How every SEC fan base is feeling after Media Days
What do SEC Media Days and the College Football Playoffs have in common? No one from the Big Ten is there.
Yes, Media Days have concluded and that means football season is starting now. But before we get to training camps and preseason rankings, let’s take a look back at this past week in Hoover and check in on the state of every fan base after SEC Media Days:
Alabama
Much of the national conversation around Alabama this week was about if Nick Saban was a bad boss, but Bama used Media Days to pick up another stash of blue chip recruits and set the record for preseason All-SEC selections. There’s no doubt that this Alabama team is motivated to make every team on its schedule miserable this season, just like Nick Saban will do to his assistants.
Arkansas
Arkansas was picked to finish last in the division this year, which seems a little harsh considering the very solid recruiting class Chad Morris just hauled in. But that shouldn’t distract you from the fact that Arkansas just unveiled the cleanest uniforms in the league. It’s known as the “Kliff Kingsbury Theory.” If you’re going to lose, you might as well look better than everyone else while doing so.
Auburn
Just another Media Day full of national media folks criticizing Gus and saying this is the year he’ll finally crash and burn, which is ridiculous and completely unfair. Only Auburn fans are allowed to say that.
Florida
The Gators are officially competitive again, which is super unfortunate for any UGA fan with a twitter account. For Florida fans though, it’s so nice having a coach that’s not a national laughing stock. As long as Dan Mullen isn’t on the recruiting trail, or trying to convince one of his recently signed players not to transfer, or trying to make sure his freshmen aren’t suspended or sent to JUCO, he’s really one of the best coaches around.
Georgia
The Bulldogs got picked to win the East again and Kirby Smart stirred the pot a bit by talking about the benefits of potentially moving the Florida/Georgia game away from Jacksonville. But that’s all a distraction from Kirby’s real plan: moving next year’s inevitable Georgia/Alabama SEC title game to only 3 quarters.
Kentucky
The mainstream media seem to think last year was an anomaly, and picked UK to finish 6th in the East. But while the disrespect might be real, at least the entire nation got a glimpse of the glory that is Kash Daniel.
https://twitter.com/curtisburch/status/1151937202307444736
LSU
The bond between Ed Orgeron and LSU fans is growing stronger, which is a very dangerous thing for the rest of the SEC, which was sure Coach O would be the laughing stock of the league. But who’s laughing now? Oh, everyone still laughs at Coach O even when he’s winning? OK then.
Mississippi State
Who cares about football when we can talk about all the weight that Joe Moorhead lost? The upcoming MSU season definitely took a backseat for the rest of the SEC media who were far more interested in Moorhead’s weight loss regimen, which he attributed to intermittent fasting and an intermittent offense.
Missouri
Mizzou finished third in the East in the media preseason rankings. That might have surprised some opposing fan bases, but those who saw Kelly Bryant up close know he’s the real deal. In fact, Kelly Bryant has more in common with Tua than any other quarterback in the SEC, because they both got beat by Trevor Lawrence.
Ole Miss
The Rebs finally have a meaningful reason to play this season, and it’s not just to fight Mississippi State again. Ole Miss can make a bowl game this year, and all they have to do is finish with a winning record while playing in the toughest division in all of sports. Easy.
South Carolina
Death, taxes, and Jake Bentley returning as South Carolina’s starter. Bentley has been around longer than most coaches he’ll be up against next year, and will either have the chance to leave a great legacy in Columbia, or get everyone very familiar with the name Ryan Hilinski.
Tennessee
Jeremy Pruitt opened his 30-minute press conference with a 22-minute monologue about, well, everyone kind of lost track, but it was certainly a power move. And with the very real possibility that Neyland Stadium will be selling alcohol this season, it was smart for Pruitt to begin the season on the most sober note possible.
Texas A&M
Once again, Jimbo Fisher lapped the field in his press conference in terms of words per minute and even snagged a 4-star QB commitment in the midst of Media Days just to show off. He also pulled off the strangest move of the week by bringing his punter to speak with the media. It was either a very kind gesture to a deserving kid, or a signal to the media of how he’ll answer any questions about FSU.
