Radio station error the reason for coaches spat

Krzyzewski never said 'like other schools'
as was reported by WRBZ-AM


By Bill Cole
JOURNAL REPORTER
Tuesday March 4, 2008

A spat between coaches Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Roy Williams North Carolina over how their programs handle injury reports was about nothing at all because of a mistake by a Raleigh radio station.

WRBZ, an AM sports talk station, reported yesterday that it posted on its website an incorrect transcript of comments Krzyzewski was said to have made after a loss to Wake Forest on Feb. 17.

The transcript read that Krzyzewski, when talking about a slight knee injury to Nolan Smith, said that unlike other schools Duke did not publicize its injuries. UNC has had at least five players injured to varying degrees since Feb. 3 and Williams, when told of the comment, thought that Krzyzewski was targeting UNC.

Adam Gold, the WRBZ program director, told the Associated Press yesterday that the transcript was inaccurate and Krzyzewski did not refer to other schools. Most state media outlets used the transcript and referred to it in the two days after the Wake Forest game when Williams became angry at comments he thought were directed at his program.

“I’m sorry the quote was incorrect,” Gold said. “I couldn’t be more sorry that it has gotten to this.”

The AP reported, after listening to an audio clip of Krzyzewski’s radio interview after the Wake Forest game, that Krzyzewski said: “(Smith) has not been playing well the last couple of weeks. Again, he hyperextended his knee. You know, we don’t put out all our injuries, you know, but we’re injured, too, you know. I mean, everyone’s injured (other teams across the nation).”

Gold said a source at Duke e-mailed him the comment by Krzyzewski referring to other schools. Gold said the station listened to an audio clip of the interview after the Wake Forest game conducted by Bob Harris, Duke’s radio play-by-play announcer, shortly after the posting and determined the quote in its transcript was inaccurate.

“In my opinion I’d consider that to be an honest mistake,” Gold said.

During yesterday’s weekly ACC basketball coaches teleconference Krzyzewski said that he was not talking about UNC two weeks ago and meant no disrespect to its program.

“I think if you look back at what I said, I never said, ‘… like other schools,’ ” Krzyzewski said. “I said, ‘We don’t publicize our injuries.’ I was talking about Nolan Smith, who had a great game against Wake, and an after-game thing with Bob Harris.”

Krzyzewski said no one had asked him about the comments until yesterday.

“If I want to tweak somebody or do somebody I’d do it in front of all you guys (sports writers),” Krzyzewski said. “I’m not saying I’ve never done that, but all that’s so stupid. It’s just stupid. That’s about all I can say; it’s just stupid.”

Williams said yesterday that he and Krzyzewski have not talked about their exchange of words. Williams spoke during the teleconference and at the time did not know the report of what Krzyzewski had said after the Wake Forest game was inaccurate.

“If we had talked it would be a private thing between Mike and I so I wouldn’t share it with anybody,” Williams said. “We have not talked. I’m focusing on playing Florida State (today) and a great Duke team on Saturday.”

Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.

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