Big East Media Day: Rick Pitino's NIL thoughts, Ryan Kalkbrenner chases history, more

NEW YORK —While college football forges on across the country, continuing to set record-breaking TV ratings week after week, a record number of media members were in attendance at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday morning at Big East Basketball Media Day. 

Ahh, the Big East. The league that makes any college hoops lover crack a smile. A conference born in 1979 that has stood the test of time. Even when breakups happen, the conference has been able to not just survive, but thrive, accounting for four of the last eight men's college basketball national championships. 

If the walls at the world-famous MSG could have talked on Wednesday, they would have told the stories of Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing, Pearl Washington, Kemba Walker and, most recently, the likes of Donovan Clingan, Tristan Newton, Jalen Brunson and Kris Jenkins. As the coaches stood at center court for a group photo featuring a Hall of Famer in Rick Pitino, a future Hall of Famer in Dan Hurley, as well as coaches who have etched their names in history with memorable March runs, like Thad Matta, Sean Miller, Shaka Smart, Greg McDermott and Shaheen Holloway, we were all reminded what the Big East is all about: college basketball. 

There's truly no comparison for this league in the college sports landscape. You have northeast hatred with just how badly these teams want to beat one another, but on the same hand, there is a true mutual respect and desire for them to beat out-of-conference opponents in March, to prove the league's dominance. You have an outspoken social media community that provides nonstop conversation and frivolity. You have the longest running conference tournament at any single venue when the Big East Tournament hits MSG in March for the