Columnist hangs beat writer out to dry

[Prince of Persia]

Was this really necessary?

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jeffcol1231.artdec31,0,123004.column?coll=hc-utility-sports

 

[Kable]

It depends. Personally, I have no idea.

 

[SCEditor]

Great, great answer Kable.

I don't think the columnist hung the beat writer out to dry. To me, it seemed like another example of Calhoun's bitching about the media for no reason. The writer's question was legit, and Calhoun started whining and complaining like always. The columnist was simply offering to the readers yet another one of Calhoun's tired rants.

 

[Almost_Famous]

I would love to have the Calhoun beat. He's such a ****. And a cheater. And a fraud.
Somebody send this to Gregg Doyel. Would love to see his take on this.

Man, what a douche.

"No, you don't write columns. ... You write [crap]," Calhoun snapped. "You want to start with me? You'll lose. The next phone call won't be answered. You want to start all that stuff? See how well it works for you. I'm not upset because we lost. I'm upset because you're a smartass. Telling me my kids disappeared, so the word quitter or something of the nature comes to mind."

And there's nothing wrong with the Hartford guy writing about this. Who cares? I actually like the writer more for asking the questions and responding the way he did. I sure as hell hope the New haven paper (or whatever it was) writes about this.

 

[bigpern23]

Actually, the bulk of the column supports the New Haven guy's assertion that Price and Adrien "disappeared." Adrien scored 4 points in the first two minutes and didn't score again until there was 4:15 to play and only took six shots. That sounds like a disappearing act to me.

I don't think this was a case of hanging the beat writer out to dry. In fact, he says "In this case, you can't separate the Adrien-Price part from the Orzechowski part without ripping the fabric of what Calhoun meant," which sounds to me like he felt Orzechowski needed to be in the story to get across what a douche Calhoun was being.

I have no problem with this and Calhoun's quotes were quite entertaining.

 

[Ace]

I think the columnist was just showing how Calhoun treats reporters. Loved that the question started with "talk about" though.

And if he did hang a beat writer out to dry, if it's a beat writer for another paper, I got no problem with that either. If a columnist can rip a coach or player, he should be able to rip a writer.

 

[Songbird]

Column didn't do much for me. No new light has been shed on Calhoun, either.

Some days players come to play, some days their games are off-kilter. Hell, Magic Johnson didn't show up some games. **** happens.

 

[tommyp]

The columnist also has an adversarial relationship with Calhoun; I remeber an incident from a year/year and a half ago where Calhoun called him out after the columnist criticized Calhoun's God-like status...or something of that nature.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Calhoun is a total douche. I didn't read this as him throwing the beat writer under the bus... The columnist at my last job was an unrelenting homer and would rip the beat writers while sucking up to coaches all the time. One time when I was in an argument with the coach, he said, "Even (columnist) said you want this team to lose..." The SID explained to me later what was said... I wanted to kill him...

 

[wickedwritah]

Jeff Jacobs is a good columnist, but his obsession for ripping Calhoun is getting kinda tired, especially after last year's column.

Calhoun is a ****? We get it already.

 

[jason_whitlock]

good column. enjoyed it.

 

[spnited]

good column. enjoyed it.

bullspit!

i'm done with this place!

Would you please keep your word.

 

[Floyd]

I've never covered Calhoun but I have read other of Jacobs' stuff ripping him. I have no doubt Calhoun is a ****, but do readers care? I mean, isn't it sort of self-serving to make a habit out of using your column to tell readers how hard your job is or who is mean to you at work? As a writer, I can empathize with dealing with asshole coaches, but as a fan of a team, frankly, I don't give a ****. I want something from my columnist (as well as anyone else covering the team) that matters to me. How the coach of my team talks to the media isn't really my problem, and it's definitely not what I want to read about. Hell, as a fan, if I thought completely hazing the local media would get my team to the Final Four, I'd be all for it. Of course, I hate UConn, so **** 'em.

 

[Ace]

I've never covered Calhoun but I have read other of Jacobs' stuff ripping him. I have no doubt Calhoun is a ****, but do readers care? I mean, isn't it sort of self-serving to make a habit out of using your column to tell readers how hard your job is or who is mean to you at work? As a writer, I can empathize with dealing with asshole coaches, but as a fan of a team, frankly, I don't give a ****. I want something from my columnist (as well as anyone else covering the team) that matters to me. How the coach of my team talks to the media isn't really my problem, and it's definitely not what I want to read about. Hell, as a fan, if I thought completely hazing the local media would get my team to the Final Four, I'd be all for it. Of course, I hate UConn, so **** 'em.

Yeah, but here the columnist didn't say Calhoun was a ****. He just described Calhoun and let readers figure it out for themselves.

 

[Floyd]

Fair enough, but I have read other stuff Jacobs has written that were strictly axe-grinding material. While this one isn't quite to that level, previous work puts it in a different perspective. Although, to be fair, I'm sure that for anyone dealing with Calhoun day in and day out, 1-2 columns a year on what an ass he is probably doesn't seem to be overkill. Those are just the only ones I've read.

 

[Billy Pritchard]

"Talk about leadership, Coach," Brett Orzechowski of the New Haven Register said. "A.J. and Jeff disappeared at certain times during the game."

I don't know about anybody else, but I'm still waiting to hear what the first actual question was. ;D

 

[shecky]

Who gives a flying flip how Calhoun treats beat writers? The readers are usually on the coach's side because of blind faith. Just another case of writers inserting themselves into the story. Take notice that nobody in New Haven has written about this. Good for them.

 

[Ace]

Who gives a flying flip how Calhoun treats beat writers? The readers are usually on the coach's side because of blind faith. Just another case of writers inserting themselves into the story. Take notice that nobody in New Haven has written about this. Good for them.

It's a columnist inserting someone else into the story. Otherwise, I see your point.

 

[spinning27]

"Talk about leadership, Coach," Brett Orzechowski of the New Haven Register said. "A.J. and Jeff disappeared at certain times during the game."

I don't know about anybody else, but I'm still waiting to hear what the first actual question was. ;D

Calhoun is a ****, but it was a pretty weak attempt at a question.

One thing that tends to happen with those UConn beat guys is, they tend to grandstand for each other.

 

[Billy Pritchard]

Another question I have is whether it's right to address Calhoun as "Coach." I've always steered away from addressing coaches in this manner, but I'm only dealing with prep coaches most of the time.
Is this a common practice? Is it acceptable? Or is it not something I need to get hung up on?