“Kick You in Your Tail”: Shannon Sharpe Recalls His Own Experience While Reacting to Basketball Coach Pulling Player’s Ponytail

Shannon Sharpe recalled some of his own past memories after witnessing something in a college basketball game that left him stunned.

On their Sunday night episode of Nightcap, the former NFL tight end and his cohost Chad Johnson discussed a situation that was like a blast to their past. Neither could believe it had happened in today’s world.

They viewed a video clip of a game between two high school girls’ teams in which La Fargeville played Northville in a Class D New York State championship game. La Fargeville emerged victorious, but what happened on the Northville sideline was what got everyone talking.

In the footage, Northville coach Jim Zullo was shown pulling on one of his players’ ponytails. The 81-year-old was fired as a result of the action.

While Sharpe said that type of behavior may have been accepted in the past, it’s not something that can happen today. “Maybe once upon a time, way back when, coaches behaved in this manner. Not today’s time. You can’t coach and intimidate players like you could when you and I was coming up, especially when I was coming up. They grab your face mask, they push you, they kick you in your tail, they did things to you, Ocho! You can’t do that now!”

Sharpe mentioned how people don’t take that kind of behavior toward their kids today. Ocho agreed, and the two shared the sentiment that people who act that way need to be ready to “take fire” and that “you got to be careful how you treat people kids” in the current times.

The former Bronco further suggested that coaches who use this kind of behavior could be in trouble with the parents, saying, “Somebody could come up and do something bad to you.” He added, “He ain’t have to do it, well you didn’t have to do that.”

Ocho noted the coach seemed comfortable with his actions, as if, perhaps, he had done something similar in the past.

Coach fired after ponytail incident; tried to explain actions

Zullo was subsequently terminated from his role as the coach of Northville girls’ high school basketball team following the emergence of the footage. He tried to justify his behavior and actions in a statement that had been shared with local media.

The 81-year-old cited that the senior player had directed an expletive toward him after he told her to go and shake hands with players from the opposing team. There hasn’t been a response from the player or her family following the incident.

Zullo said in a statement: “As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry. I wish I could have those moments back.” The school also released their own statement citing the unacceptable behavior and that he would “no longer be coaching” as they look to “actively address” the situation.