Pac-12 School Style and Attitude Awards – Media Day

Pac-12 media days were full tense moments, shoe game competition, and hungry media. We bring you the awards from the Men’s Basketball Media Day.

The Pac-12 Media day is held before the start of each season. Now that the Pac-12 Network exists, this event is broadcasted live. This year it was filmed at the Pac-12 headquarters in San Fransisco, the perfect location.

Lunch was served on the top deck, and the view was spectacular! Before lunch, each head coach brought their player into the media room to answer questions.

While taking notes about the questions and answers, we couldn’t help but note a few fun things we observed during the day.

AND THE PAC-12 MEDIA DAY AWARD GOES TO……

BEST SHOES & BEST TIE COORDINATION

Oregon St. Beavers

Oregon State Beavers Forward Tres Tinkle and dad, Head Coach Wayne Tinkle

More from Pac-12

• No, the Big Media did not kill off the Pac-12 Conference
• Reflections on the Pac-12, the Arizona Wildcats, and other memories
• Moving Day: Arizona Athletics Officially joins the Big XII
• Arizona vs. UCLA prediction and odds for Pac 12 Tournament final
• Arizona vs UCLA Bold Predictions and Special Promo (Back the Stars)

Tres Tinkle came in all orange and white, but his shoes were off the charts. Each shoe had a picture of the Oregon State mascot Beaver on the front of the tongue. All in white, but with the addition of the orange and black Beaver, that was hard to beat.

Tres’ dad and head coach Wayne Tinkle’s tie was also rockin’! Orange and white, it was the most coordinated outfit of a father/son combo, and it stuck with us.

Runners up include Oregon Duck Tyler Dorsey with his bright yellow matching socks and shoes with hints of green and Utah’s Kyle Kuzma, who’s shoes matched exactly with his uniform, red, gray and white. Their unis were basic, but their kicks were fantastic!

Note: When you see a baller with their humongous shoes untied, it is because they don’t want to ‘crease’ their shoes. That said, half the players did not tie their shoelaces, and no one forced them too.

HAPPIEST COACH AWARD

Utah Utes

Utah Head Coach Larry Kristkowiak

Utah’s Head Coach Larry Kristkowiak came in with a joke as he sat down, “What’s going on in there, a debate?”

He actually smiled. Seemed carefree and upbeat.

Runner up was Sean Miller who did crack a smile after missing the big step up to the podium. We shared, “That’s a big step,” he said, “Yes, it is,” I said.

MOST INTENSE AND MOST PREPARED COACH

The University of Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Head Coach Sean Miller

It should come as no surprise to most Arizona Wildcats fans that Sean Miller not only was the most intense, but also the most prepared Head Coach of the day. His answers were well thought out, and the delivery was concise, direct and serious. He gave the longest preview of his upcoming season full of tidbit and hints as to what he has in mind this year.

For one, he had to prepare for the inevitable “Where’s Trier?” question asked by Arizona Basketball guru Bruce Pascoe. Even when answering a question on chemistry, Miller indirectly slipped in our notable Alumni as well as answering the question (this is such an insightful and proud moment that we are including his entire reply):

More from Pac-12

• No, the Big Media did not kill off the Pac-12 Conference
• Reflections on the Pac-12, the Arizona Wildcats, and other memories
• Moving Day: Arizona Athletics Officially joins the Big XII
• Arizona vs. UCLA prediction and odds for Pac 12 Tournament final
• Arizona vs UCLA Bold Predictions and Special Promo (Back the Stars)

“You know, if you were watching our red-blue weekend, Miles Simon epitomizes a lot of things that we talk about, and that is Miles wasn’t a high school All-American. He didn’t go on and have a great NBA career. But he had his number retired at a basketball program that is second to none with the tradition that we have.

Why? Well, because he won the national championship, because he was the most outstanding player of that Final Four. And when you’re associated with a team that does well, and you’re successful in the month of March and you’re consistent throughout the season, it’s amazing how the respect goes to the individual players.

