Tsk tsk

When Josh Wheeling, who covered last year's game at UNC, told me about how coach Roy Williams had a habit of chastising reporters, I had my doubts. I figured it was just because someone had asked a stupid question or two. After yesterday's press conference, where he did the same thing a couple of times, I think I was both right and wrong.

It had to go down as one of the silliest press conferences I've ever been to. I understand that The Almighty Palestra and The atmosphere and How did it feel to play in this great game in front of these great fans in this great city is good fodder for stories, but when every single question (save a few from the DP and the Philly papers) is about that, the game becomes less about the players than the bricks and the hardwood.

I'm in no position to say my questions were better, since I only got to jump in for three in total. And granted, there were a lot of stringers there last night. But come on. I've never felt so bad for the guys behind the mics; if you're going to put a college kid or a coach on the spot like that, ask him about something he knows about. Don't ask how much it matters what floor you play on -- because it really doesn't -- and then be surprised when he mumbles a hurried response.

So if you were wondering how the DP was able to condense a 35-minute conference into a fraction of that, there's your answer.

On to Roy Williams, who didn't exactly acquit himself well either. He knew the final score of the last time one of his teams -- Kansas, actually -- visited the Palestra; he corrected a reporter who got it wrong, which was fine and impressed me a lot. But he made a point of embarrassing one reporter for pronouncing "Tyler Hansb-o-rough" instead of the correct version, Hans-brough. 50% of the population puts the stress on the second syllable of my last name instead of the first. I got over it around age 7. As long as "Hansbrough" is what showed up on the racks this morning, who cares.