Stansbury Fined $30,000 For Rant After UK Loss

Stansbury fined $30,000 for rant after Kentucky loss

David Miller, The Dispatch

April 15, 2010 4:09:00 PM

Rick Stansbury's lengthy diatribe about John Wall's rebound in the waning seconds of Mississippi State's loss to Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference title game will cost the Bulldogs coach $30,000.

The SEC announced Thursday, per league bylaw SEC Bylaw 10.5.4, which prohibits coaches, players and support personal from publicly criticizing officials, that Stansbury would be hit with the league's first fine for a hoops coach for such an offense.

Stansbury's critical comments came a day after falling to UK 75-74 in overtime of the SEC championship match and a day before opening the NIT against Jackson State.

A win would have clinched an NCAA tournament berth, and Stansbury wasn't aware of John Wall's early entry into the lane during a free throw with under 10 seconds left. State had a two-point lead at the time, and an intentional miss, UK rebound and subsequent basket was needed to force overtime.

It all worked out for UK, as Wall got the rebound and DeMarcus Cousins got the tying shot off.

But with video replay clearly showing Wall several feet into the 3-point arc before the ball touches the rim, Stansbury let loose the following Monday during his usual media gathering.

Once during the media session, Stansbury said "I'm not talking about officiating, I'm talking about the play," but comments made before and after that disclaimer were clearly aimed at a call he thought should have been made.

"It's a very obvious lane violation," Stansbury said. "Both guys in that lane line up outside that three point line. Well the ball's six, eight feet from the rim and you got two guys in the top of the paint, Wall and (Darius) Miller. It's a very obvious lane violation. Obvious. It was not called."

Stansbury continued: "If it's the right call, you make the call. It's a game-changing call. It wasn't something that's even close."

Though Stansbury is the first SEC basketball coach to be fined, University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer drew a $30,000 fine for comments about officiating after the Gators played Georgia in the fall.

Meyer was the first league coach to be fined under the revised and strengthened, which were put in effect before the start of last football season.

What is considered odd about Stansbury's fine is the timing, as the announcement comes exactly one month after his comments were made.

Meyer's fine came one week after the Florida and Georgia played and just two days after that game week's SEC teleconference on Nov. 4, 2009.

Stansbury's reaction to the fine, which was released through the university's athletic department, didn't address the timing or amount of the fine.

"It’s very obvious I’ve said enough already,” said Stansbury. “So, it is what it is.”

David Miller is a staff reporter for The Dispatch who primarily covers Mississippi State sports.