awfulannouncing
Former Fox Sports Radio colleagues Doug Gottlieb and Rob Parker couldn't make it through a two-minute phone call. Gottlieb, now in his third season as head men's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has been vocal in his support of the proposed Protect College Sports Act. Three weeks ago, he told reporters that coaches are more important than players, saying, "Coaches are way more important than players. Because they just do more. Coaches don't leave every year the way that players leave every year."
Gottlieb appeared on Fox Sports Radio's The Odd Couple, hosted by Parker and Kelvin Washington, to defend his stance. But the conversation quickly became contentious when Gottlieb demanded an apology, accusing Parker of misrepresenting his quote. After playing the full quote, Parker asked, "You stand by that players don't matter? Coaches are more important than players." Gottlieb interjected, calling Parker's characterization "bullcrap" and stating he never said players don't matter.
"You said I said players don't matter," Gottlieb fired back. "Not only is it unfair, it's not true and it's the problem with media. This is not an all-or-nothing proposal. In no world is it all or nothing. Zero."
Gottlieb then demanded an apology for the misquote, which Parker refused to give. Instead, Parker threatened to hang up. "I'm not doing that," Parker said of the apology. "Doug, if you came here for an apology party, I'll hang up on you right now. I'm not doing that I'm not apologizing two minutes in." Before Parker could act, Gottlieb hung up, abruptly ending the interview after just two minutes.
Parker told Gottlieb not to call back, though few expected the coach to dial in again after already hanging up. "That's why you don't have a show," Parker ranted. "I'm glad you hung up. Don't call back here. In fact, turn to ESPN. Go listen to Jim Rome. You better not be listening to this show Doug is ridiculous."
Key Analysis
Parker also raised a fair question: "What kind of system doesn't allow the players to be involved in the bargaining of this?" He might have pressed Gottlieb on it had he not started the interview by misquoting him. Gottlieb later called Parker's comment embarrassing and noted he used to consider his former colleague a friend. While Gottlieb understands the performative nature of sports radio and Parker's schtick, he can't risk anyone claiming he said players don't matter as the head coach of a college basketball program.
Originally reported by awfulannouncing.