We live in a time of intense cacophony and clutter when it comes to sports in America and the way the media covers it. Most stories tend to be limited to those specific audiences (such as the College Football Playoffs, which have been amazing, and the upcoming NFL playoffs, which no doubt will be as well). Sometimes, however, a strory transcends boundaries and cuts through the clutter. Such was the case with UCLA coach Mick Cronin’s very public and resounding criticism of his players following Tuesday’s home loss to Michigan.
When I was walking through my gym and I heard Pat McAfee discussing it on his ESPN show (while standing at his set on a football field), then I knew this was a story that moved beyond the usual college basketball realm. I wanted Hoops HQ to cover it in a different way – one that was smart and respectful, yet pointed and geared towards an audience that is deeply interested in this sport. So I asked one of our correspondents, Rapheal Davis, to weigh in. Rapheal is a former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Purdue and a current analyst with the Big Ten Network. I’ve worked a few studio days with Rapheal so I knew his take on the transfer portal. Rapheal was up for writing a column, which we published on Thursday. You’ll see it linked in the email below.
Personally, I love stories like this because it allows us to speak to larger themes like leadership, accountability and generational mores. That interests me more than the so-called hot takes that populate our media ecosystem. Not that I’m above having strong opinions myself, but opinions can be strong yet still be measured, nuanced and thoughtful. That’s exactly what Rapheal delivered and it’s what I hope Hoops HQ will always deliver moving forward.
On top of that, we’ve got another fantastic package of stories to deliver to you today, which you will want to read while watching another fantastic slate of games (not to mention the NFL playoffs). Hope you guys have enough screens to enjoy it all!
—Seth
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