Broadcaster Suspended for "choke job" phrase

[Buffalo Dave]

Saw this on my AP Wire this morning and wanted to gauge the thoughts of my fellow broadcasters....


GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota has suspended men's basketball play-by-play radio announcer Paul Ralston for two games after he used the phrase "choke job" following an overtime loss to Northern Arizona.

The Grand Forks Herald reports that Ralston used the words during his interview with coach Brian Jones after the team's 74-72 home loss Saturday. North Dakota led in the final minute of regulation, but Northern Arizona rallied to force overtime and win.

Athletic director Brian Faison says Ralston will not call the game at Northern Colorado on Wednesday or Saturday's game at Nebraska-Omaha. Associate athletic director Kyle Doperalski will handle the play-by-play duties for those games.

[Brady Stiff]

Saw that, immediately came here to see if anyone had posted it on the board.

I think it's definitely over the line for someone covering the team directly to use that phrase at anytime, especially in an interview with the coach immediately after a close loss. I wouldn't be surprise if the coach took the headset off and walked away right after hearing that.

I think for sports talkers, though, it would be totally acceptable. That's assuming there's no direct relationship to the team. I like sports talkers who don't sugar coat. If the team is bad, or had a bad night, you're not going to fool anyone by pretending it's all fine and dandy.

[bschultz]

I know Paul...gave him a shot on a sports talk show with me. He was doing overnights on a country station at the time. I haven't talked to him about this, but I assume that he's in the same boat that we ALL have been in.

I think we've ALL said something at sometime that we wish that we wouldn't have.

Brian

[ktomasch]

I think sports talkers are REQUIRED to use "choke job," aren't they?

Yeah, this is an example of discretion being the better part of valor. At the end of the day, you can make a point diplomatically and not run the risk of being taken to the woodshed for something like this.

[Rob Adams]

I think sports talkers are REQUIRED to use "choke job," aren't they?

It's in the sports talkers handbook.

[PxPinVA]

I think most, if not all on this board, will agree that the guy should have used better judgment in what he said. He could have used generic, overused verbiage such as "heartbreaking", "tough loss" to describe what happened instead.

However, I think this is just another situation where a coach probably complained about what was said and the announcer had to take the fall. Coaches have WAY too much power and with the money they make, they need to focus on winning games instead of worrying about what other people are saying about their team.

[Paul Van Scott]

This reminds me of the woman that was caught on security camera falling into a fountain while walking because she was texting. The security footage made the YouTube rounds and everybody had a good laugh. Even though you could not tell it was even a woman on the footage she sued for "embarrassment". The lawsuit exposed her and the video to many, many more people than originally knew of the event. Plus now they had a face/name to go with the incident. She made it much worse.

Maybe North Dakota could have done things a bit more quietly, like a two game suspension with instructions to not discuss why. They were upset about the ridicule and embarrassment of Paul's choice of words and now they have spread it all over the country. I can promise you the average fan is thinking one of two things. A) Ha ha ha ha, or B) It was a choke job and the guy called it right.

Regardless what fans think it was the wrong thing to say. Most of us have had to interview coaches after a situation like this (blown lead). You can usually get a feel on how the coach is approaching the subject. I have known coaches themselves that would say their team pulled a choke job, others will credit the other team. Your best bet is to let the coach steer the tone.

[Jon Chelesnik]

I've seen broadcasters at schools larger than UND lose their jobs because the coach didn't like them. I hope for this guy's sake that he hasn't irreparably harmed his relationship with his coach. The good news for the broadcaster is it is a finite suspension. He'd really have cause for concern if his suspension had been indefinite. Guys often don't return from those.

[ssteve]

For a p-b-p guy to say anything like that is totally over the line. Whether working for the school or the radio station you still represent that team and school and so many ways to word that other than the way he did. If I were the school, he doesn't come back at all. How does he travel with the team now, and what is that going to be like? What will coaches and players be thinking as they are interviewed by him - especially after losses? My guess is it is maybe he'a back after suspension but not next season.

[malden153]

However, I think this is just another situation where a coach probably complained about what was said and the announcer had to take the fall. Coaches have WAY too much power and with the money they make, they need to focus on winning games instead of worrying about what other people are saying about their team.

I doubt the coach had to say a word. It wasn't exactly an obscure interview. I suspect it wasn't because it PO'd the coach (although it probably did), but because it was a wrong choice on its own merits.

[Buffalo Dave]

"Choke Job" is certainly not a phrase I'd use with the coach of the school I was hired to call games for. I agree that there are more "dignified" terms that can be used to describe throwing a game away. Poor phrasing choice for PxP, but it's practically essential in the sports talk vernacular!

I've been in my fair share of those tough postgame interviews, particularly tough after a District Championship or State Tournament-type of defeat.

I always seek to get a feel for the coach of whichever school I'm covering during the interview to see how far I can probe the issue and not cross that line of picking at the scab, but rather looking for their take on what happened and why. I simply maintain objectivity and help them realize I'm not being judgemental. I'll ask a question about how the negative situation or bad ending can be turned into something positive to help steer the interview away from the coach feeling like it's becoming confrontational.

