BCS Championship Game - A Few Media Day Observations
Posted January 7th, 2007 by George Thomas
I never knew what a spaceship looked like while on the ground - until yesterday at the media circus for the Tostitos BCS Championship Game. That's what University of Phoenix Stadium looked like from the outside. Or for you Star Wars geeks think of those round buildings at Mos Eisley (you know the wretched hive of scum and villainy). Either way it was hideous. But looks can be deceiving - very deceiving because from the inside it was impressive.
But I digress. Friday was the first day that we got to see both teams up close. And the first thing that struck me - NCAA football, a multi-billion dollar business - is in the hands of a bunch of guys who can barely shave. Well that's not entirely true. They don't exactly run it, but if you consider that without them there is no show then you can see my point. That's why statements this week by Anthony Gonzalez in which he endorsed some form of compensation for college athletes isn't completely wacko.
Despite the fact that they were so young, I was kind of in awe of some of these players - on both teams - and their ability to field questions and answer them with reasonable skill - especially Percy Harvin and Brian Robiskie. Harvin apparently got into trouble on the field while he was in high school and arrive at the University of Florida with a slight rep. As for Robiskie, his father Terry was recently fired by the Cleveland Browns from his position as wide receivers coach.
I may not agree with Harvin's assessment of his situation:
‘’I was put in some tough situations it was a lot of news people who took the stuff they heard and wrote about it,’’ he said, ‘’and didn’t really know the inside story. So when I came here, a burden just got off me. It was a clean, fresh beginning for me and my moms.’’
However, I don't know the entire story either. So hey, who am I to judge?
As for Robiskie, you can read his comments in a story from Marla Ridenour. He could have very easily blown off the questions and refused to address the issue, but he acted like a pro.
