208 Pages Is Not Enough: An Ode to the Media Guide
The college football season officially began for me Friday when my UGA media guide arrived at the house. My wife reported that only one person has been able to deliver it for the past few years. In years past, before the NCAA instituted an unwarranted crackdown on media guides by limiting them to just 208 pages, it took four former defensive linemen in UPS browns to deliver the enormous tome that the UGA sports information director churned out. You had to use a crowbar to pry open the crate it came in. Over 400 pages of photos, holograms, raw statistics, ridiculously refined statistics, player bios, coaches bios, athletic staff bios, mascot bios, records, traditions, cheers, songs, Larry Munson's home address, and on and on and on.
2003 college football media guides ready for home delivery.
In 2004, USC, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma were among the football programs with media guides of around 400 pages or more. While my postman may be happy about the new, slim media guides, I wish for more. Where else am I going to find my team's record in games against ranked opponents at night when they have a back running for over 75 yards and a quarterback throwing for over 200 yards and are playing on a natural surface? It's like a two Phil Steele preseason guides devoted solely to your team. Even the walk-ons had page and a half bios repleate with obscure minutia.
Now, I must make do with only 208 pages. What is so wrong with a huge, glossy media guide? So what if it was being used as a blatant, out-of-control recruiting tool? How else am I going to memorize the high school, major, and favorite color of everyone on the team? How are Florida, Alabama, Notre Dame, and USC supposed to abbreviate their arrogance into only 208 pages?
Crafty SID departments are starting to find ways around the page limitation, though. Witness the 2006 Texas media guide, sporting holograms on the front and back cover. Two dimensions are not enough to explain the greatness of Mack Brown.
I'm even considering bidding on an eBay auction currently ongoing offering media guides for every SEC team plus the conference media guide put out by the SEC itself, but both my wife and postman have frozen my PayPal account until the auction is over.
Myles Brand, repeal NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1.1(g).
2003 college football media guides ready for home delivery.In 2004, USC, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma were among the football programs with media guides of around 400 pages or more. While my postman may be happy about the new, slim media guides, I wish for more. Where else am I going to find my team's record in games against ranked opponents at night when they have a back running for over 75 yards and a quarterback throwing for over 200 yards and are playing on a natural surface? It's like a two Phil Steele preseason guides devoted solely to your team. Even the walk-ons had page and a half bios repleate with obscure minutia.
Now, I must make do with only 208 pages. What is so wrong with a huge, glossy media guide? So what if it was being used as a blatant, out-of-control recruiting tool? How else am I going to memorize the high school, major, and favorite color of everyone on the team? How are Florida, Alabama, Notre Dame, and USC supposed to abbreviate their arrogance into only 208 pages?
Crafty SID departments are starting to find ways around the page limitation, though. Witness the 2006 Texas media guide, sporting holograms on the front and back cover. Two dimensions are not enough to explain the greatness of Mack Brown.
I'm even considering bidding on an eBay auction currently ongoing offering media guides for every SEC team plus the conference media guide put out by the SEC itself, but both my wife and postman have frozen my PayPal account until the auction is over.
Myles Brand, repeal NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1.1(g).
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