I know, I know... we have 50 billion threads about Hauck here. But I found this interesting article from a UNLV student Journalist's perspective on Bobby Hauck. The media in Missoula made Bobby out to be a villain, but many Griz fans and UNLV fans see Bobby as a class act. Here's what the article says:
I don't see how people think Bobby was a terrible guy. I think he had/has more pride for the Griz than most coaches do. And if he is brought back as the Griz head coach again, then that's fantastic. If not, then I wish Bobby luck with wherever he lands. I just think it's silly for some to paint him as this guy who was terrible to the media/the root of all our problems.
Bobby Hauck was a class act with student reporters
It was never easy for Bobby Hauck.
No one told him it would be easy. Even after coming from Montana where he was the Division II equivalent of Nick Saban, the challenge was clear – change the culture of the UNLV Football program.
For one of the five years he was the Rebels’ head coach, he did. Now he’s leaving.
Hauck officially resigned as UNLV head coach on Monday. Five years, a total of 15 wins. Four of those seasons resulted in only two wins each. By all accounts, even he’ll acknowledge that he and his coaching staff could’ve done better.
But for the four seasons I spent covering UNLV Football while writing for this paper, knowing that the likelihood of the Rebels getting blown out was a major possibility each game, he came to work with a smile on his face. He didn’t complain, he didn’t show disgust even after the most brutal of losses.
The reason was because he was coaching college football at the Division I level. And he loved doing what he did at UNLV.
But what stuck most with me more so with Hauck isn’t what he did on the field, especially when knowing every season would not be like 2013. Bobby Hauck was a guy who held a great relationship with the Las Vegas media.
More importantly, he had a great relationship with the student media.
I started covering the football team in 2011, Hauck’s second year with the program. I was a freshman reporter at the time and was really excited to cover an actual college football team.
Then I was told, and later read, the story about what happened at Montana.
The student newspaper at Montana, the Montana Kaimin, ran a story back in 2009 regarding an assault involving two Montana players during Hauck’s last season with the Grizzlies. When the story ran, it began a month-long boycott by Hauck and his players involving the Kaimin.
Hauck wouldn’t talk to the student reporters, nor let the players do so either. It was a controversy that spread like wildfire. Needless to say, as a freshman, when I found out about that story, one could only imagine how quickly the excitement turned to being scared for my life.
Then I met Hauck for the first time after UNLV defeated Hawaii back on Sept. 17, 2011. After the press conference, I went to shake his hand and introduce myself as a student reporter, not knowing what would follow next.
We shook hands and exchanged a quick conversation, which followed with him saying, “Great to meet you. I promise this won’t be like Montana,” followed by a trademark Bobby Hauck laugh.
That made our job at The Rebel Yell much more easier. It wasn’t a matter of him just acknowledging that he was fine with talking to student reporters. Even something simple as a handshake after every press conference or just a quick chat made it feel like he appreciated what we did. That meant a lot.
When coaches leave a program, the discussion quickly turns to the kind of coach he/she is, to the kind of person he/she is. Bobby Hauck may have not been the best coach at UNLV, and his record reflects that. But there’s no denying the kind of person he is – a man who cares a lot about his family, loves the game of football and is great with the media.
Student reporters aren’t the first usually thought of when covering a game or a story. Hauck made it feel like we were just as important as any other people wanting to talk to him. He handled all questions and never thought any different of us just because we were younger journalists. Although everyone was able to put the Montana fiasco behind them, knowing that Hauck made us feel more involved was great.
And as he stood up after giving his final press conference of the year on Saturday, after his Rebels were soundly defeated by in-state rival Nevada-Reno at home, Hauck went to every media member in the room, shook their hand or gave a hug, and thanked them.
When he got to me, I shook his hand and told him, “Thanks for taking it easy on me over the last four years.” Once again, with that trademark Bobby Hauck laugh, followed that with a hug and said, “Keep up the great work. I appreciate everything you do with this team while going through school.”
And that meant a lot. Thanks, Coach. Best of luck.
- See more at: http://www.unlvrebelyell.com/2014/12/01/bobby-hauck-was-a-class-act-with-student-reporters/#sthash.I7SV36JN.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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I don't see how people think Bobby was a terrible guy. I think he had/has more pride for the Griz than most coaches do. And if he is brought back as the Griz head coach again, then that's fantastic. If not, then I wish Bobby luck with wherever he lands. I just think it's silly for some to paint him as this guy who was terrible to the media/the root of all our problems.
