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Sullivan | Bad actor Jones makes unscripted exit

Tim Sullivan
@TimSullivan714

That Chris Jones is a bad actor was clear two months ago.

The Louisville guard's infamous flop against Kentucky, a non-contact collapse made worse by theatrical chin-rubbing, was the work of a rank amateur, the sort of sloppy stagecraft Christopher Guest lampooned in "Waiting For Guffman."

But though it was clumsy, and supplied Kentucky fans with fresh ammunition in their ceaseless snipefest with U of L fans, there was nothing malicious about it. Jones was trying to draw a foul, as basketball players commonly do, by exaggerating the impact of an opponent's elbow. His mistake was in anticipating an elbow that never arrived, in taking a fall without even the most incidental of contact.

Jones' acting was so bad on Dec. 27 that it deserved an Academy Award for awkwardness. That he quickly confessed to his crime, assuming responsibility and accepting punishment, could be seen as a sign of admirable accountability and growing maturity.

Now, it looks like fleeting comic relief in a story without a happy ending.

Reinstated from a one-game suspension in time to rally Louisville to a 55-53 victory over Miami on Saturday afternoon, Jones was dismissed from the U of L program Sunday, presumably on a permanent basis. That the terse announcement did not include a vague reference to some violation of "team rules" would suggest the cause was likely something more sinister. That the statement said no further comment will be forthcoming would be consistent with student privacy law and with U of L's abiding interest in keeping certain cans of worms closed.

Accounts of the circumstances that caused Jones' sudden dismissal following his abrupt reinstatement are already circulating in cyberspace. In time, the facts of the matter may become better known and carefully corroborated. For now, though, a player who has acknowledged a personal struggle for self-control has been separated from the structure and demands of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and a Louisville basketball season that began with 11 straight victories appears to be bound for an early end.

Last month, amid one of the most productive periods of Jones' career, Pitino described his point guard as a player prone to temptation and poor decisions.

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"Chris is the type of guy who always has his hands in the cookie jar," Pitino said. "And if you allow his hands to go in the cookie jar, he'll take all the cookies. He'll do the wrong things is what I'm saying. So you have to make sure Chris does all the right things. He is a great guy and a lot of fun to coach because he'll bring it every single practice, but if you allow him to have bad habits, he'll have a lot of bad habits. If you don't allow it, he won't."

For his part, Jones has repeatedly stressed his willingness to submit to Pitino's will; to accept instruction as help rather than hindrance; and his desire to distance himself from his temperamental Memphis youth.

"From the crazy Chris Jones, I came a long way," Jones said Saturday. "Coach knows that. ... Every time I've listened to coach, I played great. When I try to fight back, that's when I struggle some.

"... I tell coach to stay on me more than anybody, and that's what he's been doing. So I'm learning to take coaching very well."

Pitino removed Jones from the starting lineup for one game after his Kentucky flop, and the player responded with a new persona upon the start of conference play. Formerly a shoot-first point guard, Jones was credited with a career-high 10 assists at Wake Forest on Jan. 4, and bettered that nine days later with 11 against Virginia Tech. He subsequently attained career-highs in scoring (28) and steals (six) in a seven-day span at Boston College and Miami.

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Jones' absence was conspicuous during last Wednesday's 69-59 loss at Syracuse, and his presence was crucial to Saturday's comeback victory against Miami. Though he started Saturday's game on the bench, Jones played 36 effective minutes, scoring 17 points, grabbing five rebounds, making two steals and earning credit for two assists. Moreover, his pressure on Miami's ball-handlers contributed to 13 turnovers — Syracuse had committed only seven — and helped cause so many deflections that Pitino joked he would buying the beer in celebration.

Without Jones, who has averaged 13.7 points per game, the Cardinals' primary point guard responsibilities will probably fall on freshman Quentin Snider. And though Snider distinguished himself at Syracuse in his first collegiate start, his sporadic playing time underscores how much Louisville has leaned on Jones.

In some ways, the situation echoes last year's dismissal of forward Chane Behanan, whose rebounding prowess had been instrumental in Louisville's 2013 NCAA championship victory over Michigan. Without Behanan available to combat Kentucky's size in last year's Midwest Regional semifinal in Indianapolis, the Cardinals were outrebounded, 37-29, and eliminated from the NCAA tournament with a 74-69 loss.

This year's bracket may be more daunting, particularly if Jones' absence shows up in Louisville's last four regular season games and the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Joe Lunardi, ESPN's renowned bracket analyst, projected Louisville as a No. 4 seed last week. Without Jones, that seeding could suffer.

What the dismissal will mean to Jones' own aspirations is unclear, but unpromising. As a 5-foot-10 senior, Jones lacks the size and the credentials to be seen as an NBA prospect. While venting his frustrations with Jones following the Syracuse game, Pitino suggested that if he did not return to Louisville's good graces he might wind up in "Belgium somewhere."

It would not appear he has much of a future in acting.