One of the most common conventional wisdoms out there extends to a journalist’s ability to stay cool under pressure.

This especially applies to the realm of interviewing a subject for a story, and how a journalist should keep his or her emotions in check and project an air of confidence.

None of that took place when I was face-to-face with Augie Garrido at TD Ameritrade Park one night in June 2014 after his Texas Longhorns won a game at the College World Series.

From the moment I walked up to...