Unfortunately for Kansas State fans, instead of completely focusing on the incredible career of Jacob Pullen in the last four years, we're talking about K-State head coach Frank Martin and his inability to control his emotions at times.
That was clearly evident in a post-game press conference that included Pullen, Martin and Curtis Kelly. A reporter asks a normal, legitimate question and Pullen can barely get through the start of it because he begins to cry. That's completely understandable considering his college basketball career has just ended.
And then, for some reason, Martin jumped in and attacked the reporter. (Here's audio of the situation)
Q. Jacob, you, I mean, obviously, do some good things, set the school scoring record and matched your career high in points but you still can't get the win. How do you sum up the emotions that come after that?
JACOB PULLEN: I don't know. It's tough. You know, I want to win -- (tearing up)
COACH MARTIN: That is what you wanted to see? That what you were trying to get out of him? Make him cry here in front of people? Good question.
JACOB PULLEN: I just wanted to win the game. I don't care about a scoring record or anything else, man. I wanted to get to the Final Four and I didn't get a chance to do that.
Uh...what?
My take: Martin is pissed off and is acting irrationally. This is not a normal reaction. Every single game recap has included Martin's little tantrum and no one said it was normal or acceptable. I get that he feels he needs to protect Pullen but he needs to realize there's a time and place for that. Asking essentially "How do you feel?" is the not the time and place to protect Pullen.
If this were the first time we'd seen something like this from Martin, but it's not. This was Pullen's last press conference, his last words as a college basketball player and Martin acted the way we've seen him act so many times before.