Look, I’ll be the first to admit I’ve asked my fair share of stupid-(expletive) questions.
No athlete is immune to making a stupid-(expletive) play during a game. No coach is impervious to the occasional stupid-(expletive) strategic decision. I’d be remiss not to acknowledge that part of my job is to ask them about those stupid-(expletive) moments, the moments that make us human and that make sports, well, sports. And so it would be downright oblivious of me to subsequently claim the reporter who’s responsible for prying into those mistakes is somehow incapable of making their own.
The questions I asked Michael Malone after the Nuggets lost Game 7 last Sunday night were not stupid-(expletive) questions. Were they particularly profound questions? No they were not. But they were pretty innocuous and necessary for the situation — even if they elicited the profane reaction that went viral. I know that, and Malone knows that. He reached out to me early the next morning to apologize for how he handled it.
I’m not writing this out of a desire to relitigate the exchange or to rip Malone or to defend myself, though I do want to briefly explain the reason I started the news conference with multiple game-specific questions. That’s what caused Malone’s frustration — “The season’s over, that’s what’s hard. (Bleep) being up by 20,” he said — so I’m happy to shed light on my process and perspective for those who are curious about it. After all, if coaches are expected to calmly be held accountable for their decisions, so should I, right?
I have experience with these “season-just-ended” news conferences, and I know the questions tend to move on quickly from the micro to the macro — beyond the final game and onward to the big-picture stuff about the season. Those questions are valid, but it was important to me to make sure Malone was questioned about the game itself before the topics got existential. It was the biggest Game 7 comeback in NBA history, and Denver was on the wrong end of it. We can’t overlook that.
I actually handed the microphone back to its facilitator so he could pass it along after my initial question, which was about what changed defensively for the Nuggets after halftime. (They allowed 38 points in the first half and 60 in the second.) Malone tersely answered with a remark about Denver’s offense. I have no qualms with that. Now, acting as if defense wasn’t an issue whatsoever is taking it too far, in my humble opinion. Minnesota averaged 136.4 points per 100 possessions after the break. It was a fair question, but if Malone was opposed to its premise from a basketball standpoint, he was fully within his rights to express that. I’d rather any interview subject be honest than lie.
That was the end of my contribution to the news conference … except, no it wasn’t, because a long silence ensued. In the absence of another question, I gestured to take the microphone back. Malone’s short answer had left room for a follow-up, so I asked about the offense’s decline that he had identified. That, too, resulted in a short answer, short enough that I didn’t even have time to pass the mic along this time. It was clear Malone was upset — understandably so. The natural question for me to continue with, therefore, was about the emotional difficulty of absorbing a season-ending loss in the particular way it happened — blowing a 20-point lead. That’s when Malone lost his cool.
The reason I’m writing this is to share my perspective on the dynamic that exists in these postgame interviews. Typically, when an athlete or coach lashes out at a reporter in a high-exposure setting like this, the knee-jerk reaction on social media is to attack the reporter. (Not this time.) I think there are two reasons for that trend. First, sports fandom is an emotional proposition, and it’s much easier to take sides with our heroes than some random writer. Second, I believe there’s always been a false notion that sports reporters maniacally revel in the emotional suffering of the people they cover, that it’s actually a goal to provoke fiery or confrontational moments with questions. Probing is seen as classless.
It’s obviously not true. I’m competitive to a fault. I gloat when I play card games. It’s a problem. But I understand that for other competitive people who lose an event they deeply care about, standing in front of cameras 10 minutes later and rehashing how they lost is a bizarre premise and an emotionally vulnerable experience. Being on the other end of that as a reporter requires awareness of what your interviewees are going through mentally, respect for their willingness to grant you the time (even if it’s a contractual obligation in pro sports), and above all a sense of empathy. Understanding what an interview subject is feeling doesn’t make you a homer. To me, those are basic responsibilities of my job.
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But I still have to ask the questions. I still can’t let players or coaches off the hook when fans are counting on them to protect that 20-point lead. Those are basic responsibilities of my job as well. It doesn’t mean I experience joy from it. But it’s simply in my job description to show up and remain impartial and ask the questions, regardless of the situation. That includes asking what the emotions are after a heartbreaking, season-ending loss. I tried to accomplish that in a respectful and open-ended manner after Game 7. It’s a challenging needle to thread, and I understand that sometimes the response is going to be hot. That’s what I’ve signed up for.
It’s why I didn’t take Malone’s answer personally, and why I don’t think other people should conclude Malone deserves to be characterized by that answer. He has a reputation for being respectful and thoughtful with the media. I would know. I was in almost every pregame and postgame news conference this season, home and away, win or loss. He had a low moment after arguably the most painful defeat of his NBA career. He apologized for it. We all snap sometimes.
And next time I do ask a stupid-(expletive) question, I’ll make sure to let you guys know.
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