Jim Boeheim had some choice words for ESPN's Andy Katz after the Orange's loss to UConn
CONNECTICUT -- Update (3:05 p.m. Thursday):
USA Today obtained this statement from ESPN regarding the incident:
"Andy Katz is one of the industry's best reporters, who is extremely professional and respected," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. "He doesn't know exactly what led to that reaction from Coach Boeheim, who hasn't spoken to Andy since December 2011."
If it's in fact true that Katz and Boeheim hadn't spoke since December 2011 it would lead some to believe that it would be about work Katz did while the program was under fire during the Bernie Fine investigation.
Oddly enough though, Katz himself shot down the notion that he and Boeheim hadn't spoken since 2011.
In a report by Mike Waters of the Post-Standard, Katz says that he always chats up players, including James Southerland before games. That information, according to Katz is always on the record.
Katz does admit though, in Waters' piece, that Boeheim has been less than cordial with him since December of 2011.
Below is our original report:
From about 7 p.m. until 10:30 Wednesday night everyone was talking about Syracuse basketball falling to Connecticut.
After that, everyone was talking about Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's press conference.
Andy Katz, a reporter for ESPN started to ask Boeheim about the UConn-Syracuse rivalry when Boeheim cut him off saying "I'll answer anybody's question but yours. Because you're an idiot. And really, a disloyal person. (pause) And a few other things I could add but I won't go there".
It's not immediately clear why Boeheim reacted how he did, but it's widely speculated that it has to do with a report Katz did on James Southerland.
Peter Schrager, of Fox Sports, tweeted, "I'm told by 'in the know' sources that Katz irked Boeheim by sharing info JB believed was off the record on the air re: James Southerland." Schrager later tweeted, "Katz is right. He's not paid by Syracuse. He did burn a bridge with Jim Boeheim. That's the risk he took. Murky waters for an ESPN guy."
Here's Boeheim's full audio statement from WAER.
Also, a video clip of it from The New Haven Register in Connecticut.
What did you think about the statement?
