When Drunk College Football Coaches (Ex?) Wives Attack
Uncategorized October 29th. 2007, 11:40am
Absolutely fascinating story out of Oregon this weekend: John Canzano, one of the top sports columnists in the newspaper biz (our opinion) got verbally and physically accousted Saturday in the press box during the Ducks-Trojans game by the wife (or maybe ex-wife) of Oregon coach Mike Bellotti and her nanny. Canzano recently wrote about Bellotti’s kid, a kicker on the Ducks, who has been arrested twice for DUII. It got ugly in the press box:
She leaned in, grabbed by my suit lapel, and lit into me with a string of expletives, asking me if I have children, and telling me, “This is going to come back on you tenfold.” And she threatened to slap me, which I thought was not such a nice example to set in front of the kiddies. I told her that it played especially poorly to me that she would approach me in the press box, with a strong smell of alcohol on her breath, hissing and spitting mad, talking to me about alcohol abuse. Then, the nanny, still holding the toddler, unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade.
To paraphrase McManus from one of our favorite movies ever: “You better put a leash on that puppy.”
Sad, surreal scene: The Nanny and the coach’s wife launch an attack (Oregonian Blog)
There’s life after divorce for Bellotti (Portland Tribune)
19 Responses to “When Drunk College Football Coaches (Ex?) Wives Attack”
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October 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am
where the hell was the SID? this woman a) had no biz being in the press box; and b) should have been thrown out.
i hope he puts a restraining order on that bitch.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:59 am
How in the name of god can you say that Canzano is a good journalist? He is an absolute and total joke. He is a fraud, and is a piss poor example of a good journalist.
Bellotti was out of line, but the asshole Canzano knows nothing of reporting, research, or good, sound journalism. The article in question was up on the duck blogs a bit ago, and it was one of the worst written pieces of garbage I have ever seen. There was rampant (maybe libelous) speculation with no backing at all, and the lead of the article compared how the football team handled a player/son of the coach getting a DUI, to a brutal public murder. WHAT?! The guy is a joke and a complete hack.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Redfoot said that, not McManus. Get your shit together.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Bellotti was out of line, but the asshole Canzano knows nothing of reporting, research, or good, sound journalism. The article in question was up on the duck blogs a bit ago, and it was one of the worst written pieces of garbage I have ever seen.
so call a lawyer and file suit. what are you waiting for?
and, let’s forget the issue at hand: a player getting two DUIs. and the coach’s son no less!
nah, the real problem here is the SOB columnist. how dare he mention anything negative. the heresy!!!
one DUI i can forgive. hey, an honest mistake. seriously (unless the kid souldn’t stand up straight). but two??? i’d say that’s not a pattern, that’s a problem.
two DUIs is frankly worse than selling drugs.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
JTlight are you serious? It seems as he is speculating because the people in question are not answering the questions (i.e. The Coach and the team) because of the bad media fallout. He is relying on the limited information made available to him.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Lets just say the rumors about Mrs. B have been going for a little while now…….
October 29th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I am sure that the ex-Mrs. Belotti was a joy to live with. If this is how she acts in public think about putting up with that lunatic behind closed doors.
Two DUI’s is worse then selling drugs? Really.
DUI’s are using incredibly poor judgment when under the influence of alcohol ahd inexcusable by anyone.
Selling drugs is being involved in a criminal enterprise. You can certainly argue whether or not drugs or certain drugs should be decriminalized/legalized (and certain drugs probably should be) but deciding to buy and then resell drugs is much more a “pattern” of criminal behavior then a DUI.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I’m not making any excuses for Bellotti (either the Mrs. or Luke). Questions should be answered, and DUII is a horrible thing, and I would agree 100% that it’s worse than selling drugs. Plus, the actions of Mrs. Bellotti were completely out of line. I am in no way defending their actions.
That said, Canzano is a horrible journalist. Go read the article and tell me that was an appropriate response. (http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf?/base/sports/1192850719191080.xml&coll=7)
Let’s be honest, I hope that Luke Bellotti gets some help, because 2 DUII’s is a problem. But to admonish a coach because he didn’t publicly embarrass a player? Really, public embarrassment is the best way to help people overcome problems? Canzano has no idea what is best for Luke Bellotti in the long run. But to put that in print, when you have no idea what is going on is not helpful to the player. The was an entirely sensational story that was meant to get people to read and talk. Well, that’s what it did, but I don’t see that as an example of good journalism, or constructive journalism. It did nothing to help Luke Bellotti, and had absolutely zero factual basis for the accusations leveled.
Hard questions need to be asked in many cases. And in this case, the lack of press about 2 DUIs by a former Oregon player (Bellotti is no longer on the roster), there are probably going to be questions asked. However, how the situation seemed handled is fairly consistent with other suspensions in the past, and is not indicative of a situation being covered up.
I have little respect for Luke or Colleen Bellotti, but Canzano is a poor journalist, and he has been an example of shoddy journalism for quite a while (go read his archives).
October 29th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
JT, do you go to the U of Oregon? Have you read Canzano’s stuff on the Jail Blazers the last few years?
October 29th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Somebody should’ve tazered that out-of-pocket chick.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Two DUI’s is worse then selling drugs? Really.
DUI’s are using incredibly poor judgment when under the influence of alcohol ahd inexcusable by anyone.
yeah, and here’s why.
again, one DUI i can forgive. it’a a mistake. but two (and if you get two as a college student, it’s obvious it was not a mistake) over a short period of time means you have a problem or are dumb as a rock.
i’m not trying to trivialize drug sales, but if you are pulled over for two DUIs, it’s not a stretch to believe the culprit has done this more than a couple of times.
additionally, driving imparied, you are putting many people’s lives at risk, including your own. remember, you are driving a very large metal instrument that can be deadly. one little slip, and you could wipe out multiple lives in an instant.
that’s why i think two DUIs for a college student is worse than selling drugs.
and, hey, he’s the coach’s son. isn’t there some booster he could call in the middle of the night to get a ride?
October 29th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I don’t go to the U of O, but I have been an Oregon fan for a long time. So I usually only read Canzano’s work when it’s about Oregon.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Are you sure you’re not confusing Jason Quick’s work with that of Canzano’s regarding the Trail Blazers?
October 29th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
There were quite a few comments on Canzano’s blog saying he was out of line for bringing up the incident in the first place. I was totally confused by those people… an athlete on the football team was arrested for two DUI’s but got a lighter punishment because he’s the coach’s son! That’s total crap, and if I was on the football team, I’d be pissed! I’m not an Oregon fan, and I rarely read the Oregonian, but from what I’ve seen so far, I really don’t understand how anyone could be mad at Canzano or think he was out of line.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I really don’t understand how anyone could be mad at Canzano or think he was out of line.
you know how it works: don’t be pissed at the message; be pissed at the messenger.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Good point, Jimmy!
October 29th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
We still haven’t gotten to the bottom of the Redfoot/McManus debacle.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
The people getting mad at Canzano are just UO fans like JT coming to the defense of their boozy first lady.
They Googled their big win this morning and are all pissed off that not all the media coverage is about how great the Ducks are.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Yeah, Jason Quick is the best writer at the Oregonian.