Of everything you've written, what prompted the angriest responses?

A column wherein I wasn't very complimentary to Adolph Rupp got picked up by a Kentucky fan site, with predictable results.

 

Haha, that's awesome.

 

Wrote that the star girls soccer player yelled at her coach from across the field and got yanked. May or may not have cost them the game (a sub-state match). Asked the coach about it just to make sure I wasn't missing something and he handled it professionally and reasonably. I didn't quote what she yelled, mind you, just noted that she did.

The soccer moms hated me for this. Even got an e-mail from the girl herself, talking about what I "did to (her)." I responded to say I wasn't trying to hurt her, but that if she doesn't want people to know that she yelled at her coach, she probably shouldn't yell at her coach from across the field, within earshot of 300 people (which is probably 200 more than read that story, by the way, although I didn't say that).

One soccer mom said that it was no big deal and that she was just showing her frustration, to which I responded, "If it was no big deal, I suspect (coach) wouldn't have pulled her from the game, which is the only reason I mentioned it anyway."

It's probably not something I would do again, but I don't regret it. Perhaps she learned that being a whiny bitch isn't such a fun thing to be.

 

Can't get into detail (I'm a man who enjoys my privacy on here) - But I did a story 2 years ago that prompted over 200 responses on another messageboard. People debated my story back and forth, and reactions ranged from understanding to rage. I printed out the whole thread - well over 11 pages. All for a story that wasn't too deep.

 

A soccer gamer ... parents didn't like the fact that I downplayed the only two goals of a kid's career, because they happened at the end of a 6-0 game (I knew he was a marginal player, but alas, we don't keep soccer stats in the office).

My first year in the biz, I got calls from soccer parents in two communities, each insisting I was biased toward the other because I "covered them (the other town) too much" and should concentrate on THEIR school. I figured I was doing a pretty darned good job.

The other thing I got calls on constantly was when the local basketball team's best player was the coach's kid. I had parents keeping their own stats and then calling me to say they were inflated. They were apparently calling the AD, too, as he started tracking our boxscores.

 

I quoted a D-I women's basketball coach on why she never used her full allotment of 15 scholarships: "It's impossible to keep 15 women happy."

 

At my first small town weekly, basketball parents wanted me to do an 'expose' on why the freshman son of the school superintendent made the boys varsity basketball team over other seniors who 'deserved' to be on the team.

My response was that as soon as someone close to the basketball program would meet me in a parking garage with some documentation that the superintendent ordered the coach to play his son, then I would do the 'expose'.

I doubt many of them got the Deep Throat reference.

Kid was a decent player, not horrible, not a star.

 

An SportsJournalists.com post suggesting that conspicuous tattoos were really ugly on young women.

 

Another buddy of mine is SE at the paper south of me. He was my PTer and moved on to bigger and better things (I think)...

Response from "a fan":

I am disappointed, I truly am. You probably don't know who I
am, but I can guarantee that (former SE), the man you replaced, surely
does. You see, I was his personal critic, and quite a wicked one at
that; he really didn't like me, but, I suppose it is because, if given
the opportunity on a sunny day, I told him he would lose in a debate
with a stick. You see, I think (former SE) is the worst thing that
ever happened to the (paper), and I jumped for joy the day he
left. I had high aspirations for you, but alas, my balloon has been
deflated again.

I can't believe I am bringing myself to say this but, you are
worse than (former SE); You absolutely suck, and I mean stronger than a
Dyson Vacuum. I am going to use these next three months to display to
you just how bad you are. I strongly urge you not to ignore me; if you
do, there will be some unpleasant consequences. I pride myself on
being one of the reasons (former SE) left the (newspaper), and, to me,
you are a sitting duck (or a lame one, I suppose.) Be prepared for an
onslaught!

Here are a few reasons for my fury:

1. EDITING, FOOL, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THIS? I COUNTED 30 TYPOS IN
SUNDAYS SPORTS SECTION. Man, do you even speak English? Spelling the
names of student athletes incorrectly is a slap in the face.

2. NO ONE CARES ABOUT TRACK! I mean, seriously, especially from (out laying areas). THIS IS (county name) COUNTY! WRITE ABOUT (main city in county) ATHLETES,
YOU FOOL!

3. LEAVE YOUR TWO CENTS ON THE FOUR MAJOR SPORTS OUT OF THE PAPER! In
all honesty, the quality of your insights is comparable to those
emitted from a BOX OF ROCKS.

(Dick shit)
(main city of area) Resident

P.S. I am not going to go away, I promise you that. I have an
innumerable number of ways to reach you and make sure you hear what I
have to say; let's just say I know a few (newspaper) shareholders, as
well as few people who have some pull in the (main city) Community.
Clean-up your act, or, ha, prepare for a miserable time, you fool."

-----

After a few e-mails exchanged, and numerous threats, we get this:

"Ha, Ha. Big words from a "Big" man (judging by your editorial
> picture, it seems like you could drop a few pounds, or fifty.)
>
> Your response is exactly what I expected. Straight-forward, and, yes,
> full of conjecture.
> First off, you wouldn't know intelligence if it slapped you in the
> face; that is why I thought being blunt would get through to you.
>
> Alas, I suppose I must be more "structured" in my criticism. To
> start, how about recognizing something other than Track so often,
> seriously. I'm honest when I say not too many people care; how about
> talking about soccer ((city school) is having a great year) or Golf?
> No, you are ignorant and talk about (outlaying schools) etc.
> These teams AREN'T EVEN IN THE COUNTY; LOOK AT A MAP. I don't care
> about coverage for two or three people (who probably slack off at
> practice anyway, seeing that Track Teams don't even have tryouts), and
> I'm know a lot of other people who don't, either. If we're going to
> honor Johnny Appleseed for jumping 3.5 feet, then why not honor all of
> the High Honor Students at the High Schools. I can guarantee
> academic feats are far superior to lame athletic ones. Truly, what is
> going to advance you in life, athletic skill or intelligence? Judging
> by how "far" you've advanced in life, I suppose you think the former.
> (How does $30,000 a year treat you? Is that even enough for life's
> essentials?)
>
> Please, please direct me to your supervisor; obviously I must climb
> the totem pole in order to illuminate the writing on the wall to you.
> I AM NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. I have pull in places you couldn't even
> imagine (and if you haven't figured it out yet, (fake name) isn't my
> complete name.) I recommend you don't view this as a petty threat,
> but something a little more substantial. If not, well, let's just say
> I didn't warn you."

By the way, many of the claims were bogus and not even true. And after a few vauge threats of my buddy getting fired because of this guy...nothing has happened.

I know..shocking.

 

I wrote a column critical of an Oklahoma State quarterback and the coach went NUTS!! Oh wait, that wasn't me...

 

When I worked for a county paper, I basically got the same vibe from the big town in the county people ... "you're the County Seat paper, you should be writing about (translation: waving the pompoms for) County Seat High. We don't want to read any of that crap about the Outlying Area High" (the outlying area high schools have won four state titles in various sports over the last decade, while County Seat high jumps for joy when they finish over .500). "You shouldn't be writing about THEM anyway. You're OUR paper."

Never mind that the coverage of all of the schools was pretty much equal.

Apparently, they bent enough ears, because the day I left, the coverage of random (and pointless) County Seat High games rapidly increased (and was homer-rific), and the coverage of the outlying schools decreased.

The fact that I went on to teach & coach at one of the outlying area schools only fanned the conspiracy theories that I hated County Seat High and was secretly a fan of Outlying Area High (which happened to be going through an athletic "up" cycle in my last couple of years as SE, so they got a lot of ink).