Jim Calhoun vs. Ken Krayeske...WHO YA GOT?

The #2 ranked University of Connecticut men's basketball team defeated #10 Marquette last night to give head coach Jim Calhoun his 800th career win, one of only seven men's college basketball coaches to achieve such a feat.

It was at his press conference after his 799th win over South Florida Saturday, however, that earns him a spot on the blog.

Among those in the press conference that night was blogger Ken Krayeske, a UConn law student. His blog, The 40-Year Plan, focuses mainly on issue affecting his beloved Connecticut, particularly how to dig out of a $2 billion budget deficit.

As you can see in the above video, Krayeske prodded Calhoun about his $1.6 million salary, making him the highest-paid Connecticut state employee (UConn is a public school), and whether that is the best thing for the state.

Calhoun, with a reputation for press conference tirades, apparently could not believe that such a question was being asked in this setting and ripped into Krayeske, refusing to give a serious answer.

Not surprisingly, reaction came swiftly.

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell was not pleased with Calhoun's tirade:

"I think if coach Calhoun had the opportunity right now, he would welcome a do-over and not have that embarrassing display," Rell told reporters, adding that Calhoun's tone was what upset her most.

The Hartford Courant posted an editorial saying that the question was an appropriate one, even if the setting was not ideal.

Jason Whitlock of FOXSports.com said Calhoun's tirade was "stupid" and "brainless".

Krayeske himself said he was "thrilled" that his blasting by Calhoun got the amount of press it did.

"It wasn’t me who created this. He happened to respond in that way," Krayeske said. "We have to question the amount of importance placed on athletics," he said. "I always wanted to have this discussion on a national level, and here we are."

Despite this groundswell of support for Krayeske, there were many who took Calhoun's side, as well.

Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post and ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption", in addition to calling Krayeske a "weasel" defended Calhoun.

"Calhoun has won two NCAA championships and come close to winning two others. What, some bozo comes into a press conference and gets to challenge everybody's salary? If I was Calhoun, I'd have served up this clown on a platter. He's earned everything he's gotten and will get in the future."

CBSSports.com writer Gregg Doyel, who ironically wrote a scathing 2005 article about Calhoun and some supposedly shady recruiting methods, said he had no reason to defend the coach this time, but did anyway.

In addition to refusing to put Krayeske's name in print and calling him a "grandstanding attention hound", Doyel wrote this:

"For his troubles, the attention hound got blown up, which is exactly what he deserved. He's the one, not Calhoun, who walked down the wrong dark alley and picked a fight. Shame on the guy who started the fight -- not the guy who finished it...There was only one thug in that exchange. And Calhoun knocked the thug on his [expletive]."

Here are my observations on the incident:

*Calhoun invited Krayeske to speak to him in private about the situation at the 0:37 mark. After having read Doyel's description of his private meeting with Calhoun over the 2005 article, I believe him. Many people say this in vain, but I think Calhoun would have responded more favorably to that question in a private setting.

*Notice the reaction of the other journalists in the room when Krayeske tells Calhoun "If these guys covered this stuff, I wouldn't have to do it." Such disdain for their alleged comrade. I think it seems like just another salvo in the Bloggers vs. "Real" Journalists tussle. The rift seems to be growing wider and wider, but is the blog takeover inevitable?

My final verdict: Krayeske may have a point, but he needs to pick his battles (and the battlefield) a bit more carefully.