Postseason sporting events are the most popular television moments of the calendar year. The Super Bowl continues to smash ratings records. College football’s playoff renewed interest this season. March Madness, particularly the first few days of the tournament, is arguably the least productive time of the year in the workplace. There’s the Chase for the Cup, the Hunt for October and the Tradition Unlike Any Other. Each is exciting in its own way. Each is also very difficult to be around in the end.
You’ve seen the images on television or in the newspaper. When the game, the race or the tournament is over emotions overwhelm the athletes. The winners are elated. The losers? Don’t tell them it’s only a game. I can remember my freshman year of varsity basketball we were one of the top teams in Montana’s Class C basketball. We boasted one of the best players at any level in senior Joey Stuart. Our Kremlin-Gildford Kougars fell five points short in the Northern C Divisional semifinal to eventual undefeated state champion Heart Butte. Montana has double elimination tournaments so we still had a chance at qualifying for the state tournament. Unfortunately, we never received that opportunity. I’ll never forget looking Joey in the eyes in the locker room after the game. I was a little freshman with numerous games in front of me. He was a senior, his final high school minutes abruptly halted. As the tears streamed from his eyes I felt my own gaining moisture until I completely lost it. I remember seeing athletes cry after losing and never understood how they could be so upset. Suddenly I knew. Three years later my team lost in the District 9C semifinals. I pulled my jersey over my head and bawled so hard I needed to be led to the locker room. We were still guaranteed at least one game (we played two more, finishing 3rd) but I knew with that loss it was over. I never played competitive basketball again. 11 years have passed since that Saturday in mid-February, yet to this day I can recall the emotion that overcame my entire body. It’s a feeling I wouldn’t wish on an enemy. As it turns out, it’s also a moment I would witness on a very consistent basis. As a sports reporter I have seen some incredible moments. Carroll College football’s 10-7 win over Sioux Falls in the NAIA championship remains the best game, regardless of sport; I have ever seen or had the privilege of covering. Happy tears fell from the faces of the Fighting Saints. By the following year, those tears would return but for opposite reasons as Carroll lost in the championship game. It’s an awkward moment covering the losing team in an elimination game. The seniors are crying, reminding me of Joey all those years ago, and causing the rest of the team to well up. The locker room is silent. Then the reporters enter. It’s not something we want to do; it’s what our job entails us to do. Fans outside the industry call us disrespectful and rude for asking a team, still red in the face where the cries dripped down, about losing. Believe me, these moments are at the bottom of enjoyable media assignments. Someone has to lose of course. We play games to determine one winner and no more. Those same fans complaining about my job description are the ones paying money to perhaps watch their team lose. They know as well as I do what the odds are. But they don’t see what I see. There’s a difference between the sentiment you see on the playing surface and the true emotion I witness behind closed doors. The latest example came Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. My co-workers and I were covering the Arizona Wildcats, a 2-seed in the NCAA’s West Regional final, against the Wisconsin Badgers. Arizona played well, but Wisconsin had one of those nights. It was the Wildcats who would be forced to watch the other team celebrate. If you watched the game you saw Arizona senior T.J. McConnell walk off the floor, tears flowing, to be embraced by coach Sean Miller. If you are a human being, you likely felt sorry for him. But as soon as the TBS cameras returned to Wisconsin celebrating, your attention left poor T.J. The post-game press conference was no different. McConnell cried. He apologized for not leading his coach or his team to the Final Four. He thanked the fans and the university. He cried some more. I was in the Arizona locker room during that time interviewing his teammates. Soon-to-be NBA lottery pick Stanley Johnson was in tears trying to describe how he felt for Arizona’s senior leader. “What do you say to a guy like that?” Johnson sobbed. “He’s a guy that’s given everything to this program. He gives everything he has to everyone around him: his teammates, his coaches, everyone in the locker room. What do you say to a guy like that? “I love him man. He knows I love him.”
Those words, the emotional honesty from an 18 or 19-year-old kid, cut at me. I felt a chill run down my spine. It remained as I watched others throw their uniforms into a pile on the floor, some to never be worn by the same athlete again.
I heard the locker room door open and in walked T.J. McConnell, fresh tears falling from his jawline to the locker room floor. Every media member remaining, some 30-40 people, rushed to the locker with the number “4” posted above. McConnell, like his teammates, was polite, respectfully answering every question thrown his way. He congratulated Wisconsin and wished them luck in the Final Four. He thanked his teammates and coaches. He recalled the last few years where he won 69 games and never lost a home contest in his Arizona career. When he was asked about the fans he broke down again, not once, but twice. “I want to thank literally every one of them,” McConnell said, choking up in the process. “What’s not to like about playing at Arizona? You play in a packed environment no matter who you’re playing. The fans make it so fun and the teammates and coaching staff too. “This was the perfect fit for me,” he said.
McConnell is the latest in a long line of athletes I have seen break down the moment they realize their current playing days are over. He’s 23 years old, still a kid in the grand scheme of things, only he’s probably in his mid-30s maturity-wise. There will be more, of course, in the future whether it is high school, college or even the pros. Once again I will be forced to put my personal emotions on hold while I expose theirs. This post serves as my apology, my understanding, to every athlete I have and will watch break down in their moment of weakness.
As long as we have sports we will continue to crown only one winner. Your television will focus on those victorious, perhaps showing a glimpse of the reaction from the other side. Just remember, the tears don’t stop when your television turns off. To them this is more than just a game.
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While many tourists in the downtown Los Angeles area were taking pictures of the incredible statues of Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Chick Hearn and the like, a handful of folks decided to hang around and watch as myself, Bret and Danny ran through our evening live news hit. People gather and watch these instances often, some even try to get on camera. This particular crew wanted no part in that, but they sure thought we were special.
There were no autographs signed, but somewhere on Facebook or Instagram our faces will pop up in the middle of an album from these folks' trip around downtown LA. It was worth a good laugh at the very least and a much-needed one at that.
Between the Arizona/Wisconsin media availability times and the times of our newscasts at KVOA, I was sprinting around the Staples Center like I was Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shadowing Frank Kaminsky, only I was sweating much more. Still, our stories made it back to Tucson in time and eventually we were able to kick up the feet so to speak. With each passing game the pressure becomes more immense, the expectations are raised and the mistakes are magnified. The Wildcats from Tucson continue to take on the role of revenge seekers, although they would never admit it. Arizona was one play away from advancing to Dallas a season ago but a rough bounce sent them back to the Old Pueblo instead. Meanwhile, Wisconsin continued its dance another week. Led by player of the year candidate Frank Kaminsky, the Badgers are one of the more fun teams in the entire country. They joke with the stenographers, play arcade hoops with ESPN and dance around the court while the cameras are rolling. It's hard to dislike the Badgers. "They're not athletic," the doubters say. Or they mention the "white basketball" in reference to the Badgers slow, non-flashy and fundamental style of play. Wisconsin deserves more credit than that. Sam Dekker is arguably one of the most athletic athletes remaining in the tournament. Nigel Hayes is as fun to watch as any player in the Elite 8. Kaminsky may not have Shaquille O'Neal's personality but he can entertain a crowd. The Badgers are very much likable and fans that aren't familiar with them will likely agree if they tune in Saturday. Arizona does a much better job of amping up a crowd. Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson do so with their contagious grins. Brandon Ashley prefers the thunderous *clap* with those big paws. T.J. McConnell lets everyone know when the Cats are nearing victory with his gladiator-like scream. Then there's the death-stare from the nearly popped out eyeballs of coach Sean Miller. They can be flashy with their behind the back passes or between the legs dribbles or back-screen alley oops. Saturday's game between the Arizona Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers is, in my opinion, the best game of the tournament to date as it appears on paper. If the tourists really want a picture worth their while, they will find a scalper and lock down some seats inside Staples Center. Arizona fans got the rematch they wanted. Their Wildcats will meet Wisconsin in the Elite 8 for the second consecutive NCAA postseason. The Badgers were able to pull away from North Carolina at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Frank Kaminsky struggled early but Sam Dekker poured in 23 points to give UW a 79-72 victory. "We know how to stay calm, we're a veteran group and know what it takes to win games at the end of a game," Kaminsky said in the postgame press conference. He finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Tar Heels matched up well with the Badgers because of their athleticism and great shooting. Each team went 26-56 from the floor but the Badgers nailed 20-23 free throws. It’s no surprise to me that Wisconsin made it past UNC but I did think the Tar Heels would give them fits. In the late game Arizona used a late three-pointer from T.J. McConnell to earn a 68-60 win over Xavier. Sean Miller picked up his first victory over the team he coached for eight seasons. The Wildcats looked sluggish for the majority of the game, particularly in the first half. The intensity and energy level appeared to be lacking and Elliott Pitts admitted such in the locker room. “I think it was getting the jitters out,” he told me after the game. “Guys had to get used to the game, me too personally. But once we got past that point it was easier.” McConnell had a team-high 17 points to go with seven rebound, five assists and a rare block. Kaleb Tarczewski and Stanley Johnson each added 12 points, with Tarczewski reaching double-double status thanks to his 12 rebounds. Wisconsin edged Arizona in last year’s Elite 8 game from the Honda Center in Anaheim. Wildcat fans rioted in downtown Tucson, causing police to prepare for a similar situation on Thursday night. Luckily, it wasn’t necessary. Saturday the two programs will again meet for a trip to the Final Four, a place Arizona coach Sean Miller has never been. His players have admitted they would love to get him there, but they first couldn’t look past Xavier and now it’s all about the Badgers. “It’s going to be a great game,” Pitts told me of Wisconsin. “It was a great game last year too that could have gone either way, but it’s two completely different teams this year so it should be a good match-up.” Wisconsin certainly looked beatable on Thursday night. Then again, Arizona wasn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders either. Still, I asked Pitts what he thinks is the key to beating the Badgers. “I don’t know if it’s about planning for them as much as it is doing what we’ve done all season,” said Pitts. “If we defend like we have been and rebound like we do, I think it’s almost impossible to beat us if we do that.” Saturday’s Elite 8 tips off at 3:09pm from the Staples Center. Arizona opened as a 1.5 point favorite. Give me the Cats, 65-62. Sean Miller advances to his first Final Four behind the best team he’s ever coached. The atmosphere was relaxed Wednesday at the Staples Center as Arizona, Xavier, Wisconsin and North Carolina hit the practice floor for the final time before Thursday's Sweet 16. Frank Kaminsky joked about meeting Will Ferrell (Frank the Tank from the movie Old School.) "It was cool," Kaminsky said. "He told me he's rooting for North Carolina because that's where he has family. But other than that it was cool." Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan was asked about being featured in Rolling Stone. "Has anyone else in this room been in Rolling Stone?" he asked reporters. "Is that going to help them sell copies?" The storylines surrounding Xavier included head coach Chris Mack, who served as an assistant for Sean Miller when he was head coach of the Musketeers. "Sean has a dry sense of humor," Mack said. "I could tell you some stories about Sean that would either get him embarrassed or thrown in jail. I'm kidding about the jail part. Yes, the mood was light and the jokes aplenty. That is sure to change the moment the alarm clocks ring on Thursday morning. North Carolina and Wisconsin square off as Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams takes his Heels against the region's 1-seed Wisconsin. Mack tries to outduel the teacher when the Musketeers meet the Wildcats. Miller and the UofA coaching staff boast nine players from California, three of them from Los Angeles. Add the difference in distance between the other three program's and the Staples Center and downtown LA is sure to be Wildcat country this weekend. For those wondering, I'll take Wisconsin and Arizona to prevail Thursday giving us a rematch of last year's Elite 8. The Badgers won in the final seconds in Anaheim ending top seed Arizona's season. On a personal note, this is my first time in LA which is on a level all its own. I've been to New York City and first impressions have me partial to the Big Apple, but the City of Angels is sure an experience. Staples Center has much less bleacher seating than I would have imagined. It is packed with luxury suites which I'm assuming is to lighten the wallets of LA's elite. The speakers throughout the arena give it a concert hall vibe and I'm sure performers put on a hell of a show there. Wednesday night's appetites brought us to Slater's 50/50 in Pasadena. I'm told the burgers will be too large to consume. Challenge accepted! The road to Indianapolis continues this week as the final 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament tip off on Thursday and Friday. While the Arizona Wildcats “Bear Down for Indy” I, along with KVOA coworkers Danny and Bret, gear up for LA. Danny and I spent the majority of last week in Portland, following the Wildcats as they rolled past Texas Southern and Ohio State. The City of Roses was kind to us, raining only once and offering some much more friendly temperatures than the Arizona desert. But covering the NCAA Tournament as a television journalist isn’t all fun and games. There were six games played in Portland, four on Thursday and two on Saturday. We spent a combined four minutes sitting courtside watching actual basketball and that was only because Danny finished a story for our newscast and there were four minutes to play between Utah and Georgetown. We may not have the glamorous seats of a Jim Nantz or Kevin Harlan, but there are still perks to covering Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. In Tucson, media is limited to weekly press conferences for interview opportunities with the Wildcats. We are not allowed at practice or inside the locker room. With the tournament considered an NCAA event, those restrictions are lifted. For the first time we are able to interview future NBA players such as Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in front of their lockers. We, along with fans, can witness Arizona’s practice before the weekend’s first game. The atmosphere changes in March. Our television coverage can as well. Danny and I produced stories for every 4pm and 5pm newscast, while adding two stories each in the 6pm and 10pm shows. Thankfully the hard work does not go unnoticed. Wildcat fans back home appreciate this “seen only once a year” content from inside the locker room and on the court during practice time. As we continue to approach LA and the Staples Center we will be upping our coverage even more. Bret is a reporter on our morning news and will be offering stories from the fan’s perspective. Adding an extra member to our postseason team also means extra stories from the Sweet 16 and potentially, the Elite 8. We will also be sending features back for the Tucson Today morning newscast as well as the noon news. There will be a lot of Arizona Wildcats (and a lot of Richie and Bret) throughout the day in Tucson, Arizona. While we up our coverage, the teams up the ante on the hardwood. The storylines are endless. How will Sean Miller fare against his former team, Xavier, which happens to be coached by his former assistant, Chris Mack? Can Wisconsin, a newcomer to basketball’s elite, get past a perennial power in North Carolina? If so, how much would revenge play a factor in an Arizona/Wisconsin rematch? Like the rest of the country, we will also keep our eye on the rest of the Sweet 16. Can Kentucky continue its pursuit of perfection? Will Gonzaga last until the round of eight? Who takes over the East Region with the top two seeds, Villanova and Virginia, both gone? There is no better time to be a sports fan than mid-March through early April. It’s exciting as a media member to watch these student-athletes and coaching staffs in the wake of victory or even defeat. We can’t wait to touch down in LA as 16 teams pursue the round of eight. I just wish this damn drive didn’t take that same number of hours. |
AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
April 2016
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