By Staff
Who can blame Roy Williams for losing his cool?
Following his team's loss to Syracuse in Monday night's NCAA National Championship game, the Kansas coach was pushed beyond what he could handle.
Bonnie Bernstein, a CBS reporter, interviewed Williams after the game and asked the usual questions about how it felt and what he told his players.
Then she crossed the line.
Bernstein asked Williams what his thoughts were on the possibility of the University of North Carolina offering him its head coaching position.
Immediately, Williams' demeanor changed. He went from a somber, almost nostalgic mood to an agitated, annoyed state of being.
To quote one line from Williams' response, "As a journalist I know you have to ask that question, but as a human being it's not very nice."
That was putting it mildly.
Williams went on to make it more clear what he thought of Bernstein's line of questioning, referring to the sensitivity of his players at that moment and how little the North Carolina job meant to him at that point in time.
Williams was also kind enough to point out that Bernstein had been prodded, apparently by one of her superiors, to ask the question. He added that it was an inappropriate thing for either to do.
Why did the question have to be asked? Why did America need to know Monday night what Williams' thoughts on the subject were?
That's right, we didn't!
It was a case of the media going too far in search of a breaking news story.
Getting the scoop on the competition once again got in the way of good taste.
What is the value in embarrassing a coach just to be the first to report a news story? None.
Unfortunately for Williams and his players, the loss in the national title game was not bad enough. The media had to rub it in by acting like the coach's next move was more important than dealing with the current sorrow.
While he should have been in the locker room encouraging, thanking, hugging his players, Roy Williams had to be in the hallway answering, or deflecting, obtrusive questions.
What a shame.