Media Mania provides unique experience

One of the coolest traditions the IU men’s basketball team has produced during the last three years is the event Media Mania.

As a member of the media covering a team, very rarely does the opportunity arise to put the pen down and play, but that’s exactly what Media Mania is about. I was very excited to represent the Indiana Daily Student.

“It’s great to have you here for a couple of reasons,” IU Coach Tom Crean said to a group of nearly 50 media members at Media Mania. “Number one, you get a just taste of what these guys go through on a daily basis. More importantly, you get to see what kind of human beings and what kind of people these guys are.”

Organized by Crean and Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations J.D. Campbell, the day’s events started with an hour-long workout and stretching session with Je’Ney Jackson, strength and conditioning coach.

Jackson started by telling us that warm-up drills would be run with the same drills and in the same order as the team does every time.

If there was one consensus after seeing the basics of Jackson’s workout, it was that IU’s basketball team was going to be in ridiculous shape this year.

We started slow with simple running exercises to get the blood flowing, but nothing got the blood and sweat flowing more than our next drills, abs and core work.

Jackson pushed us through his six and 60 drill, which makes you lay flat on your back while alternating your straight legs from six inches off the ground to a 60 degree angle from the ground.

Needless to say, that was probably one of the first core workouts in the last six months for the majority of the room, and it was a tough one.

After we finished warming up, we were split into different stations based on our media affiliation.

The television media played its first round of games in Assembly Hall while the student media, writers and print media competed in a three-point competition.

Personally, my range is more like Tim Duncan’s than Reggie Miller’s, so I didn’t expect to win, but it was made even more embarrassing when a colleague who shall rename nameless beat all the students while wearing a boot for his broken ankle.

The three-point competition was fun, but what followed was the real deal. Team IDS combined with IUSTV to take on Team IUSportCom in a game on the floor of Assembly Hall.

With freshmen Peter Jurkin and Yogi Ferrell refereeing and the rest of the team watching our game, I made a mental note to add and cross off that moment on my bucket list.

After battling it out on the court, we were treated to a delicious steak and mashed potatoes dinner in the pressroom.

It was a time to reflect on the day, count your wounds and relive the glorious moments of a truly unique experience.

When people think of college basketball, most think of the glitz and glamour that comes from a successful program, but for an afternoon, we as media members were able to put aside our professional obligations to walk in the shoes of IU basketball players.

It was a lot of hard work, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Jackson went easy on us.

So until next year’s Media Mania, we will pick up our pens and return to the sideline to do our jobs covering what is shaping to be a special season of IU basketball.

Luckily, writing doesn’t require as many core exercises as basketball.

­— mdnorman@indiana.edu