NEW ORLEANS – Jason Henderson and Javon Harvey won the Old Dominion football equivalent of the lottery. Well, maybe not the lottery, but of the 116 players on ODU's roster, they were the two fortunate guys invited to take a cool trip halfway across the country and spend 24 hours in the Big Easy.
ODU is entering its second season in the Sun Belt Conference. And Sun Belt media days, held over two days at the Sheraton on Canal Street near the French Quarter, is an event that players enjoy immensely.
I covered ACC media days in Charlotte for The Virginian-Pilot, and the Sun Belt is an equally pleasing experience for players and the media alike. It's a big-time event for a conference whose new moniker is "The Sun Belt is Rising."
Rising indeed. Nearly everyone at media days states the obvious: that with all the changes wrought by conference realignment, the Sun Belt is the best Group of Five league in the nation. And the event is worthy of the best.
Henderson, an All-American linebacker, and Harvey, the wide receiver from Norfolk's Lake Taylor High School, accompanied head coach Ricky Rahne, Senior Associate AD for Broadcasting and Communications Eric Bohannon and yours truly, on the 1,031-mile trip from Norfolk to New Orleans.
It began with a two-hour flight Tuesday afternoon on a private jet graciously provided by an ODU donor. It was the smoothest plane ride I ever experienced, and ODU was the envy of media days when coaches and players learned we traveled under such posh circumstances.
There was dinner Tuesday night at Muriel's, a French Quarter restaurant on historic Jackson Square
And then for 8 ½ hours on Wednesday, there were nearly non-stop interviews in the Sheraton's main ballroom and Caesars SuperDome, home of the New Orleans Saints. It all ended at 10 p.m. Wednesday when we landed back in Norfolk.
"Pretty awesome," Henderson said about the trip.
Here's a look at what that pretty awesome experience was really like for the ODU contingent.
Tuesday, July 26, 3 p.m.
The General Aviation Center at Norfolk International Airport lacks everything you hate about flying. The long walk from a parking garage, the wait to check in for your flight, shedding your shoes and belt as you pass through security and then waiting to board the plane.
It takes mere minutes to board the small but sleek jet, which is stocked with water, soft drinks and snacks.
As student-athletes with academic and athletic demands limiting their free time, Harvey and Henderson have learned to grab naps whenever they can.
Harvey is asleep as we take off and Henderson nods out before the plane flies over the Peninsula. While they snooze, Bohannon quickly gives Rahne the rundown on what kinds of questions he'll be asked.
No surprises here. It's Rahne's third media event as a head coach – including one in Conference USA – and he nods. They're going to ask you about preseason predictions (ODU is picked last in the Sun Belt East), about who will play at quarterback (undecided for now) and about the NIL and transfer portal.
Rahne and I talk for about 90 minutes and I am reminded that the Ivy League graduate is the most well-read college football coach I've ever interviewed. We talk about books he recently read, his family roots in Germany, our thoughts on our most recent trips to Germany – he loves Bavaria, I love Berlin – and about history (he was a history minor at Cornell), including the Vietnam War, where his father fought as a Marine.
Bohannon, a diehard baseball fan, is part of the conversation when we talk about Rahne's summer vacation. He spent four consecutive weeks with his wife, Jen, and sons, Ryder and Jake. They went to three Major League games – in San Francisco, Oakland and Seattle -- meaning they have now visited every MLB stadium as a family.
The fans in Oakland were incredibly nice, San Francisco's stadium surprisingly lacked creature comforts and Toronto Blue Jays fans outnumbered the Mariners' fans in Seattle, he says.
They took a cruise to Alaska, went salmon fishing, rolled down a zip line and walked on a glacier. They white water rafted in Arizona and made several long trips by car.
That meant four weeks of quality time with his wife and kids, and there are few more precious commodities in life.
They've been going on these family trips since the boys were both very young, and this is the last summer they'll spend so much time together.
Rahne's oldest son, Ryder, will be entering high school next year, and likely will be playing a sport, football perhaps, that will take up much of his summer. Rahne says they planned years ago for this to be their last big summer trip.