So for that to happen, you have to sacrifice. Not everybody can start, not everybody gets to shoot the same amount of times, and I think that is an ongoing process. I think you can have a team that has great chemistry. You can lose it, you can get it back and lose it again. So it’s something that we’re well aware of, and we’re going to try to foster that, and have already fostered it beginning last spring when our season ended.”

That was something that didn’t dawn on us, losing chemistry, so if you have chemistry you may lose it and the challenge is to sustain it. It seemed like last season the team did start out with a lot of chemistry, and then it waned as player after player got injured.

Here is the intro video and the ensuing Q and A for the Cats if you want to get a bit excited for the upcoming season:

BEST UNCOORDINATED SHOE AND UNIFORM COMBO

Arizona State University Sun Devils

ASU Guard Tra Holder

So, you know how we like to razz the rival school, we found something, ASU’s Tra Holder must have forgotten his coordinating kicks. He wore white and black shoes with his uniform.

Sophomore (or 2nd year) ASU Head Coach Hurley is ready to go this season, feeling positive about his team and it seems now he understands that the Pac-12 is an extremely competitive conference. No more East Coast Bias we are guessing. He wore a nice gold tie.

BEEN THERE DONE THAT AWARD

University of Washington Huskies

Washington’s veteran head coach Lorenzo Romar

Coach Romar has ‘Been there done that.’  This is Romar’s 15th Pac-12 media day and looked like he was ready to do his thing and go. But before he did that, he may have slipped and spoke up about an upcoming scrimmage against another team. Washington State’s head coach Ernie Kent has spent 16 seasons in the Pac-12, but for two teams, Oregon and now Wazzu.

In addition, we have to give a mini award to Center Malik Dime who wore the ‘Most Innovative and Cleanest kicks.’ All white, shoes that turn into socks, and clean as a whistle!

WHAT THE HECK AM I UP HERE FOR IN MY FIRST YEAR AWARD

Stanford University Trees (Cardinal)

Stanford Head Coach Jerod Haase

Stanford Newbie Coach Award is given to Jerod Haase, the only coach who is about to coach for his first year in the Pac-12. Haase is the Pac-12 rookie coach, and is Stanford’s 18th basketball coach. He comes in averaging 20 victories in four seasons (80-53) at UAB. A protege of Roy Williams, Haase worked on his staff while at Kansas and North Carolina for 13 years.

Here are the other eleven coaches, their experience in the Pac-12 and their records:

1. Sean Miller,           8th year (188-61 Arizona, 308-108 Career) He’s a WINNER!
2. Bobby Hurley,       2nd year (15-17 ASU, 57-37 Career)
3. Cuonzo Martin,     3rd year (41-26 Cal, 165-108 Career)
4. Tad Boyle,              7th year (130-80 Colorado, 186-146 Career)
5. Dana Altman,        7th year (154-64 Oregon, 564-307 Career)
6. Wayne Tinkle,       3rd year (36-27 Oregon State, 194-118 Career)
7. Steve Alford,          4th year (65-40 UCLA, 528-275 Career)
8. Andy Enfield,        4th year (44-54 USC, 85-82 Career)
9. Larry Krystowiak, 6th year (95-73 Utah, 137-93 Career)
10. Lorenzo Lomar,   15th year (289-174 Washington, 382-262 Career)
11. Ernie Kent,             3rd year (22-40 Washington State, 347-293 Career) *Note 16th season in Pac-12 – prior experience at Oregon for 13 years.

Miscellaneous dribble:

Five players wore two-color uni’s, six wore three- color uniforms and only Arizona had more than three colors in their uniform.

Eight schools are signed with Nike including Arizona, UCLA and ASU are both Adidas, only Utah wore Under Armour, and only Cal wore Air Jordan (also Nike). Note: We heard at some point UCLA was switching to Under Armour.

Must Read: Luke Walton leading the Lakers with love

Pac-12 Media Day for 2016 is in the books, we hope you enjoyed our little awards, please feel free to ask us any questions you have from the event or for the upcoming season, we are happy to inform you! BearDown!