Hilariously Bad Interview Questions

[TwoGloves]

PGA Tour event. Davis Love III is in the interview room. He's talking about his late father, how big an influence he was and how much he's missed.


Question for Love: "Davis, what was your father's name?"

Top that!

 

[Moderator1]

Suppose he's named after a grandfather and the dad's name is George? Probably NOT the case most of the time but it never hurts to ask.

Of course, it was probably in the media guide but I've learned they're not always reliable.

 

[Birdscribe]

We're going to end this thread right now.

The 2005 Samsung World Championship, an LPGA event better known as Michelle Wie's pro debut. As a result, we issued 237 credentials -- by far the most credentials issued for an LPGA event in like, forever.

One of the Korean reporters -- who obviously had never covered golf before -- comes up to my cohort and asks three questions about one of the anonymous Korean golfers, probably Hee Won Han or Shi Hyun Ahn. Two questions the media guide could easily answer and one that defies logic, given where we were at.

Where is she from?

How old is she?

Is She Male or Female?

 

[Ike Broflovski]

"Let's get you on the record now . . . "

Oh, that's not a question.

"Talk about . . . "

That isn't, either. My apologies.

 

[InTheSkeller]

After a game in which the Pirates scored twice in the fourth inning to tie it 2-2 and then got a run in the seventh or eight to win it, someone posed this beauty to manager Gene Lamont:

"Coach," -- called him coach, fer cryin' out loud -- "after you guys tied it, did you feel like it was a brand new ballgame?"

Lamont rolled his eyes and gave some stock response.

:-X

 

[SF_Express]

Season finale, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1978.

Bucs lose 17-10 to a bad Saints team in a terrible game.

John McKay comes out, and despite his grumpiness, he usually had something interesting to say, sometimes moreso after a loss. And this was also going to serve as the entry to all the season-ending post-mortem stuff, so as postgames go, this one is relatively important for the beat guys.

Radio guy: So, coach, do you have any New Year's resolutions?

McKay: I'm the one who's supposed to be funny here.

Exit stage left.

Beat guys did NOT find it hilarious.

 

[jshecket]

Prior to the Ohio State - Bowling Green football game this past year somebody asked Jim Tressel a question that started with "Heading into your week off..."

 

[write then drink]

"You, you, you knew they were going to blitz a lot and you were going to have to do a little different things that can make up for you to run, you know, up the gut, like, as you can, like, so you, I mean you did a lot of different things like catch, you know, you had a lot of catches and, you know, just like the, the, the thought that you guys played so hard and, you know, like you guys worked your asses off in the, in the second half, like (the quarterback) hit everybody, you know, like they caught everything, and special teams gave you the ball in good position, and after (the other team) scored that last touchdown it pretty much, you know, sucks."

i once was in a presser where some clown asked an equally long-winded question

the guy stared at him for a moment, then answered, "Could you repeat the question?"

broke everybody up

 

[Mizzougrad96]

They actually teach players and coaches that if they're asked a question they don't like, to ask the person to repeat the question...

 

[dawgpounddiehard]

Prior to the Ohio State - Bowling Green football game this past year somebody asked Jim Tressel a question that started with "Heading into your week off..."

Hey, just because my Falcons had a down year... at least they scored a touchdown against OSU.

As for questions that make me cringe... usually something that starts with, "Talk about..."

 

[skippy05]

The worst interview I've heard in a while was...me.

A couple years ago, I was covering the Rams and it was the Cardinal game (here in STL known as "Warner Week.") I had interviewed Neil Rackers the day before because he went to a local high school. Mind you, talked to him the DAY BEFORE. I'm on the air in the Cards' locker room after the game and said, "I'm with...uh...Neil...uh, (hand over mic, "What's your last name again?") Rackers, Neil Rackers..." That was bad enough, but then at the end I ask him his thoughts on going to Atlanta the following week and he said, "I don't think we're playing Atlanta this year, but we're heading to Seattle and..."

Rough. Real rough. He was a pretty good sport about it, though...

And I know I'm guilty of the "Talk about..." line of questioning, but in my defense, that's saved for one-on-ones with coaches and players I talk to almost daily and have a good relationship with.

 

[BillyT]

This is for TwoGloves.

I can top it, because after local auto racer, Ed Reed Jr., said his father ran home to get the new tires (or something), *I* asked Ed his dad's name.

In a pressbox that only included professional ballbusters, including Ed himself.