Vanderbilt
Derek Mason represented Vandy well as always, and even managed to remind more than a few people of a certain multi-game winning streak against its most competitive in-state rival, Tennessee State. The 3-game streak over Tennessee is also somewhat notable.
UT got roasted if you look at Vandy’s section.
I’d say for LSU it should have been the confidence that the team has.
Its certainly embarrassing, but we’re looking in from the outside just as much as LSU or any team not named UGA or Bama.
“Just as much” is quite a stretch.
I’d say Bama is inside. UGA is on the porch. LSU, UF, A&M and perhaps Auburn are around the front steps. Everyone else is no closer than the yard, and some aren’t even in the right zip code.
Fair-it’s not equal, but the teams apart from those 2 will be fighting over 2nd place or worst and won’t be making a playoff game. Likely for this year and next.
I’d certainly welcome a bowl game, but for the 6 teams who have one the championship in the game’s history, I would presume that to be the goal in most cases.
I like this analogy. I’d say MSU, Mizzou, USC, and Kentucky are playing 2v2 basketball down the block with UT reffing but not allowed to play, Vandy is at the library downtown, and Ole Miss and Arkansas are lost in an alley near the railroad tracks.
Vandy has every right to roast, boast….whatever. Until we right the ship, which hopefully starts this season. Then watch out for another long skid as they are relegated back into the familiar cellar dweller status.
Barring some coaching or injury collapse, I expect this is the season UT starts to regularly beat Vandy and UK. The coaching effort at last year’s AU and UK games were very positive signs. Frankly UT had no business coming out of either with a win.
Funny how you take a shot at UGA for not beating Bama, but you applaud LSU and Coach O who have lost the last two to Bama 53-10.
It’s easy to take shots at UGA when their fans act like they’re 10 straight national champs. LSU fans are much more humble and understand their place in the hierarchy right now, so there’s no reason to take shots.
Awww, a Florida fan talking about not knowing their place on the hierarchy.. How cute for a bottom dweller…
Another low information georgia fan, you need to look up the definition of bottom dweller, Florida is not and has never been one. Another pearl for you, a 2 year win streak is not a dynasty. Soon you will be back to your place in the hierarchy, below the Mighty Gators.
@CO Jones
Hate to burst your bubble, but your own information is, in your own words, “low”. I’m not one to get into the trolling like a lot of the others, but I also realize that a lot of UF fans don’t think that football existed pre-Spurrier. Check the unedited UF record for 1979 and you’ll find a winless Gator team that finished tied for last in the SEC. So, yes, they HAVE been a bottom-dweller.
Even under Muschamp they had years when they finished second from the bottom in the SECe. So your statement that they have “never been one” is factually false.
I fully intend to use the term “Mighty Gators” with regularity from now on.
Yeah, the media is in love with Ed because he talks like Farmer Fran from Waterboy but they never say anything meaningful about him other than to comment on how great it is that he sounds like a mush mouth. Meanwhile, yes, he’s continuing Les’s tradition of losing to Bama, and has been blanked at home twice, losing the last 3 to Bama 63-10 (he was interim HC for the 2016 loss).
If you work at it real hard, you may be able to come off as even more petty and insecure. That seems to be your goal here.
I’m talking to smsatUGA above about the way the article treated Coach Ed. You seem to work hard at interjecting into conversations with nothing but letting us know how upset you are. Talk about the content or go away.
Most articles you read on here that refer to Ed boil everything down into some “aw shucks, he just sounds so cajun!” nonsense, and I’m pointing that out. You can comment on that or keep telling us how hurt you are to hear it.
The article stated that people still laugh at him. You seem to take great joy in it. The piece is intended to be comedy. Neither of you are bright enough to get that. Keep trying.
You’re too defensive. Calm down old man. The article said everyone is laughing while he’s winning so we pointed out the losing streak to Bama.
