The slate is unblemished. Media day is upon us, and it often turns out to be somewhat of a feel-good get-together. Coaches, for the most part, are upbeat. Optimism is the order of the day. Quotes, many times scripted, are dutifully recorded.
This Wednesday morning saw the Big East Conference festivities held once again at Madison Square Garden, fitting since the men’s conference season ends on this Garden floor. Why not let it start at the same storied locale? The media day showcases the men’s programs in the morning. The women have the floor in the afternoon.
An introduction by commissioner Val Ackerman was followed by panel discussions among the coaches before a breakdown into smaller groups. Coaches and selected players of the ten schools spoke of their aspirations and hopes for the upcoming campaign. Again, all are still undefeated. A highlight for the men’s session was Patrick Ewing discussing how he arrived in our nation’s capital as the new Georgetown coach. Interrelated was Chris Mullin of St. John’s remarking that Georgetown-St. John’s with Ewing on the opposing bench is “kind of surreal.”
After the obligatory break for lunch, a time to relax and socialize a bit in a relaxed setting, the women were up. Camera, recorders and notepads were primed for the proceedings. Defending champion Marquette topped the preseason poll. Coach Carolyn Kieger harbored no concern about being the favorite. The Marquette mentor even expressed the notion that having pressure means you are good.
Media day, as previously noted, is not a pressure-filled affair. That will come soon enough when the teams are competing in earnest. For now, the mood is decidedly more relaxed. As Big East senior associate commissioner John Paquette said, “media day, to me, starts the season.” To those partaking in the day’s festivities, it certainly does.
Big East mascots provided a special greeting for the media in attendance:
The official welcome from the Madison Square Garden jumbotron:
The obligatory photo op of men's basketball coaches with commissioner Val Ackerman:
Villanova's Jay Wright, holding court during a breakout session:
MSG ushers made sure coffee was out in full force:
Ray with Steve Lavin, the former St. John's coach who is now an analyst for Fox Sports:
The women's basketball coaches with commissioner Val Ackerman:
Providence head coach Jim Crowley fields inquiries from the throng in attendance:
Seton Hall's Tony Bozzella meets the media:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.