Rahne grows wistful, and a little misty-eyed, as he recalled their last month together on a family vacation. It's not the last time his eyes turn red.
As the plane begins to descend, Rahne tells Henderson and Harvey what the schedule will be like on Wednesday and the kinds of questions they will be asked. In a nutshell, he says, don't say anything stupid that might wind up on an opponent's bulletin board.
As we're landing, Bohannon and Rahne make a bet. Rahne says his name will be mispronounced two or more times. Bohannon says it will be one or less.
As the door to the jet opens in New Orleans, someone asks: "Is there a Ricky Payne on the plane?"
Score one for Rahne.
It's the only score of this trip, however. On Wednesday, reporters get his name right every time.
Tuesday, July 26, 6 p.m.
We've gained an extra hour – New Orleans is on Central Time – yet the restaurants are already busy.
After being turned away at a nice restaurant close to the Sheraton, we walk half a mile to Muriel's, where the waiter hopefully offers us a cocktail and wine list. "We're good," Rahne says about alcohol. No one is drinking tonight.
The waiter gives us a look like, "doesn't everyone drink in New Orleans?"
Four of us order seafood. Rahne has a pork chop with gumbo and mashed potatoes. Clearly, the coach made the right call. Our food is good. His looks tremendous.
Harvey is a father – his son, Noah Javon Harvey, is a year old – and he loves being a dad. He talks about his son throughout the afternoon and evening.
His family recently took Noah to Disney World and he realizes his son won't remember anything he saw.
"But spending the time with his son and with family, that was something I'll never forget," he said.
Dinner is done pretty quickly and as we walk through the French Quarter, the players pull out their cell phones and video the unique New Orleans ambiance. There are musicians on many street corners performing, with open hats in front of them filled with tips. The heat is stifling and sweat drips off all of us.
Many of the buildings are centuries old and you wonder how they fared during Hurricane Katrina. Between the voodoo shops, posh art galleries and t-shirts emblazoned with every curse word ever muttered, there is a lot to absorb.
Jackson Square was built 301 years ago and is dominated by the towering St. Louis Cathedral, the most famous building in the city, which opened in 1794, when Louisiana was a Spanish colony. It is the oldest Catholic parish in the country.
The Mississippi River is steps away and ships majestically head toward the Gulf of Mexico.
We arrvie back at the hotel a little after 7 and Rahne tells his players to be careful if they go out and to make sure and be on time for Wednesday's interviews.
Most of the 26 players from 13 other Sun Belt school went to Bourbon Street to sample the famous New Orleans night life. But Harvey and Henderson go out to get a pizza and then head back to their rooms.
Harvey and Henderson, who are roommates in Norfolk, are content to go to bed early.
"I'm not surprised," Rahne said. "They're home bodies. They don't go out much when they are home."
Wednesday, July 27, 7:45 a.m.
The ODU contingent walks into the eighth-floor ballroom early and they take in an elaborate setup covered with Sun Belt signage.
If you look out the window, there is a stunning view of ships plying down the Mississippi, but few have the time. The room is abuzz with activity. The stage, with a giant Sun Belt logo as a backdrop, has seats and microphones for two players and a podium for head coaches to speak.
On Tuesday, the seven West Division coaches and players were interviewed. Wednesday is the East Division's day in the spotlight. Both days are being covered live on ESPN+.
There are 14 tables in front of the podium for journalists to work, each with a team logo, and there is a room in the back used for radio and podcast interviews. The radio reporters spill out into the main ballroom, where the Sun Belt championship trophy and title game MVP belt are displayed.
Starbucks coffee, pastries, cereal, etc., are set out for the media and players.
There are more rooms set aside for private interviews, and Rahne begins the day with an 8 a.m. sit-down with a Washington Post reporter. Meanwhile, the players began their interviews with Kara Richey of Red Wolves Sports Net.
In all, Rahne would do 19 interviews, some lasting up to half an hour. The players would do 11. That does not include their 25-minute on-stage interviews.
During down time, the players go to a "Green Room" set aside for them which has drinks, snacks, a TV and even a game system.
