Ah Media Day, the art of talking without actually really saying anything. Everyone is “excited to be here,” “can’t wait to get started” because “we have the potential to be the best (insert position group here) in the Big Ten, if not the nation.” And amidst this backdrop, the Illini basketball program won 2024 Big Ten Media Days with their Bingo card.
So many buzz-phrases and buzzwords to choose from, like “process,” “culture” and “buy-in.”
This is BRILLIANT by @IlliniMBB here!
The @B1GMBBall Media Day #B1GMediaDays Bingo Card.
Very funny, and spot on!@CoachUnderwood smiled when I brought up this topic! #Illini #IlliniNation pic.twitter.com/lJE6dXpCcR— Paul M. Banks (he/him) (@PaulMBanks) October 3, 2024
Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young, in a one-on-one interview with RG.org, included a few of these, like “another level” and “taller in person” and “has a lot of upside to him,” as he described teammate and No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.
The two Illini basketball players chosen to represent the program at Big Ten Media Days in Rosemont, IL, Kylan Boswell and Ty Rodgers, were given Bingo sheets for their media opportunities.
Illini basketball coach Brad Underwood explained who came up with the Bingo sheet, and why.
“This was another opportunity to have a little fun,” Underwood said.
“It was a great idea by Courtney (Bay), and when she showed me the card I was all for it, including the ones that were about me. Media Day can be a grind.
“It’s a long day where you have to be ‘on’ the whole time. Bingo was something that helped our guys relax and be comfortable with the experience and from what I’ve heard, everyone had fun with it.”
Four of the 25 squares on the Illini basketball Bingo sheet pertain to Underwood, although it was unfortunate that not (at least at the time that I saw the Bingo sheets) had not asked about the infamous Pizza Hut parking lot.
As we learned in February of 2022, the Pizza Hut parking lot is where you went, in Underwood’s hometown of McPherson, Kansas, to settle your scores…with fisticuffs.
“We ask so much of our players; they work incredibly hard and put a ton of time and effort into this,” Underwood added.
“But we also like to have fun along the way. We have great young men in our program and I’m all about them getting a chance to show their personality and enjoy the moments that this stage provides.
“You hopefully saw that last year during the postseason, whether it was the locker room celebrations with the super soakers, the cold tubs, and their chair routines at all the press conferences.”
After taking a photo of the Bingo sheet, I later showed it to both Northwestern coach Chris Collins and Purdue coach Matt Painter. Collins said that “life after Boo Buie” would have been an entry, if there was a NU equivalent of the Bingo sheet.
Painter said that “youth of our team” applied to his squad as well on this Media Day.
“Shout out to C.B.” added Ty Rodgers.
“C.B.’s always coming up with creative things to keep us active and keep us engaged. It’s cool that we can get a good laugh out of it.”
We spoke with C.B., Courtney Bay, the Illini basketball Director of Branding and Creative Media, about her clever creation.
The “talk about…” square contains one of my favorite NBA memes of Alonzo Mourning,” Bay said.
“The meme is usually shown in an animated format where he looks exasperated, then appears to have a realization that sometimes you just have to accept defeat. I chose the first frame for this because his look of irritation embodies what many athletes and coaches feel when they’re asked to ‘talk about’ something open-ended.”
She’s right, the “talk about….XYZ” or “Can you talk about (XYZ)?” is a scourge on humanity.
Its been my biggest pet peeve for close to a decade.
It’s a lazy, ignorant and condescending practice that makes my eyes roll each and every time I hear it.
The “talk about,” which also comes in the form of “walk/take us through the…..,” or even the “how big was that (specific play)?” probably first originated with sideline people.
It was originally a concoction of television networks either wholly owned or completely intertwined with sports leagues, who wanted a non-question to ask, in order to advance their promotional aims.
Of course, it’s not the fault of TV network sideline personalities that supposed actual journalists picked up and proliferated this practice, which was created strictly for marketing purposes. The “talk about…” is fine for state television, it doesn’t work for actual, legitimate journalists
Bay perfectly described what the “Daddy Brad” square means as well:
The “Daddy Brad” nickname predates my time here, but I believe it originated from Greg Waddell at Sleepers. It’s become a catch-all term within our fanbase for Coach Underwood’s intense and lively aura. Brad Underwood defies categorization; he’s at 110% every time he steps on a basketball court but has a cool and easygoing personality when he’s not coaching.
“Daddy Brad” is usually used as a term of endearment for Coach during any of his classic moments, like bringing super soakers in the locker room, being shirtless in that same locker room, or rocking his aviator sunglasses as he boards the plane for a road trip.
And while I thought I knew the full meaning of all 25, or at least I should, as I have been covering Illini basketball since 2009, I still needed Bat to explain “fit check” is.
“Fit” is a slang term our guys use that’s short for “outfit.” A Fit Check is simply showing off your outfit for the day, which many guys get asked to do on media day since they’re wearing suits,” said Bay.
During Boswell and Rodgers’ podium session, the former hit Bingo when a reporter asked him about NIL (name, image and likeness).
“I’ve been waiting for NIL all day,” Boswell told the reporter. “You’re a clutch man, I love it.”
There were no prizes awarded for getting Bingo. The exercise itself was the prize.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.