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

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Norman Stansfield, Jan 26, 2007.

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  1. Omar_dont_scare

    Omar_dont_scare Guest

    Hmmmmmm

    I'll second Grobe.

    Seth Greenberg can be good.

    Tommy West gets an honorable mention only because when he was at Clemson and I was a meager plebe at my college's paper--I'm talking number of articles done at this point in the single digits--he called my dorm room and left a message for a callback. I was impressed he took the time.

    Pete Gillen's always good for a joke or five.

    I've heard good things about Bruce Pearl, and horrible, horrible things about Al Groh.
     
    Omar_dont_scare, Jan 27, 2007
    #25
  2. slipshod

    slipshod Member

    Mike D'Antoni. Hell, he's one of the best people I've known, coach or no coach.
     
    slipshod, Jan 27, 2007
    #26
  3. Norman Stansfield

    Norman Stansfield Active Member

    Pearl's pretty damn good, I have to say. But the used-car salesman comes on strong at times.
     
    Norman Stansfield, Jan 27, 2007
    #27
  4. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    For me, this one's easy. Jim Grobe is one of the finest people I have met in 18 years in this racket. Humble, honest, patient and considerate, he's absolutely genuine.
     
    tapintoamerica, Jan 27, 2007
    #28
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Doc Rivers needs to be on this list...
     
    Mizzougrad96, Jan 27, 2007
    #29
  6. dragonfly

    dragonfly Member

    Mack Brown. Learns your name within five minutes and never forgets it.
     
    dragonfly, Jan 27, 2007
    #30
  7. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    The gold standard.
    During his early years at St. Joe's, Arizona cancelled a trip because of bad weather. It was rainy. Martelli absolutely went off on Olson during a conference call - funny lines about jets being able to handle rain and the like.
    Martelli should teach a class.

    Also on board with those who talk about Grobe and Seth Greenberg, who now and then calls reporters just because. Never covered him day to day but I've always enjoyed my dealings with Tommy Bowden.
    Also never covered day to day but was great with me when I did deal with him: Denny Crum.
     
    Moderator1, Jan 27, 2007
    #31
  8. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    In terms of being much more honest than a coach really should be: Mike Davis. He is a genuinely nice man who probably needs to learn how to duck some questions.
     
    PopeDirkBenedict, Jan 27, 2007
    #32
  9. Pencil Dick

    Pencil Dick Member

    Dale Brown when he was coaching at LSU was always a favorite of mine, if he wasn't in Nepal or Burma (also known as Myanmar) or hanging out in L.A. with Mamie van Doren.

    In my limited dealings with him, Sonny Smith was priceless once you got past his hick schtick.
     
    Pencil Dick, Jan 27, 2007
    #33
  10. nobody_important

    nobody_important Member

    Tom Izzo. Goes above and beyond for all media, both local reporters and media from other teams. Never puts national reporters over the local guys.
     
    nobody_important, Jan 27, 2007
    #34
  11. friend of the friendless

    friend of the friendless Active Member

    Sirs, Madames,

    Brian Kilrea is the only junior hockey coach in the Hall of Fame for good reason. His image as a father figure to his players is way of the mark--it's a great story that doesn't quite hold up. But his door's always open, the beer is always cold and a good dry cleaner can get the smell of his cigars out of your clothes.

    I think Ken Hitchcock is pretty damn good as well.

    And, strangely, Pat Burns has always been good to me (except when he got me shit-faced in a bar in the Eastern Townships that was wall-to-wall with cops and left me to sleep in my car ... but I'm over that).

    YHS, etc
     
    friend of the friendless, Jan 27, 2007
    #35
  12. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    I know he's been reamed on these boards for being an asshole - probably with good reason - but Jim Calhoun has always been GREAT when I've been around him. He always spends time after the postgame goatfuck outside the locker room.
    I'll never forget the time some whack kept putting a phone to Calhoun's ear and saying "Go on with ESPN (or Fox or somebody) radio," and Calhoun saying, firmly, not now. "I'm visiting with these guys now," he said.
    Many points in my book for that.

    Years ago, I sat through a Calhoun PC and then waited through his later deal because I needed one little itty bitty thing of my own. He had every right to say hey fuck off, I just spent 30 minutes answering questions. I explained why I needed one more, he said sure and gave me a great answer.
     
    Moderator1, Jan 27, 2007
    #36
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