Can you even be considered a real sports reporter if you’ve never been embarrassed by a coach or player at a press conference?
Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo joined The Dan Patrick Show Thursday morning. Near the end of the segment, Patrick asked Russo if he had any memories of being embarrassed by coaches during a New York press conference. The question prompted Russo and Patrick to exchange press conference war stories.
“Absolutely, yes.” Russo said, citing Pat Riley and Bill Parcells. In the case of Riley, Russo recalled asking whether it was his last year coaching the New York Knicks immediately after losing a Game 7 to the Indiana Pacers on the heels of Patrick Ewing’s missed finger roll.
“Everybody knew that Pat was gonna leave,” Russo said. “And you know me, I loved to ask those questions in those press conferences in those days. Open up my big fat mouth. But I asked him that and he didn’t give me an answer…that is an awkward one.”
After Russo shared his embarrassing press conference stories, Patrick admitted he was “so happy” to have been similarly “dressed down” by Parcells and Riley during his time in New York.
“It’s a badge of honor,” Russo added.
“It will humble you,” Patrick said. “You gotta be willing to ask a tough question. But be willing with whatever repercussions are going to happen. And I remember Parcells saying, ‘How many games have you coached?’ And I said, ‘None.’ He goes, ‘Exactly.’”
Parcells, of course, never played professionally. But that still didn’t discount him from being able to coach at the NFL level.
Riley and Parcells were legendary head coaches and their contributions to the NBA and NFL are well-documented. But perhaps more important, are their contributions to media, undoubtedly handing out many badges of honor to reporters over the years.
