The Moddy Media Day Tour

[Moderator1]

coming to a town near you (maybe).

One of the (VERY MANY) things I love about my new gig is they don't want me to be a faceless editor behind a screen or a voice on the phone. They want me to get out and see things, meet people, write a smidge, be a small presence in the real world.

So I'm working on a tour of some media days. The BCS leagues and some others mesh well with their schedules. I can't hit them all but I can make quite a circuit.

Help me out. The ACC is out because I've been there lots over the years and know many people (writers, coaches, league officials) in that league. I need to break new ground. Used to go to the Big East regularly years ago and it was terrific. But that was the old Big East. Maybe it isn't now. Maybe it remains terrific. That's what I want to know.

Share some of your media day thoughts - what leagues allow you to really talk to people, make some actual contact? And which are cattle call, dog-and-pony shows?

Appreciate the help (without snark). Trying to get these plans wrapped up pretty quickly.

 

[writingump]

Can we cover the Moddy Media Day Tour (lol)?

 

[Birdscribe]

You need to broaden those provincial horizons of yours and go West, young man. The Pac-10 beckons.

I haven't been to Pac-10 media day in a decade, but when I did go, it was great. You could buttonhole coaches like Mike Riley and Ty Willingham (when he was a lot more accessible) in the hallway and informally chat with them.

Riley is obviously still there, but now you also have Rick Neuheisel and Lane Kiffin. Steve Sarkisian of Washington is good to deal with from what I've heard.

Anything else you seek here, Moddy, other than an excuse to come West?

 

[zagoshe]

coming to a town near you (maybe).

One of the (VERY MANY) things I love about my new gig is they don't want me to be a faceless editor behind a screen or a voice on the phone. They want me to get out and see things, meet people, write a smidge, be a small presence in the real world.

So I'm working on a tour of some media days. The BCS leagues and some others mesh well with their schedules. I can't hit them all but I can make quite a circuit.

Help me out. The ACC is out because I've been there lots over the years and know many people (writers, coaches, league officials) in that league. I need to break new ground. Used to go to the Big East regularly years ago and it was terrific. But that was the old Big East. Maybe it isn't now. Maybe it remains terrific. That's what I want to know.

Share some of your media day thoughts - what leagues allow you to really talk to people, make some actual contact? And which are cattle call, dog-and-pony shows?

Appreciate the help (without snark). Trying to get these plans wrapped up pretty quickly.

The Big Ten is in Chicago and well, if you can't find something to do there you aren't looking. I missed it the last two years but I've always worked a trip to Wrigley in during it.

The SEC is least interesting of the ones I have attended.

The Big East has two things that make it worthwhile - there is a clam bake at Newport Beach complete with lobster dinner and **** and there is a very nice golf outing.

I've never been to Big 12 or Pac 10

 

[Moderator1]

Well, as much as I like entertainment, I'm first looking for media days that are productive and conducive to more than sitting in a group with 1,000 others like it's postgame or something.
LA and Chicago would be nice, though.

 

[silvercharm]

What Birdscribe said about the Pac-10. It's one day, you can get pretty good access to the coaches and players at lunch, and it's held at a hotel usually right next to LAX.

 

[MileHigh]

Exactly on the Pac-10. Right at LAX. Easy in and out. But even better: Sneak away for In-N-Out.

 

[mustangj17]

Moddy, I want your job. I'll answer your PMs and do the crap work if I can tour the states going to media days and what not.

What's that? No? You don't want to trade? I'll throw in my POG collection.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

If you go to Hoover, Ala. you can watch the writers follow athletes into the bathroom.

 

[Rockbottom]

SEC is a three-ring circus that Barnum and Bailey envy.

rb

 

[slappy4428]

SEC is a three-ring circus that Barnum and Bailey envy. Only with Dr Pepper

rb

Fixed.

 

[Moderator1]

Exactly on the Pac-10. Right at LAX. Easy in and out. But even better: Sneak away for In-N-Out.

It's at the Rose Bowl - is that right at LAX or has it been moved. I covered a Rose Bowl once but have no clue how I got from there to there to there.

 

[Birdscribe]

Exactly on the Pac-10. Right at LAX. Easy in and out. But even better: Sneak away for In-N-Out.

It's at the Rose Bowl - is that right at LAX or has it been moved. I covered a Rose Bowl once but have no clue how I got from there to there to there.

No, it's usually at the Sheraton by LAX. The Rose Bowl is 25 miles north, through some of the worst traffic the SoCal freeways can throw at you.

Instead, you get off your plane, get your luggage and catch a shuttle to the hotel, which is right on Century Blvd. -- the same boulevard as the airport. No muss, no fuss.

But MileHigh does provide a great reason to leave your hotel, the juicy goodness of In-N-Out.

 

[Moderator1]

Media hotel, I think, is a Courtyard in Pasadena.

 

[Birdscribe]

Media hotel, I think, is a Courtyard in Pasadena.

Then, they must have relocated Pac-10 Media Day.

And I know that Courtyard, having stayed there for my daughter's soccer tournament last November, which was -- all together now -- at the Rose Bowl. Or, more accurately, at Brookside Park next to the Rose Bowl.

That's not 10 minutes away from the aforementioned Courtyard.

 

[SixToe]

Find an old plane, a pilot that isn't scared and you could revive the SEC Skywriters tour to the campuses for August practice.

 

[JackReacher]

Can we cover the Moddy Media Day Tour (lol)?

No snark, dammit!!

 

[silvercharm]

Media hotel, I think, is a Courtyard in Pasadena.

Then, they must have relocated Pac-10 Media Day.

And I know that Courtyard, having stayed there for my daughter's soccer tournament last November, which was -- all together now -- at the Rose Bowl. Or, more accurately, at Brookside Park next to the Rose Bowl.

That's not 10 minutes away from the aforementioned Courtyard.

Last year it was at the Sheraton next to LAX. It's been near LAX for as many years as I can remember. This year, the Pac-10 is going to do an eastern swing with its coaches and commish Larry Scott, probably to New York, to drum up some new biz. I don't think the usual LA stop has changed. Starts around 930, and ends with lunch.

 

[slappy4428]

Find an old plane, a pilot that isn't scared and you could revive the SEC Skywriters tour to the campuses for August practice.

The Big Ten Skywriters laugh at the thought of that...

 

[MileHigh]

Yeah, football and basketball have been at LAX for many years, so folks can jet in/jet out quickly.