March Madness: Bell, Basketball, and the Blame Game

College basketball player Jordan Bell has the weight of the world on his shoulders — and it’s all because of two missed rebounds.

If that sounds ridiculous, it’s because it is ridiculous. Bell is a fiercely talented basketball player, a 6-foot-9 power forward for the Oregon Ducks. He played a huge role in helping the Ducks reach their first Final Four in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 1939. Without Bell’s relentless defensive rebounding, Oregon would never have done as well as they have.

But Bell came up short at the worst possible time. In the final six seconds of Saturday night’s Final Four clash against North Carolina, Bell failed twice to box out on free throws, giving up offensive rebounds to the Tar Heels. North Carolina escaped with the 77-76 win and plays Gonzaga on Monday night for the championship.

Related: Seven Great Movies to Help Celebrate March Madness

If you saw the headlines after the game, you’d think Bell had committed an unconscionable sin.

The Washington Post: “For Oregon’s Jordan Bell, two missed rebounds and complete anguish: ‘I lost this game for us.'”

Deadspin: “Jordan Bell: ‘This Is Going To Hurt Forever.'”

CBS Sports: “Oregon star Jordan Bell’s two failed box outs will haunt him forever.” (The subheading on that one reads: “The Ducks’ best rebounder inexplicably failed at the simplest of tasks in the final seconds.”)

The headlines aren’t wrong. Boxing out isn’t hard for a man of Bell’s size and experience. It’s a fundamental skill at his position. Failing to get it done, twice in a row, at the most critical time in his career to date — it’s surprising, to say the least.

But it’s disheartening to see how much blame is being put on Bell — by both the media and himself — in the wake of the loss. It’s not like he committed some incredibly stupid foul to throw away a sure win — and he didn’t quit on his team. He’s a young man who simply fell short at a bad time.

[lz_ndn video=32207883]

“The best rebounder on one of the best teams in the country forgets to box out on two consecutive game-changing plays,” wrote Colin Ward-Henninger on the CBS Sports website. “There’s no guarantee that the Ducks would have scored, of course, even if he had secured the board.”

Related: March Madness Invades Your Workplace

Bell, however, had no doubt: “We would have for sure scored,” Bell told reporters after the game. “There was too much time left. All I had to do [was] get the rebound and we would have scored, and won the game.”

Here’s the simple message Bell posted on Twitter shortly after the loss: “I am so sorry.”

[lz_third_party align=center width=630 includes=https://twitter.com/1jordanbell/status/848395374515683328]

Bell’s teammates have been nothing but supportive of the young man. And that’s what he is. He’s a college basketball star, an NBA prospect,  and a big name nationally in sports — but he’s also essentially still a kid. He’s a junior in college. He can hardly legally order a beer. He doesn’t get paid a penny for playing a sport that generates about $220 million from March Madness alone.

Early in his college career, Bell was known to be immature and undisciplined. He’s grown up fast. He patiently answered every question reporters asked after the devastating loss. On his way to the locker room, he openly sobbed. But he hung in there.

His teammates said all the right things. They reminded him of how much he did to get them there. His coach, Dana Altman, told Bell: “We wouldn’t have been in this position if it hadn’t been for you.”

It says something of Bell’s character, and how much he’s grown, that he shouldered the blame and refused to pass the buck. But it also says something about our American sports culture and what it does to young people. We treat a purportedly “amateur” sport like it’s a professional game. We put collegians through the same wringer as the pros.

Related: March Madness: Celebs Attend the Final Four

How would any of us handle being 20-something years old and doing our first “real job,” watched by millions, every little mistake scrutinized, inadvertent as it might be? How many of us could handle it now?

We’ll do it again tonight at 7:20 Eastern time. The pressure is huge for both teams. North Carolina is the perennial powerhouse. The program has played 10 previous national championship games, winning five titles. This will be the first time Gonzaga has ever played in the championship game, but that team has only lost one contest all season.

That’s a lot of pressure. That’s a lot on the line. And it no doubt will be a fun game. But as we watch it, let’s try to remember one thing: These are not professionals. They’re college kids. Win or lose, they deserve our support, our respect, and our understanding.