Interviewing the Coach - It's never Easy

As a Western Hockey League broadcaster, it's often times an adventure interviewing a coach from the opposing team.

Most times the coaches are nice, but as I've learned from past experiences it's best to expected the unexpected when you throw a microphone in their face.

My first bad experience while doing an interview with a coach came when I was working at CKSW in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. I was still a teenager at the time and was given a tape recorder, and asked to get some comments following a game between the Broncos and the Brandon Wheat Kings.

At the time the Broncos were a strong team, and rarely lost at home. The Wheat Kings were a sad bunch, who often got throttled on the scoreboard despite having a pretty good young goaltender named Trevor Kidd.

On this night the Broncos beat the Wheat Kings 8-1, and because of inexperience I didn't feel any hesitation going towards a disgruntled Brandon coach who I called Mr.McCrimmon.

Mr. McCrimmon was pissed, and was pacing back and forth outside of the Wheat Kings dressing room as I approached him after the humiliating loss.

Being only 19 at the time (yet looking like I was 16 with a bad mustache which consisted of 6 hairs on each side of my upper lip) I opened my mouth with my 'choir boy' voice and asked Mr. McCrimmon if I could ask him a few questions.

I can't remember what question I asked him, but let's just say it wasn't good. It's the response from McCrimmon that I will never forget.

"That's a horse s**t question'!

Gulp!

I remember turning red in the face, trembling in my shoes and wanting to run for cover as Mr. McCrimmon glared at me with an intimidating scowl.

Just as I was about to ask a follow-up question, the Sun newspaper sports writer at the time (Rick Moore) bailed me out with what I am sure was a much more intelligent question.

From that moment on, I have always been cautious about approaching an opposing coach.

I will say that I have had great relationships with Don Hay, Dean Clark, Pete Anholt and Ed Dempsey over the years. These guys are friendly, seem relatively interested that you exist on this earth, and give you thoughtful answers.

Yet I've had bad experiences with coaches like Cory Clouston in Kootenay. Clouston has a chip on his shoulders every time I talk to him. I don't know if it's 'small man syndrome', but he comes across like I am waisting his time and he'd rather have a root canal than talk to me. I'd try to soften him up with some pre-interview small talk, but he won't bite. Maybe he is just focused, and considers me as the 'enemy'?
Bottom line is I don't talk to the guy anymore. Frankly if you are not interested in talking to me, I'm not going to blow smoke up your a** to get a three minute interview.

Clouston isn't the only coach who I've had a problem with in the past. Former Lethbridge coach Bryan Maxwell and Brad McCrimmon when he was in Saskatoon would also be on the list.

What's with me and those McCrimmon brothers?

Getting back to Kelly McCrimmon, he'll likely never remember that exchange we had at the Civic Centre in Swift Current 14 years ago. He won't remember telling this pimply faced broadcaster to 'get lost', or remember that cheesy moustache I was trying to grow.
Yet our relationship as opposing coach-broadcaster has grown over the years to one of the best I have today. McCrimmon is a smart hockey man, who tells you how it is. He has a strong personality, that can intimidate you unless you really get to know him.

Now that I know him well, I still can ask him horse s**t questions, but I am no longer scared of the man I used to call Mr. McCrimmon.