Boylen's Frustration Boils Over
Regarding the exchange between the Tribune’s Gordon Monson and Ute basketball coach Jim Boylen, Wednesday night, I can only go to the old line the athletes always use: It is what it is.
Monson was doing his job, asking questions. Boylen was upset over a humiliating loss.
I can’t say I was terribly surprised that a problem arose.
You might not think this is news, but fact is, it did give us a little insight. It showed Boylen does take losses like the one on Wednesday personally. Maybe too personally.
I’m not sure I would have reported the exchange, had it been a one-on-one situation. Reporters ask questions coaches don’t want to dignify. But it was in a press conference with newspaper, radio and TV reporters present. It was news the instant the words were exchanged.
I don’t think Monson was over the top, asking about Utah’s offensive inefficiency. Boylen could have handled it more gracefully. “The ball didn’t go in the hoop” isn’t a real answer. At the same time, it’s understandable Boylen was frustrated and angry — and would take it out on a member of the media who persisted.
I don’t expect this to turn into a longstanding grudge. I know them both. I think they’ll put it behind them. It will go down as a spat in the heat of the moment.