Apparently UCONN basketball coach has gotten all the support he needs, including a call from Connecticut Senator Creepy Joe™ Lieberman, and the head of the NCAA. According to the Hartford Courant:
Sen. Lieberman and all those other phone calls from around the country — from the head of the NCAA, all the other various people — that's all I've really needed," said Calhoun, a cancer survivor.
I find it strange that Courant sportswriter Mike Anthony identifies Calhoun in this context as a cancer survivor. Because there's no other reason to use that description here, one can only assume that Anthony was attempting to drum up sympathy.
And if I recall correctly, Lieberman also supported John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Constitutional scholar Bobby Knight supports Calhoun's First Amendment rights.
I watched the UCONN men's game Saturday (yes, I'm still a fan), and was appalled when commentators Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg climbed on the Calhoun bandwagon and claimed that Calhoun had been "conned" (their pun not mine), when Ken Krayeske asked the now infamous question.
In the end, all those who are in the tank for Calhoun seem to be re-framing the controversy as if it were somehow about Calhoun's generousity, which doesn't seem to be the issue being questioned.
There are three issues: Does Krayeske, or anyone in the press have the right to ask any question they please at a press conference (or is the post-game press conference sacrosanct)? Should the highest paid state employee be questionned about the economic problems facing the state? And did Jim Calhoun handle the question correctly, and with the dignity required of a top state representative?
The answers seem pretty clear, and it's become obvious that Krayeske has made his point.
2 comments:
How about if everyone refuses to pay State Income Taxes until the Biggest Dogs on the payroll (such as cancer surviving, overly defensive Calhoun) kick back a few bucks themselves? You know, not much, just show some good faith by tossing a few pennies in CT's empty bank account. Or how about, at the very least, don't be such an ego maniacal, in-your-face asshole during press conferences? I'd settle for that. So what's up with all the sugarcoating press weenies in CT? Are they really that fearful of losing their jobs??
How dare Kenny K. crash the cozy fraternity of sportswriters? They shill for their interest even more than all the finance "babes" & "gurus" on the financial cable shows.
I think that Ken should go even further than he has. What is the actual cost of our college sports programs, especially football, when factoring in the cost of the sports facilities? I'll bet that I cannot walk onto the floor of Gampel Pavilion and join in a pick-up game of b-ball whenever it suits me.
I would especially like to know the financial relationship between The Courant and the UConn football program. What's up with all the full page ads and multi-page coverage this program has received from day 1?
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