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The Iowa coach, Fran McCaffery, does not think his charge against an official is unusual or distracting for his team. Hear him explain why:
Mark Emmert, [email protected]

IOWA CITY, Ia. – Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery said on Wednesday he was sorry to have harangued a referee after his 90-70 loss Tuesday at Ohio State.

But not quite.

"I should not have said it, but I did not feel really good at the time. In all, "McCaffery said at a press conference at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. "I think the official in question was a man of integrity in the past. So, for that reason, I have nothing to say. "

Iowa Sports Director Gary Barta has suspended McCaffery for the next two games of the Hawkeyes – Saturday's home final against Rutgers and Wisconsin on March 7th. The Big Ten conference also fined the Iowa Sports Department $ 10,000 for violating its sports driving policy. Barta stated that McCaffery had agreed to pay this amount.

Kyle Rowland of The Toledo Blade and others have seen McCaffery repeatedly shout swear words and call an official "cheater" and "disgrace" by heading to the locker room after Tuesday's defeat.

► MORE:The basketball game of Tuesday's eruption at Ohio State

McCaffery was seen imposing his first technical foul of the season for staging late in the game. His son, backup leader Connor McCaffery, had one earlier. Fran McCaffery chose one of the three officials, although it was Steve McJunkins who made the two technical mistakes. Iowa was named for 18 fouls in the match, Ohio State 12.

On Wednesday, McCaffery was asked why an official "cheated" against his Hawkeye team, a particularly acute charge.

"I do not know," he says. "I can not even speculate on that."

McCaffery said he intended to speak to the official out of earshot of others.

"I said what I said in the tunnel directly. I did not want it to be public. I did not say it on the floor in front of thousands of people. I told him directly and someone ended up hearing it. Okay it's too bad. But that's the reality of the situation, "he said.

McCaffery said he regretted his words.

"Of course, absolutely," he said, before saying that exchanges like this between coach and referee were not uncommon.

"I think if you look at all the coaches, there were problems with officials at some point in the season. So, it's not an isolated incident of a coach, "McCaffery said. We express all our opinions. "

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Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said he did not want to talk to officials in front of other people and that he regretted the words that he had used. Listening:
Mark Emmert, [email protected]

McCaffery was suspended for a game in 2014 by the Big Ten after an ejection on the road against Wisconsin during which he received several consecutive technical fouls and ran into an official. Iowa also fined the Big Ten Conference $ 10,000. Assistant coach Kirk Speraw led the Hawkeyes in their next game against Northwestern.

This time, Iowa assistant Andrew Francis will be the de facto head coach against Rutgers, while Speraw will assume that role in Wisconsin. These two coaches are preparing the scouting reports for these opponents, McCaffery said. Sherman Dillard is the other assistant. All have head coaching experience and have all been with McCaffery for nine seasons.

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McCaffery can always conduct training sessions and filming sessions, meet the media for an overview of the games, and may even be in the building while reading. Saturday, he will be present to show Nicholas Baer, ​​Iowa's only senior, his Hawkeye jersey at a pre-match ceremony.

"I like it," said McCaffery about Baer.

Barta said that someone from the Big Ten had been made aware of the situation after Tuesday's game that he had not attended. He immediately called McCaffery and said his coach was "taking responsibility."

The suspension and the fine were settled after Wednesday's consultation with Big Ten and UI chairman Bruce Harreld, said Barta.

"Fran has 100% of my total support as a head coach," said Barta.

"The Fran McCaffery that some people see in an intense and passionate game is real. But what I've been seeing for nine years and I'm watching with his players behind the scenes, when a player has a problem at home with a family member or girlfriend or something he's struggling with, no one pays them more attention to him as a father than Fran. "

McCaffery's temper has already caused him trouble.

In 2011, he was ejected late in a defeat in northern Iowa. The following year, he slammed a chair in court during a match at Michigan State.

Last season, McCaffery was sent off in a match against Maryland in January after being dismissed by the court.

But he does not think he has an anger problem.

"I think I'm a well composed guy if you're around me often," McCaffery said. "If you are in practice, if you are playing games, from time to time I will get angry."