In the wake of Jack Taylor‘s NCAA record-shattering138 points, some are saying the accomplishment is a little less than legitimate.
Deadspin, among several outer pundits, have outright called the game a “sham,” noting several oddities that call into question the motivation of Grinnell’s coach and whether the team cares more about winning games or ending up in the record books.
The first contention of the anti-Grinnell crowd is that head coach David Arseneault doesn’t actually care about the final score of a game. His motivation, it’s been reported, is to get his team 15 minutes of fame at any cost, not to win.
In fact, twice before a Grinnell player has broken the Division III scoring record (in 1998 and last season), and this is by design. A former Grinnell player quoted by Deadspin says specifically that the gameplan is designed to get one individual player a record.
Moreover, this gameplan is executed at the cost of winning. The defensive system doesn’t seem to be aimed towards preventing the other team from scoring, but rather just getting the ball back as quickly as possible, even if the opponent scores.
Worse yet, Arseneault has a series of books and videos in which he sells his “innovative system” to the unsuspecting masses.
Check out some video from Taylor’s game on Tuesday night below.
Thumbnail via Twitter/Sporting News
