Happy Monday - wild to think that in 6 weeks this Monday newsletter will be talking about actual games!
With that said, I recently asked the question on social media, 'Why do you love college football?' and the replies were incredible. It's a unique time in the sport we all love and over the course of the past year amid the Pac-12 fallout I asked myself that question hundreds of times. Each time it always came back to the same answer: It's about the games. No matter what happens in realignment, governance, the portal or NIL chaos, absolutely nothing can impact the 120 yards x 53 and a third yards each Saturday.
Today, I find myself in Chicago starting off a new job as an analyst at the Big Ten Network and I'm so fired up to be able to broadcast games each weekend across the country. Bonus is that I get to continue to call Ashley Adamson a colleague!
More on that role and the B1G later this week but let's get to Part II of my conversation with Ashley Adamson and Mike Yam.
As the founding faces of the Pac-12 Network, Mike Yam and Ashley Adamson carried the reputation of the league for over a decade but in 2020, amid a global pandemic, Mike learned he would not return to the network he helped build.
The three of us never spoke about that day, or the fact that Mike would not return to the place we had such pride in, until now. Mike, Ashley, Jim Thornby and myself listen as Mike shares the brutal impact of that decision on his life and how he has responded to that adversity.
It's a beautiful conversation among friends who became family. If you fell in love with Mike, Ashley and the content at the Pac-12 Network this is a conversation that will resonate on powerful levels.
Today's conversation is brought to you by our Founding Partner, @76.
For more insight on college football through the lens of the West Coast be sure to follow @YOptionFB on Twitter, @YOptionCFB on Instagram and sign up for all updates at www.y-Option.com.
This podcast was Executive Produced by Jim Thornby and edited by Tanner Pierce.
Y-Option is a Best Coast Media production.
Saying Goodbye to the Pac-12 Network with Mike Yam & Ashley Adamson