Ask me about being a sports writer!

[MicroBob]

The interviewers on the WPT are so horrible at asking questions it doesn't even begin to compare imo.

I think some bad sports-reporters ask really inane and dumb Q's a lot of the time....but even the worst of those don't make it to the level of awfulness of the Q's that the players on the poker-shows get from people who truly don't have even the most basic understanding of what they're looking at.


My hunch on Murph's situation is that if Larkin isn't normally prone to huge blow-ups then it was probably a situation where the question could have been posed a bit better or more tactfully.
If Larkin reacts like that all the time then the Q was possibly mostly fine although I certainly would have been pretty cautious when trying to ask it.

I don't have as much experience there.
If I'm ever getting a word in with a player or coach after a loss it would normally be in a press-conference setting as opposed to just coming up to the guy in the locker-room afterwards.
I think the dynamics are different.

Any player that I wanted to get would be BEFORE a game and I would pick somebody who had done well the previous game or two so we had positive stuff to talk about.
That makes my life much easier then always having to go up to players in the locker-room right after they lost a game.

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
The interviewers on the WPT are so horrible at asking questions it doesn't even begin to compare imo.

I think some bad sports-reporters ask really inane and dumb Q's a lot of the time....but even the worst of those don't make it to the level of awfulness of the Q's that the players on the poker-shows get from people who truly don't have even the most basic understanding of what they're looking at.


My hunch on Murph's situation is that if Larkin isn't normally prone to huge blow-ups then it was probably a situation where the question could have been posed a bit better or more tactfully.
If Larkin reacts like that all the time then the Q was possibly mostly fine although I certainly would have been pretty cautious when trying to ask it.

I don't have as much experience there.
If I'm ever getting a word in with a player or coach after a loss it would normally be in a press-conference setting as opposed to just coming up to the guy in the locker-room afterwards.
I think the dynamics are different.

Any player that I wanted to get would be BEFORE a game and I would pick somebody who had done well the previous game or two so we had positive stuff to talk about.
That makes my life much easier then always having to go up to players in the locker-room right after they lost a game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right, I guess I appreciate the fact you acknowledge that there's a distinct and definite difference between a player being interviewed pre or post game.

Let me be clear on something...ABSOLUTELY it requires caution, tact and an amazing amount of patience to have to conduct an interview like that. And, I will readily admit, I was a younger different person then with probably not as much tact and patience as I have now...BUT, I know that I was, despite that, a good interviewer even back then.

I just find it amazing so many don't understand the necessity of that sort of reporting. The need to make stories/news better, more comprehensive by getting all angles of a certain story, a sidebar, a note.

You - as a reporter - are a fool if you don't tackle these sort of things. Bottom line, he was pissed because they lost and he didn't want to deal with any reporters at that point. Boo hoo...I have no sympathy for that whatsoever. Again, he got stroked off constantly for the better part of 20 years in Cincy...he needed to have some class when presented with something that minor.

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
Murph, 1st of all I don't blame you for following through with your boss's order to interview the guy. But I also can't blame the player for getting upset about it. I don't know just how pissed he got either.

For some reason this reminds me of that last girl on the WPT who would interview players after they got knocked out.

her - "So Scotty, you're out of the tournament now. You lost with the best hand going in. That isn't good is it?"

him - "Well baby, I just like to play on the WPT baby. That's pretty much the way it goes sometimes baby"

I guess that's how Larking should have approached it but most would have said "How in the F do you think it feels to be a 3-1 favorite going for 1.6 mil and walking away from a donktacular player with 150k?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey ND! Thanks for chiming in...Tunica was great by the way!

Ahhh...I think, as Bob noted, in his response, we're comparing apples and oranges here. These guys get coached for years about how to handle media, even when they get pissed..why you ask?

Because the media has a job to do...the organizations realize that and realize how much publicity they get from media coverage. So, Larkin knows/knew what the deal was and shouldn't have reacted so poorly. If he was pissed, FINE, undertood...normal human reaction. But don't last out...gimme a no comment, turn it around on me, but DON'T insult, curse and storm away.

