Canzano: Pac-12 Network signs off with football season ahead
Sunday thoughts, opinions, and musings...
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Roxy Bernstein was heartfelt and poignant as he signed off on the Pac-12 Network’s final game broadcast on Friday.
Bernstein grew up in the Bay Area, attended Cal as a student, and was among the first hires when the network was launched. He thanked colleagues, fans, and athletes.
Said Bernstein: “We hope we did justice to your stories, that truly made this the conference of champions. It’s been such a privilege to sit in this seat and be a part of it all. It’s been a fantastic run and we’ve had an absolute blast bringing you these games.”
The final six minutes of programming on Friday’s live broadcast included a moving video tribute to the great athletes who competed over the years. The network feed will go dark on June 30 at midnight. I’m told there are some special programming plans for the final hours that day.
Watch Bernstein’s sign-off:
• GRATITUDE: Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould took to social media to tell the conference athletes about the impact they’ve had on her life. Gould worked at the conference in a variety of capacities for more than 20 years.
Gould wrote to former athletes: “You are leaders in your communities, champions for student-athlete rights, and advocates for social change. Your true superpower is using your voice to make a positive impact on the world. Having a front-row seat to this made myself and everyone around you better.”
• FAREWELL TOUR: I traveled to Scottsdale this week, sat in the stadium alongside fans, and wrote a column about the final days of the Pac-12 as we know it. I also looked around the merchandise tent on my way out of the stadium on Thursday. By Saturday, everything was discounted to $5.
As one person remarked: “Got to pay off Larry Scott’s house somehow.”
•DON’T LET THE OLD MAN IN: Clint Eastwood is 93. He was asked how he stays young, vibrant, and focused on new projects.
Part of Eastwood’s quote:
“Every day when I wake up, I don’t let the old man in. My secret has been the same since 1959 — staying busy. I never let the old man into the house. I’ve had to drag him out because he was already comfortably settled, bothering me all the time, leaving no space for anything other than nostalgia.
“You have to stay active, alive, happy, strong, and capable. It’s in us, in our intelligence, attitude, and mentality. We are young, regardless of our ID. We must learn to fight to not let the old man in.
• BANKRUPT: Anyone else troubled by the latest Shilo Sanders news? Colorado’s defensive back and the son of head coach Deion Sanders is in a legal mess and facing questions about an incident that happened when he was in high school.
A state court found in 2022 that Shilo Sanders had committed assault and battery against John Darjean, a security guard at the charter school he attended. The incident occurred in 2015.
Darjean was attempting to confiscate Shilo’s phone during school hours. Shilo allegedly assaulted Darjean and continued to hit him after he fell. Darjean was taken to the hospital and claimed he had “sustained severe and permanent injuries including a broken neck, damage to his cervical spine, permanent neurological injuries and irreversible incontinence.”
Darjean was awarded an $11.89 million judgment against Shilo Sanders and his parents. The former security guard says he’s yet to receive a dime. He’s now raising questions about how Shilo may be using an LLC to shield his NIL earnings.
The bankruptcy filing in October said Sanders had $478,000 in assets, including a 2023 Mercedes valued at $75,900 and necklaces valued at $75,000.
This story isn’t going away.
• OPEN FOOTBALL SEASON: We’re 90 days from the start of “Week 0” college football games. Florida State plays Georgia Tech in Ireland on Aug. 24 in a game that kicks off at 9 a.m. (ESPN).
One week later, on Aug. 31, Clemson plays Georgia in the most interesting Week 1 matchup. I’m sorting out my travel plans for the coming season. I’ll go where the best stories are every week.
• FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Fox released its Friday night football schedule for the 2024 season. Oregon, UCLA, and Washington will play two Friday evening games each in the regular season. USC, Utah, and Arizona each got one.
9/13: Arizona at K-State
9/20: Illinois at Nebraska
9/27: Washington at Rutgers
10/4: Michigan St. at Oregon
10/11: Northwestern at Maryland
10/18: Oregon at Purdue
10/25: Rutgers at USC
11/8: Iowa at UCLA
11/15: UCLA at Washington
11/22: Purdue at Michigan St.
11/29: Utah at UCF
12/6: Mountain West Conference title game
There were a few grumblings, understandably. But as retired Fox Sports Network president Bob Thompson told me: “What, did they think they were going to play at 12:30 PT every Saturday?”
• PRODUCTION SIDE HUSTLE: Washington State and Oregon State’s 13 home football games next season will air on The CW and Fox, as previously reported here. The Pac-12 Network (now Pac-12 Enterprises) will produce the 11 games that will air on The CW. Fox will handle production on the other two games.
• MEMORIAL DAY: I have a special column prepared for Monday, a day reserved for honoring military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. I hope you read it.
• TUESDAY MAILBAG: The Monday Mailbag will be published on Tuesday this week due to the holiday. Drop your questions in the comment section below.
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I am reading the book "The Boys in the Boat". Conference of champions, indeed. So much history, so many stories, so much inspiration. Sad day.
Re the ongoing chaotic joke that is Colorado Buffs football & Sanders family: you may also be interested to know that the “charter school” the Sanders kid attended is now closed due to bankruptcy. Apparently Sanders family didn’t follow through with the promised money to keep the school afloat. Gee, what a shock.