One of the toughest jobs in sports
broadcasting is the immediate post-match interview, the one where the coach or captain
is dragged in front of the sponsors' boards, and some poor sap with a hand-held
mic seeks instant reaction.
What do you ask?
After England's grand slam success in
Paris on Saturday, Sonja McLaughlan asked coach Eddie Jones, "How proud
are you?"
Jones, being
something of a pro with the media, took the wise course of continuing to smile
widely and winningly, and answering an entirely different question.
But just once I should like someone
on these occasions to take the Q at face value.
"How proud am I?
On a scale of one to ten?
Well, using the scoring system they use at international ice skating
events probably something like a 6.7, but taking Strictly Come Dancing as a
template, an 8 or a 9, although obviously if Craig Revel Horwood is judging, a
7 with a withering aside.
"Put it this way, I'm as proud
as a the owner of a labrador at Crufts whose animal wins in its category but
misses out on Best In Show, but probably just slightly less proud than a
university student who manages to get a 2:1 despite doing nothing for three
years other than sitting in front of Pointless wearing ludicrous trousers,
eating microwave egg fried rice (the student, that is, not the trousers)."....
Full article can be read at www.sportingintelligence.com 10 a.m., Monday March 21st, 2016