Don’t worry outraged York Catholic (and all YAIAA) basketball fans, the comments made to the Associated Press by Villa Maria coach Scott Dibble after the Irish defeated his team 58-44 in the PIAA Class AA final did not fall on deaf ears here at the Daily Record either.
Even as objective journalists, we know that saying you aren’t impressed with a two-time state champion that went undefeated, has won 69 of 70 games, and beat your team by 14 points is a ludicrous statement.
It is one thing to “talk up” your team. In fact, you should do that. It is another thing to say that if your team played better it would have been a better game. That makes sense, after all, the Victors are a tough team.
I know from my own experience as a coach – albeit at the middle school level and to be honest, I probably wasn’t any good – that you want your team to hear the positives, but not at the expense of the other team.
Creating delusional athletes doesn’t benefit anyone either, especially the athlete. Sometimes you have to tip your hat and say the opponent was the better team.
To say that, “you don’t see what all the hype is about” regarding a team that accomplished what York Catholic did over the past two years, is just plain crazy.
The Irish ran roughshod over most opponents all season and capped things off with a third big win over District 3 power Trinity, then scored 58 points against a Villa Maria team that had only allowed 36 per game to that points.
Sorry Mr. Dibble, but that is indeed very impressive.
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