Your First Time

Called then-Packers' center Mike Flannigan Jim, a common slip of the tounge when the two are playing each other one Sunday in Chicago. Jim grew up in Northeastern Wisconsin. He took it with a smile, then said, "They call my Jim in Green Bay, and they call me Jim in Chicago. I'm fucking used to it by now." You can always count on an offensive lineman to not get pissy, IMHO.

 

I covered Nolan Richardson's teams a lot in college.
As rude and mean-spirited as he could often be to the established guys, he was generally gracious and patient with the young pups.
I know I was nervous the first few times I asked him questions, but I got through it, somehow. Very intimidating figure.

(Edit: I know it's not the pros, but it was still fairly big-time, and others have mentioned college.)

 

Oh, I know a few who would, but I guess it's a lower percentage of assholes in that group.

 

I suppose you're right. I lucked out with the group I always headed to. My editor helped me along, easing me in with guys he knew would take shitty questions and run with them. It was either that, or try to figure out what the fuck Grady Jackson just spat through his gold gap-tooth.

 

I'd love to know what he puts in that special sauce at Camden Yards.

 

Boog's Barbeque can go to hell, and that's all I got to say about that.

 

Not big leagues, so my apologies for being slightly off topic, but this one was so off the wall I figured it was worth sharing. College lacrosse game, home team blows a two-goal lead in the final minute to lose what would have been a great win. He talks to his team very briefly, and then the "reporter" from the student paper walks over carrying a bag of chips.

First question - "How do you spell your name?"

Amazingly, the coach keeps his composure and starts to respond.

Second question - "What was that again?

Coach - "Do you want me to write it for you?"

"Reporter" - "Yeah, that'd be great."

Reporter grabs chips in left hand and hands notebook to coach to write his name.

Coach, who I've known for 15 or so years, looks at me in disbelief. I took over asking the questions at that point.

 

Roberto Duran is probably the most famous athlete I've ever interviewed and I was scared to death. It was about 10 years ago when Duran had a salsa album out and he was in Toronto promoting it. I'd been a huge fan for years, thought that he was in the top 10 all-time pound-for-pound, the greatest lightweight champ ever and a guy who'd stared down badasses like Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Barkley, Cuevas and Benitez.

Duran was a total pro and gave good answers to my questions through his interpreter and for my final question I asked him why he never fought Alexis Arguello. Well he leans over the table, those "Charlie Manson" eyes (as Joe Frazier called them) flashing and he says - in passable English - "Why don't you ask Don King why I never got a fight with fucking Alexis Arguello!!!!"

 

Funniest story I've ever witnessed of what I hope was a first time was in Chicago. We were gathered around Dave Wannstedt after a Pitt practice. A kid about 21 or 22 - an intern I believe - asked him how to spell his name.

I mean, this wasn't some Joe you're interviewing b/c he witnessed a murder. Or it's not a high school coach where you have no media guide. This is a former NFL coach at a major NCAA program.

I couldn't help but laugh. I'm not too old and I make mistakes just like the other guy, so I make a point to never chuckle at other reports. But this was just too much.

 

Mmm. Tasty. :

 

naw meat, you gotta say more about that ... come on, why to hell?

 

Had a similar experience with Nolan the first time I ever covered the men's team at UA. It was my first year in the business, and I ended up writing a column about it. Disagree with how Nolan conducted himself for much fo his tenure, especially at the end, but he was gracious to young, faceless reporters.