The recent hoopla in hoops makes us realize that media training or refresher courses in this area always come in handy. Last week, the Big East was still trying to ward off a prying press in response to chauvinistic comments made by Commissioner Mike Tranghese in response to his decision to allow injured University of Connecticut player Nykesha Sales to score record-breaking (UOC) points at a Villanova/UOC match-up.
Turns out PR buffs won't be able to throw the towel at the Big East or Tranghese for lackluster media training since Tranghese's first job with the Big East, when it formed in 1979/80, was as its spokesperson.
Missing the PR Point
Controversy erupted when Tranghese told the New York Daily News that had the scenario involved male athletes, he might had made a different call and not allowed the shot.
The Washington Post also reported that Tranghese said: "Men compete, get along and move on with few emotions. But women break down, get emotional, get so much more out of the game."
In response to the onslaught of media reaction, PR NEWS contacted the Big East's three-person PR team to find out what its response has been only to find out that the word from above was to leave well enough alone and let the controversy run its course and die down.
"Our decision is not to say anything further," says John Paquette, associate commissioner for PR, who adds that his office had handled about 100 press queries from late February through the first week of March, and that every media outlet (from the syndicated, offbeat Sports Junkies radio show to CBS Nightly News) has taken a swing at covering the controversy. (Big East, 401/272-9108)