Fine line and a lot is dependant on personalities and your personal working relationship and history with the coach.

[pbpisfun]

For a p-b-p guy to say anything like that is totally over the line. Whether working for the school or the radio station you still represent that team and school and so many ways to word that other than the way he did. If I were the school, he doesn't come back at all. How does he travel with the team now, and what is that going to be like? What will coaches and players be thinking as they are interviewed by him - especially after losses? My guess is it is maybe he'a back after suspension but not next season.

Really? You'd fire him for that?

Man, hard to win as a local radio announcer. Either he gets criticized for being a homer/shill, or he says something a little negative about the team and he gets fired?

"Choke job" doesn't seem that bad to me. Bob Costas once accidentally called a late collapse of a Spirit of St. Louis game something similar, but something that carried a much stronger sexual undertone. He seemed to survive the mistake.

[ktomasch]

That was also

( a ) unintentional
( b ) in 1974
( c ) a virtually unknown story until 1991

[ssteve]

Really? You'd fire him for that?

Man, hard to win as a local radio announcer. Either he gets criticized for being a homer/shill, or he says something a little negative about the team and he gets fired?

"Choke job" doesn't seem that bad to me. Bob Costas once accidentally called a late collapse of a Spirit of St. Louis game something similar, but something that carried a much stronger sexual undertone. He seemed to survive the mistake.

Yes sir, not coming back after this season. First of all, you aren't comparing apples to apples. Much easier to criticize professionals because they are just that - pros. They get paid. They should be able to handle the criticism better. North Dakota is a team of amateurs and my best guess is none of them will be much more. No disprespect to them. Second, although not a big fan anyomore, not fair to compare a Bob Costas opinion to one from the voice of North Dakota basketball. And I cant find the Costas comment. Was he doing pbp? Was he the voice of the Blues? The capacity you are working under also matters...

[pbpisfun]

Really? You'd fire him for that?

Man, hard to win as a local radio announcer. Either he gets criticized for being a homer/shill, or he says something a little negative about the team and he gets fired?

"Choke job" doesn't seem that bad to me. Bob Costas once accidentally called a late collapse of a Spirit of St. Louis game something similar, but something that carried a much stronger sexual undertone. He seemed to survive the mistake.

Yes sir, not coming back after this season. First of all, you aren't comparing apples to apples. Much easier to criticize professionals because they are just that - pros. They get paid. They should be able to handle the criticism better. North Dakota is a team of amateurs and my best guess is none of them will be much more. No disprespect to them. Second, although not a big fan anyomore, not fair to compare a Bob Costas opinion to one from the voice of North Dakota basketball. And I cant find the Costas comment. Was he doing pbp? Was he the voice of the Blues? The capacity you are working under also matters...

1) Costas was the voice of the ABA's Spirit of St. Louis. He was about 25 years old at the time doing play by play on KMOX. He made an accidental mistake. Survived it. I wonder what would happen if he had done it today???

2) Yes, this was a mistake by this young man. But, I simply don't think the term "choke job" is that bad, certainly shouldn't be firable. I've heard countless local broadcasters describe things similar. A team has "totally fallen apart," "absolutely unraveled," "melted down," "choked the game away," "found a way to lose," etc. I don't see what the big sin is about using the term "choke job" over any of those others. All carry the same or similar meaning and all are negative and I've heard them all countless times. Is it because it is a small school? Would it be acceptable for a local announcer for the Kansas Jayhawks or Kentucky Wildcats to say it? I mean Bill Self called his own team much worse earlier this year.

3) At some point, a radio guy has to call it like he sees it. Yes, he has to be smart about it, and within reason and understand he is representing the school, but I also think a school in essense publicly censoring this guy is not a good protocol for the future of the radio broadcasting business. A school should offer some creative liberty to their on-air talent and if that guy makes a mistake, then offer him some advice, offer him some support, and let him show he's learned from the mistake. But, fire him? I think that's harsh in this situation and I'm glad he wasn't fired. I'm simply suggesting allowing a school to fire a guy for saying "choke job" is taking things too far, in my opinion. (disclaimer - I'm not aware of previous issues, but IF this was a situation where he'd been warned a few times, then, suspension might be in order, but I see no mention anywhere that this was an ongoing issue)

4) Frankly, I'm taken aback by how many on this site are siding with the school and not the announcer. This is a dangerous precendent. Mistakes happen. Advocating the firing of a guy for saying something in the heat of the moment after a tough loss that I believe to be somewhat "tame" is alarming to me. Now, had he said something like "this team is a bunch of losers and this coach obviously can't coach and the athletic director is the leader of this band of idiots who can't figure out a way to win" then sure, fire away. But, for uttering "choke job" in a game that the team he's covering has just missed five late free throws? Sorry, can't get on board with gassing him for that. Let him know he erred, then move forward. Especially if he's good at describing the game and well-liked by listeners (I have no idea on this ND guy, never heard him).