Like I said, first class.
Rahne is a media favorite because, as one reporter notes, he answers questions frankly and honestly.
The first question he faces from most reporters is about his quarterbacks. He says either Grant Wilson, the transfer from Fordham, or Jack Shields, the former three-star recruit from Northern Virginia, will start.
Wilson has an advantage in that he spent two seasons at Fordham, where offensive coordinator Kevin Decker's wide-open offense averaged nearly 50 points per game. Decker is now ODU's offensive coordinator.
But Shields had a good spring and an even better spring game.
"I think we have two guys who can go out and play championship level football," Rahne said.
He is repeatedly asked about being picked to finish last in the East Division. Given ODU's losses to graduation, and the fact that there are 41 new scholarship players, and 58 newcomers overall, and just 10 returning starters from the team that was 3-9 a year ago, it's understandable the Monarchs would be picked last.
But Rahne notes correctly that prognosticators "didn't get it right last season." Fact is, in this age of the transfer portal and rapid roster turnover, not even coaches can accurately say how good their teams will be.
"If people can tell me how all of our news guys are going to fix in the mix, that's pretty impressive," he said. "I mean, they can't.
"We all know how important college football is. If you're a journalist, what are you going to do? You're going to write a story about preseason prognostications. I understand why they do it, but they don't mean anything.
"It's all about the performance on the field. And that's what makes the game so great.
Wednesday, 11 a.m.
The ODU fight song blares over the loudspeakers as Rahne, Henderson and Harvey take the stage. Rahne isn't big on making opening statements, and unlike other coaches, his is less than a minute.
He mentions the 58 newcomers and says "we're excited about what those guys will bring to the team. We're going to have more depth than last season. It's going to help us play faster," he says.
"We play two ACC opponents. We open up against Virginia Tech, which is going to be great," he adds. "And then we welcome Wake Forest to Ballard Stadium, which is going to be awesome.
"We had an average attendance of more than 19,000 and are going to try to better that this year. Our team is having a great summer and I'm excited about what we're going to have."
Virginian-Pilot reporter David Hall asks over Zoom who will start at quarterback.
"First of all, I love it. I have to fly three hours to New Orleans to answer a question about our quarterbacks from David Hall," Rahne said.
"One of those guys is going to grab it and he's going to make the decision for us," he adds, speaking of Shields and Wilson.
"When you watch those guys, they're really been impressive. They live out one of our core values, which is competing. When you watch them, they cheer for each other.
"They are really good friends. They've worked together very well."
When asked about how summer workouts have gone, Henderson says: "I've been very proud of the team this summer. You know, just the brotherhood that we've been able to build.
"We have 58 new kids on the roster and obviously, that's a tough challenge to get everyone kind of wrapped up into our culture. But between the leadership on the team and the coaches, I think we've done a great job of putting them under our wings and welcoming them and making them feel at home."
Rahne ends the 25 minutes on stage by reminding everyone that ODU had three players picked in the NFL draft – Nick Saldiveri, Tre Hawkins III and Zack Kuntz. He doesn't mention Keion White, who played last season at Georgia Tech, but has an ODU degree, and essentially gives the Monarchs four draft picks.
"I'd like to say one last thing, that we're proud of our guys starting NFL camps," he said. "We had three guys drafted, including one in New Orleans (Saldiveri). We have a lot of other guys in the NFL and just wanted to wish them all luck.
"Obviously, I know the NFL is something a lot of our guys are shooting for, and I'm proud to say that each one of those guys has a degree from ODU."
Message delivered. If you aspire to play in the NFL, ODU can get you there.
Wednesday, 1 p.m.
Lunch is served and if you don't get seconds, you don't have taste buds. Gumbo, Cajun roast pork, Jambalaya, grits and chocolate bread pudding.
After lunch, the players and Rahne head off to a room where their photos are taken in dozens of different poses. The ODU contingent is then whisked to the Caesars Superdome, where the Sun Belt headquarters is located.
They are interviewed live in a studio in the dome on ESPN+ by Matt Stewart and Rocky Boiman.
