Why Is Everyone So Hesitant To Say That Northern Iowa Choked?

Last 44 seconds of reg in TAMU/UNI. Man, that foul call on UNI to get it to a 2-point deficit was complete garbage. https://t.co/WE7xjegMgY

— Brian Spaen (@Spaeniard) March 21, 2016

When exactly did "choke" become some taboo word that's only fitting to use toward professional athletes? Did I miss that memo? Are we not allowed to chastise college basketball players even though there's a good amount of people out there - myself included - that think they should be paid for their efforts? Kenny Smith compared the UNI collapse to the 'Titanic'. Charles Barkley said the only thing worse than that loss was growing up in the projects. Yet, when it came to using the word that would most accurately describe the end of that game they resorted to calling it 'the C word'. Listen, I know these kids are still young. I know they are prone to stupid mistakes. However, when you're up 12 with 35 seconds left and end up losing the culmination of those mistakes is a "choke" each and every single time. I don't care if it happened in the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, or AAU, a team with four of the most egregious turnovers I have ever seen, in under a minute, is free from from no criticism. Are we afraid of offending the players? Considering that was officially the biggest collapse in NCAA Tournament history I am pretty sure they know they choked. Why pussy foot around it when it's so blatantly obvious? Northern Iowa had the game won and gave it away to their opponent, and there is only one word for a win that undeserved.

This whole "I feel so bad for those kids" narrative is getting a bit out of hand. I can't - in good conscience - say that I feel bad for them. The end of that game is the whole reason I watch the NCAA Tournament, and I don't mean to see a bunch of kids sit at the podium crying and declaring their undying love for each other. I watch the NCAA tournament for the excitement, the unpredictability, and yes, the youth and inexperience that make the games so exciting and unpredictable. The more ridiculously heartbreaking endings the better. Just don't tell me that this ridiculously heartbreaking ending wasn't a choke when this was the losing team's reaction...

Heartbreaker. The downside of March.

Northern Iowa players hold back tears after their crushing loss. #MarchMadnesshttps://t.co/pkvGiJmrqy

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 21, 2016