Calhoun gets hot at post-game presser

[calltheobvious]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3925051

Calhoun was questioned about whether this salary, as a state employee, is justified in this economy. Check out the fireworks.

How would you feel if Duke were public and Coach K responded to the question this way? I'm posting this here because I don't want to get into the political merits of the question, just the PR aspects of Calhoun's response. This was classic bullying behavior, no matter how ill-timed the question, and Calhoun should apologize. He easily, even gracefully, could have handled the question without being a jerk.

FWIW, on neither last night's nor this morning SportsCenter was any college hoops analyst solicited for editorial comment.

[jipops]

I don't think highly of Calhoun at all, but he's in the right on this one.

[CDu]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3925051

Calhoun was questioned about whether this salary, as a state employee, is justified in this economy. Check out the fireworks.

How would you feel if Duke were public and Coach K responded to the question this way? I'm posting this here because I don't want to get into the political merits of the question, just the PR aspects of Calhoun's response. This was classic bullying behavior, no matter how ill-timed the question, and Calhoun should apologize. He easily, even gracefully, could have handled the question without being a jerk.

FWIW, on neither last night's nor this morning SportsCenter was any college hoops analyst solicited for editorial comment.

In fairness to Calhoun (and I hate saying that), the question was completely inappropriate during a post-game press conference. The activist was looking to be inflammatory. Calhoun mentioned that if he wanted to discuss it in private he would have done so, but being it up in public during a post-game press conference is inappropriate.

Sure, Calhoun could have been nicer. But the question could have been asked in a more tactful manner. So Calhoun answered the question in a less than appropriate manner as well.

[FireOgilvie]

I really didn't think it was too bad. I honestly think just about any coach in that position would have reacted angrily. The "reporter" is basically accusing him of being greedy and overpaid in hard financial times... I would have flipped out too. Like he said, the basketball program brings in 12 million for the school.

I was looking for the picture of Coach K and Yao the other day and came across this article on google.

http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/742543.html

It's just another example of a coach not reacting well to a question of direct criticism.

FWIW, I didn't agree with the article... just thought it was interesting.

[calltheobvious]

I really didn't think it was too bad. I honestly think just about any coach in that position would have reacted angrily. The "reporter" is basically accusing him of being greedy and overpaid in hard financial times... I would have flipped out too. Like he said, the basketball program brings in 12 million for the school.

I was looking for the picture of Coach K and Yao the other day and came across this article on google.

http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/742543.html

It's just another example of a coach not reacting well to a question of direct criticism.

FWIW, I didn't agree with the article... just thought it was interesting.

In neither case do I have any sympathy for the questioner, I just expect both men to be more artful in their responses. Maybe the question to K wasn't bait, but the question to Calhoun certainly was. I don't begrudge Calhoun his irritation, I begrudge him his undignified response. It would have been better all the way around for him and his employer if he'd put the reporter in his place without having to resort to bullying tactics. I'd expect the highest-paid state employee in Connecticut to be better than that.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Kudo's to Calhoun for handling it so "coolly". He could easily have dropped an F-bomb on the guy.

[Faison1]

Didn't Leslie Viscer (sp?) from 60 Minutes ask coach K essentially the same thing during a public presser maybe 15 years ago?

His response before ending the presser prematurely was, "How much money do you make, and wouldn't you be expected to make a lot of money if you were at the top of your profession?" IIRC.

What a ding-dong the guy is who's asking the question. I mean seriously. He epitomizes the problem with modern-day journalism....get your target fired up, so it makes front page news. Kinda reminds me of Gregg Doyel. He should have his press credentials rescinded.

[SMO]

Like he said, the basketball program brings in 12 million for the school.

Can anyone verify this? I find it surprising because I've heard most major football programs lose money, and just think about how enormous their stadiums are in addition to other revenue streams. Perhaps the $12MM is just a revenue figure? If that were the case his program may well lose money.

[bill brill]

the reporter in question was leslie stahl, who had been sent here specifically to ask her question in a forum like that. K would have talked to her privately, but she had an agenda and she was going to use it. I believe the subject was whether or not athletes should be paid, altho my memory ain't much any more. but I was there, and it was a media setup. I thought K handled it well.

[brevity]

I was looking for the picture of Coach K and Yao the other day

You mean this one?

I felt obligated to respond, since I cropped it for my avatar.

[Faison1]

the reporter in question was leslie stahl, who had been sent here specifically to ask her question in a forum like that. K would have talked to her privately, but she had an agenda and she was going to use it. I believe the subject was whether or not athletes should be paid, altho my memory ain't much any more. but I was there, and it was a media setup. I thought K handled it well.

Thanks...that was it....no matter the situation, I think it's low class.

[dukestheheat]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3925051

Calhoun was questioned about whether this salary, as a state employee, is justified in this economy. Check out the fireworks.

How would you feel if Duke were public and Coach K responded to the question this way? I'm posting this here because I don't want to get into the political merits of the question, just the PR aspects of Calhoun's response. This was classic bullying behavior, no matter how ill-timed the question, and Calhoun should apologize. He easily, even gracefully, could have handled the question without being a jerk.

