'Winning the press conference' has always been a dumb phrase, until now
A coach “winning the press conference.”
For years, I always thought that this notion was one of the dumbest things thrown around anytime a new coach was hired. I mean really. How many times have we looked at an introductory press conference and say, “Man, he/she lost that press conference.” If we all had a dollar for anytime this phrase has been said, we could probably fix all the potholes in Columbia and still have extra money to throw a block party on Main Street.
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While Paul Mainieri’s win/loss record won’t be impacted when he’s introduced this afternoon as South Carolina’s newest head baseball coach, in this era of college athletics, I’ve had a change of heart when it comes to the idea of winning a press conference. Why? Because it can make a difference in NIL.
Whether you’re already excited about Mainieri being the Gamecocks next head coach or not, he’ll have an opportunity to share his vision directly to you, the fans. That vision will paint a picture of how he plains on bringing South Carolina baseball back to Omaha. There could be a few fans out there right now that aren’t as excited about bringing in a soon-to-be 67-year-old coach who hasn’t managed a team since 2021. There could be some fans who question whether he’ll be able to have success in the transfer portal, since it wasn’t as big when he last coached. Or, if his successful resume even matters now that NIL is a key component to success, since it wasn’t legal until the summer of 2021.
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Mainieri is going to have a chance to answer all of those questions and more. And while it can only be talk at this point, that talk could lead to more fans understanding his vision and wanting to be a vital part of it. Even if one fan makes a donation for a couple of dollars after listening to Mainieri speak today, then it will be a success in “winning the press conference.”
In this era of college sports, fans can make a direct impact on a program like never before. If Mainieri can sell that vision to Gamecock fans on Thursday, it will only help get the wheels turning quicker in a direction that they all hope will bring this program back to a place they believe it always should be.
