Behind the scenes at GameDay

By Jason Elmquist     Feb 4, 2007

Bent backs, errant elbows and signs bouncing off the back of the head were just a few things that had to be tolerated if I were to enjoy the return of ESPN’s College GameDay to Kansas University.

But heck, things could have been worse. I could have been Patrick Wilson.

A freshman at Texas A&M, Wilson traveled to Lawrence with his beloved Aggies and received a more than typical Allen Fieldhouse welcome from the fans during the pregame show.

Wilson took everything in stride; from hearing boos – which were also dished out to analysts Jay Bilas for his Duke University ties and Hubert Davis, a former North Carolina Tar Heel – to wadded-up papers thrown at him, along with a couple of Krispy Kreme doughnuts lobbed towards the Aggies fan.

Wilson – who was completely surrounded by Jayhawk faithful – even got into a friendly “fight” with Baby Jay, which of course brought even more boos upon him.

However, all of it was easy to endure in comparison to his visits to a couple of Big 12 Conference Texas teams.

“Texas Tech is terrible – there in Lubbock,” Wilson said. “Texas Tech and Texas fans are the worst. I even got spit on while at Texas.”

After all the verbal and material projectiles were thrown in his general direction, Wilson explained why he was willing to take the abuse in his venture to KU – something even those less-than-courteous fans can respect and relate to.

“I’ve been told that this is the best college basketball atmosphere,” Wilson said, “so I had to come up here to see it myself.”

And that it was, as the fans who had waited two or more hours before the doors opening at 8 a.m. rushed through the tunnel to claim their seats behind the GameDay crew.

As soon as seats were saved, the cell phones came out and were glued to ears to tell parents and friends where they could look for them in the bleachers.

Once everything settled down a bit and frozen extremities were finally thawed, Digger Phelps came out to rile up and prepare the early-morning crowd.

“We were here for our second airing in our first season of GameDay,” Phelps said to the fans, “and I just couldn’t wait to get back to the best fans in the nation.”

Down time with Davis

After two-plus hours in front of the camera, GameDay’s Rece Davis – along with the other three members of the GameDay crew – spent time signing autographs and taking interviews.

When Davis was done with the initial wave of autograph seekers and reminiscing with a family, he took a few minutes to have a conversation.

Davis – who has been part of the GameDay scene since its inception – said he continues to be amazed by the popularity of the pregame show.

“I think the reaction among the people has grown exponentially – but I say that almost hesitantly because the reception’s been pretty good from the very start,” Davis said. “The biggest difference I see is the length that the schools will go to to accommodate us as far as letting us come out and set up our stage on the floor.

“The reception has been very good from the beginning, but I think that the fact that you have such talented analysts working – guys that have respect in the basketball community and among the fans – it really has taken off and it’s been a great experience for all of us.”

Davis said he still has times when he can’t believe that this is his job.

“I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in television,” Davis said. “For somebody to be able to cover a sport that he’s passionate about and that he loves and experience atmospheres like here, North Carolina, Duke, Gonzaga and Pittsburgh, is a treat. I don’t want to ever take it for granted. The fans are the ones that make it special. Otherwise, it’s just a studio show.”

And Davis was more than flattered in regards to being dubbed Peyton Manning of the crew by Dick Vitale in an interview with Journal-World sports editor Tom Keegan.

“I think since it’s basketball, maybe he should have used a basketball analogy. I would like to be John Stockton,” Davis replied. “But I tell you what, if Dick was kind enough to say that about me, I appreciate it. Because … there are still moments before the light goes on before the show and I look to my right and I see Dick Vitale and think, ‘This is Dick Vitale.’ Then I look to the other side and I see Hubert and Digger and Jay and I think, ‘Man, what a treat.'”

PREV POST

The Law wins late as A&M leaves Allen as a 69-66 winner

NEXT POST

23404Behind the scenes at GameDay