Penny Hardaway issues apology after post game rant goes viral

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - By now, you’ve all seen the rant by Memphis Tigers men’s basketball head coach, Penny Hardaway, after Thursday night’s loss to SMU.

So has the rest of the world, thanks to social media, including the pundits at ESPN.

The stir caused Hardaway to issue an apology Friday night on Instagram.

Hardaway’s profanity-laced tirade at the Memphis media caught the attention of the panels at the network’s afternoon talk shows around the horn and pardon the interruption.

Penny said the media should back off questioning him about whether he can do the job because of a young roster depleted with injuries. It draws this response from the national media.

The Tigers next play at Tulsa Sunday at 2 p.m.

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Penny Hardaway comments: Memphis coach issues apology following profanity-laced tirade

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Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway went off on the media following the Tigers’ loss to SMU. The comments drew slight criticism from Jay Bilas and it ultimately led to an apology from the coach. Hardaway went on a profanity-laced tirade directed at the media for criticizing the team’s struggles this season. Memphis is 9-8 following the 70-62 loss to SMU after three straight 20-plus win seasons.

“Memphis, I just wanted to let you guys know that I love you,” Hardaway said on his Instagram. “Tiger Nation — I love you. I want to issue an apology to my school, to the players, to our fans. I let my emotions get the best of me last night and that’s not the way that you handle situations. I bleed Blue and I’m fighting always for my school, for my city, and for my players. We’re working very hard. We know that there’s adversity right now, but it’s not going to stop us from working hard. We are going to make you guys proud. We’re going to win. We’re gonna get through this together. And to the fans that are fighting with us, thank you so much, we really appreciate it. You guys help push us through with your energy. And to my players, let’s keep fighting on. We’re nine and one strong. And again Memphis, I love you. Peace.”

After the 70-62 loss to the Mustangs Thursday, Hardaway was asked if he lost faith he could get it done at Memphis.

“I think the one thing I can say to this media because the media gets kind of (expletive) up sometimes when it comes to me,” Hardaway said. “We don’t have our full roster. Y’all know we don’t have our full roster. Stop asking me stupid (expletive) questions about if I feel like I can do something. If I had my roster like they did, they’re out there like I can do whatever I want to do. I’m coaching really hard. My boys are playing really hard. I’m not embarrassed about anything. We have four freshmen starting. Y’all need to act like it. Act like we got 17 to 18 year olds out here trying to learn how to play against 22 , 23 and 24 year old guys, come on, man. Stop disrespecting me, bro. Like don’t do that. I work too (expletive) hard. I work way too hard for that. You write all these (expletive) articles about me and all I do is work. We got young kids on the floor.”

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Memphis is 9-8 this season and Hardaway is 72-40 in his career with the Tigers. The team won 20-plus games in each of his first three seasons, winning the NIT in 2021 and making it to the tournament’s second round in his first year as head coach. Memphis was 21-10 in 2019-20, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penny Hardaway shows ‘unprofessional’ side as Memphis Tigers head coach

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