THE INCREDI-BALLS - TAKE 4

Trinity’s Domination Termination

 All great things must come to an end. In Trinity’s case, ‘great’ doesn’t quite cover the inconceivable achievement of the “Bantams” – their record holding squash team.

(On a side note, if you’re like me, I didn’t know what a ‘bantam’ is, so I looked it up. It’s means small, feisty and combative. It’s also a name of a small chicken. So, the Trinity Squash Team is named after little, aggressive, confrontational fowls! Their mascot of a chicken now makes sense. Oooooh… scary!)

The Bantams lost a scrimmage for the first time in 14 years. It was way, way back in 1998 when they last experienced failure. Since then they have won 252 consecutive matches which is by far and above the most in college sports history – and that includes all sports. The next best streak is owned by the Yale swimming team back in the 40’s and 50’s with 201 swim-meets.

Coach Paul Assaiante has been at the helm for 18 years and has earned myriad of coaching accolades including the US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year twice (which is strange to me since squash is not in the Olympics), the US Squash President’s Award in 2003 for his lifelong contribution to the sport and one of Connecticut’s top sports coaches of the 20^th century. No one can doubt his coaching ability, nor - and probably just important in college sports – his recruiting ability either.

Simply the nature of the accomplishment itself labeled Trinity as the evil empire of college squash. I am definitely not going to sit here and claim to know much about college sport. I don’t. A lot of Trinity’s success, however, can be attributed to the gifted foreign players on the team. I have heard rumblings of how is Trinity able to continuously attract overseas talent year after year. Do they have lower academic standards? Are they breaking rules? Nothing I have read even comes close to suggest any of that and these types of suggestions appear to be generated through plain resentment. And in all honesty, how could you not resent  if you are competing against them? Can you imagine the hatred towards the Yankees if they won the World Series 13 years straight? The county would be screaming ‘conspiracy’!

 Back to their success. The Bantams’ run didn’t happen without drama. They were in danger of losing that streak most in the 2005-2006 season when during the final match against Princeton, the Trinity player was match-ball down in the final match of the day when the teams were tied 4 matches apiece before winning in 5; and in the Potter Cup (the Superbowl of College Squash – nothing to do with the wizard!) where in the 2008-2009 season Trinity’s number 1 player Baset Chaudhry came back in the 5^th game also against Princeton to win the title.

But the most (in)famous incident – one that received nationwide coverage and the attention of ESPN – also involved Baset Chaudhry with his over-the-top reaction directed towards his one foot shorter opponent after thrashing him 3-0 back in the 2009-2010 season. It was a disgraceful display of sportsmanship and an unfortunate way of getting squash in the public eye but as the old saying goes, “every cloud has a silver lining” and it did place squash – and Trintity’s record – into the limelight.

It was predicted at the start of this season that this would be the year Trinity would stumble. From last year, they lost 12 players to graduation including 4 All-Americans. That prediction turned out to be correct. The Yale team (called the “Bulldogs” – I didn’t have to google what that means!) beat them 5 matches to 4 although the win wasn’t a walk in the park. They won in the 5^th game in the final match of the day.

The loss was taken admirably. Paul Assaiante knew there was a gigantic target on their backs, and knew the streak had to end eventually. The profile of college squash has risen across the country, they have unquestionably raised the bar.

For our DAC members, there is an interesting footnote with this story. A connection. Especially to our older members who have been playing squash here for quite a while. You’d be pleasantly surprised to hear who the coach of the Yale Bulldogs is: Dave Talbott.

A SHAMEFUL STAIN ON SQUASH

Firstly, I am somewhat astonished at the extent of the media coverage – worldwide - this has generated. Although I really shouldn’t be given the technological age we live in but when I was told that squash was on ESPN a couple of days ago I almost fell out of my chair. Really? Squash on US mainstream TV? Wow, I thought – what a coup for the sport. Of course, that initial excitement lasted about 10 seconds after I saw the video of Trinity’s number 1 player – 6 foot 5 inch Baset Chaudhry – celebrate his (and his team’s win) by an outrageous display of poor sportsmanship towards his 5 foot 7 inch opponent from Yale, Kenneth Chan.