COME ON...again, boo hoo.

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
Murph,
Which of the following should make the baseball HOF. Scale of 1-10. 1= Absolutely no way 5= Coinflip 10= If he doesn't get in I will burn down Cooperstown.
Bernie Williams
Jorge Posada
Barry Larkin
Roberto Alomar


[/ QUOTE ]

Bernie Williams - 3
Jorge Posada - 1
Barry Larkin - 10
Roberto Alomar - 5

[NicksDad1970]

I hear what you're saying and agree he has the right to be pissed but he should have handled it better.

I just think there are some questions that have non need to be asked because there's nothing good that can come out of it.

What do you think your editor thought could come out of that question? I just can't think of anything worthwhile that could have come out of it. Unless it was hoping he'd go completely balistic, assault you, so you could sue him for millions.

Me (as a reporter) - Mr. Larkin how do you feel now that you're the player with the most AB without ever hitting a GS?

I just can't see that question being asked any nicer or with any more tact. What could he have possibly said to contribute to anything newsworthy?

"Well I've been very depressed about it and was contemplating suicide"

"I had no idea that I was so close to it. That complied with striking out (again) leaving the bases loaded really makes my night"

"I'm the only one in the MLB that doesn't use steroids. So I don't have the strenght the rest of the guys have"

Anyway I'm really not trying to argue with you. I'm not complaining about you doing what you were told by your boss. I just think there's somethings that don't actually need comments from the players. Maybe the editor could have put it in the paper as a side note by mentioning that.

Once again I'm not bashing you for a single thing. I just don't agree with your editors orders for you to do it.

Glad you had a good time in Tunica

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
they lost and he didn't want to deal with any reporters at that point. Boo hoo...I have no sympathy for that whatsoever.

[/ QUOTE ]


I do have sympathy and respect for that though.
Players actually do care when they lose. It's tough. No matter how many times it happens. They are competitors and no matter how much they get paid it still sucks to lose and that is something to be respected imo.

You have a job to do but these guys are essentially doing you a favor every time they make your story for you and I think it's important to never forget that aspect.

Yes, it ends up being a trade-off because they become bigger stars somewhat and that leads to more money, endorsements, etc.
But you are in a position where you are pretty much always asking them for their time.

If you got the impression that he was all pissed off right after a loss you can say, "Barry, sorry I have to ask you a couple Q's. Is now an okay time?" blah blah blah. You know the drill.
If it looks iffy I prefer to give them a chance to collect themselves before just walking right up and sticking the tape-recorder in their face and asking the Q.

This gives them the opportunity to turn you away which they usually won't do but they'll appreciate the gesture.
Then you say, "Look, I know this might be kind of touchy but my editor wants me to do this story and I have to ask you about this grand-slam record."

Something like that anyway. Anything to soften the blow.
When somebody breaks a negative record like that I would proceed with a lot of caution. Especially after the game.

Yes, the players are supposed to know that you are just doing your job but I really dislike that attitude that some reporters take. Especially the part about how much the reporters made him so bigger-than-life to be worshipped in the city.
Ummmm, the guy himself and his all-star play had something to do with it too.

One can also look at it as the fans already being completely in love with the guy and you are trying to sell more papers by taking advantage of their adoration for him.
Afterall, they want Barry Larkin quotes. When they read Larkin quotes they'll be more likely to buy more papers in the future.

When I did play-by-play on the radio I was somewhat creating the story. But it was the players who the listerners wanted to hear about. I was using them to make for an interesting story on the radio.
Without the players and all their individual stories I would be sitting there looking at a big open-field with nothing happening on it.


Anyway, Larkin probably has no idea that it was a story you were forced to do.
From their perspective it was probably just some idea you personally came up with and you are just using your reporter badge to come up and cheap-shot the guy right to his face.
Now most players in most situations are able to turn the other cheek at such stuff.
But they are athletes and you are dealing with them right after they lost and their competitive juices are still flowing perhaps.

