KANSAS CITY — The Big 12 office finalized the schedules in the heart of the offseason and then sent them to each member-institution, at which point coaching staffs on campuses spanning three time zones immediately started trying to figure out how they’ll be spending the last two-thirds of the season.
It’s a natural thing to do.
So, naturally, Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland was among those who dug in, same as you or I would. But, pretty quickly, McCasland decided to put it down and look away, reaching the conclusion that there was no actual point in getting worked-up and beaten down on an otherwise pleasant day.
“I started going through Game 1, Game 2 and I got to Game 4 … and it was overwhelming … and I just stopped. I really did. I stopped,” McCasland explained. “And so people ask me like, ‘Who do you play twice?’ And I do know (that) just because of the names that we’ve been asked repetitively. … But I could not even tell you the order. I could not tell you who we play after the first Big 12 game right now because I just made a conscious effort to go, ‘Hey, let’s focus on one at a time.’ And that sounds like a corny answer. But I honestly believe it with all my heart. I think the moment you look at this schedule and try to figure out how you’re going to navigate it is the moment you’re losing.”
One by one, 16 coaches took the stage Wednesday here inside the T-Mobile Center, where the Big 12 held its annual Media Day in advance of a season that starts in less than two weeks. Every man, in his own words, mentioned that this is the sport’s best conference while different graphics designed to hammer home the point flashed behind them — graphics that highlighted how the Big 12 has received at least seven bids to 10 straight NCAA Tournaments, graphics about how the Big 12 has had a No. 1 seed in four straight NCAA Tournaments, graphics about how the Big 12, earlier this month, became the first…
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