What's the best thing to do when a coach yells at you?

I generally ask if they can spell "retard" </SAM CARCHIDI>

 

Well, first I'd figure out whether I really screwed up or not. We're not immune, folks, and sometimes people don't take kindly to being misrepresented in Sticksville's largest news source. Little mistakes or misquotes might seem stupid to us, but to them it can easily be blown out of proportion. I think a lot of fans also don't feel we have any accountability, that our mistakes and rude columns are gone with the next news cycle while the people we tarnish are tainted longer. Plus, our corrections are buried where no one reads them, just further creating the "injustice" in the minds of many.

I don't agree with all that at all, but a heck of a lot of our readers do and its probably not in our best interest to write ALL of them off as stupid fanboys.

So, I'd figure out whether or not I made a mistake, apologize if I did and rather forwardly show that I didn't, if in fact I hadn't. If it's something in between -- something they're still pissed about but you don't feel the need to apologize for -- calmly explain your reasoning and move on. If it can't be done, wait a day and send an e-mail or make a call.

 

I would have punched the coach in the mouth, and then run for my life as the entire team chased after me to kick my ass. ;D

 

What do you do, especially in a college/pro press conference like the one with Gundy?

Nothing.

Not a thing.

Bottom line is, you earn more respect for yourself by not getting into (a publicized) pissing match. Moreover, you don't embarrass your paper/radio station/TV station.

I got my keyster ripped by Lloyd Carr in 1999 after Michigan beat Notre Dame in the season opener. Just as he was ending his press conference, he looked me square in the eye and said almost the same words as Gundy -- how could I do that to these players, "I hope when you have children someday you understand," blah, blah, blah.

My offense? In either my column or on the radio, can't remember which, I wrote or said that his punishment of two of his players who had been arrested (for theft, I think) was weak -- that they had to run the steps of Michigan Stadium and were not allowed to start and have the glory of having their name introduced at Michigan Stadium. Of course, they came in on the second play of the game.

I waited until Carr was finished and then followed him OUT of the media room and away from the cameras to try to talk to him. He didn't want to, of course, but the point is there's no use adding fuel to the fire. The fans, 99 times out of 100, are going to take the coach's side, so why publicly add to the problem?

 

The first year I covered my team, I was 23, and the team's offense was one of the worst in the country while the defense was respectable (now, it's the complete opposite). Said team loses a conference game 9-3 after true freshman QB, who had snuck out the night before and stayed out until 5 a.m. after he met a girl from facebook, throws an interception in the end zone with 17 seconds left and 2 timeouts (the sneaking out wasn't found out till the next week)

The loss made them 4-6 in the 11-game schedule, and I can't remember what my 2nd question was, but he said "Cuz, what the F*** kind of question is that. That's some bull sh*t" I was the only road media, so it was just in front of me and the SID with a tape recorder.

He was understandably pissed about his team, but I had more questions to ask, so I just stood my ground, kept eye contact, and kept going. It got better answers (Q: What happened with the OL? A: They got their ass kicked, plain and simple - that went in the paper)

He apologized 10 minutes later, saying "I guess you saw the same thing I did" It's funny to laugh about now, but I guess you have to know all parties involved

Bottom line is, if you cover a team for a long enough period of time, it's going to happen - it shouldn't be a common occurance though and it hasn't been for me, but the head coach of the team I cover isn't a prick.

 

To Brecht and Buck: As Sean Connery might say, "Just like a coach---brings a knife to a gunfight."

 

I have dealt with this a lot in my four years of covering sports, and the best advice I give you is take the high road. Don't confront the coach. You do not want to be humiliated by your actions, especially if they are heated in the span of even a quick moment. I have always let it ride, and when I have to deal with them, lets say the next year, all is forgotten. I am not saying though that coaches forget things...there are some that don't and when that happens, well, the coaches are screwing themselves, because then they won't get proper or any coverage at all.

If you keep a professional stance, it will work out better for you in the long run. If you confront them and you do it in public, you will forever be known as a hot head and you really don't want that stuck with you, especially when you need something professionally.

 

A) Make sure the tape recorder is running or;
B) Take copious notes.

Nothing saves you from a boring story like a good coach tirade.

 

If he gets really personal, try this. It beats the digit.

 

I had a prep basketball coach pull some crap on me back in the day, berating me in front of his team for asking a question after his team had played a rather meaningless game I had driven many miles to see on a Saturday night, mostly because I had no life at the time. It was a podunk little school, so he started ranting, "You'd better understand my policy on dealing with the media before you come around here again."
I responded, calmly, "I'll do that right after you understand my policy for dealing with lunatic coaches."
I then closed my notebook, did a 180-degree turn, and walked out over to the other locker room and wrote a rather touching story about someone on that team -- the losing team, I might add. The lunatic's school was mentioned only once, as the opponent, with nothing else.
Funny thing, I never had a problem with this guy after that and he actually became a decent source as he later moved on to college. Go figure.

 

You pull a gun. He sends one of your's to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way. That's how you get Cap--
Sorry, I got carried away.

 

I have a feeling that you're not going to make it to the closing credits.