And again, the only thing this author could think to write about Ed was reminding us that everyone laughs at him (even though he’s apparently doing so much winning). And what is this mysterious bond between him and LSU fans? When will someone write something of relevance about him other than the fact that he’s a goofball and is just like the people from that area, like that matters.
LSU fans don’t tend to anoint themselves preseason Champs and the greatest to ever take the field every offseason…
It’s bait
HAHAHA! I love it! “As long as Dan Mullen has enough players to field a team, he’s a pretty good coach..”
Man you are pretty dumb, even for a Georgia fan so let me help you again. When you put something in quotation marks it has to be a direct quote from the source. What you wrote is your ignorant interpretation of what the author wrote, therefore do not use quotation marks.
Now of course you enjoyed that, the author is from ATL and he may just be a puppy fan. What he wrote about Mullen is the same old tired and untrue narrative spun all summer long by ignorant bufoons. So enjoy the false narrative that you and the puppies wish were true if it makes you feel better about yourselves.
“But that’s all a distraction from Kirby’s real plan: moving next year’s inevitable Georgia/Alabama SEC title game to only 3 quarters.”
funny, but true
Sure it’s inevitable, might as well not play the games.
the funny but true comment was towards the three-quarters part. of course, the games should be played and nothing is inevitable. have a good one
It’s a comedic piece and every team took at least a little shot other than Vandy. Some here don’t seem to realize that.
I’ll agree in part. It’s really just an attempt at a comedic piece. As far as the attempt at comedy with “Jimbo… strangest move… punter… FSU”, just comes across as awkward when you understand Mann is a Ray Guy award winner, unanimous All-American, set all kind of records and may be the best we’ve seen since Ray Guy. But hey, he’s a punter, so haha… Jimbo… FSU questions… punt… haha. Lame.
Kickers are more valuable than punters and you don’t always see the Lou Groza winner at media days. Combined with the legit questions Jimbo’s past has raised, it’s fair. I understand it’s awkward for aggies, but not holding people accountable is part of the reason Urban (to a greater extent) mucked up so much for so long. Maybe we can make sure Jimbo’s worst is behind him.
Pretty funny. Neyland has been in dire need of alcohol sales for a while now. Trevor Lawrence reference was pretty funny, so was the intermittent offense at MS State. Uga at three quarters is so true.
Houston, you’re my kind of funny. Unlike the one other UGA fan, I can take a joke. Until we finish Bama, we deserve it. Just like Sideshow Dan and the Floriduh fans deserve their harsh truth, too.
“harsh truth” if you say so nostradumba$$
Aww… did ANOTHER player leave Sideshow Dan’s Circus, Gatorboy?
Gus will either win a national title this year or lose every conference game on the schedule. The fact that either of those two events are real possibilities explains the mental state of Auburn fans. 2 beers in a bucket…
Try being a UT fan. Jets fans are going to start sending us get well soon cards if we have one more coaching failure.
I guess SDS didn’t like the comments on the Nike shoe article. Maybe there is a message there for those universities still contracting with Nike?
It’s a business decision. They’ve decided to focus on the woke and African American communities. I suspect these communities do have a higher per capita revenue for Nike. If you don’t like Kaep or respect police and military, don’t give them money.
My point is the comments under that article seem to have vanished. And I do not have any Nike products in my house and will not.
Why do so many people think those groups have to be mutually exclusive? I haven’t seen Nike disrespecting anyone, but maybe I’m not that sensitive.
Which groups am I stating are mutually exclusive? Expand upon that comment with specifics if you’d like a response to it. Kaep is and has been divisive (anthem and pig/cop socks issues) and Nike is supportive of that side; hence, they’ve certainly offended some who reject Kaep’s assertions. I’m not suggesting they ride the fence on the issue, but you can’t pick a side in a controversy without alienating some.
It was less a direct reply to you and more dialogue in the discussion. You didn’t explicitly state it, nor necessarily imply it, but it is generally presented that way in public discourse, with people dividing into groups and siding with one or the other. I was referring to that general assumption.
