More People Need To Be Like This Butler Professor That Kicked Gordon Hayward Out Of Class The Morning Of The Title Game 10 Years Ago

[Source] - With the game being in Indianapolis, Butler's players went to class on the Monday morning of the title game. Nantz said on the broadcast that eight Butler players were shuttled from their downtown hotel to campus for their 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. classes.

Shrewsberry: We didn't play until 9 p.m., so they had all day. That adds to the mystique of the story.

Gordon Hayward (Butler forward, 2008-10): I remember going to the first class and the professor asking me, "What are you doing here?" I said, "What do you mean? I'm coming to class." "No, get out of my class. Go back and get ready for the game."

So we're coming up on the 10-year anniversary of the Butler run to the title game and Gordon Hayward somehow missing this halfcourt shot. Honestly, I still have no idea how it didn't go in: 

It would have been the most iconic shot in the history of basketball. I firmly believe that. More than Lorenzo Charles, more than MJ's Game 6 vs Utah or The Shot vs Cleveland, more than Kris Jenkins. You can't top Gordon Hayward hitting a halfcourt shot in the hometown of his college to cap off one of the most surprising runs in the NCAA Tournament. You just can't script that outside of a shitty TV movie or series. 

But the real story here is the Professor. That's an A+ move. I know the whole thing was Butler trying to keep standard gameday routines alive. They were trying to treat it like a home game and use that advantage considering the Final Four was in Indianapolis. Makes a ton of sense. But at the same time, you can't have Gordon Hayward out here worrying about Stats 300. That professor deserves as much credit as Brad Stevens in my eyes. 

I don't care about any stupid student-athlete debate. The goal for Butler that day was to win a national title. It takes not only your star player, but your fans, your professors, everyone involved with the school. That's just a fact. Everyone has to do their part from good luck charms to making baskets. Good on this professor for understanding what's more important here. 

The oral history of this game and the teams is a fascinating read, but it's good to know that Coach K is still a fucking dickehad. 

"I never looked at Hayward's as a shot, I looked at it as a heave, and when you shoot from 50 feet, it's a heave," Krzyzewski said. "And when it does go in, whether it goes in at the end of a half or at the end of the game, it's a heck of a thing."