Hoo-baby, yesterday was fun. Busy, but fun. Media day, at least for the CAA, is well worth the effort for everyone involved.

The national trend is to eschew a gathering. Many conferences are opting for the heap-big online info fest, complete with boiler-plate quotes from coaches and boiler-plate statistics from the SIDs. Every now and again they “get interactive,” with a whoop-de-doo teleconference.

Stale.

No, the gathering is important. The CAA, from The Commish on down, has been told–don’t stop, no matter the trends. To me, it’s an important footprint day. We get the kickoff event that provides a forum to make a statement, get on the radar, and brand what we are about.

It also helps to give everyone access to anybody they need. There is a pile of detail and giving away a Tuesday is not always easy, but by staging this event the conference is giving others the opportunity to make it all worth it. You never know what someone else may pick up on that becomes a national story.

It’s kind of like splitting the fairway on the first tee. A lot is going to happen over the course of a golf round, good shots and bad shots, but a great round starts with a statement drive on the first hole.

Media Day is our version of gutting the first fairway.

Where else could you find out that the only promotion Tony Shaver has not done at William & Mary is dress up in revolutionary garb, head down to Colonial Williamsburg, and churn butter? It’s that kind of light atmosphere that makes the event fun, and the accessibility of the CAA coaches is laudable–especially when they have to answer questions  like that.

But seriously, 12 coaches in one room for five hours, as well as the entire conference brass–all available and willing to answer the same serious question 15 times and answer the fun ones–is not easily duplicated.

And the grub was better than expected, too.

***

Randomness, and we’re still busy so please excuse typos. More material in the coming days.

Cracking Rod Barnes up for a full 10 seconds after showing him a picture of himself as a player was priceless. It was unexpected, short-shorts and all. See all the coaches talk about what they do with a free day, and how the game has changed.

Go here to see the links to photos, video blog, and recap of the live stuff.

Richmond Times Dispatch Notes

Tim Pearrell notes

Pearrell VCU Notes

Brian Mull Notes

Mull feature article

Ed Miller (ODU)

More Ed Miller

Some random guy on Towson (thanks Google)

Harrisonburg teevee

Fredericksburg newspaper (which declares, quite shockingly, that Shaka Smart must replace Eric Maynor. Really?)

Wilmington teevee (you know, the guys that got the Skinn Punch in 2006).