If you haven’t already seen it, copy and paste this link and take a look at this clip. It’s self explanatory:

http://deadspin.com/5477217/squash-players-are-just-the-worst

Over the past couple of days, more information has come to light – along with a video of what lead up to this now infamous incident. This clip shows Chan getting in the face (or upper chest!) of Chaudhry in the second game. Not very respectful of the lad, but in my opinion, hardly as vicious as Chaudhry’s exhibition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUvVR2iwLPs&feature=player_embedded

Now, I don’t know who made this particular clip or who edited it, but I would bet a lot of money it was a Trinity fan. A lot of effort was put into making Chan’s transgression look worse than what it actually was. The slow-motion piece was totally unnecessary.

Okay. Both players were out of line. There was apparently a lot of trash talking going on during the match as well, but comparing the 2 confrontations, Chaudhry’s behavior (to me) is by far the greater evil here. Firstly, he just won the match easily. It wasn’t as if the match went down to the wire and both players were exhausted physically and mentally. (Not that that would be an excuse.) That’s like US Women’s hockey team spitting in the face of the Russians after annihilating them 13-0 at the Olympics. Secondly, he’s almost a foot taller and probably almost 100 pounds heavier. What a bully. Thirdly, he’s 25 and should know better. And fourthly, no matter what had transpired leading up to it, there is absolutely no excuse for Chaudhry’s actions.

That being said, we have all been at some time guilty of letting our emotions get the better of us and losing control. I will be first to put my hand up and admit that I have, in my youth, conducted myself dreadfully on the court and lost my temper. Looking back on my misbehavior, I still feel embarrassed and ashamed of myself – but I’m grateful that it wasn’t taped. Sadly, the difference with Chaudhry’s lapse of judgment is… that it was.

Check out this clip from ESPN ‘analysts’ who have probably never heard of squash much like mainstream America.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4935859&categoryid=2378529

I felt sick to the stomach that the first time squash gets on this program is because of this ‘misdeed’. The analysts are giggling like school girls all the way through the segment, doing nothing but poking fun at the sport. Squash is virtually unheard of in the general public in the US, and first impressions last a life time. To all the millions of Americans who saw this clip – and squash for the first time – I dread to think what they think of squash now!! For a sport fighting for exposure – especially in the US – this to me is a step backwards.

By all accounts, Chaudhry is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. (Although I have never met him myself.) This is so far out of character for the man and his coach, Paul Assaiante, is just as bewildered as anyone else. Apologies have been made all around, but should Chaudhry be punished? I think he should. Unfortunately for him, it was caught on video and has made its way across the globe and to television and has dragged the sport through the muck. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation; Chaudhry has taken a second to destroy it. What his punishment should be lies in the hands of the College Squash Association (CSA), but these guys are not professionals and do not get paid so a monetary fine is out of the question for the athlete (maybe not for Trinity?). Suspension? That would be the next logical step. The CSA is expected to rule on this in the coming days, but if nothing comes of this but a slap on the wrist, that’s an appalling precedent to set.

Regrettably, incidents like this in college squash have happened before. See this article relating to an incident this season at Dartmouth College involving fans heckling players from Harvard:

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/12/10/dartmouth_heckling_at_squash_meet_prompts_apologies/

The CSA need to nip this in the bud before it gets out of control. Squash matches are not football or basketball games and fans and players need to respect their opponents with decorum and conduct themselves appropriately. Cheering is one thing, as soon as it becomes personal, it moves into another stratosphere. Especially in this politically correct world of the U.S of A.

And no matter what happens on court, after the match, that’s where it should stay – on the court. Shake hands, thank your opponent for the match, buy them a drink… basically, act your age.