It was painful, but it was part of the college basketball experience. Young men can handle things better than we realize sometimes. Unfortunately, certain individuals in your business don't respect that. Sheltering kids might help avert touchy situations, but it doesn't help them grow. TV highlights are part of the game.
Mistakes are part of the game.
Glory and despair and joy and indecision are part of the game. It's easy to understand Ellerbe's desire to control the story line. Hopefully, he'll realize it's impossible to do.