Larry Smith is picking the wrong fight. Lashing out at the media only makes him look petty and defensive. Very few people have their careers examined by the press like Larry Smith does every day. That certainly must be a frustrating experience. Undoubtedly, some things are printed or said that are far from the truth. But ripping the media doesn’t help. As Mizzou athletic director Mike Alden said after Smith’s lecture, you can’t win a fight with the media. Smith has done some terrific things at Mizzou. He’s right when he points to the improved facilities. His players usually graduate, and usually behave well. These are all things to be proud of, as are the two bowl games. And in my book, he should keep his job. His team has been hit hard by injuries. Whether he keeps his job or not, ripping the press makes Smith look bad. He says reporters don’t know anything about coaching football. He’s right. I couldn’t coach a football team if I had to. I don’t know anything about coaching. But I know a bad football team when I see one.
