NEC Media Day: Ray Floriani's Photo Essay

BROOKLYN -- On the baseball circuit, offseason meetings and dinners were part of what was termed the rubber chicken circuit. The media days of the past few weeks are nothing of that sort. In fact, the bill of fare today included turkey sandwiches and Caesar salad. Oddly enough, chicken was also on the menu.

   

The Northeast Conference held its annual preseason get-together at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. As they have done in the past, the conference schools showcased both men’s and women’s programs with representation by a coach and player from each program.

   

The exhibitions are right around the corner. Regardless, the individual schools are all undefeated, albeit at 0-0, with the accompanied enthusiasm and optimism that comes as port of the equation. The coaches and players were interviewed both as part of a video as well as in breakout sessions with more media members. Exposure was the order of the day.

Like many conferences around the nation, the NEC is billed the proverbial one-bid league. That does not deter the league administrators, led by commissioner Noreen Morris, from putting out the best possible product and ensuring the coverage is at its optimum.

As mentioned here before, many of the quotes take on the scripted format, such as “we can compete with anyone,” “our kids are all buying in,” and “there are no nights off in this league.” They are echoed in these types of sessions throughout the nation. On this day, Wagner mentor Bashir Mason thought outside the box. When asked how his team could improve, he answered, “stop listening to me.” It was such a notebook filler by the end of the session that Mason reminded yours truly he had the line of the day. In another special day tipping off the NEC season, that answer was arguably the best from the three media days (Big East and Big Ten also) of the past two weeks.

Outside Barclays Center before tipoff of the media day festivities:

NEC commissioner Noreen Morris during her introductory address:

St. Francis Brooklyn head women's basketball coach John Thurston and senior forward Alex Delaney find a moment of clarity before their first round of interviews:

Bryant's Tim O'Shea and Wagner's Bashir Mason, sharing a few thoughts:

Before LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers took the floor Wednesday night, the NEC received the marquee treatment:

New LIU Brooklyn head coach Derek Kellogg and fifth-year senior guard Joel Hernandez field media inquiries:

Wagner's Tanasia Russell, shown here during an interview for NEC Front Row:

A look at the NEC Front Row set during their live broadcast:

The subway beckons as media day comes to a close: