Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire found this out the hard way when he interviewed Penguins right winger Phil Kessel Wednesday night.
Pierre McGuire asked Phil Kessel about his conditioning and Kessel thought Pierre was referring to his bad breath. pic.twitter.com/AWxmxMq5uo
— Grady Sas (@GradySas) May 19, 2016
Asking a hockey player about his level of conditioning is not a stupid question in a vacuum. Depending on the circumstances, it can even lead to an enlightening response. However, phrasing is everything. Asking someone, “How’s your breath?” is almost assuredly going to elicit a response regarding the quality of their breath, not the level of their fitness.
Still, in this case a weird question led to an entertaining exchange nonetheless. Kessel’s immediate, matter-of-fact response is priceless. Here is a man who knows he might have bad breath from time to time and is not ashamed to admit it. We could all stand to be a little more like Phil Kessel, really. Good things usually come from taking your work more seriously than yourself.
[Grady S]
