|
The Hump gets certified; Palmeiro, Polk set for enshrinement |
|
Friday, 03 July 2009 |
By AARON SEIDLITZ
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Jay Logan can remember the moment when he realized just how detailed ESPN High Definition can be.
The Mississippi State Coordinator of Event Management and Facilities was on hand Thursday morning at Humphrey Coliseum to tour the facility with an ESPN representative as the two sides prepare for the network’s increased presence on Southeastern Conference campuses next season.
As Logan was leading the ESPN Operations Producer around The Hump, he recalled that moment two years ago. With the same cameras that Bulldog fans should get used to viewing from on their television sets next fall, Logan recalled the time two seasons ago when ESPN was in Starkville for a game.
During warm ups of that game, one of the cameras placed above the backboards – cameras that ESPN still utilizes – zoomed down on one of the nets during testing. As the crystal clear picture that Logan was watching zoomed in on the strands of twine it became apparent that the net was nearly completely frayed.
Logan said that it was obvious that the net would totally tear apart if the game began with that net. So due to the technology on hand that day, officials tore down the net and replaced it before the game began.
“Our biggest concern was that the we would have to bring the hoop down and delay the game while it was ongoing to fix the net,” Logan said.
That type of picture will be available from the six to eight cameras ESPN will have on hand for everyone when it broadcasts Mississippi State games next season.
The games will air on one portion of the network’s family, whether it be ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN 360 next season.
In preparation for that MSU officials Gregg Ellis, Jay Middleton and Logan brought ESPN in on Thursday to make sure The Hump was game day ready when the network begins showing up in the Fall.
Back in Bristol, Conn., ESPN official Dan Steir commented on what exactly goes into one of the network’s broadcasts at each venue.
“For most games we have two trucks, and for the majority of the games we bring in five or six cameras,” Steir said. “In addition to that we have a few more cameras that act as clock cameras.”
That was explained during the tour as two cameras that constantly keep a gaze upon the shot clock and game clock, therefore if any close calls with the clock came into play the time was caught on camera.
The sections of The Hump where cameras will be placed were walked out on Thursday, with sections 204, 217 and 210 being the preferred locations up on the coliseum’s second level.
Down on the court a couple of places were spotted as well in the corners.
Along with the six to eight cameras, ESPN brings those two trucks, a van and around 30 crew members. The trucks pull right up near the court inside one of the building’s side doors.
The only other thing going on at The Hump currently is the replacement of high intensity lighting near the roof. This will, according to Logan, place better lighting on the floor while possibly making the crowd areas a little darker during games.
Steir said most of the SEC schools have reached out to the network to make sure everything is in line for the network’s increase in broadcasting opportunities next season.
Polk, Palmeiro to be enshrined
Former MSU coach Ron Polk and former MSU player Rafael Palmeiro are to be named a part of the 2009 National College Baseball Hall of Fame class this weekend.
The celebration will take place in Lubbock, Texas, where Polk and Palmeiro will be a part of a 10-person induction class.
Polk is being honored one year after his 35-year head coaching career came to a close at Mississippi State. Over that span he compiled 1,373 wins, which is the most compiled in the history of the SEC.
He also went to Omaha eight times with his various clubs – that included Georgia and Georgia Southern as well as MSU.
Palmeiro enters after a career at State that included three All-American nods. He was Baseball America’s Freshman of the Year in 1983, and in 1984 he earned the SEC’s triple crown when he batted .415, hit 29 home runs and had 94 RBI.
Others included in the induction class, as mentioned in a press release from MSU, are former Michigan shortstop Barry Larkin and former Wichita State outfielder Joe Carter.
|
|
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 July 2009 )
|
