Zgoda-McHale exchange
by plinytheelder on Jan 20, 2009 5:17 PM CST
Email
PrintJerry Zgoda made some very interesting comments in his blog the other day:
Kevin McHale sat down in his customary chair after his team came from behind with a 32-24 fourth quarter to beat the Suns in Phoenix tonight, reached up and slapped me hard on the chest.
“How ’bout that?” he beamed. “We win the last game you’ll ever cover.”
I couldn’t tell if he was overjoyed because his team now has won six of seven and seven of 10 games and beat a team with a winning record for the second time this season.
Or if it was because he wishfully — and, hopefully, wrongly — was thinking the Star Tribune now is out of business because it filed for bankruptcy Thursday evening.
In the comments section, someone wrote the following:
Jerry’s post really makes it sound like McHale was gloating about the Strib…I hope I’m not right? Pretty petty if so. I’m chalking it up to tone not coming across in print, I hope I’m right.
To which Zgoda responded:
Well, he said it with a smile and a laugh, but the look in his eyes said it wasn’t a joke. These guys are so out of touch. They live in a world unfamiliar to you and me and I think they have no concept that there are people out there struggling day to day and worried about their jobs and their futures.
Man...just when I was starting to like McHale. I don't know how much his political leanings come into this, but to my mind this episode shows a serious lack of class.
17 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Wow, good find.
I remember reading that in the blog and thinking it was kind of weird, but I had no idea that Zgoda responded like that. I wonder what he meant by “these guys”. Does he mean the whole country club, or just McHale and Wittman (who was waaaaaaaaaay out of touch). I bet Zgoda just hates “Mac”.
That's an interesting question.
I just figured he was talking about your average NBA lifer – a guy who has been involved in a huge money game since his early 20s and was on his way there even before that. Maybe I should rethink this assumption, I’m not sure. I guess I just figured he was talking about guys who couldn’t relate to someone making, say, 50 or 60k (or less) and wondering if he’ll make anywhere near that next year. That’s chump change to someone like McHale…who, Zgoda seems to be inferring, simply cannot relate to someone who is struggling financially – it’s like he lives in another world.
Whatever the case may be, I think Zgoda hit it spot on. The more I read that dude the more I like him.
by plinytheelder on Jan 20, 2009 9:09 PM CST up reply actions
Very nice catch...
….something tells me the guys who took the buyout from the Strib and who now can’t cash their checks don’t live in North Oaks. If anything, McHale’s GM performance would fit right in with recent Strib management. What a prick.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
Um
In defense of McHale, how many times as he read in the paper that he should be fired? That he does not know what he is doing? That he has ruined the franchise? etc. etc.
Might McHale not have been attempting just a little “gallows humor” between people now finding themselves in the same boat (concerned about losing their jobs)?
Further defense of McHale – it is objective reported that McHale said it with a smile and a laugh. Yet, whatever one here is upset about is Zgoda’s interpretation of McHale’s unspoken intention. A little bit of a stretch for me – especially considering that Zgoda (or was it Youngblood) reported in his blog that his credit card did not work this weekend.
What I am saying is the Strib guys are pretty upset (rightly so) and that might just be coloring their perspective when they “interpret” unspoken intentions. So, I think we need to take McHale at his reported “laugh and smile” and leave it at that.
Even if that were the case...
…I think Zgoda still hits it on the head about him having a massive lack of perspective. The Strib may have colored perspective but at least they have some. They aren’t in the same boat and that’s the point.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
yeah...
“in the same boat” is one of the things I’d disagree with – multimillionaires and beat writers are in pretty different boats to my mind.
by plinytheelder on Jan 21, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions
I don't know...
Most of the “fire McHale” talk comes from talk radio, the internet, and popular opinion. Newspapers generally maintain a calmer tone. Sure, the columnists can and do indulge in that, but beat writers like Zgoda generally avoid going for the jugular because they need team access, and pissing off the higher ups generally isn’t a good idea. Maybe we can find an example or two of Zgoda sharpening the guillotine, but I’d doubt it. (And if anything, McHale should probably be concerned that if Zgoda did go elsewhere he might “Go Aschburner” on him.)
I agree it’s sometimes difficult to interpret tone. But this just seems, at best, ignorant, and at worst cruel. It’s difficult to imagine a circumstance where a comment like that wouldn’t be considered out of bounds. Gallows humor, maybe. But seeing as how Zgoda and McHale have a professional relationship, not a personal one, I don’t think so, and I think Zgoda’s reaction indicates so.
It sometimes boggles the mind how difficult the Taylor-McHale tandem sometimes makes it to, you know, root for this team.
by jianfu on Jan 21, 2009 3:52 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I was standing right there when the exchange went down, and while McHale was doing some serious ball busting, his comments were entirely good natured. Stiff, yes, but joking all the way. He patted Zgoda on the chest as he stood up to leave. I think there was a respect there from McHale, and that was his way of letting the journalst know he empathized with him. But I don’t know the history, so it’s possible I’m way off base here.
by Brett Pollakoff on Jan 21, 2009 10:17 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
Thanks Brett...
…much appreciated for fleshing this out.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Roy Hibbert wants to play for Team USA, seeks release from Jamaican national team
- Bucks forward Jon Brockman loves wearing adult onesies
- Andrew Bynum after 9-0 Thunder run beats Lakers: ‘We’re better than Santa Claus’
- Walter McCarty, former Celtics forward and Pacers coach, takes to the music industry
- Paul Pierce dunks early, attacks often to set pace in Celtics’ Game 3 win (VIDEOS)
