By Blaine Fridley, Editor-in-Chief
The anatomy usually breaks down like this:
The stupid/poorly timed question, followed by pregnant silence and an incredulous death glare from the interview subject as everyone waits for the bile to build until the pressure is so great it comes spewing out of his mouth in one furiously entertaining outburst. One of the most beautiful things in sports, it is.
The following is an arbitrarily selected (except for no. 1) Top 5 list of the greatest press conference meltdowns caught on tape.
No. 5: Mike Gundy
Here Gundy doesn't follow the classic meltdown model, instead choosing to confront a writer for a piece that was already written. Watch for: The camera pan at the end, catching the lambasted writer looking like a 14-year old who just got done getting the reaming of a lifetime after taking his dad's MG out for a joyride and wrapping it around a telephone poll.
No. 4: Dennis Green
A classic. Plain and simple. Green's tirades are always made more entertaining simply for the fact that he sounds like he spends a majority of his day huffing helium. Watch for: Microphone bitchslap at :27.
No. 3: Bobby Knight
If someone wanted to, they could start an entire blog featuring only his press conference, and for the matter, on-the-court antics. Without question, Bobby Knight is known throughout the sporting world as an innovator in the field of post-game tirades, along with being an All-American Jerk-Ass. But here, Coach Knight flips the scrip, belittling a reporter's question, not with his typical make-you-shit-your-pants scolding and intimidation, but with a little light-hearted improv. Watch for: The light bulb going off at about :28 as Coach Knight interrupts the reporter's follow-up question to put him in his place with a press conference comedic performance for the ages.
No. 2: Hal McRae
Number 2 on our list has everything. Gratuitous profanity. Flying objects. Reporters incurring injuries. In fact, if number 1 on this list never happened, this beauty might take top prize. Watch for: The reporter at :57. Dazed and scarred, he looks like an earthquake victim just pulled from the rubble.
No. 1: Lee Elia
The "Sergeant Pepper's" of post-game tirades. After a 5-14 start in '83, a, ahem, frustrated Elia weaves a masterpiece for the ages. What to listen for: Everything.
Former Vikings Head Coach Jerry Burns
For "Uncle Burnsy", as he was affectionately known here in Minnesota, dropping the f-bomb was a seemingly involuntary function, much like breathing is to the rest of us. His penchant for profanity turned even the most banal interviews into pure gold.
(CLICK PIC FOR AUDIO CLIP)
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