Beat writers: best coach you've ever worked with/interviewed?

I have had great conversations with Marv Levy, Jerry Tarkanian, Pete Carril, and Don Nehlen who all talk in detail.

Chris

 

Jim Calhoun was more of a gentlemen than I thought any coach could be in a 30-minute phone interview. I'd never spoken to him before and he was great after the game. This was around the time of his dispute with Jeff Jacobs, so I knew there was another side. I vouch for Tuberville, too.

The underrated guy is LSU basketball coach John Brady. He appreciates his beat writers and confides in them. He will tell you just about everything off the record. He will occasionally skewer the TV guys and the pseudo media drips in post game pressers.

Brady has a reputation of being an asshole, especially among writers who get him occasionally. For his first eight years, he was. He even admitted to me he was a dick. But it was all paranoia and bluster. If you stood up to him he respected you and he doesn't hold a grudge. I've had some lively, public exchanges with him. He says what's on his mind.

About three years ago he underwent a personality makeover and now he's less confrontational and a lot more polished, but not as much fun.

 

and because St. Joe's was better than Olson thought compared to when Arizona scheduled the Hawks

 

Talked to 2 different sources--one a beat writer, the other the current AD. While the latter might have an agenda, the former doesn't. The cause of the whole to-do about the situation, in my opinion, is that they didn't make a formal announcement about it wins/losses assignation at that time. (Just like NC State didn't do so with Kay Yow recently.) Because the whole situation was so unusual, it became very easy for those who hated K and/or Duke (many, in NC) to come up with a conspiracy theory.

 

That's interesting about Brady. I had definitely considered him an asshole. Maybe I'll reconsider.

 

From my college hoops days:

Jim Larranaga
Jerry Wainwright (Great sense of humor)
Ed Tapscott (ditto)
Chris Knoche
Dick Tarrant (Very polite guy)
Sonny Smith (See, Wainwright and Tapscott)
Rick Barnes (I was impressed. I was a freshman writing for my college paper and he returned a call to my dorm room.)
Paul Westhead (soft spoken guy, but took the time to answer any question I had).

From my college football days

Frank Beamer
Steve Logan (Very intense guy, but not a dick about it. Wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers, which was great when he was winning, but received a quick kick from ECU when he wasn't.)

 

I like Calhoun if only for the stern warning he gave the fanboys in the Marquette student media who were al giddy when the Golden Worriers beat UConn last season. (paraphrasing: it's a long season. it's been one game .. calm down). But he is a pretty good postgame. Boehim was pretty good, too. I dealt with Tony Bennett for the first time this year and aside from the lack of "ah, shucks" mannerisms, he is very much similar to his father (except the Cougars break 70 )

 

I have to go with Jerry Tarkanian for this reason alone: You could call him at home anytime, which people have had to do given his programs.

I once had to call him at 2:30 a.m. at home and he answered on the second ring. He probably thought I was H Waldman looking for bail money, but once I identified myself he gladly answered every one of my questions. And another cool thing, his cell number was (702) XXX-TARK.

 

That's cool that the exchange was XXX. That should be the exchange for all the porno palaces and strip joints in Vegas.

 

Or you could always call him up at his shag room at the Maxim.

 

Good guys: Eddie Sutton, Lorenzo Romar, Bob Toledo, Coach K (sorry, always have great give-and-take with him), Mike Holmgren, Bill Parcells (he's hysterical), Nate McMillan, Lute Olson, Dick Bennett, Lou Piniella, Mike Price, Mike Riley.

Pricks: Knight, Henry Bibby, Tara VanDerveer, Billy Tubbs, Gregg Popovich, Ty Willingham.

 

The Tark is such a great interview. He is brutally honest and gives all the time you need.

Chris