Squash Players Are Just The Worst

Have you seen the trash-talking squash player video? It so matches the intensity of football or basketball that I almost wish those sports had never been invented so I wouldn't have to see squash players acting like such goons.

If you know only one thing about squash (and that's probably all you know) it's that Trinity College in Connecticut has the longest winning streak of any intercollegiate team in any sport at any level—224 consecutive team matches, after their victory over Yale in yesterday's national championship. It was their 12th straight national title. This one was sealed when senior Baset Chaudhry knocked off freshman Kenneth Chan in straight sets. Chaudhry, the top-ranked singles player in the country, celebrated by screaming in Chan's much smaller and slightly terrified face. A somewhat undignified, but possibly understandable end to a rather intense match that was reportedly filled with jawing on both sides.

But what the video doesn't show is that after Chaudhry left the court to celebrate with his teammates, he apparently went back in and shoved Chan as he tried to exit. (All the videos of the match mysteriously cut out before things get pushy. Video updated with a more complete version of events.) Hmm. I'm not really familiar with the traditions of the game, but I think that's excessive.

"It wasn't emotions," Chaudhry said. "If you go and look back in the second game when he won a point, he literally came in my face and was eyes-to-eyes."

That seems unlikely, since Chaudhry is 6'5" and looks to have about a full foot on Chan. Nevertheless, Chaudhry did offer a half-hearted apology after the match and looks sufficiently chastised in this photo. That didn't stop Yale's coach from calling it "classless" and suggesting that the player be banned from the upcoming singles championship. You expect that kind of behavior up in Cambridge, but that doesn't fly down here!

On a side note ... what is wrong squash people anyway? Their fans are all hooligans and the star players are obnoxious brats. I thought this was a dignified game between gentlemen. When someone taunts him on the court, a gentleman turns the other cheek. Then uses his fraternity connections to orchestrate a hostile takeover of his opponent's commodities trading firm and outsources that guy's job to Thailand. You know, civilized like.

Trinity squashes Yale for Nat'l title [WTNH] Trinity Defeats Yale; Captures 12th Straight Squash Title [Hartford Courant] Trinity does it again [Yale Daily News] Pictures: Trinity Captures Squash Title [CTNow]