One of the least enviable jobs in college basketball belongs to the TV reporter assigned to interview fiery Kansas State coach Frank Martin immediately after a loss.
Fox Sports Kansas City's Stan Weber drew the short straw after the 18th-ranked Wildcats fell 75-73 to undefeated Baylor on Tuesday night, and needless to say the conversation was as terse as you'd expect.
The mild-mannered Weber has endured enough of these testy conversations with Martin that he knows better than to take offense to the Kansas State coach's parting jab. Weber ends the interview by telling Martin, "Coach, I appreciate you spending the time," which could more accurately be translated as "Thanks for letting me live through another of these, Frank."
It's a testament to how good Martin believes his team is that he took no solace in pushing the sixth-ranked team in the nation to the final possession. Rodney McGruder scored 30 points and kept Kansas State competitive, but the Wildcats couldn't do enough to overcome 20 turnovers or 12 Baylor offensive rebounds.
Kansas State appeared to be in position to tie the game when Angel Rodriguez beat his man off the dribble and found a wide-open path to the basket in the final five seconds. A.J. Walton saved Baylor, however, he stripped Rodriguez from behind and Quincy Acy tipped away the ensuing inbound pass to preserve the victory.
"For us to be in a place where we're fighting to protect our home court and to not close this game out because of a comedy of plays, it's embarrassing," a still heated Martin said in his postgame news conference.
"The guys wearing our uniforms threw the ball to the guys wearing their uniforms so they can go down and dunk. Hard to play good offense and hard to play defense when you throw the ball to the other team so they can go down and dunk the ball."
What's amazing about Martin's postgame interview with Weber is this was nowhere close to the most memorable on-air exchange they've had. At halftime of a 34-point victory over Alcorn State last season, Weber asked Martin what he planned to tell the team in the locker room.
Deadpanned Martin, "That we're an embarrassment to the game of basketball right now."
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