States that queries about DM’s status arose when he answered “no comment”, however you have defended Bob Holt stating he asked the question because of “rumors around the program”. I’ve stated that BH was simply trying to created a story out of a non-story, which now appears accurate after JC has been able to put out an article over BH’s question and DM’s answer. Yet, no one has reported a story as to why BH asked the question in the first place. It seems like my position is becoming more accurate and yours is becoming less accurate. Do you, or BH or JC intend to actually report on what credible information was presented as the basis of BH’s original question, or do you still defend that BH asks the question because that’s what reporters do???
I fully support Bob asking what he did and writing what he did. Daryl’s response to an innocuous question is what prompted Bob writing what he did. Bob didn’t set out to write that.
Chain of events…
— Post-game availability happens. It is potentially the last time we will talk to players until October. Obviously it is a tough environment given the outcome, but Bob, as the beat writer for the ADG, has to get quotes for stories he can do moving forward.
— He asks everyone some form of the same question: You’re losing 3 good seniors, but you have a good group coming back and have this NCAA Tournament experience? How good do you think next year’s team can be?
— Everyone responds to the question normally. Except Daryl. Daryl says, “no comment.” Not a typical response.
— Bob asks the natural follow-up question that any reporter would ask: “Well you’re coming back next year right?”
— Daryl again replies: “No comment.”
— Bob says “You’re not planning on leaving, are you?” Daryl gets frustrated and says he doesn’t want to talk about it right now and doesn’t like the question.
— At that point, his answers make it a story. In no way did Bob try and pursue that going in. You didn’t hear any speculation about any other players because no one reacted that way. If Daryl did/does leave and Bob hadn’t reported that, he wouldn’t have been doing the job he’s paid to do.
Bob is one of the nicest, most professional guys around. He had no agenda.
Maybe he didn’t have an agenda, but he’s a copy cat then. There’s no basis to ask the question, or at least none that is reported. Some media stir the pot the to have something to write about. I’m not accusing bob of doing this. I’m accusing him of asking a bad question. This all goes away when someone actually reports the basis for asking the question. You want to start the story with bob asking the question. I want to start the story with why he asked the question. You seem to think is innocuous and I seem to think it’s obnoxious. I watch more sports than should be allowed and about half of the “reporting” is obnoxious and baseless, so others can then write an opinion piece or a story off of a non-story. It is allowed and will continued to be called out by people like me. Dudley get’s offended when I actually question the way something gets reported, which millions of people do every day, so it’s an innocuous question, right? And now I can report on integrity because of his answer. He hates it. Just like DM hates being asked a question, then someone reporting on his answer and then he having to defend it. Fair is fair!
I said why he asked the initial question: It was likely our last time to talk to players for the foreseeable future, so he was getting quotes looking ahead. For him to be able to write a newspaper story looking ahead to what will potentially be a good 2017-18 season, he needed quotes from players. That’s how it works. You’re entitled to think that’s obnoxious. That’s your prerogative. But if this doesn’t make sense to you or you think it’s needless, then, respectfully, you don’t understand his job and what it entails.
Bob asked a question. Daryl gave an answer. Bob asked the natural follow-up question based off of Daryl’s answer. Hard to see how that is baseless, but you’re obviously entitled to your own opinion.
Bob would not have done his job if he didn’t ask. Daryl talked about the possibility of playing one year long before the season started. I think it was Dudley he told that to.
A source was telling me that Daryl was considering leaving after this season. I’m sure Bob, Jimmy and others were hearing the same.
This is what I’m interested in, but I don’t recall reading a story on this. This would make more sense if Daryl stated publicly that he only wanted to be here for a year and then BH asked if he was considering coming back because of the success. That would make more sense to me. But I didn’t get the first part of this. Did I miss it, or was it never publicly reported?
It was talked about on twitter and message boards. It was never in a story because it was a rumor and something that no player or coach will ever comment on during a season.
Pretty sure Dudley had quotes in a story.
If memory serves, it was around the time of the 1-3 start to conference season. I certainly remember reading about it in a story on this site (don’t read the paper anymore). I remember there was talk at the start of the season that Barford might potentially make the jump based on his build, but thinking no way Daryl was ready when it was reported.
The whole thing started last season when Daryl made a comment on Bo’s show that he wanted to come in with the mentality of being an one-and-done player.
The next story I did on him was I believe after he scored 35 points in the Mike Conley Challenge. I can’t find it because we were involved with Scout and I can’t get their stories now. I ask him about that and he talked about how he would love to be that type of guy, but was more intent on getting Arkansas back to where it should be.
From the start of this year, there have been rumors that he would be going to Europe. I asked him straight up a couple ion times and he said it was people just talking. I have stated that on here when posters have asked.
Jimmy covered the locker room scene accurately as Bob related it to me. I was in the main room with the coaches.
I would have certainly asked the same questions of the players reacted the same.
I am not offended.
I did not bring up the words integrity and credibility - but I did respond when they were brought up.
We simply have a disagreement on how we should do our jobs.
If you want to consider yourself right, that’s fine with.
It won’t change my mind, but I will certainly respect your opinion
Thank you Dudley for explaining the entire episode from beginning to end.
Most do not know what goes into an interview session. And most cannot imagine how they would handle questions or how they would write stories. I think Bob Holt does a terrific job as a beat writer. If he didn’t respond the way he did to Macon’s “no comment” I would have been surprised.
I have been in MANY end of year interview sessions where every top end player available with eligibility was asked if they were returning. Someone is going to ask that question – every time.
I didn’t write anything on that specifically, but you’re correct, I saw every underclassman in both the NIT and NCAAT asked those questions, both about the team and individually, Macon was the only one I saw give a “No Comment.”
Not a reporter, but if he would have responded to me the same way, I would have asked other questions to find out why he said that.
No doubt. It’s the reporter’s job. It doesn’t matter if there’s rumors or not. If a person says “No comment” to a simple question concerning the future, that in itself raises a red flag. I know the young man did not want to answer that question or any question. He was hurting from the loss. But players are not available to the media except on occasion. The postgame locker room is the only time, likely for months, for the writers to talk to the players. They’ve got a job to do. It may not be ideal, but it is what it is.
Seven months to be exact, until October. On occasion we might get a player during the summer, but that’s rare.