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

75 percent of the coaches I've had scream at me have become great sources down the road. It's almost as if once you've been through the fire with them, they trust you more.

 

After years on the cops beat, talking with detectives, police chiefs, sheriffs, family members of dead people ... I'm not taking shit off a fucking high school coach. Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with an angry coach so far.

 

Amen, I'm way too old for listening to that crap from a coach, any coach, too.

 

So what does "I'm not taking shit off a fucking high school coach" mean?

You yell back? Walk away? Wag your finger and say tut-tut-tut?

 

Personally, I'd put the coach on blast.

 

I think it's a big risk to yell back, even in private, but it can work.

First college coach I covered on a 24/7/365 basis tore into me one day over a question he didn't like. I tried to stay quiet, but he kept going and kept going until I tore back into him.

We both walked away steaming mad that day, but we started cracking up about it the next day and every day afterward. It became a running joke, especially when future interview questions got tough, because I think he knew that I would be tough but always fair in print. It was this coach's first head college job, and he didn't have a great start to his career there.

Our last exhange that day was something like:
Coach:"Remind me again how many college coaching you wins you have, you fucking asshole?"
Hammer Pants: "Not many less you have, you fucking asshole."

He told me a few weeks later that he respected me from that moment. He basically said something like "I just thought you were just a young punk, but now I know you're a tough, young punk, and I respect you now."

They had a big win Saturday, and I sent him a congrats text. He sent one back saying "thanks a lot, asshole." And I know he was laughing when he sent it.

Of course, it's a little different on my current beat. A lot more writers. A lot more TV morons.

 

Nice.

 

Tut-tut-tut is just mean. I think pointing and giggling would be appropriate.

Seriously, I'd shrug it off. High school sports and the psychotic/paranoid/insecure/idiot coaches are not something to lose your temper over.

 

I once had a minor-league coach get loud at me after the parent club was upset by something he said. He challenged me in his office because he felt he was misquoted, so I replayed the quote in front of him word for word.

He instantly changed his tune and our rapport grew rapidly from that point forward. The trust was there and anything I needed, he was an open book.

I think those moments, if not too extreme, can be a rite of passage if handled properly.

 

If pointing out someone has crossed the line--by screaming in my face in a crowded gym no less--in a calm fashion is upsetting to my boss and/or publisher, I'll find a new job.

 

John Chaney tore me up and down for a couple minutes (probably 30 seconds but it seemed like a couple of minutes) during an NCAA regional post-game press conference years ago. I just stood their and rolled my eyes while he ranted. About half an hour later, the SID came over and told me that Chaney wanted to talk. He apologized, we had a nice talk and I walked away with a lot of respect for the man.

 

Central theme in these stories:

Coach blows up in front of everyone at reporter.
Reporter avoids confrontation.
Coach offers apology after the fact in private.



How is that different than putting a correction at the bottom of page 8 after we put an error in the paper?