I know I’m late here, but great article! I really appreciate that you focused the article on what it’s like to go to Media Day instead of just repeating the media relations-approved quotes and questions.
And great point about the Cal players being the only ones to give shout-outs to their teammates. I’m hoping that reflects a culture of working together and building a team, instead of just a random collection of highly recruited players.
Great stuff. I appreciated all the color commentary on the venue, setup, etc. We can find the transcripts on a number of different media outlets, so I especially enjoyed the unique insight here.
The Q&A sessions with the players looked like a disorganized mess. Crowding around a small table and jamming mics/cameras towards players? When I was attending media days, we were seated along a bunch of long tables while players/coaches were on a main stage, and the Pac-10/12 had people wandering around handing out mics so you could ask a question no matter where you were seated. For a conference that can't even organize a competent media deal, they had a pretty good setup most years.
Otherwise, it looks like many of the same staples from the last decade were still there: horrific lighting for photos, weird layouts, a Wal Mart clearance bin of Pac-12 branded giveaways, and, of course, David Shaw.
Wow, thanks so much. Fun and informative in places. I think it's obvious and interesting how the time of speaking and number of questions is dependent on perceived quality of teams and players. Glad to hear about Plummer, and agree that Garbers ran for his life and won us games with his legs. I'm not good enough at evaluating Oline or QB play to know whether this was necessitated by his protection breaking down or his inability to hit open receivers. In any case, Plummer will clearly need to rely more on his arm, and that should go well for the Bears with a solid running game and TE play. Hope summer's eternal, and I'll be at the opening game to see the new product on the field.
As someone who's never met the Stanford players, I have no problem trashing them for disrespecting us. Cal players understand the value of the Axe and they don't, and that's why we'll keep it this year.
Good call on rebranding the classic "who would you punch in the face?" to "lightning." The former would definitely endanger your primary goal of not getting the W4C credential revoked.
More than half the Pac-12 will be debuting transfer QBs (8, although Arizona's is intra-conference, formerly WSU's Jayden de Laura). It's easier to name the returning QBs: Tanner McKee (Stanford), Cam Rising (Utah), Chance Nolan (OSU), and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA). That's it. So I don't really know what to expect from a lot of the QBs yet.
He's been playing since he was a true freshman, and he's played all 4 years. He has an extra year of eligibility only because the 2020 season does not count towards eligibility.
I know I’m late here, but great article! I really appreciate that you focused the article on what it’s like to go to Media Day instead of just repeating the media relations-approved quotes and questions.
And great point about the Cal players being the only ones to give shout-outs to their teammates. I’m hoping that reflects a culture of working together and building a team, instead of just a random collection of highly recruited players.
So many belly laffs reading this article. This should be "pinned" to the top of each page.
I thought George looked and sounded like a deer in headlights.
Great stuff. I appreciated all the color commentary on the venue, setup, etc. We can find the transcripts on a number of different media outlets, so I especially enjoyed the unique insight here.
The Q&A sessions with the players looked like a disorganized mess. Crowding around a small table and jamming mics/cameras towards players? When I was attending media days, we were seated along a bunch of long tables while players/coaches were on a main stage, and the Pac-10/12 had people wandering around handing out mics so you could ask a question no matter where you were seated. For a conference that can't even organize a competent media deal, they had a pretty good setup most years.
Otherwise, it looks like many of the same staples from the last decade were still there: horrific lighting for photos, weird layouts, a Wal Mart clearance bin of Pac-12 branded giveaways, and, of course, David Shaw.
This deserves to be subscriber-only content
Wow, thanks so much. Fun and informative in places. I think it's obvious and interesting how the time of speaking and number of questions is dependent on perceived quality of teams and players. Glad to hear about Plummer, and agree that Garbers ran for his life and won us games with his legs. I'm not good enough at evaluating Oline or QB play to know whether this was necessitated by his protection breaking down or his inability to hit open receivers. In any case, Plummer will clearly need to rely more on his arm, and that should go well for the Bears with a solid running game and TE play. Hope summer's eternal, and I'll be at the opening game to see the new product on the field.
Thank you for the excellent write up and dedicating your time to event and article! Consider me drinking the Blue and Gold Kool Aid
As someone who's never met the Stanford players, I have no problem trashing them for disrespecting us. Cal players understand the value of the Axe and they don't, and that's why we'll keep it this year.
Great write-up and thanks for the coverage. Good thing you are not a bald journalist guy in a cheap sport coat.
Good call on rebranding the classic "who would you punch in the face?" to "lightning." The former would definitely endanger your primary goal of not getting the W4C credential revoked.
Agreed! Now if we can figure out that Thor is actually a Cal guy...
Spencer Ladner
I laughed way too much for someone who was actually there and hereby grant you the title of real journalist.
More than half the Pac-12 will be debuting transfer QBs (8, although Arizona's is intra-conference, formerly WSU's Jayden de Laura). It's easier to name the returning QBs: Tanner McKee (Stanford), Cam Rising (Utah), Chance Nolan (OSU), and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA). That's it. So I don't really know what to expect from a lot of the QBs yet.
Is DTR still eligible? he's been there a looong time.
He's been playing since he was a true freshman, and he's played all 4 years. He has an extra year of eligibility only because the 2020 season does not count towards eligibility.