http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2301094 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Houston coach Tom Penders collapsed on the sideline late in the first half of the Cougars' 82-79 loss to UAB on Saturday night. Penders, 60, was carried off the floor on a stretcher and given oxygen, but he returned to coach in the second half. He later attributed his fall to a heart condition and said he felt fine after taking the oxygen. Penders fell to his knees as UAB's Wen Mukubu drove to the basket and drew a foul with 52 seconds left in the half and UAB leading 46-44. Officials called a technical foul on Penders, apparently thinking he was reacting to the foul call. But the game stopped and the crowd hushed when Penders didn't get up. Assistant coach Melvin Haralson directed the Houston team in Penders' absence. Penders returned to the sideline at the beginning of the second half and led the Cougars the rest of the way. "I have a heart condition and I've had several episodes where I stand up too fast and get lightheaded. I did a three-mile fast walk this morning and probably didn't get enough fluids before the game," Penders said. Penders was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in 1991, and in November 1997 he had a pacemaker implanted. The coach said he had no idea until later that he was called for a technical foul. The technical was not rescinded. "I don't remember anything to be upset about. To get called for a technical foul for collapsing to the floor is extremely poor judgment on the officials part," he said. Penders is in his second season at Houston and previously coached at George Washington, Texas and Rhode Island. UAB defeated Houston 82-79. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
very sorry to hear about Penders' misfortune. Refs, it's ok to admit you made a mistake and rescind the technical here. That is one of the more absurd things I've heard in a while.
I could not agree more. That's ego tripping at its worst, especially after seeing just how and why Penders was in the position he was in, keeled over on the ground.
Penders could have been a gentleman and decided to half his collapse at half time. It was on 50 seconds away.
Between that and the Morris Peterson/Vince Carter fiasco, it hasn't been a good couple weeks for the refs and issuing technical fouls.
carter jokingly slapped mo-pete during the 1st half of the raptors/nets game (when both had a 5 or 6 game winning streak going into the game)...peterson reacted by trying to hit him back (don't know if it landed or not, and it wasn't hard if it did)...anyways, the ref only saw peterson's action and kicked him out of the game. carter ended up making a 3 with no time left to win the game by 1 point. raptors most likely would have won this contest if mo-pete never got ejected, and it was a big deal for the raptors fans because of the whole carter situation and the game being at the ACC in toronto.
In addition to not rescinding the technical foul the refs called a total to 40+ fouls between both teams. These group of refs suk azz!
Yeah, the refs must of really wanted to give Peterson a tech considering Carter handed them a bag of money after the commercials.