FWIW, on neither last night's nor this morning SportsCenter was any college hoops analyst solicited for editorial comment.

An activist, by nature, works to incite something. That's why they are called 'activists.' If he were called a pacificist, then he'd calmly ask a benign question and then it'd go from there.

Anyway, I am not worried that Calhoun responded the way he did; you could tell he was steamed at the question and I think rightfully steamed he was.

dth.

[Classof06]

Completely inappropriate time and place to ask a question like that. I have absolutely no problem with the way Calhoun reacted, especially when the guy kept going on and on about it. If you listen closely, you can hear the other reporters at the press conference telling the guy to get a life.

And I don't doubt that the UCONN's men's basketball program brings in $12MM a year for the university. I have no problems believing that.

[dukebluelemur]

And I don't doubt that the UCONN's men's basketball program brings in $12MM a year for the university. I have no problems believing that.

Is that counting revenue from stolen laptops?

[allenmurray]

Is that counting revenue from stolen laptops?

I guess Calhoun should have said $12, 003,000

[JimBD]

I am no Calhoun fan, but some people just don't get it. Not only does the basketball program show a profit of over $12 million to the university, but I suspect that alumni that feel good about the program tend to contribute more to the university. Plus look at all the free publicity that Connecticut gets from the basketball program (mostly favorable-I'm not going to get into laptops), which probably results in more high school students considering Connecticut as well as keeping Connecticut in the minds of potential donors. There are probably a number of schools that would be willing to pay more than Calhoun's salary in order to get the financial success and the basketball success that Calhoun has brought to Connecticut. Calhoun is well worth the money he makes, as is Coach K at Duke.

[Chitowndevil]

As much as I dislike Calhoun, I agree with others in this thread who say the question was completely out of line. Would it have been ideal for Calhoun to handle it in a more professional way? Yes. But I can't really blame him for going off on the guy, as the question was clearly unprofessional.

[Reisen]

Couple of thoughts:

A- That KansasCity article clearly has an agenda. I didn't find anything the least bit confrontational in Coach K's words. We're supposed to take the journalist at their word that K glared at the questioner (who didn't ask an inappropriate question)? That sounds to me like a complete non-issue, and certainly not the least bit comparable to Calhoun's rant.

B- Calhoun's not a nice guy. I actually have no problem with what he's paid, but I don't think the question is unreasonable. It's a press conference. Celebrities and politicians get asked all kinds of questions in press conferences they're not thrilled to get, and the reporter asked it in a relatively benign fashion. Anybody that didn't see that coming must live in a cave. Obviously, Calhoun wasn't the least bit surprised.

All Calhoun had to say was "Yes, I'm a state employee and these are tough economic times for the state. But my program is actually a large profit generator for the University, and I'm a big part of that. So I feel the pay is justified."

Instead, as others mentioned, he took a classic bully stance, in shouting his opponent down. I think that's indicative of the type of person he is.

[allenmurray]

I actually have no problem with what he's paid, but I don't think the question is unreasonable. It's a press conference. Celebrities and politicians get asked all kinds of questions in press conferences they're not thrilled to get, and the reporter asked it in a relatively benign fashion. Anybody that didn't see that coming must live in a cave. Obviously, Calhoun wasn't the least bit surprised.

All Calhoun had to say was "Yes, I'm a state employee and these are tough economic times for the state. But my program is actually a large profit generator for the University, and I'm a big part of that. So I feel the pay is justified."

I agree on a number of fronts. Calhoun is a public figure and it was an open press conference. Part of his job is to handle these things like a professional, even if the other party doesn't act professionally. In that regard he failed, and put his employer in a bad light.

He is a state employee. State employees are being laid off, seeing health premiums go up, not getting COL raises, etc. None of this has to do with how much he is paid, but he shouldn't have been surprised by the question. In the current economic environment the salaries of all highly paid employees, whether public employees like basketrball coaches and heads of university medical centers, or private employees in the financial sector are a legitimate question.

His response was less than honest. Let's say that the uconn basketball program does bring in 12 million. Is that before or after the salaries of his assistants, his staff, the academic advising staff, the facility staff, etc. are paid? Is it before or after the costs of scholraships are factored in? I don't want to know how much money the program brings in - that is meaningless. I want to know how much the program brings in after expenses. Then I want to know if his salary is an appropriate share of the revenue. In other fields does the CEO make 15% of the total profit of the enterprise? I don't know, but it is not an illegitmate question to ask (and I believe more legitimate than if he was the coach at a private university). Was it the best forum for the question? Probably not. Would Calhoun have had a real on-the-record discussion of the topic in another private forum? Probably not.

[captmojo]

1) There is a time and place for everything. This was not that time. Coach offered to entertain his questions outside the conference room.

2) Not being a taxpayer in Connecticut, it's none of my business what his salary is.

3) Not being a Huskie fan, I won't cry for them if they should begin to lose 12 million a year.

I will however, offer them use of my world's tiniest violin.