I don't mind punishing a player when he breaks team rules, I think Samson should have been scratched a game.
But with your back against the wall it shouldn't have been this one, could have easily scratched him the next game instead of benching him on this one.
Samson probably got dressed, and maybe wanted to sit on the bench the entire game himself , don't know about that.
If your boss would humiliate you in front of your colleagues like this, he would have some explaining to do with your union rep (lets call him Gionta).
Now Imagine him doing it in front of 15.000 people...