Coachtalk: Generate hope, explain outcomes

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 15 (UPI) -- Win or lose, a study of NCAA men's basketball coaches found it is easy to predict what coaches say after the game, researchers said.

Professor John Llewellyn of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., analyzed the professional language of Division I men's college basketball coaches for "Coachtalk," a chapter in the book "Case Studies in Sport Communication."

Llewellyn reviewed post-game comments from top coaches such as Bob Knight, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo and said there is much more to the game than the numbers on the scoreboard.

"Coaches are called upon to provide explanation and even consolation for their fans. Those stories are now an essential part of the game," Llewellyn said in a statement. "Coachtalk is the language coaches use to generate hope and explain outcomes. It sustains the culture of sports."

The most consistent theme with losing coaches is acknowledgement of the winner, or deference, Llewellyn said in a statement. Winning coaches elevated all aspects of the game, while remaining humble, but acknowledged their suffering throughout the season, Llewellyn said.

Losing coaches deferred to the winners, while subtly giving their fans an alternate definition of winning. Losing coaches also often credited the outcome to fate, while acknowledging that they suffered from the loss.