Sad, surreal scene: the nanny and coach's wife attack reporter
cliff notes:
* bellotti's son, luke (backup kicker), cashed in his SECOND CAREER
* reporter ran the story on this.
* Bellotti's wife is piss drunk by noon.
* Gathers her kids and her nanny and takes them over to the press box as backup for the assault she was about to lay on him.
* "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."
* belotti's wife starts dropping vulgarities on reporter (in front of everyone else) like she was posting on this board for the last seven years.
* the nanny (with anchor baby in arms) lights him up as well.
* She goes after him again afterward by the elevator, reporter goes "are you going to slap me or what?"
OREGON FAN commences MELTING HARD in the comments. hilarious shit.Sad, surreal scene: The nanny and the coach's wife launch an attack
Posted by jcanzano October 27, 2007 17:41PM
Sunday's column is on Oregon's victory over USC, and how you get one shot to kill the King.
And Oregon did just that vs. USC on Saturday.
Now, for the blog crowd... surreal, sad stuff in the press box at Autzen... as I was working, I was tapped on the shoulder during the fourth quarter of the Oregon-USC game by Colleen Bellotti --- who angrily introduced me to a group of her friends and family, including her son Luke's girlfriend, and a nanny, holding an infant, and a few young children in tow.
Backstory... Colleen approached me several weeks ago in the hallway outside the Ducks' locker room angry about a column I'd written about Cal coach Jeff Tedford and Oregon coach Mike Bellotti.
I didn't write or blog about that at the time, but I explained to her in that conversation that I write columns, with opinions, and I don't expect her to agree with everything I write. In fact, I'd worry about her. I told her I appreciated her sharing her opinions, and listened to her, and she stormed off.
This time, during the USC game, Colleen was hissing mad over my column which dealt with the two DUII's her son got, and his plea agreement two weeks ago, and the program's decision to keep his suspension on the downlow... and Colleen said, "You've dragged our family through so much hurt and pain..."
I explained to her how serious and dangerous I think drinking and driving is, and why I thought the column was newsworthy, and understandably uncomfortable for her.
I wondered if she was deflecting some of her feelings about the DUIIs, even as I don't expect she'd like what I wrote. I also told her I believe two DUIIs by an athlete, and coach's son, are newsworthy to all media outlets, especially considering how her son's double-secret suspension was treated by the same program that publicly suspended other athletes for alcohol-related offenses.
I was mostly disappointed in her approach. Particularly that there were 4-5 children present with her, including the youngest Bellotti son, and I didn't think this was the time or place for a discussion.
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.
"Nice nanny," I said.
Really, I was secretly thinking, "Wow... it's true... it really IS difficult to find good nannies."
The nanny then stepped up, kid still in her arms, and launched another barrage of insults, laced with profanity. I mean, you don't mess with religion, the military and nannies, apparently.
David Williford, Oregon's sports information director, called a security guard and positioned him near my seat in the press box for the rest of the game. He also spoke with Colleen. Williford did his best, and reacted professionally to a strange situation. Still, there was a second small brush with Colleen near the elevator in which she stormed past me, and asked, "You got something to say to me?!?!"
I said, "Are you going to slap me or not?"
She walked off, and said, "I'm a better person than you."
She may be right. Or wrong. I'm not keeping score.
I'll agree, she's got better hair.
I have tremendous empathy for the people whose families deal with alcohol abuse, and victims of accidents involving alcohol. And I write about lots of sensitive/difficult topics, involving public figures and column subjects. In part, it's my job. I write what I see. I report. I have opinions, as columnists do. I can understand how Colleen would be upset, offended, even angry. All understandable. I get that.
This wasn't a good, or productive, scene, though. It was surreal.... but mostly it was sad.
This isn't the first time I've been confronted by a reader or column subject who was upset at my opinions in a column, just the first time I've had it happen during the game, and the first time I've had it be a coach's wife.... and nanny.
The New York Times blog outlined the incident and got comment from Oregon SID Williford, who was on the scene.
You come to the blog... and a hockey game breaks out.
i would like to hear duckfan's perspective on this. it sounds like belotti's wife is well known for being a piece of shit.
cue toejam coming in to defend belotti's wife.
