So if you're covering West Virginia football today ...

You guys ever ready stories about the New England Patriots? Better yet, ever been to a Belichick presser before a big game? He doesn't give anyone shit. Same thing for Andy Reid. But they get asked the questions anyway. Over and over again. Then Reid and Belichick refuse to answer the questions...and somehow, the stories still get written anyway.

But you have to ask. It's your job.

 

Who's disagreeing?

All we're saying is, if you've got a question you know is 100 percent guaranteed to end a presser, and you feel you HAVE to ask it ... you need to wait a few minutes before barging in with it.

THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING.

That said, I'm not sold that this is a question that just HAS to be asked. He's already declined comment. You're not getting anything else. I might be tempted to ask it -- NEAR THE END OF THE PRESSER -- just to give my story the closure of Rodriguez threatening to walk off, and then actually doing it.

But intentionally blowing up a press conference from the get-go is a no-no. It's bush league and unprofessional. You want to do that, go work in TV.

 

Why is it guaranteed to end the press conference? As others have noted, there are plenty of other ways to bust his ass about it. Ask him if WVU fans should simply expect this circus every year. Ask him how it will affect his recruiting.

I'm not saying you make him walk out. I'm saying you don't go with "Gee, coach, do you think you'll play some Cover 2 this game?"

 

Correct.

But you do it at the right time. Waiting five or 10 minutes to get some other information, if you need it to carry over for a period, and then asking the question isn't wrong.

 

I'm all for that. At the right moment.

I don't see why you are so hell bent on asking RichRod your question RIGHT THIS SECOND. Calm down a bit, sparky. Take a deep breath. Let others ask their feature-related questions. I wouldn't be surprised if The Oklahoman had a reporter there. He/She has come a long way. Let them get what they need.

Then ask the questions that have the potential to end things real quick.

It's really not that hard.

Hell, you might even soften him up and be able to slip in some questions he might have rejected out of hand had they been the first out of the box.

 

Yeah, they'd be pretty pissed. No one from there has ever caused a coach to go nuclear.

 

What's the point? When, exactly, is the right time to ask? After two questions? Four questions? If the coach is in this mode there is the potential that he could end the press conference at any moment. He clearly wants to set the tone of the presser and control it; he could well have decided that he'll answer a few quick softballs and get the hell out of there.

 

What do you lose by waiting five minutes?

 

What do you gain by it? What about the guy who's there specifically to write about Rodriguez-to-Michigan rumors? Is he supposed to wait five minutes before raising his hand because Coach doesn't wanna talk about it?

 

People have already posted what they'd gain by it. I'm asking what you'd lose by it?

 

Everyone has been at a press conference and missed the opportunity to get a question in. As I said, you let Rodriguez gain control of the press conference and he could still walk out at any moment. Parcells used to do that stuff a lot.

 

I'd pass him a note in study hall.

"Do you love Michigan? Check yes or no."