You already admitted you were young when this happened.
A new reporter whom he's not familiar with is asking him a fairly insulting question. There are steps you can take to try to soften that blow and keep the guy from wanting to kill you.

I do somewhat understand the dynamics involved here and how difficult it can be for a new reporter.
I did some stringer-type reporting for the NY Mets at a spring-training one year. I'm a totally new guy in there trying to get a sound-bite or three and all the players pretty much know all the NY writers and nobody knows who the hell I am.
So I think I got some sort of little taste of some of the difficulties you may have gone through.

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree you need to ask tough questions but if more players reacted like Larkin did in this spot I wouldnt have to hear such stupid questions asked by reporters on a regular basis.

Take me through the AB is a lot different than asking someone about some pointless indidual streak when the same AB coincided with leaving the winning runs on base.

The same thing would go for the Favre situation. What kind of player is so selfish that they would care about a pointless indidual record almost nobody knows about when the same play cost their TEAM the game?

I agree news is news, but stupid questions are stupid questions.

Im going to the Yankee game now, when I get back I guess Ill
see if Im alone in that opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]

Appreciate the dialogue..I think we're getting the job of a reporter in a tough situation and idiotic morons who can't tactfully pose tough questions to athletes.

I think, bottom line, those questions have to be asked...and you can't ignore something newsworthy that's negative.

Regarding the two scenarios...again, you're not hearing me. It's not about them caring about it bc obviously they dont'...but, it's about them commenting on it as it applies to either being a broken record or about the record coinciding with the game in some way.

Again, these guys are asked thousands of questions a year..they knwo this stuff is coming and they - for the most - part understand to just roll with it. This is not (a) unacceptable/rude of the reporters or (b) unprofessional by the media.

Tact is needed ... YES. Cheerleading is NOT.

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
Murph,

Any interactions with Marty Brennaman & Joe Nuxhall?

[/ QUOTE ]

Very limited, but some. Both were extremely nice guys. Brennaman is HILARIOUS and cuts up constantly. Nuxy is just a classy old cat...who used to smoke ALOT. lol

How great are those two guys though..seriously? I consider myself very lucky to have been a part of their run together (as far as being a kid during their hey day).

[MurphNKY]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree you need to ask tough questions but if more players reacted like Larkin did in this spot I wouldnt have to hear such stupid questions asked by reporters on a regular basis.

Take me through the AB is a lot different than asking someone about some pointless indidual streak when the same AB coincided with leaving the winning runs on base.

The same thing would go for the Favre situation. What kind of player is so selfish that they would care about a pointless indidual record almost nobody knows about when the same play cost their TEAM the game?

I agree news is news, but stupid questions are stupid questions.

Im going to the Yankee game now, when I get back I guess Ill
see if Im alone in that opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYI - You should definitely explore a career in public relations. You clearly have a flair for it. That industry LOVES cheerleaders (j/k...I couldn't resist)

[MikeyPatriot]

[ QUOTE ]
I just find it amazing so many don't understand the necessity of that sort of reporting.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find it amazing that you seemingly don't understand that the story you worked on was hardly news and you have already admitted it to be, more or less, a fluff piece. I also find it amazing that you feel that people think you should "be a cheerleader" and not ask important questions. No one is saying that at all.

Asking the dude what his thoughts are on having such a dubious record is not an "important" question. Honestly, what sort of answer were you hoping to get out of him? Outside of him blowing up, you're going to get one of an infinite amount of athletes' cliche answers.

You seem like every other sportswriter who overvalues his knowledge of and importance to the game. The fact that you didn't understand the question about sportswriters being dumb or dumbing down their material tells me a lot.

I'm glad Barry Larkin snapped at you. Oh, boo hoo, an athlete ripped you a new one for asking a stupid question. Grow a pair of balls. It's good to see athletes who don't always play the media's game.