University of Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel is teaching his young players — and the rest of us, too — a valuable lesson in diplomacy through his interactions with the media.
Twice, in recent weeks, Heupel has been asked difficult questions in post-game interviews. And twice he has answered, essentially, by not answering. Not being silent in a surly, disrespectful way — a la Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots — but in a way that communicates restraint and maybe even a pinch of protest.
First, after a 34-20 loss to Alabama late last month he was asked about the officiating — which some people perceived favored Bama. Heupel, incredibly, let the question hang in the air for 16 seconds. (Count to 16 slowly and see how long that feels.)
Then, after last week’s close win over Kentucky he was asked about the inability of the UT pass rush to disrupt the Wildcats’ offense. He let that question simmer silently for eight seconds before answering, “OK, next question.” The assumption is that he perhaps thought the officials had ignored instances of holding by the Wildcats’ offense, although that’s just conjecture.
Some have speculated that Heupel was just playing it safe and trying to avoid a fine for breaking a league rule against criticizing officials. But I think there is more intentionality here. It actually takes great courage to say nothing in our say-everything society. It also communicates a level of disapproval — sort of like a hunger strike, only withholding words not food.