Say cheese: Pac-12 men's basketball coaches, players calm before the storm

SAN FRANCISCO – We’re only three weeks away from the start of the college basketball season, meaning it’s time to allow coaches and players to re-introduce themselves. The first part of that greeting here at Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Media Day is the group photo, where all 24 school representatives get together to flash a smiley face and say cheese for the camera.

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If media day is the kickoff to the 2013-14 season, then the group photo is the first day of school. These guys might be facing off against each other soon, but they weren’t looking to stir anything up just yet. Players were calm, cool, collected; friendly with each other, even. They were more intrigued by the photo gallery in the Pac-12 Networks lobby than anything else. After all, they have squared off plenty of times on the court in college and before; many of these dudes know each other well. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to have seen Arizona State’s Jahii Carson and Arizona’s Nick Johnson exchanging pleasantries.

Welcome back to basketball season, folks. The group photo wasn't the time for claws to tear or pitchforks to spear. We'll get to that later.