Best SID ever?

[Lester Bangs]

Williford looks so good (and he is) because his predecessor was so bad.

Indeed.

Rod Commons at Wazzu, very helpful (even if the Cougars were always late getting their FB media guide out.).

Hey, the only reason Rod couldn't get the media guide out faster is because Price's recruits didn't usually get qualified until after media day. But seriously, Rod was an all-timer and so is the guy who does basketball there now, Craig Lawson, who replaced the similarly stellar Wes Werner.

No point in talking about the bad ones. We all know who they are.

 

[Guybehindtheguy]

Any list that doesn't include Louisville SID Kenny Klein is worthless. And a shout out to Shelley Poe at OSU (and formerly WVU) as well

 

[ServeItUp]

Kevin McKinney and Tim Harkins at Wyoming are outstanding. McKinney shakes hands with everyone upon arrival at the venue, even if they've been covering the Cowboys/girls for 30 years.

 

[luckyducky]

Williford looks so good (and he is) because his predecessor was so bad.

Indeed.

I didn't know the old one, Williford was already there when I started dealing with them, so I wouldn't know.

One of the associate SIDs at Oregon, Geoff Thurner, is another name I'd like to mention. In the land of Prefontaine, Thurner is the ultimate in cross country and track and field SIDs. Plus, if I couldn't get in touch with Williford in a pinch, Thurner was always willing to help me out.

Another Pac-10er, Ryan Borde, was at Washington for a while but headed down to Portland State recently. He worked on smaller programs - the softball and volleyball teams, namely - and was always more than happy to help those programs - top 25s, but sports that get overlooked - get pub without being too pushy about it. Welcomed media with open arms to both programs.

 

[KP]

Bob Bradley of Clemson was the man.

His scorebook is a must have in this office.

 

[etsuwes]

I'll second Bud Ford. He's just awesome. And John Painter and Craig Pinkerton on his staff are great people too.

 

[SoCalDude]

Williford looks so good (and he is) because his predecessor was so bad.

Indeed.

I didn't know the old one, Williford was already there when I started dealing with them, so I wouldn't know.

One of the associate SIDs at Oregon, Geoff Thurner, is another name I'd like to mention. In the land of Prefontaine, Thurner is the ultimate in cross country and track and field SIDs. Plus, if I couldn't get in touch with Williford in a pinch, Thurner was always willing to help me out.

Another Pac-10er, Ryan Borde, was at Washington for a while but headed down to Portland State recently. He worked on smaller programs - the softball and volleyball teams, namely - and was always more than happy to help those programs - top 25s, but sports that get overlooked - get pub without being too pushy about it. Welcomed media with open arms to both programs.

Is the guy before Williford nicknamed Mud Duck? If so, he was one of the craziest mofo's I've ever run across.

 

[micropolitan guy]

That would be correct. Crazy is one of the more flattering descriptions I heard for "Mud Duck."

Senko's an old Bills guy, right? No wonder he's excellent!

 

[Irish_Italian_Stallion]

SEC: Claude Felton (UGa), Robbi Edwards (Arkansas), Kent Lowe (LSU), Kirk Sampson (Auburn), Barry Allen (Alabama), Fred Demarest (Florida), Craig Pinkerton (Tennessee), Bud Ford (Tennessee) ... are all tremendous

Big 12: Chris Cook (Texas Tech), Colin Killian (Texas A&M), Scott McConnell (Texas), the late Will Hancock (Oklahoma State) ... wish I still dealt with them

 

[dargan]

Eric Capper at North Texas makes the Sun Belt experience far more enjoyable, as does Jerry Scott at Arkansas State.

 

[Birdscribe]

That would be correct. Crazy is one of the more flattering descriptions I heard for "Mud Duck."

Senko's an old Bills guy, right? No wonder he's excellent!

You are correct, sir. Dave ran the Bills media relations department before moving to Washington. He then went to the Spurs for a brief time before moving to his present gig on the Champons Tour, where he and I spent much of February and March eating and drinking over three time zones in seven weeks.

One of the nicest, most professional media relations folks on the planet. Dave's good people.

 

[Cosmo]

Eric Capper at North Texas makes the Sun Belt experience far more enjoyable, as does Jerry Scott at Arkansas State.

When Capper was the Big Sky head media relations guy, he took a bunch of us out to Gladstone's in Malibu when the hoops tourney was at Cal State Earthquake. Capper is the ****.

 

[Birdscribe]

Eric Capper at North Texas makes the Sun Belt experience far more enjoyable, as does Jerry Scott at Arkansas State.

When Capper was the Big Sky head media relations guy, he took a bunch of us out to Gladstone's in Malibu when the hoops tourney was at Cal State Earthquake. Capper is the ****.

Wow. Gladstones? That is the bomb.

Of course, any of you fortunate enough to cover a golf tournament I'm working will eat rather well. Current Cal Poly Pomona SID Mark Reinhiller, Messr. Senko and about a good two dozen golf writers and other golf media from Hawaii to New York and Florida can attest to that. ;D

 

[Cosmo]

John Martin.

(looking to get a reaction from someone ...)

 

[buckweaver]

Another vote for Claude Felton. (And should have known Birdie would drop Reino's name somewhere in here. One of the all-time good guys on the planet, you betcha. )

 

[DCaraviello]

In my years covering the SEC I found that Claude Felton and Bud Ford weren't only good, but they were also surrounded by subordinates who could handle just about everything. Bud taking the visiting football media to Ye Olde Steak House in Knoxville -- an unbelievable treat. I also liked Rick Schaeffer, who used to run things at Arkansas. Would give anybody all the time in the world, and fill your notebook with tons of background material.

 

[Bubbler]

Any list that doesn't include Louisville SID Kenny Klein is worthless. And a shout out to Shelley Poe at OSU (and formerly WVU) as well

Oh man. Kenny Klein is a good one.

Maybe he just looks good because some of his predecesors were horrid, but Indiana's current SID, J.D. Campbell, has been more excessible, and hell, media friendly, than any other IU SID I've ever dealt with, both pre- and post-Knight.

There are very few MVC SIDs that aren't good, I should add.

 

[Cosmo]

I'm excessible. I mean, I've slammed 12 PBRs on a Wednesday night. That's the definition of excessible.

 

[slappy4428]

While I love Bruce Madej of Michigan like a brother I had to rescue from a bar one night because he had fallen asleep in the fetal position in a bar stool, Jim Schneider is a true pro. He hasn't worked in a while, since having a stroke. But Michigan hockey and baseball aren't the same without Schneids there (uh-huh....)
And if you have a spare prayer, please make it for Schneids...

 

[Killick]

I haven't had contact with a TON of SIDs, in no way qualified to judge "best ever". But in my circle (Big East, old Conference USA and forays into opponents' leagues) I've dealt with some great, helpful ones and some that if they were on fire, I'd wait for the next rest stop.

Among the best is a friend of mine, former Cincinnati and current Cleveland State SID Brian McCann. I never saw anyone work harder -- or more importantly, smarter -- at the job. He and Tom Hathaway earned their pay many times over during the Huggins years.

Poe gets props from me. She's much better than the old OSU guy, definitely. Someone mentioned Kenny Klein at L'ville... meh. Doesn't stick out as a bad guy, just never struck me as great, either.