Coach K vs. The Econ Major

[MeanGreenATO]

Was curious to see what everyone's thoughts were about this exchange between K and a student reporter for the Duke paper.



Honestly, it seems to be a pretty normal/mundane exchange but Twitter has some takes on it.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Heard that on the radio. Thought Coach K was being his normal pompous douche self. Pretty basic question from the student. Apparently it touches a nerve. I do think K backed down a little bit toward the end. Kid could ride this for awhile, celebrating that he was the one roasted by Coach K; plenty have done similar.

 

[Songbird]

It's actually pretty good on the job training for the student newspaper reporter.

Learn the ropes of interviewing someone like Coach K -- the ****ingest potty mouthed ****adoodle coach in America -- and you'll probably turn out OK as a reporter.

 

[PaperClip529]

It really wasn’t as bad as I expected. Coach K was a bit of a jerk but coaches reacting to a loss have been know to be jerks. The question wasn’t great and Coach K decided to be a bully, although I think he relented when he probably realized who he was talking down to.

The student learned a lesson, I guess. My biggest concern is how hesitant student journalists can be to ask questions in these settings because they are scared of this happening. I hope this kid isn’t gun -shy the next time that he raises his hand in a press conference.

 

[User 150927]

I thought it was okay. No it wasn't a great question, K was a little agitated at first but I don't think he necessarily roasted the kid.

 

[Fredrick]

I viewed it now and don't think it's a big deal. If the coach didn't want to answer the student's question he could have just said: "We'll do what we always do, watch tape and go from there. We all can improve and need to improve." Give a dull one-liner and move on. Any time a coach turns it to ask the reporter a question in response to the reporter's question, it doesn't really turn out great.

 

[Moderator1]

MANY years ago, Richmond was playing at VCU. Richmond was riding a long losing streak to VCU, can't remember exact number of games but I know Eric Maynor never lost to Richmond during his career. Chris Mooney was Richmond's coach at this point, though I don't think he was there when the streak started.

Anyway, Richmond goes to VCU with a pretty good team - and loses again. Mooney comes in postgame, handles a few basic questions and a student reporter speaks up: "Why can't you guys figure out VCU?" Mooney looked at him for a minute, then smiled and said, "All the veterans in the room and you let the kid ask the tough question?" Everyone chuckled including Mooney, who then gave a very good answer.

A long way down from Coach K's level but sometimes you have to roll with an uncomfortable question and an uncomfortable presentation of that question. Goes with the turf.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Hmm ... I had heard a lot about this. Now, in hindsight, quite an overreaction.

No question that Mike Krzyzewski has come across as pious. He's also gone after kids at the Chronicle before.

This isn't overly antagonistic IMO. K could have been a little better, and he could have been a lot worse. Was K touchy following a loss? Sure. So are the overwhelming majority of coaches after losses, especially when the season is clearly slipping away.

 

[dirtybird]

I found it to be generally ****ty. Not the end of the world, but a mildly crappy thing to do.

When you're an experienced adult who commands all this respect, it seems fine to act like it. K has coached like 1,300 games, but he's being pissy and demanding "empathy" from a 20 year old after a loss. **** that. If an older reporter or a younger one spoke that way to one of the college kids on his team, he'd flip ****. Least he can do is act like the adult on the zoom. (Good lesson for the kid that some folks are ****s just because, and so there's nothing to hold you back from jabbing them with an actually tough on)

Also, every person in the kids mention who was like "What a valuable lesson you were given about asking bad questions" can go walk into traffic.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

I found it to be generally ****ty. Not the end of the world, but a mildly crappy thing to do.

When you're an experienced adult who commands all this respect, it seems fine to act like it. K has coached like 1,300 games, but he's being pissy and demanding "empathy" from a 20 year old after a loss. **** that. If an older reporter or a younger one spoke that way to one of the college kids on his team, he'd flip ****. Least he can do is act like the adult on the zoom. (Good lesson for the kid that some folks are ****s just because, and so there's nothing to hold you back from jabbing them with an actually tough on)

Also, every person in the kids mention who was like "What a valuable lesson you were given about asking bad questions" can go walk into traffic.

The question was absolutely legitimate and it was fine. It was neither bad nor, by any standard, loaded.

 

[Songbird]

You're right about ideals but the reality is it was great experience for the kid.

Shashevsky's an asshole and the kid's lucky to have an asshole like that to cut his teeth with.

Would you rather we coddle this college kid who goes to Duke?

Reporting is a tough gig, especially if you want to be good at it, and to be good at it you have to learn how to deal with assholes and roll with the punches.

Ideals are pretty and all but let's be real about this situation and about the realities of life.

 

[dirtybird]

You're right about ideals but the reality is it was great experience for the kid.

Shashevsky's an asshole and the kid's lucky to have an asshole like that to cut his teeth with.

Would you rather we coddle this college kid who goes to Duke?

Reporting is a tough gig, especially if you want to be good at it, and to be good at it you have to learn how to deal with assholes and roll with the punches.

Ideals are pretty and all but let's be real about this situation and about the realities of life.

I'd expect one of the faces of the sport who is being paid nearly $9 million to not act like a petulant **** and not punch down, yes. If displaying respect and decency is coddling, well, I understand where we are in the world a bit better now.

But if reporting is a tough gig, surely high-level sports are too. Perhaps veteran reporters should start the next press conference by directly asking Duke's players why they're so disappointing. It'll make the players better and show them the realities of life.

(I'm good with the kid learning lessons, less interested in the idea that I give adults a pass on account of it. It can be a great experience and in the same breath, K still shouldn't have done it and looks bad for having done it)

 

[Songbird]

Who's giving him a pass? He's a asshole.

He'll do a longwinded mea culpa on ESPN and give the kid a full interview in which he pretends to let his hair down while throwing him a few quotable bones.

As for the coddling line I think you know what I'm getting at. Buy the ticket, take the ride. But back to the main point, yes, you're right, Shashevsky ought to know better but just doesn't care.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Does Coach K's other hip hurt yet? What an asshole.

 

[matt_garth]

Hey, Knight!

 

[MeanGreenATO]

I'm split on where I stand on this. For starters, that seemed like a very unnecessary swipe from Coach K who's lashing out at an easy target as his disappointing season continues.

However, that reporter is getting an early taste of what dealing with big-time coaches is usually like. It feels like the type of thing that is a very good learning experience as long as it doesn't affect him mentally.

 

[Scout]

That was bad?

K could have said 10,000 worse things and 1000x more condensing and crappy.

If it's not Duke and their problems this season, this isn't even a story. I'm willing to be folding money he's answered questions like that the same way for decades.

 

[Songbird]

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

That guy’s got a future.

 

[Tarheel316]

That guy’s got a future.

He does and Coach K gave him a big boost by being mean.