PAC-10 MEDIA DAY: News and notes

I wasn't in Pasadena for the Pac-10 media day, but the conference was so kind as to stream the days events online. After a few early hiccups we were off and running, with some decent audio and video on the Pac-10 website.

• Paul Wulff and Kevin Kooyman were there. They spoke about stuff and said some things. Yeah, this is when the video hiccups happened. Perhaps that's why they make the last place -- and expected to be last place again -- team go first. Gotta iron out the kinks on a test case. Luckily Grippi filed a report from Pasadena.
• Dennis Erickson brought his kicker with him. I get that teams want to bring a senior to media day as a reward, but please bring a star player. Yes, Thomas Weber is a great kicker, but he's not a sexy interview. If we want to elevate the exposure the league gets, bring the best player on the team.
• Say what you want about Rick Neuheisel, the man is a media magician. He seemed calm, at ease, and answered every question in a masterful way. Even when he was ducking a question, it came gently. Neuheisel may catch flack for his slick dealings as a coach, but he's so darn likable.
• When Neuheisel was asked a question about USC, he refused to name them. When giving his answer he wouldn't say USC or Trojans and made a point of avoiding doing so. The Pac-10 traveling pair rivalries are real -- not to mention full of hatred --and what makes the conference so special.
• As Nuss pointed out, there were at least three WSU graduates in the media pool today. Say what you want about our football team, but we will media you to death. Edward R. Murrow School of Communications fo' life.
• The first break came with the introduction of the Pac-10 branding video. The video wasn't as much athletics focused as is was focused on the all-around nature of the conference. It highlighted Nobel prize winners, astronauts, and more. It didn't highlight anyone from WSU.
• Jim Harbaugh is the anti-Neuheisel. He was awkward, defiant, and didn't seem like a lot of fun to hang out with. I'd love to grab a beer with Neuheisel. I'd be scared Harbaugh would break my neck and shove me into a trash can if I said hi to him.
• Harbaugh is also one of the hot coaches in the conference right now. When asked how long he'd be coaching Stanford he answered "I am the coach of Stanford and will be until the creek rises". I have no idea what that means, but I'm assuming one flood will wash him to a better gig.
• Lane Kiffin was asked what myth about him isn't true. He couldn't come up with an answer. I don't know, Kiffin, pick one out of a hat. Arrogant, slimy, rule breaker, or shady recruiter. He had the opportunity to stomp the myths out and froze, even passing off the question to Matt Barkley who couldn't answer either.
• Chip Kelly gave his alignment vote to Ted Miller. The theme today was that coaches have no idea what's going on with expansion or alignment. They also don't care.
• Mike Stoops said "we've always had a good defense and I don't see that changing". That defense he's praising gave up 33 to Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska had one of the worst offenses I've seen in a long time (outside of our own).
• For those of you that don't know, media day is about who can sidestep questions the best. The only time anything relevant comes out of a media day is when a coach sidesteps a question and lands in a crevice.
• The day ended with a new video from the Pac-10. It started with a theme that seemed to be -- as JimtheCoug said -- first the Earth was created, then the Pac-10. Narrated by a James Earl Jones like voice, the video showed scenery from within the conference and highlights of the great people we've had. For WSU, they highlighted Paul Allen. Woops.
• Among the WSU players in the video were Jeff Tuel, Drew Bledsoe, and Eric Block. The fact that Blocks' hit made the highlight package made me grin from ear to ear.
• The video package ended with highlights from Colorado and Utah as a welcome to the conference. The last clip was of the new Pac-12 logo. I hope you all can figure out what the logo looks like.