UCLA Coach Chip Kelly Responds To USC Reporter Suspension Fiasco
The decision by the coaches and administration at USC to suspend a reporter over supposed policy violations has been widely panned by most in the sports media world.
Head coach Lincoln Riley announced the suspension earlier this week, saying it would last for two weeks.
But after widespread criticism and pressure from other USC-based reporters, Riley and the athletic department quickly backed down.
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While the handling of the situation has reflected poorly on the Trojans head coach and administrative staff, there is one person in Los Angeles seemingly enjoying their self-inflicted wound. UCLA head coach Chip Kelly.
Kelly was asked about the suspension and was immediately incredulous. "Can someone do that?" Kelly said. "That's the first time I've ever heard that, and I never want to comment on somebody else's... must have policies or something, I don't know."
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins signals during a game against the Bowling Green Falcons in the first half at Rose Bowl on September 03, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Chip Kelly Enjoying Fruits Of USC's Poor Decision
He continued, explaining further about how he preaches to tune out distractions or what's being written.
"I didn't even know you could do that, so I don't think we have policies on that," Kelly said. "Part of it for us we don't pay much attention as a group to what's being written. Now some individuals do, but I don't. So I wouldn't be able to tell you if I disagreed with what somebody else wrote... maybe when I was younger, but right now we try to preach about being the most prepared and the least distracted, and following things like that, I think you're going down a rabbit hole."
And he certainly has a point.
Riley couched the suspension as being about protecting the players at USC. But what danger are they put in by a reporter sharing a harmless anecdote about someone overcoming shyness?
The policies USC has in place are in some ways justifiable, considering some conversations overheard by the media shouldn't be publicly shared. This story though, had nothing to do with plays, formations or game planning. It was a mild human interest piece that hurt no one.
If anything, the entire situation hurt Riley and USC's reputation, a drastic about face from the Pete Carroll era of media relations. Kelly clearly took the opportunity to distance himself from that type of short sighted, overly aggressive process. And looks all the better for it.