I think you can ask a little tougher questions than the soft balls the super friends lob. I understand the business angle of it, but she is caught trying to project a different image than what she really is at times is the reason she gets called out the most of that group.
I am not saying it is an easy gig, but there are times where they all run the same story and some of that stuff that it is hard to take a lot of our beat-writer staff seriously.
The Athletic has provided much better coverage but there is your point of Craig Custance isn't going to burn down relationships and go full internet poster when asking questions, you just cannot do that.
I couldn't possibly care any less about "softball questions". If I want critical analysis, I'll pay for the Athletic or search out a national thing that doesn't have a vested interest in reporting the team. If I'm reading HSJ or Khan, I'm reading it to hear who's playing or if there is some kind of contract news.
I can't believe there are people who seemingly want the antagonistic media like the NY or Boston media from their own beat writers.
Look at how Caldwell would do pressers, look how any coach does halftime interviews or whatever, you're not going to get anything worth a damn out of a conversation with a coach unless they want it out there or they've just gone off the deep end like Mike Gundy. Your beat reporters aren't gonna all of a sudden find Maxwell's Silver Hammer and crack open the back rooms of the team.
Hell, this goes for FSD broadcasts too. They're trying to keep people watching. A good way to not have people watching? ***** about how the team is doing. Ask fiery questions and all that.
Lastly, I know he is radio and not print... but there are so many times when Mike Valenti gets so bad you can't listen to him. I bet today he'll have some 45 minute diatribe split over three segments about how we were all stupid to like the Lions and how they're trash. Like, you think you want "hardball questions" or "them to not toe the company line", but then if you actually get it, you stop listening. Basically, the line to straddle when it comes to being rightfully critical and being an arrogant asshat is way too fine for the people who become beat reporters.
As an example, C Trent Rosecrans is a jerk. His "hard questions" just led Bryan Price to go off the rails. You can say you want that, but I don't think anyone actually does. You'll get what the coach wants you to get out of him, unless you've pissed him off so much that he forgets where he is.