Login

BigJohn98 · 12-09-2013, 09:27 AM

So here is Heather Cox's interview with SI.com. What a load of malarkey.

SI.com examines some of the more notable sports media stories of the past week.

1. ESPN's Heather Cox took a lot of heat on social media this weekend -- especially from Florida State fans -- for her postgame questioning of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston following the ACC Championship Game. Many accused her of ambushing FSU's freshman quarterback. Others felt her line of questioning was inappropriate given the timing and setting of the interview. Winston's attorney, Tim Jansen, delivered a series of tweets expressing his disgust.

I reached Cox Sunday night to ask her about the interview. Earlier in the day ESPN stood behind its reporter in this statement to SI.com: "Florida State agreed to the interview with no restrictions," said ESPN executive vice president of production John Wildhack. "Heather did a terrific job asking a variety of topical questions"

Cox said that in the days prior to the broadcast, she and a group of ESPN colleagues (including management) discussed the possibility of a Winston postgame interview. They spoke about how the broadcast would handle questions, especially if Winston had yet to speak out publicly. "I certainly knew if we talked to him I needed to ask questions about the [alleged sexual assault] investigation," Cox said. "I had thought through the way I wanted to handle it and presented the questions to our team. We all decided it was the correct way to handle it. It was not an issue of me going rogue and deciding last-minute that I would ambush him.

Cox said that ESPN asked and received permission from FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher and two football sports information directors regarding asking Winston questions about the investigation. Cox did not forward her questions, nor did FSU officials ask for any questions, according to Cox.

"They were fully aware that I was going to ask about the investigation," Cox said. "I was never once asked not to ask about the investigation and if I had been asked not to ask those questions, I would have declined to do the interview because I would not have been able to do my job. I think a lot of people out there think I ambushed him (Winston) and went against Coach Fisher and the Florida State PR group, and that is not at all the case. They were fully aware of my intent to ask questions about the investigation."

Cox said she discussed the subject with Fisher when the broadcasters met with the Florida State coach. "We talked about it during our meeting with him," Cox said. "We said we would talk to Jameis first. That is not typical. Usually we talk to the coach after the [postgame] handshake and then to the players. But in this case we felt it was important to talk to Jameis first and let him go. Coach Fisher agreed. He said he'd rather stand around and wait than make Jameis wait. It went according to plan and the way Florida State had approved us doing it. We didn't do anything that they did not know about it or were not aware of."

Cox said the game was going to dictate how and what questions she would use. She said because the game against Duke was not close, she opted not to ask a lot of game-related questions of Winston.

"That's why I asked one big-picture, celebration question to start and then I felt like it was then time to ask the questions that everybody wanted to know the answers to since Jameis had not spoken yet," Cox said.

Cox added that had she been afforded the opportunity to ask her final question, it was going to be about Winston's upcoming month, including the Heisman Trophy show and other awards. She said she then planned to talk to Fisher and do nothing but a game-related interview with him. Cox said she wanted people to know that Winston did not turn around and walk away. "He was pulled away," Cox said.

After the postgame trophy ceremony -- both ESPN management and Cox said colleague Dari Nowkhah was previously scheduled to host the postgame trophy celebration; some speculated Cox had been removed from it following her Winston interview -- she went up to an Florida State official and asked to speak to Fisher to resolve any issues.

"It was important to me to clarify things," Cox said. "The last thing I wanted was for him to think I intentionally went against anyone's wishes. I pride myself on my integrity and my relationships that I have developed with these coaches and players. That is critical to me doing my job well. The last thing I wanted was for Coach Fisher to think I broke that trust."

Cox said she and Fisher spoke for five minutes in a tunnel after the trophy presentation. She said they have known each other for a long time and have a great working relationship. Cox said she could understand if he was frustrated by her questions but she did not want him to think that she blatantly disregarded a request not to ask something.

"I told him, 'Nobody ever told me not to ask about the investigation'. He said, 'I did not realize that.' I went on to tell him that if they had, I would have just declined to do the interview. I said I would not be doing my job if I did not ask. If I got Jameis and didn't ask questions about the investigation, considering this is the first time he was made available to talk, I'd be as heavily criticized today as I am already. I explained that to Coach, and after he realized that, he apologized and understood that there was a big misunderstanding. I felt much better after having that conversation.

Cox said she did not know the person who could be heard off-camera saying, "Heather, that's cheap" as Winston was pulled away. She thought it was someone who was part of the FSU traveling party but did not know the person specifically. "When I am doing interviews like that I have no idea what is going on around me," Cox said. "It's just me and the subject. I could tell there was a huge presence around me but I had no idea who was there."

Cox is assigned to the BCS title game so she will see Winston again prior to any potential postgame interview in the BCS title game.

"I've had a great relationship with him up until that point and I feel like at no point in that interview until he was pulled away [that] Jameis was getting uncomfortable," Cox said. "To the contrary, he seemed kind of relieved to be talking about it. ... I really felt like he was comfortable with what we were doing until he was pulled away. At that moment, I think he got really nervous, as anybody would getting pulled away from a live interview and not really knowing why. It did not end the way any of us wanted to."

1a. There's a fair debate to be had about the timing of Cox's questions and I certainly understand why FSU fans were not happy. Personally, I felt Cox's questions were fair. She's paid by ESPN be a reporter -- not an auxiliary member of the Florida State staff, not a standup comic and not someone who tells players and coaches to go celebrate with their team.

In my opinion, Cox did not ask Winston four direct questions about the investigation. Her first question for Winston was about how he felt about Florida State going to the national championship. As positive as it gets. Her second question was about what the last month had been for Winston as "news of the investigation was sharing headlines with your on-the-field performance." That's not specific to details about the investigation unless Winston answers it as such. Her third question was totally non-confrontational, though a bit of a repeat. ("What did you learn during the month, during the investigation?") Her fourth question tangentially referenced the investigation, but the specific question was about what having the trust of Fisher meant to Winston. If you watch the tape during that question, Winston is smiling, animated and excited about answering. The fifth question ("Jameis, how come you decided not to talk during the process, and on Thursday?") was directly about the investigation and perhaps should have been asked second.

In short, Cox did her job and Winston did his, answering the questions asked of a major college star. It will no doubt go smoother next time.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/ne...z2mz43JOP5