THE LAST DAYS OF JIM DELANY

[in a dim, dusty office, lit only by the dying rays of sunset, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany speaks on the phone with an unseen entity. It’s quiet; the office has emptied out for the day, his staff all gone home to their families. Delany’s time as one of the most powerful entities in college sports draws short, having just announced that he will retire in 2020. He’s left an indelible mark on the sport. For now, he looks weary but determined. He’s chasing one final brick in his immense legacy]

DELANY: I’ve done so much to shape the Big Ten over the years. When I came in, this was a 10-team conference with a limited reach, spanning only from Columbus to Iowa. Decades later, the sun barely…