Behind the Headlines

I have received several calls and e-mails today from folks upset at Herald-Leader basketball writer Jerry Tipton.

First, let me say that Jerry Tipton is one of the most respected college basketball writers in America, with a demonstrated record of excellence in reporting and writing on the University of Kentucky basketball team. He has covered UK basketball since the 1981-82 season and is a member of the U. S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. He is knowledgeable, thorough and aggressive, as journalists should be, but also a fair reporter committed to telling all sides of a story.

In this instance, it appears that certain misinformation or misunderstandings are being spread about interviews Jerry conducted with the parents of two UK recruits. I have listened to the podcasts that appear to be sparking this misinformation. I have also reviewed Jerry’s interviews with those parents. I went through Jerry’s notes of his conversation with Robyn Curry, mother of recruit Vinny Zollo, question by question. I listened to the tape of Jerry’s approximately 30-minute interview with Howard Avery, father of recruit Michael Avery. In both cases, Jerry’s interviews with the parents were conducted in an appropriate and professional fashion.

It is important to understand that Jerry does not work for the University of Kentucky, nor is he a recruiter for the university. His job is to report the news, and sometimes that includes asking tough, serious — but fair — questions of newsmakers. That is what occurred in these cases.

In both cases, Jerry asked parents about the phenomenon of players committing as early as the eighth or ninth grade. Given the context of the recruiting frenzy that surrounds top prospects, this is an obvious question to pose to young recruits’ parents. With Mr. Avery, Jerry asked about the injuries UK suffered last season that some have linked to Coach Billy Gillispie’s tough practices. This is not a new issue, and it’s one that has been written about and commented on extensively in the press, the Internet and elsewhere. After Ms. Curry mentioned her concerns about the methods of her son’s high school coach, Jerry asked her about Coach Gillispie’s widely reported “tough love” style of coaching. Again, both are logical questions to ask of a recent recruit to the university.

In each case, Jerry also discussed with the parents – and his stories reflected – the reasons for their sons’ commitment to UK, what they liked about the university and the coach, and why they chose to commit so early. In other words, they discussed many issues about committing to UK – many of those would be characterized as positive issues; some were more critical. It’s important to cover both to produce a balanced report that puts news in the appropriate context.

Jerry did not ask about any rumors alluded to in the podcasts, nor did he comment on Lexington as a place to live. Unprompted, Ms. Curry mentioned that she had heard things about Coach Gillispie. As Jerry reported in his story, “When asked to elaborate, she said, ‘I didn’t hear directly. But I heard he [Gillispie] was arrogant. I saw none of that. He was very down to earth.’” I reviewed a later conversation that Jerry had with Ms. Curry, who confirmed that Jerry did not speak in a negative manner about Lexington. Jerry also called back Mr. Avery, who acknowledged that the injury question made him uncomfortable but that it was not Mr. Avery’s place to pass judgment on whether it was appropriate.

In both cases, Jerry’s questions to the parents stuck to what occurs on the basketball court, and what happens when young men are recruited to play high-profile sports. Again, these questions are entirely appropriate, as were the stories published after those interviews. Read the stories here and here.

We welcome reader comments and hope that you continue to bring any concerns, issues or compliments to our attention regarding our reporting on UK basketball or other subjects.

Linda Austin
Editor