Press Box: Five little words can mean so much

News Tribune Sports Commentary

I now have my go-to response.

"Oh I got this one."

When the last piece of pizza is sitting in the box ...

"Oh I got this one."

When it comes down to the clinching putt on the 18th hole ...

"Oh I got this one."

When I go out after work with a few colleagues to discuss the happenings of the day and the bill comes for the liquid refreshments ...

"Oh I got this one."

Wait, I already say that.

Anyway, it's all thanks to Missouri softball coach Ehren Earleywine.

In a story posted Friday on ESPN.com, an email exchange about scheduling a softball game between Missouri and Missouri State escalated quickly from "let's pick a date" to "your program is not very good." Only the last part was a lot longer. And with some vividly descriptive words.

ESPN made an open-records request to get the emails between Missouri director of softball operations Lisa Simmons and Missouri State head coach Holly Hesse about scheduling a 2016 game that were sent about a month before this year's meeting.

On April 23, Missouri defeated Missouri State 6-0 in Springfield. In an email the day after, Simmons asked about confirming the date for 2016. Two weeks later in an email, Hesse declines to play next season and lists three reasons why. Here they are, verbatim.

  1. Ehren was overheard saying to his team after our game this year that they should have run ruled us because we were no better than a "5A High School Team". His total disrespect for our program and our players is unacceptable.

  2. It is widely known that Ehren consistently disregards the NCAA recruiting rules. In our view, winning only has meaning if it is done fairly and within the rules.

  3. While at Killian Stadium in April your team spit sunflower seeds in the dugout and on the turf despite the sign that says "No sunflower seeds." Again, a sign of total disrespect for the rules, our program and facility.

Hence, no more games. And it was signed, Holly & Staff.

So Simmons emails Earleywine, "Would you like me to respond to this or do you want to handle it"

The response? "Oh I got this one."

And boom goes the dynamite.

The response, available with the story on ESPN.com, is a woven tapestry of verbiage for the ages. I won't get into the details, suffice to say it's a little salty in spots.

But this is nothing new to anybody who has spent more than a few days around athletic programs and coaches.

Using No. 1 as an example, I have heard coaches say that after games for years about teams they believe they should handily beat. And No. 3, yeah, they shouldn't have done it. But just tell them to knock it off.

No. 2, that's one worth studying because that's serious. And if you say it, you'd better be able to prove it. And don't say it in an email to Missouri, say it in an email to the NCAA. With evidence. Or don't say it or write it.

The "widely known" part is what gets me. It's like when somebody tells me, "Everybody is talking about it." Ninety-nine times out of a 100, that means "I'm the one talking it to anybody who has the misfortune of having to listen."

Once the story broke, there was the typical exchange of apologies, just dripping with sincerity.

A question I have is how did ESPN know to make the request for the emails. Two guesses.

One, someone from Missouri State either heard about or saw them and mentioned they were out there and ESPN found out about them. Two, it was somebody at Missouri with a possible ax to grind against either Earlewine or the softball program. And since they were university emails, they were subject to the request and had to be turned over, and you have the story.

Nobody comes out of this looking good. Earleywine, the former Jefferson City Jay baseball player, has every right to defend himself and his program. But he certainly didn't need this with a new boss in the university's athletic department.

But it sure was worth a few giggles after a long Friday day at state track.