Jim Boeheim to reporters: “Go get your Pulitzer someplace else”

Rob Dauster

Feb 26, 2013, 11:52 AM EDT

8 Comments

Jim Boeheim seems super-grumpy these days, even for the nation’s most curmudgeonly head coach.

Two weeks ago, Boeheim snapped at ESPN.com’s Andy Katz in a press conference, calling him an “idiot” and “disloyal” and refusing to answer any questions from the most well-recognized college hoops reporter in the country. Last week, he neglected to give any credit to Vincent Council, the Providence point guard that set the Big East’s career-assist record against his team in a 25 point loss.

And after Syracuse blew a double-digit first half lead in a loss at Marquette last night, the 68-year old Boeheim’s emotions boiled over once again.

(CLICK HERE to listen to the entirety of Boeheim’s nine-minute press conference)

It started when Boeheim was asked a question about the 26 points that Davante Gardner score and whether or not burly freshman DaJuan Coleman could have helped slow him down.

His response?

“Our two best defensive players were in the game,” Boeheim said before pausing for about ten seconds and following up that statement. ”But you should try coaching maybe. Let’s see what you think you are. So maybe you should try that.”

After a couple more questions, CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman asked Boeheim about his team’s leadership and whether or not it’s becoming a problem:

“We’re the same team we’ve been all year. I don’t even understand that. You think because you come to Marquette and lose by two or three points you need a new guy? I don’t.”

It’s something you said earlier in the year, you were able to get away without it.

“I don’t think I said that. “

You don’t need a killer type guy? A leader? It just doesn’t seem like anybody’s talking.

“It may seem like that to you.”

To his credit, Boeheim did eventually respond to that question, saying that, more or less, the issues that Syracuse has right now has to do with their ability to shoot the ball, the zone defenses that they have been facing of late, bad turnovers at inopportune times and a lack of offensive rebounding.

While that seemed like classic Boeheim, he once again saved his best for the end.

“Any more coaches here?” Boeheim said with a chuckle. “Want to ask another coaching question? I’d be happy to take it. I’ve only been doing this 37 years, I’m sure you’ve got more ideas of who we should play or we shouldn’t play or who should lead? What do I know?”

After preaching about how the Big East should have taken the TV deal back in 2011 that would have netted each school in the conference $17 million, Boeheim closed with this:

“I think you oughta know by now, you start asking me those questions, I just laugh at you. that’s all I do.”

“Go get your Pulitzer someplace else.”

Some in the media hate Boeheim when he goes on the rants, but I love it. He’s not a machine; he’s human. He’s frustrated and emotional about a loss and he doesn’t have the time to be answering these inane questions about his ability to coach.

In a day and age where everyone is so concerned about their public image and being politically correct, it’s fun to see a coach that’s not afraid of snapping back at a question he doesn’t like from a reporter.

Just as long as I’m not on the wrong end of one of his verbal tail-whippings.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.

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8 Comments (Feed for Comments)

dexterismyhero - Feb 26, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Andy Katz, the most well-recognized ESPN college hoops reporter in the country…..Fixed that for you…….

He is no Mark Schwartz though right?

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drewvt6 - Feb 26, 2013 at 12:28 PM

His coaching has to be questioned. The older he gets the more stupidly stubborn he becomes. He’ll never get fired from Syracuse, but he has to have someone close to him let him know how poor he’s been lately. Not someone outside his circle of trust and certainly boot someone in the media.

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- odiefred - Feb 27, 2013 at 8:32 AM
  
  Just go ask coach K, coach Knight, coach Willaims, coach Crean,coach Pitino and coach Katz (duh) what kind of coach B is? One does not win 900 games with same team without having the gift coach B has. Reporters are a dime a dozen and only are looking to write something that will give them recognition. Most of them never ever played in any sports and are collectively a bunch of stumbling morons and ignorant self gratifying pimps
  
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- LPad - Feb 27, 2013 at 10:10 AM
  
  Yes because being ranked in the Top 10 most of the year after losing 4 starters in what supposed to be a rebuilding year is bad coaching.
  
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glink123 - Feb 26, 2013 at 7:24 PM

Boehim is an a$$hole. He’s grumpy he doesn’t have his buddy Bernie around, with all that man-candy.

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goirishgo - Feb 26, 2013 at 8:58 PM

I’m getting a little tired of the media whining about Boeheim hurting their feelings. They criticize others for a living and then cry when the tables get turned. Babies.

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brewcrewfan54 - Feb 26, 2013 at 11:10 PM

Guys a dick. If he’s tired of answering the questions he should retire. And just because he’s a great coach doesn’t always mean he’s doing the right things.

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LPad - Feb 27, 2013 at 10:06 AM

In fairness, some of these questions are just plain stupid. Any reporter who has been following the team or doing their homework before the Marquette game would know that Coleman is by far their worst defensive center. It isn’t even close.

Also, after each Big East game they have asked him about the Big East breaking up and each time his answer goes back to the point that the Catholic 7 didn’t want to sign a TV deal worth 17 mil a year. That’s on them not the schools that bailed.

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