ESPN school soccer sideline reporter Molly McGrath stated she had a optimistic expertise whereas overlaying Notre Dame within the School Soccer Playoff nationwide championship recreation Monday.
McGrath defined that she was handled with “kindness and grace” by Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and his gamers, even after the Preventing Irish had been defeated by the Buckeyes, 34-23, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Different reporters contained in the locker room painted a a lot completely different image.
Dan Wolken, a nationwide columnist for USA Right this moment Sports activities, described it as a tense atmosphere, with gamers yelling at reporters.
“Bizarre scenes from the Notre Dame locker room, players yelling at reporters, coaches warning people not to ask certain questions,” Wolken wrote on X, including, “Amateur hour.”
A separate report by On3, entitled “Inside the devastated Notre Dame locker room after national championship loss,” detailed a particular incident with senior Notre Dame wideout Jayden Thomas.
Thomas reportedly shouted expletives at a gaggle of reporters over a query requested to his teammate, sophomore cornerback Christian Grey, about Buckeyes freshman extensive receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Smith beat Grey for a 56-yard go that every one however sealed the sport with lower than three minutes remaining.
“Have a heart!” Thomas stated, whereas Grey coated his head with a towel and walked to the gamers’ meals station.
CBS Sports activities additionally reported that a number of Notre Dame gamers grew annoyed with reporters and yelled expletives at them within the locker room after the sport.
McGrath didn’t have that have.
“It was an honor covering @NDFootball during this run to the championship game. Their players, staff, and Coach Freeman handled every media request and every interview with kindness and grace,” McGrath wrote on X. “After interviewing Ohio State on the field, I was tasked with interviewing Marcus Freeman outside of their locker room after he spoke to his team. He was kind and patient with my questions, and then proceeded to stand in the hallway and watch Ohio State’s trophy ceremony from a television across the hall. He looked heartbroken and determined. Freeman and the Irish will be back. The look on his face said it all.”
McGrath defined in a follow-up put up that she by no means entered the Notre Dame locker room.
“To be clear, I posted this before I ever saw @DanWolken’s tweet,” she wrote. “I don’t know his experience last night, but he reported what he saw and I reported what I saw. I was never in the locker room, but my experience covering this team has been incredibly positive.”
Some gamers had been seen hugging one another, whereas others seemed somber and had tears of their eyes, based on On3.
Sophomore extensive receiver Jaden Greathouse spoke with reporters earlier than he had sufficient.
“I think I’m done with interviews, guys,” Greathouse stated after answering a query about Freeman‘s message to the team. “I’m sorry.”
Senior tight finish Mitchell Evans added, “It’s just gonna be a bloody wound for the rest of my life.”
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard and Co. fought again to chop the result in eight within the fourth quarter, however it wasn’t sufficient to cease the Buckeyes.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard’s large third-down go to Smith helped ship the Buckeyes to their first nationwide title since 2014.
