A couple of weeks ago I was listening to sports radio on my late-night drive back home from work from Cheyenne to Laramie.
The ESPN host got on the topic of the Los Angeles Lakers being eliminated from the NBA playoffs in the second round.
His theory was that it was bad for the game for a stalwart team like the Lakers to lose this early in the whole process.
Like all good sports talk show hosts, he then went to the phone lines and asked each caller his opinion. Actually, he wanted all of the callers to agree with him. When they didn't -- Lakers haters were thrilled -- he was thrown off guard.
Don't get wrong, I like the host. He has a good voice and for the most part I agree with his views. That night, though, all I could do was chuckle every time a caller came on and didn’t have his viewpoint. He wasn't mean, he didn't yell at them, but you can tell he was getting a little frustrated.
That reminds of me of times I have interviewed a player or coach, either after a game or for a preview, and that same scenario occurred. I have an idea of what I want the player or coach to say to go along with the theme of my story. When that player or coach doesn't say what I want him/her to say, it throws wrench in the story.
It's also funny to listen to a reporter after an end-of-game news conference go through the same thing. The reporter will find different ways to ask the same question, mainly because this is what he wants to write about and he needs those quotes.
You can hear the frustration in the reporter's voice and sometimes equally the frustration in the coach or athlete's answers.
By the time I got home and turned off the radio, I don't think the host ever got anybody to agree with him.
Now with the Celtics out of the playoffs, that same host has to be pulling his hair out. He should call me. As a longtime Celtics hater, I'm thrilled.
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