Patrick Chambers has spoken publicly for the first time since getting forced out at Penn State, and the place for his public comments came in an interesting forum — during an interview with two current players on the Nittany Lion team.
PSU basketball players Myreon Jones and John Harrar host a podcast called “The Midnight Domino Show,” and their latest episode that debuted Monday features Chambers.
It’s a good listen, and the discussion is light for the most part, although Chambers did make some interesting comments. Ryan Parsons from Onward State did a fantastic breakdown of the podcast that you can read here.
Chambers used the word “noose” when talking to former player Rasir Bolton, who transferred to Iowa State, and that revelation led to the school investigating the coach’s behavior. Chambers then resigned under pressure in late October.
Chambers said this at one point during the podcast, which is noted in the Onward State story:
“I learned I’ve got to be more mindful with words, that hurt me,” Chambers said. “I did a deeper dive over the last couple of years about the history of our players and what we need to do better and things of that nature. That education still goes on as I sit down here down south…but what a learned experience for me, and I’m only going to get better.”
The next coach: Who could replace Chambers at PSU?
There was also this interesting component:
Chambers, Jones, and Harrar never directly addressed the head coach’s surprising resignation from the program, but Chambers did allude to it at times. He talked about moving on and not playing the victim card amid a tough situation.
“Don’t play that card, have a positive attitude…we can be grateful about the adversity that’s been dealt to us,” Chambers said. “I treat what’s happened now — it’s taken me a little while — as a gift to challenge me on how to be more grateful and how to do my job better.”
What’s perhaps most interesting about all of this is the dynamic of Chambers doing an interview with current players he’s no longer coaching, at the school where he was forced out.
Have you ever seen something like that before, a mere two months after the surprising coaching change? A coach who was forced to resign, and yet he’s still so close to his former players that they are the only ones he has spoken to for public comments.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with the players remaining loyal to Chambers and them doing the podcast. Nothing at all. Many of the PSU players feel like the coach was wrongfully forced out, and they still want answers about why.
Still, this is all a bizarre look for the Penn State basketball program — once again showing a huge disconnect between the players and the school administration that ousted the coach.
What about Ferry?: Could interim coach get full-time job?
Click for more Nittany Sports Now coverage
