PlayerRep said:
Yossarian3345 said:
mondayamqb said:
Y3345. Appreciate your well constructed posts. First to get my attention was when, it appears, you believe Griz football grew and benefited from the growth period of the institution. Academic folk argue that. Others believe enrollment follows football success. Now. During the time of Hauck's Kiamin debacle the J school brought in a guest lecturer whose claim to fame was baiting NFL coaches at press conferences, leading to is availability that semester.....because he couldn't get a job. The Kiamin wanna-bes surprised Hauck using his style and Hauck reacted poorly to it. I'm happy to hear both are currently doing well. Long term, I believe it is better to have a mutually respectful relationship with the folks you're covering. Hauck has learned. I hope your buddies do.
The Pollner guest lecturer that year was Chris Jones, who was a staff writer for Esquire and ESPN The Magazine. When the Kaimin asked Hauck several times why the players were out of the lineup after that fight, and Hauck reacted the way he did — "you're done for the day and you'll be done for the year if you keep asking me about the same thing i've answered four f---ing times" -- Chris waited until the press conference was over and asked to speak privately with Hauck, saying hey, he was with ESPN, can we discuss this? These are students here. Hauck obliged, surprised someone from ESPN was there. They disagreed on how the question was handled, Hauck continued to be mad, and so Chris told the Kaimin they should do what journalists go, return to every press conference and continue asking questions. Hauck refused to answer them, even ones about football. These things happen in regular team/media interactions, but they don't drag on for months until the university president intervenes and says "enough."
Going back to every press conference to ask the same questions is exactly what I find to be incredibly rude and obnoxious. If that is what is talk at the J-School, then I have even less respect for the school. Like I said, these Kaimin "reporters" were little pricks. I'm glad Hauck wouldn't talk to them.
I'd like to see them try that with Greg Gianforte. Ha.
Obviously, the reporters at UNLV's school paper were more polite, and really more skillful in my view, and they got good access, good information, and good treatment from Hauck. Funny how that happens when people are nice, respectful and polite, instead of jerks.
Is Chris Jones that Kaimin visitor that eventually got run out of UM/Missoula? One of those visitors did.
So I think some of you know I’ve posted occasionally on here over the years. Always with my real name. I actually enjoy most of the discussions on these boards.
I like the Griz. I would like to see them win. That’s not fluff. Feel free to ask Brint.
There’s one thing I’d like to clear up. It’s the only thing I really want to get into on this matter.
Let’s talk about the “Four fucking times” thing.
I had been on the beat for about a month at the time this all started to go down. Every single story I wrote prior to that was positive. If I remember correctly, our preseason GameDay issues was a cover story I wrote about Chase Reynolds. Throughout my time at Montana, he was one of the players I respected the most and it’s been fun to follow his career post-Montana.
Before all that I had written the hell out of some women’s tennis stories.
During the first game, I noticed, like everyone else, that Johnson and Swink didn’t play. In the postgame press conference, I asked Hauck why they didn’t. He gave me a non-answer. I believe it was “They weren’t ready to compete” or something along those lines.
That’s time No. 1.
A few days later, after watching practice, I interviewed Hauck afterwards about a host of subjects. At the very end, because people were still asking us why they hadn’t played, I followed up. Was I acting like a spoiled, prick of a reporter when I asked him “Hey, I know you didn’t answer last week, but is it fair to say they didn’t play because of a violation of team rules?” He said he wouldn’t say that. If he would have said yes, I write the story then and it’s over with. That’s all we were looking for.
That was time No. 2.
Since Hauck was being vague about why they didn’t play, we started to look into it more. Once I learned there was a fight and interviewed three people about the matter, I went back to Hauck. I didn’t ask him during the press conference in front of everyone else, I didn’t yell out my questions for everyone else to hear. I pulled Hauck aside after the press conference and said, “This is what we know.” and told him what we knew. That’s when he swatted my tape recorder and said the “Four fucking times” thing. I don’t hold it against him for getting his numbers mixed up.
So, to sum up: Had a question, didn’t get an answer. Asked again a few days later. And finally once we had information, I tried to give Hauck and the players the ability to defend themselves, or comment contrary to what the witnesses had told me. That’s our job, to try and talk to all parties involved.
Obviously they didn’t want to participate. Feel free to track down anyone who was in the room during any of those exchanges and ask them about my attitude. Cocky? I was a nervous 19-year-old whose stomach was churning every single time I mustered up the guts to finally ask a question.
Hope that clears some stuff up for you guys. I know it won’t for most. PlayerRep will likely ask me again whether or not I’ve played sports. That’s fine.
Go Griz.
