Which players or coaches made Begel's "all-interview" team?
By Dave Begel
Special to OnMilwaukee.com
Last week, in the hoo-rah over the naming of Buzz Williams as Marquette's new coach, something happened that just about knocked me over.
I was listening to Steve "The Homer" True on the radio and he was interviewing a couple of players about the new coach.
Dominic James was on with Homer and I nearly drove off the road listening to his interview.
It was like listening to Barack Obama or Pat Buchanon talk. He was smart and articulate. He obviously listened to the question and then formulated his answer. He was thoughtful. He had a quick and jolly sense of humor. He was very honest. He knew what he wanted to say, and he said it.
And not once did he say, "you know."
Over three decades of covering athletes, I've never really been interested in those who are considered a "good interview." That phrase means various things to various people, but it borders on accolades for the glib.
I don't like glib. I like athletes who think, who have depth, who know how to express themselves, who know how to listen carefully. Those athletes are very rare.
James was such a surprise, especially in comparison to Tyler Hansbrough, the all-everything from North Carolina. I've seen him on television the last couple of weeks, and he sounds like village idiot with a jump shot. He is programmed and can't correctly pronounce all the words he's programmed to say. He just about puts you to sleep.
Hansbrough may well be the player of the year, but his life would be a lot better if he was as articulate as James.
The players I've known over the years fall into three categories: those I really liked to talk to; those who were to be avoided at all costs; and the majority of players who were somewhere in the middle.
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