Juwan Howard should miss tournaments, Phil Martelli should finish at Michigan. Fire Howard? Maybe later | Marcus Hayes

To begin with, Michigan coach Juwan Howard cannot return to the bench this season. Whatsoever. In the handshake line after Sunday’s loss to Wisconsin, he threw a punch in a crowd that escalated into a melee that could have seriously injured coaches, players, and security workers. He deserved a suspension. There was no scenario in which his actions could be justified.

Michigan and the Big Ten promised swift action, and, by dinnertime Monday, Howard was suspended for the rest of the regular season and fined $40,000. Associate head coach Phil Martelli, the St. Joseph’s legend, had taken his spot, for the moment. That moment should last longer than just two weeks.

It’s ridiculous. As it stands, Howard can coach in both the Big Ten Tournament and in the NCAA Tournament if Michigan (14-11) makes it. Further, he could face Wisconsin in both tournaments.

The idiocy of this half-measure decision cannot be overstated.

How, with this transgression so fresh, can Howard return to lead young men — to exhort them to play with a controlled fire — when he cannot control himself?

He won the 2021 coach of the year awards in just his second season, and that will make Michigan reluctant to cut ties with him, and maybe — maybe — that’s OK. But Howard has not earned the right to assault another man, enjoy a two-week vacation, then return for the crown-jewel events of the season.

Besides, Michigan has an able replacement.

Martelli should remain the acting head coach until 2022-23 begins. Martelli is Howard’s top assistant, with NCAA credentials and Philly street cred and the character to weather the rest of the Wolverines’ season, whether it ends in a NCAA Tournament berth or an NIT bid.

Next, let’s let this cool down. Resolve Howard’s future at a later date. Don’t fire him today.

He’s a very good person and a very good coach. There aren’t enough of either in men’s college basketball. This can be a story of rehabilitation and redemption.

Howard issued a statement Monday night in which he called his actions and words (he cursed) “unacceptable” and promised to “learn from my mistake.”

Cool.

Disappear for a few months. Find Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro and Analyze This suspension deep into the summer.

Return reformed and rebranded — a hothead-turned-diplomat in sweatpants. Fire him later? Maybe.

But recognize that, while Howard wasn’t right in his actions, he wasn’t the only one who was wrong.

No. 1: Greg Gard, the Wisconsin head coach, was wrong to put his hands on Howard in the handshake line. Howard was angry Gard had called a late timeout in a game that was already decided in Wisconsin’s favor (which is a dumb thing to be angry at, but whatever), and Howard didn’t want to shake Gard’s hand, and Howard dropped a snide remark as the pair passed. Then Gard halted Howard, physically.

No.

The degree of entitlement, of blind and arrogant privilege, to physically stop another man who wants nothing to do with you is ... outrageous.

The Big Ten fined Gard $10,000 for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy, but he was not suspended. Three players were suspended for one game: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II, and Wisconsin’s Jahcobi Neath.

No. 2: After Howard and Gard were separated, Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft was wrong to say anything to Howard — replays appear to show the assistant speaking to Howard. Krabbenhoft also was wrong to interact with any of the Michigan players, which he clearly did, shoving a Michigan player as Howard returned to the middle of the crowd. That’s when Howard took a swipe at Krabbenhoft, hitting him on his left temple with an open right hand.

A solid pick-and-roll would hurt more, but that’s not the point.

No. 3: Juwan Howard was inexcusably wrong to take a swing at anyone. For any reason. He cannot be seen again this season.

Martelli can keep his seat warm.

This is child’s play for Phil.

Martelli, born in Media and schooled at Widener, was a Big 5 assistant coach at St. Joseph’s when Temple legend John Chaney threatened to kill John Calipari, then the coach at Massachusetts, after a game in 1994. Martelli probably felt like killing Chaney in 2005, when Chaney sent in a goon to intentionally and aggressively foul Martelli’s kids in a late-season game, which resulted in a broken arm for one of Martelli’s best players. Martelli was the head coach at St. Joe’s when the women’s coach, Stephanie Gaitley, was fired in 2001 after her husband and former assistant coach, Frank Gaitley, was accused of sexual harassment of a former player, and Stephanie Gaitley was accused of retaliating against the player.

After Caliparigate, Gaitleygate, and Goongate, Slapgate will be child’s play for Phil.

Martelli rebuilt the St Joe’s program. He coached players of modest talent like Jameer Nelson to the absolute pinnacle of their abilities. Now 67, he’s been through every type of war you can imagine in the men’s game. Martelli has been something of a compass for Howard, who was an assistant with the Miami Heat, had never been a college coach, and had never been a head coach at any level.

This is the second time in two years Howard has lost his cool with a coach on the court. Last year, he had to be restrained from Maryland coach Marc Turgeon after Howard disputed an out-of-bounds call in the Big Ten Tournament. Turgeon got a technical foul. Howard was ejected.

Frankly, given his history, he needs to take some time away from the public, even if he never returns to coaching. He clearly needs help.

For the rest of this season and postseason, Phil Martelli should be doing Howard’s job.