrocket. I’m not even sure winning a national title could bring him as much Columbus street cred as beating Michigan and then talking trash to them about it afterwards.

If that was the case, well played Matta. You certainly know your base.

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Filed Under: Big Ten Basketball, CBB Tagged With: big ten tournament, Evan Turner, John Beilein, thad matta
About Jerod Morris

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Jerod Morris founded Midwest Sports Fans in August of 2008 and has been its Managing Editor every day since. Follow him on Twitter (@JerodMorris) for MSF updates, sports discussion, and a compelling daily assortment of funny and interesting links.
In addition to his work at MSF, Jerod hosts the fast-growing Indiana basketball postgame show The Assembly Call and provides regular music recommendations at IndieChristmas.com. He also helped develop the Synthesis Managed WordPress Hosting platform on which MSF and all of his other sites are run.

  • Eric

    looks to me like he's just really pumped up about the shot going in . . . am I missing something that indicates he is mad? Matta is certainly not the kind of coach that yells smack at an opposing coach or bench. He is a classier individual that that, and it seems laughable that theory has caught momentum; indeed, he would not be coaching at OSU for long if he conducted himself that way. Oh yeah, nice shot Evan.

  • NicholasGerlach

    I think he would be justified to talk a little smack after Evan Turner hit that shot. The Michigan coach obviously didn't vote for Turner out of Ohio State jealousy. In a situation like that your emotions get the best of you sometimes…it's not as unclassy as not voting for Evan Turner for POY.

  • Bristow

    Just think he was yelling at the refs that it was good… he'll wait until he's talking to Tressel about how easy it is to beat um… they're 19-3 against them

  • http://www.gamebreaker.sportsblognet.com Ben Coleu

    Evan Turner…..triple double waiting too happen

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/deeroods deeroods

    Wow, that is totally amazing. Good stuff dude.

    Jes
    http://www.fbi-logfiles.int.tc

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/deeroods deeroods

    Wow, that is totally amazing. Good stuff dude.

    Jes
    http://www.fbi-logfiles.int.tc

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  • Alec

    That was a sweet shot! I wonder if UofM regrets not putting a guy on the passer?

  • ahdur

    He obviously did not vote for him out of jealousy? really and you know this?? Maybe he thinks that John Wall is the POY based on the fact that he is putting up some serious numbers as a freshman..on a team that is not struggling to beat a .500 team in the final seconds..maybe thats why he didnt vote for him? Idk maybe voting for someone else hardly makes you unclassy…

  • Matt

    John Wall isn't in the Big Ten, so the Michigan coach couldn't have voted him for Big Ten player of the year. There's no reason Evan Turner shouldn't be a unanimous pick for that.

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  • Ryan

    If you look, I think he is saying "Hey John…." and then makes some serious motions before Hightower gets in there. I love the Bucks as much as anyone, but it seems silly to think he would do that to someone unless he has a long history of some sort. Although, Beilein obviously is being a jerk off as well, if EVER there was a unanimous POY, there is no doubt ET would be it. Does seem odd to think that it would be over one vote and a unanimous vs consensus POY award. Which makes me think that there is something in the background and that was just a perfect emotional vent for and part of a series of bad blood.

  • http://www.wyur.org/h Olivia

    Dugg for the shot not the whole taunting business.

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  • http://intensedebate.com/people/KVB KVB

    You obviously don't understand Ohio State. That's is only time he can yell at another bench is against michigan. I bet Woody Hayes never would not have been fired if he punched a michigan player taunting his bench.

  • Sean

    John Wall does not play in the big ten moron… He did not vote for him for Big Ten Payer of the year.

  • Sean

    GREAT SHOT… Smack talk and all! If it was against you, you would hate it… It is is for you, one of the greatest highlights in school history!

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  • http://intensedebate.com/people/JerodMSF JerodMSF

    This is the most accurate comment you've ever posted here.

  • http://twitter.com/kryptiksoul @kryptiksoul

    Love to see players & coaches display uncontrollable emotions sometimes in games. This was awesome.

  • ScottyT

    I thought immediately that Matta was taunting Beilien when I watched the game. I don't think Matta is yelling at Hightower or Beilien, but the other official. The one who handed #23 the ball for the inbound. You can here his whistle going off as he went to the scorer's table. I think Matta was shouting at him that there was time on the clock.

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  • OSUInbred

    Thad matta is a dillweed

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/DIAMONDDAVE19 DIAMONDDAVE19

    West Virginia was happy to pass their non producing coaches off to Michigan.

  • http://www.nocrony.com/ Popi

    Clearly he was saying that the bucket was good and the ball was released from Turner’s hand before the clock expired.