By Kevin Woo, Robinson Marketing | January 29, 2013
San Francisco – Some of you might know that I lead a double life. Not only am I a PR guy, and I’m also a freelance writer. Keeping a toe in both professions means I’ve heard a lot of dumb questions over the years. And I’ve asked a few dumb ones too. But I’ve never heard a question as dumb as the one asked today by a sportswriter of San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
During his daily media briefing at the Super Bowl Harbaugh was asked about the “necklace” that he always wears around his neck and if he intended to wear the “necklace” during the Super Bowl.
At first it appeared as though Harbaugh wanted to laugh, but to his credit he didn’t. He calmly answered that the “necklace” is a whistle and that all coaches wear a whistle. During the games he takes the whistle off the “necklace” and hangs a Sharpie pen on it.
Harbaugh’s reaction should be on every PR person’s highlight reel. He took a deep breath, resisted the urge to tell the reporter how dumb he was for asking about the “necklace” and gave a polite answer.
Kudos Coach Harbaugh for not blowing his whistle and barking, “Dumb question from the guy in the back.”
Kevin Woo is a partner at Robinson Marketing & Public Relations and a freelance journalist.