The pinnacle slap heard across the sports activities world on the finish of a faculty basketball recreation Sunday has taken on extra curiosity than right this moment's Daytona 500, NBA All-Star Sport, and Olympics Closing Ceremony mixed.

There are people who help Michigan males's basketball coach Juwan Howard throwing an obvious punch at a Wisconsin assistant coach on Sunday, however there's an amazing quantity blasting the coach.

Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard
Michigan Wolverine Head Coach Juwan Howard speaks to the media in regards to the battle after the sport in opposition to the Wisconsin Badgers at Kohl Heart on February 20, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. Picture by John Fisher/Getty Photographs

This is the fast background. Wisconsin defeated Michigan, 77-63, on Sunday in Wisconsin. Through the post-game handshake, Howard seemed as if he was saying one thing to Wisconsin head coach Greg Garb whereas dodging Garb's handshake.

Garb sidestepped to get in entrance of Howard, and the 2 exchanged phrases. A Michigan participant and Wisconsin assistant coach seem to intervene with an try and separate the top coaches. A small crowd of gamers and coaches from each groups shortly surrounded them, and Howard is proven in video reaching out together with his proper arm to swipe at Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft.

Actual-time video makes it look like Howard threw a punch that ignited a brawl between gamers on either side. A slow-motion replay reveals Howard with an open-handed slap to the again of Krabbenhoft's head.

Coaches from each groups have been separated, however a brawl between Badgers and Wolverines gamers ensued.

This is the video footage of what occurred Sunday afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin.

Warde Manuel, who's the athletics director at Michigan, mentioned he has apologized to his counterpart at Wisconsin, and mentioned the Michigan president despatched an apology to the Wisconsin chancellor.

It did not take lengthy for social media people to spew opinions, and most instantly mentioned Howard ought to be suspended and even fired. (These supporting Howard will probably be talked about beneath as nicely). Listed below are the feedback:

"Do not care who's FAULT it's. That is embarrassing by Juwan Howard. Gotta do higher as a HC," Fox Sports activities host Colin Cowherd tweeted.

Longtime ESPN and ABC analyst Dick Vitale mentioned Howard ought to face "extreme punishment."

"It is unhappy enthusiastic about what I watched in that handshake line because the coach of a gr8 Univ. ala UM couldn't management his mood & practically set off a full blown riot. INEXCUSABLE habits by Juwan Howard MUST LEAD TO SEVERE PUNISHMENT. UM President & AD ought to take ACTION NOW!" Vitale tweeted.

Clay Travis, the proprietor of Outkick, mentioned it is only a matter of time earlier than Howard declares "racism."

"How lengthy till Juwan Howard accuses somebody of Wisconsin of racism to attempt to save himself? I give it 34 minutes," Travis wrote.

CBS school basketball author Seth Davis mentioned Howard's actions are "disturbing" and that the Michigan coach has "zero excuse" for what he did.

"The extra I see the video, the extra disturbing it's. This is the reason Woody Hayes was fired. Juwan Howard must be suspended for a number of video games. As I discussed, this isn't the primary time this has occurred with him and one other coach. Zero excuse," Davis wrote.

Plenty of followers and media personalities blasted Howard for what occurred. However there have been some who mentioned it could be loopy to fireplace the coach—and even give him a prolonged suspension.

Listed below are a few of these feedback:

"Fairly certain they're gonna attempt to bury Juwan Howard now," ESPN soccer analyst Ryan Clark wrote.

Jemele Hill of The Athletic mentioned a suspension was worthy, however not very many video games.

"What Juwan Howard did was improper and suspension-worthy. The remainder of the season appears adequate. Firing him appears excessive," Hill tweeted.

ESPN soccer analyst Damien Woody mentioned firing Howard can be "loopy as hell."

"A few of y'all calling for Juwan Howard to be fired is loopy as hell. We have seen MUCH worse incidents in CBB however certain let's go along with that," Woody wrote.

Wisconsin received the sport, 77-63, however Gard mentioned Howard was most certainly upset over a timeout by Wisconsin with 15 seconds remaining to reset the 10-second clock to get the ball previous mid-court.

"Apparently he did not like that I referred to as the timeout to reset the 10-second name. As a result of we solely had 4 seconds to get the ball over halfcourt," Gard mentioned throughout an interview with CBS after the incident. "I did not wish to put my backups—I had all my bench guys within the recreation—I did not wish to put them in that place of scrambling with solely 4 seconds. So I took a timeout and bought us a brand new 10 seconds and it helped them get organized and get the ball in. And he didn't like that when he got here via the handshake line. I will depart it at that and the tape will present the remainder."

Howard mentioned he thought somebody had put their fingers on him, which led to the melee.

"Somebody touched me, and I believe it was very uncalled for, for them to the touch me, as we have been verbalizing and speaking with each other. That is what escalated it," mentioned Howard, who admitted he did not just like the late timeout. "I did not just like the timeout they referred to as, and I am being completely trustworthy with you," he mentioned. "I believed it was not obligatory at that second, particularly with it being a big lead. I believed that wasn't honest to our guys. And so that is what occurred."

The Large Ten Convention issued an announcement Sunday, not lengthy after the altercation, saying it could take "swift and applicable disciplinary motion."