One thing Michael Wilbon learned from being a sports columnist at The Washington Post and a pundit on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption is that when he talks, people listen.
Although Wilbon said he wanted to interact with the audience when he spoke on campus last night, the approximately 200 students mostly watched in star-struck awe as the Chicago native’s unfettered opinion streamed out for two hours.
And the audience loved it.
“I love watching him on PTI and NBA halftime shows,” freshman Matthew Bouchard said. “He’s a smart guy, a fun guy.”
Utilizing his characteristic “real talk” attitude, Wilbon explored a litany of topics raised by students. From eccentric details about his friendship with co-host Tony Kornheiser to why he feels recruiting news is comparable to “kiddie porn,” no topic was taboo for the extroverted sportswriter.
Even ESPN couldn’t avoid taking a hit for the way they exposed Miguel Tejda’s true age two weeks ago. Wilbon called the technique “dishonest” and compared it to an episode of Cheaters, a show where jilted lovers confront their significant others in the act of infidelity.
“I’m going to get thrown off the air one day because I’m going to say something without regard for who’s paying me,” Wilbon admitted to the crowd.
One student did challenge one of the writer’s assertions: Sporting a Sean Taylor jersey, the young fan said he took offense to Wilbon’s column following the Redskin safety’s shooting death that said he “was not surprised” about the player’s tragic fate.
Wilbon ardently defended his stance, saying that although he might have written it differently, he didn’t want to back down from the deeper issue of pro athletes who are surrounded by dangerous people or influences and their struggle to escape them.
“There are going to be times when you’re reading the paper over your Rice Krispies that I’m going to make you feel uncomfortable,” he said. “But it is a discussion we should be having more frequently in this country.”
Wilbon’ s ties to the university go back further than the handful of talks he has given on the campus in recent years. One of his first beats was covering Terrapin sports, and he described the death of Len Bias as the most influential and traumatic sports event in his career. But ultimately, he said, he comes back to the university to talk to aspiring writers and journalists.
“I remember when I was in the same seat and people came in to talk to me. Students need to hear from the people that are actually in this industry,” he said. “I don’t have any particular message, but I love storytelling. I’m a sportswriter – it’s what I do.”
goondbk@gmail.com