Accepting Defeat with Class

I'm not really a big fan of women's basketball. I'll watch some of a Lady Vols game from time to time if it's on TV (but only if there's not much else on). I've not been to a Lady Vols game in several years.

However, this year, like every year, I did tune in as the NCAA women's tournament began. Since the Lady Vols are the "two-time defending National Champions", I was interested to see how they would fare this year, with what is, in effect, a totally new team. As it turns out, a first-round loss to Ball State was a crushing defeat but not entirely surprising based on the UT team's inconsistency this season.

What impressed me most, however, was how Pat Summitt, the Lady Vols legendary coach, handled the defeat. As the game drew to a close at the final buzzer, after what she later called "one of the most disappointing losses I've ever been associated with", Coach Summitt stood patiently on the sideline as the Ball State coaches shared briefly in the victory celebration, she then congratulated the winner and immediately went over to the ESPN announcers desk for a prearranged post-game interview (in what ESPN most assuredly thought would be a Lady Vols victory). She expressed her disappointment and frustration and congratulated Ball State on a great game.

Following an historic loss (no defending National Champion has ever lost in the first round the following year; the Lady Vols have never missed the Sweet 16 since the tournament format was expanded; the Lady Vols previous first round games have all been victories of 23+ points), it would have been easy to decline to honor her post-game interview commitment, to attempt to avoid the media altogether or to make a scene at a post-game press conference. However, even in a moment of extreme disappointment and frustration, Coach Summitt represented herself, her program and the University of Tennessee with class and dignity.