Rahne acknowledges that last season, because he had to name a new offensive coordinator just before the season began, that he spent too much time with the offense by necessity.
"What's best for this team is for me to be the head coach," he says. "Last year, just based on some circumstances, I had to be a little more involved in the offense and coaching the quarterbacks and I didn't have as good of a relationship as I needed with the entire team.
"I felt like that affected us especially late in the year when things weren't going our way. With the stability we now have on offense, I think it's going to help us win more games."
When asked about Decker, Harvey says: "He's putting his athletes in the position to be successful. He's creating more opportunities for more explosive plays on offense. That's going to lead to more points."
Henderson says the team will pay "more attention to detail" this season. The Monarchs were 3-9 last season but were still competitive in the fourth quarter in four games they lost.
"There are a few games that could have gone either way," he adds. "When you go through the film, you'll see that there are little things, little details, that if they had gone our way, maybe our record would have flip flopped."
After returning to the Sheraton, there were more interviews, including a long session with Simone Eli, a Mobile, Alabama sportscaster hired by the Sun Belt. Clips of her interviews will appear throughout the fall on ESPN football broadcasts.
"I think the perception of the Sun Belt is that it is one of the best conferences in the country, and I'm not going to put any qualifiers on that with Group of Five or Power Five or anything," Rahne says.
"I just think we're one of the best conferences in the country. People don't want to play us whether it's in the regular season or bowl games and they know if they do play us, they'd better strap up."
Asked his favorite moment off the field, it's graduation. "Last year, we had 30 guys on our team get degrees," he says. "That's pretty special."
When asked who is the most inspiring person in his life, his eyes teared and his voice broke a little.
"The person who most inspires me is my wife," he says of Jen Rahne. "She has an engineering degree from an Ivy League Institution. She could do anything in the world but she takes care of my kids and our 116 other kids on the team that's pretty special.
"I'm not around that much and sometimes when I am around, I may be a little angry because of something that happened in practice or a game. And she's able to always kind of bring me back.
"Yes, she's very special. She's amazing."
Wednesday, 4:45 p.m.
We leave the hotel and head to the Signature Jets facility at the New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport. The trip takes about 30 minutes.
The players get some time to reflect on their experiences. "I've never been to New Orleans and it was a great experience," Henderson said. "The food here is supposed to be good and it was amazing.
"The Sun Belt does a great job. Any player would love to come to this event."
Harvey says meeting players from other teams was an unexpected bonus. Yes, they will be opponents this fall, but there is a camaraderie among them that transcends competition.
He says he got a kick out of meeting Marshall defensive lineman Owen Porter, who wore a cowboy hat and snakeskin boots.
"That's something you don't see every day," he said.
"It was an experience being interviewed so manytimes, being asked so many questions."
When he adds that he felt like he was asked a million questions, Henderson responds: "You mean five questions asked a million times."
Everyone laughs.
There's an unexpected hiccup. When we arrive, we realize we're at the wrong airport.
The Signature Jets facility at the main New Orleans airport is being renovated and no one is there. A security guard tells us we should be at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which means we must travel the same route we came to the other side of New Orleans.
Who knew New Orleans had two airports?
Rahne takes it all in stride – that's his nature, that when life deals you setbacks, you roll with the punches.
After we pile back in the car, Harvey says, "This time let's go 1-0," repeating a line Rahne often uses. Everyone laughs.
As the jet lifts off for Norfolk, Rahne opens his Kindle to read a book, but is asleep as Lake Pontchartrain fades into the distance. Henderson and Harvey are behind him, also sleeping.
While we were gone, a player committed to ODU and Rahne's staff was making the final plans for a camp they are hosting Saturday. Rahne will be back in the office early Thursday morning. Training camp starts on Wednesday, August 2. There's so much to do.
Thunderstorms delay our arrival until 10 p.m. "If we had flown commercially, we never would have made it home tonight," Rahne says.
True. It's been a good day for ODU football.
Rahne, Harvey and Henderson performed well on a big stage and left a good impression of ODU and Monarch football. And they had fun.
As Harvey said, they went 1-0.
Contact Minium at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram