What do you do when a coach goes ballistic?

Yeah. I think it was the phone that got him.

 

Put that in your fucking pipe and smoke it.

 

I think that's a bit over-sympathetic.
Let the coach's blow off steam, boil over and cool down.
But keep in mind ... IT IS STILL JUST A GAME!
It's not like they just tried brain surgery on a 5-year-old cancer patient who died on the table. IT was a FOOTBALL game. With part-time coaches and part-time athletes. It sucks to lose, but it ain't the end of the world.
Sometimes I think everyone is better served to remember that.

 

Always carry a loaded squirt gun to cool them off.

 

I think you have to make a difference between high school athletes and coaches and pros. If a high school kid or coach says something questionable, I always read back to them what they said, even if they're ranting, and ask them, are you sure this is what you said? If someone like Tony Stewart says something stupid, I have no problem reporting it. Most of the time he doesn't hang around long enough to give him a chance to think about what he said.

 

Everybody (or at least they should) wants to do thier job right.
I just don't think football coaches (I'm mainly addressing high schools) should get a pass because a microphone or a recorder is thrust in their face five minutes after a loss.
I've dealt with hundreds of coaches. One. One was a total jackass after every loss. It got old pretty quick.
I've had a small handful say something off the charts (about refs or the paper or whatever) but most - easily the majority are familiar with the scenario and cool with it. I'm understanding about the situation as well.
I give coaches a wide berth. I understand being frustrated. I hate to lose at things well and pride myself on doing a good job, but I really try not to take it on other people.
It is not a coach thing. It's a respect thing.
And I'm sorry. It's still just a game.
Not NASA. Not medicine. Not accounting. No stockmarket ventures. Not city governmnet - all of which are more important than sports; a game.

I don't disagree with you EF, or Editorhoo,
Like I said people - not just coaches - are really best served to remember it is still just a game and treat it as such.

 

I had to plow through several temper tantrums with a few coaches I've covered on my beat, particularly the first coach I had on a day-to-day basis.

My M.O. was to let him go, vent, stick with the facts if he came at me specifically, and get the presser back on point once he settled down. Most of the time, it worked. I never failed to quote his rantings.

We had a good relationship, and he understood that if he said something stupid or went off half-cocked in a presser, it was fair game and HE was accountable for it, not me, so it never really caused a problem.

I'd rather have someone like that than someone who greets you with a smiling face everyday, but tries to stab you in the back at every turn.