How do you guys start an interview?

Well, I didn't start the season with that line, but now that everyone's comfortable with me, they know the drill. Just my way of making sure they know I'm not using off-the-record info they tell me, because I'm certainly at the point of getting it. Sometimes I just chat with assistants or players to get them comfortable with me. My phrase lets them know when we're no longer chatting as work acquaintances and they're going to be in print.

For the people I don't work with every week, I don't say that. Then there are some coaches that start running the coach-speak before I even get the damn recorder turned on. They're the ones that keep tight-lipped about ... other stuff.

 

Nah, I prefer a squirting flower on the lapel.

 

Damn. You're good.

 

Casual chitchat works, and no need to ask for permission to turn on the tape recorder. Just do it, and if interviewee objects, ask him or her why, and then just work through it.

 

That's great.

 

Just don't open the interview with, "Nice tits." Unless it's Mark Mangino you're interviewing.

Seriously, though, the important thing is to get them talking. If they are shy, you have to ask direct (non "Yes" or "No") questions. But most of my best quotes come when I just begin conversing with them.

Had one high school sophomore who made All-Area cross country, when I turned on my tape player and asked her to describe her season, broke down and cried.

 

Arm wrestling. They respect competition.

 

To fully answer the question, and I may be going overboard here, but there are many categories of 'interviewees.'

I'll start with the easiest, and work my way to the toughest. I'll do this in a series of posts. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot, which I'm sure most of you will.

Anyway.

Players, high school or small college after a game (NCAA and pros are different, obviously):
I simply find them before they disappear to the bus or locker room. High school games are chaotic afterwards, especially the big games. And I want to get the kids before they hug teary-eyed momma whose made all 300 pounds of herself onto the field or court to hug their little Johnny or Suzy.

I say "hey PLAYER X" lemme ask you a few questions. Then sometimes I remember to tell them who I am and sometimes I thinking 10 minutes ahead of time because, you know, I'm on deadline. I usually ask them open-ended questions other than 'how do you feel,' i.e. 'describe that play' or 'what was going through your mind during that play [describing the play, usually a key one]. In big games I ask them what their coach did to pep them up before hand, any Knute Rockne speeches, or what the players might have done as a team to get psyched up.

If you ask yes or no questions, you'll get yes or no answers from high school kids (and even college kids and even pro [kids]). But sometimes they'll surprise you.

This is usually for kids I don't know, never met, don't cover often. Kids that I'm familiar with and who are familiar with who I am -- it's all different.

 

Coverage-area coaches, post-game:
I start off with congratulations if it's in order, or a good job or you guys tried hard kind of thing. Then I focus on positives, such as player X did this and that and had these stats, comment on his play....

Then I focus on a positive situation during the game for his or her team and ask the coach to describe that play in their own words, or ask what their thinking was to go to a full court press when they're already 8 deep into their bench.

I usually mix in simple questions while I'm taking notes. This avoids long pauses when the subject is just gawking, i.e. 'what's the next game?' or 'what's your record now?' or 'did ya'll beat them the last time y'all played' or 'what's your postseason scenario looking like right now.'

I usually already know the answers to all these questions, so I usually don't write down their responses. In addition to keeping the flow going, this serves to double-check my facts that I've already figured out before I even showed up at the game. Sometimes high school programs are wily and elusive, and I actually have to write down all this stuff when asking about it. So every situation is different.

I ask coaches about any trends in winning, i.e. if player X has a streak of tackles, touchdowns, saves, completed passes, double-double or triple-triple, or trends in pitching and batting stats. Usually they don't fucking know. But sometimes they'll surprise you.

If there's a tough question that I have to ask, i.e. 'hey coach dumbass, why'd you bench a 5th year senior with 2 minutes left in a six-point game after he already had 300 yards passing?' or 'hey coach considerate, why did you let your team go all 8 minutes of the fourth quarter in tight game and full court press and not call timeout even once?'

Tough questions also include those about a coach's tenure, i.e. 'so with this win, does it silence critics or empower them [if it's a loss]?' One time a coach was surprised when I asked that and responded thusly: "I've got critics?" So I quoted him saying that, wihtout the question mark [just joking].

 

Non-coverage area coach, post game:
I usually try to call the coach before the game and tell him who I am and that I'll be harangueing them after the big game, and that I'm on deadline and there's no time to waste. I say I only need 5 minutes of their time, maybe less.

At this time, I request rosters and background info to avoid all that bullcrap after the game. Usually the coach doesn't know.

If I can't reach the coach before gametime, I make a point to go back his locker room or see him during warm ups and introduce myself and ask him to expect me to harangue him after the big game.

After the game, I usually start off with softball questions, regardless of win or lose, then if there's a hard question I have to ask, I save it for the end.

 

Non-gamer source, hard sports news:
Tricky and many situations, usually these involve coaches getting fired, hired or bailed out of DWI, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, etc.

In the scenario of some law or rule being broken by the coach, the program, or an individual player, I start off by explaining to them that my readers want firm information rather than rumor and innuendo. I explain I want to set the record straight regarding the situation, and I ask them to trust me that I will do that. and I explain that I'll go over the story with them after it's written and read their quotes and what I've paraphrased to them.

I also explain that it's my job for me to follow up on whatever the story is about, law breaking or whatever, usually law breaking. I tell them I'm told to do it, in some situations, because it avoids Coach Dumbass emphatically telling me "can't you just keep it about the kids!?!!???"

I also tell them that they do not have to answer any question that I ask. Usually I make a point to tell young people this. Adults should already know it.

On coach getting hired, I usually ask for a debriefing of their resume, then I get into specifics about the program. I start with positives the team has coming back for Coach Dumbass' first year, just asking them if they're aware of player X or unit Y, and to comment on it if they are.

I save the hard questions for last, i.e. 'you do realize, Coach D, that this program has been considered the "graveyard" for talented high school athletes for the past 12 years or so. They have a 5-102 record in that time. What makes you want to take over this program at this time, and what makes you think you can do any better than your 18 or so predecessors?'

That last part is because newly hired coaches are full of bunch of jockspeak, i.e. "tayke itwangayme addatyme, gonnaleevitawlowdondafeeyld, and gonnawerkhord and turndisprograym uh-rownd."

For coach getting the axe, I treat it like a hostile interview, but sometimes the coaches feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders, and they really open up to you. Sometimes.

Interviews that ain't easy include and always such include:
Dickhead-inaccessible politician or school principal or school board attorney,
Paralyzed star athlete who got that way right before the big game (or during it),
Momma or Daddeh of the star athlete who's currently wrapped around a tree, along with the beemer they bought him or her for their sweet 16,
Wife of coach who had a heart attack and/or stroke during the big game,
etc.

 

wow dude, you put a helluva lotta thought into that. but, at roughly 17 years old, i learned one simple line will get you through all transitional phases in life, be it dealing with an interview, an asshole in a bar, in-laws, a cop, or one of my many hos.

when i'm placed in any situation where someone's looking for a response from me, 99 percent of the time i quite simply say, not shouting, but clearly audible, "iiiiiiiite. bring it, biotch" and then hold my hands flat, about 6 inches in front of my chest (palms in), and wiggle my fingers inward and outward while staring my subject deeply in the eye. (remember, the nonverbals are of grave importance.)