Bernstein Has No Hard Feelings Against Williams

Two questions from CBS reporter Bonnie Bernstein about whether he was interested in the job opening at North Carolina was one too many for Kansas Coach Roy Williams on Monday night.

Williams skirted the question the first time it was asked after the Jayhawks’ loss to Syracuse in the NCAA national championship game.

“As a journalist I understand why you have to ask that question,” he said. “But the guy in your ear that is telling you to ask that is not a very nice person.” He was referring to a producer in the production truck.

But when Bernstein persisted, Williams reacted angrily.

“I could give a ... about North Carolina right now,” Williams said. Before walking off, he added, “I’ve got 13 guys in that locker room that I love.”

Bernstein, after returning home to New York from New Orleans Tuesday, said she understood Williams’ reaction.

“It was an emotional time for him,” she said. “I can sympathize with how he felt.”

Bernstein also said the question was hers, not a producer’s.

“I’ve never been one to have a producer prompt me with questions,” she said. “I feel I do enough homework to where I do not need to rely on a producer.”

She said she was not offended by the outburst.

“The way I look at it, it was more the emotion of the moment,” Bernstein said.

She said she talked with Williams briefly before going on the air, telling him, “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you about North Carolina.” She said he had no reaction at the time.

Williams, a North Carolina alumnus who spent 10 seasons at the school as an assistant to Dean Smith, is reportedly the leading candidate to fill the coaching vacancy there.

Bernstein said she had been covering Kansas since the NCAA West Regional and has a good relationship with Williams. She said questions about North Carolina were off-limits during the tournament and she had respected that. After the game Monday night was the first time she had to opportunity to ask him a direct question about the subject on camera.

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Monday night’s game got a “fast national” rating of 12.6 with a 19 share, 26% below last year’s national rating and share of 15.0/24 for Maryland and Indiana.

The L.A. rating/share was an 8.1/13.