Hilariously Bad Interview Questions

Junior college kid scores 37, a career high.

Question from Japanese exchange student from school paper who'd just watched her first basketball game: "What were you thinking on your 23rd point?"

 

That's one of the funniest things I've ever read.

 

Oh, and asking a D-1 women's basketball coach what went into her wardrobe selection during a particular game is up there.

 

What did Sherri say?

 

I have a similar story, only concerning a much more famous, bigger jerk who used to coach in the state of Indiana.

It was my first semester working at the school paper, covering the university's administration. For one of my reporting classes we had to shadow local media professionals. I chose a hot sports TV chick because, well she was hot, and because it was sports and I was bored with stuffy administrators.

Turns out, hot TV girl (who's happened to make a pretty big name for herself now) was set to cover an early-season nonconference basketball game and asked if I wanted to do that. I thought, 'Great! I'll get to ask [more famous, bigger jerk Indiana coach] a question in the press conference!'

So, she leaves at half to go back and start editing her tape and whatever other things TV people do. I go up and sit with our men's basketball beat writer (who also posts on this site now) for the remainder of the game.

Afterward, we head down to the media room for the press conference. He's sitting next to me, and as the press conference starts says, '[mltru2yx], if you don't ask [Tob Tight] (random SNL skit reference) a question, you're never getting hired in sports.'

So, I'm thinking, thinking, thinking...BAM, it hits me!

Me: "Coach, everyone knew (sophomore walk-on, who scored a career-high 20-plus points and went on to be one of the school's all-time leading scorers) was a defensive stopper for you guys, but talk about his performance tonight on other side of the ball."

Tob Tight: Blank stare...something along these lines...

"When I hear the phrase 'other side of the ball,' I expect to look out and see grass and chalk lines. In instances such as tonight when you look out and see hardwood, you talk about the other end of the floor. There is no other side of the ball unless you're watching a football game. Blah blah blah blah...I like to help you young guys out because the profession you've chosen to enter is just a couple of steps above prostitution."

Exit stage right

Other beat reporters: laughter

I was embarrased as hell. But I sure never used that term when referring to basketball again.

Turns out, I get word from the prick of an SID that "Oh, don't worry. Tob wanted you to know he just did that because he'd never seen you before and likes to do that stuff with new people. He actually thought it was a pretty good question, minus the wording."

Yeah, thanks [prick SID].

Anyway, I was the men's basketball beat writer the following season and asked some pretty damn good questions. Say what you want about Tob Tight, but he taught me a lot about the game that I wouldn't have learned otherwise.

With that said, he's still a damn bully.

 

I'm not sure if you've told that story on this site before, mltru, but I've heard it before. Either it's become legend in the industry, or one of your old posts stuck in my head.

I heard a good one recently. Guy from the competition and I go to interview a kid after his hit wins the division title for his team. Guy says, "Well, after you guys played 10 innings just the other day ... oh wait ... that wasn't you guys. [Turns to me] You got any questions?"

I guess that's something that can happen to the best of us, but I had to crack up.

 

No, I've never told it, but I know many people know of it. Yeah, the prostitute thing...that was me.

 

Was this in Lubbock? Because Bob pulled out that quote after a Tech game once, and some smart ass reporter -- who will forever be my hero -- asked Bob, "What's in between?"

You know, if sportswriting is TWO steps below prostitution, what's just one step below?

 

That sort of shit happens all the time when Big City Daily comes out into the sticks to cover one of our local teams. Since we only cover three high schools, I know all the coaches and players well. Then some random dude shows up and starts asking all these inane questions, usually messing up details about previous games or the team in question's record. Then the Big City reporter runs off to file his gamer and I get a good laugh about it with the coaching staff.

 

Yeah, I'd tell you who it was if I knew he didn't care about being outed. I went up and shook his hand afterward. He was a beat reporter for an out-of-town major metro who had a few famed run-ins with Tob, himself.

 

Well, it was awesome nonetheless.

 

Extracting bull semen for artificial insemination. Either that or desking.