Why is Nike supporting someone who draws attention to racial issues considered to be equivalent to an attack on military/police? That wouldn’t make sense unless the two groups were mutually exclusive, and they aren’t. I’ve met black cops and black current/former military members, and I’m pretty sure there are plenty more. A lot of white people I know who freaked out about that situation and drew battle lines never seemed to consider the assumptions that are logically implied by that action. So I’m still looking for answers.
You’re ignoring the fact that he wore socks with pigs in police hats. Pig is a deragatory term for the police. Nike is supporting his argument in the stand for something campaign without providing nuance to whether they support the part of his campaign which disrespects police. Thus, the issue clearly isn’t mutually exclusive groups when one party is clearly not critiquing some police incidents but is engaged in a general hatred of police.
I’m not going to defend dehumanizing people, but that pretty clearly isn’t what his campaign is about. If you need a perfect messenger, you’ll never get any messages. If you accept messages from other imperfect messengers but not him, you’re probably being inconsistent/hypocritical at best. I agree that alienating some people is inevitable, but I think it is less a logical necessity than a reality of flawed human nature.
The campaign concerns police being a systemic violence problem amongst African Americans in particular. As the message is alleging it’s systemic and not to individual officers, and that his socks were also a general “dehumanizing”, it’s not a stretch to say it’s a mere faux pas, but another systemic critique.
As to your stmt re:
supporting imperfect messengers, I don’t get the logic. I think you critique singular events, which is what most are doing. By your logic, must you accept Hitler for his impact on highways and Volkswagen in order to avoid being hypocritical for condemning Mein Kampf? I think the issue is the message and particularly the medium, which can be critiqued in exclusion from the individual.
Not sure what the first paragraph is trying to say, but it’s a problem that is more widespread than just a few individuals/instances.
No clue what the second paragraph is trying to say, though it seems like it abandons logic to falsely imply I support Hitler? The message can definitely be critiqued independently, but that isn’t what you’re doing when you complain about Kapernick, who is the messenger.
I’m arguing in the first paragraph that part of his campaign is dehumanizing police officers by virtue of the notion that it’s systemic (which critiques all parties of said system). His argument isn’t that it’s a few bad actors, but that’s it’s a system wide issue that doesn’t differentiate the good vs bad. Hence, his pig socks can be construed within the same context-a systemic critique; thus it’s not a stretch to say his campaign is dehumanizing those who participate within said system as his on field antics (where he wore the socks) is part of his overall medium and message.
It’s clearly not alleging anyone is supporting Hitler (not sure how you don’t recognize the “you” is synonymous with “one” here. It’s responding to the logic of your stmt that it’s hypocritical if you accept messages from imperfect messengers but not him. All messengers are imperfect. Am I required to support Hitler, by your logic? This is my exapmle about rejecting Hitler’s main message but agreeing with highways as a concept? Good or bad, a person’s message can have such notoriety that said messenger becomes synonymous to the message.
Kaep is newsworthy because of his argument and medium, which is what I reject. I don’t think it’s appropriate to condemn all cops as pigs, which he did with his ill-thought publicity stunt. I can reject him for this message as that’s why he’s newsworthy. If you can only reject messages and not people who have become synonymous with their message, then would you not have to support the worst of society as people while rejecting the messages they’re solely known for? Your argument doesn’t show nuance, which is why I reject it.
Pointing out that racially unequal adverse police encounters are widespread does not dehumanize police. The system and the individuals are not mutually exclusive, but they are not synonymous either. If more cops are assigned to a location and encouraged to police more heavily and aggressively because of orders from superiors who are beholden to politicians who are elected by people, pointing out flaws in the system is not calling the beat cop subhuman.
I don’t know why you’re construing his socks as part of his message (that was a bad, dumb thing, but clearly part of the messenger not the message).
It’s pretty clear that ‘my’ logic is to evaluate the message and messenger independently. So if you think that means you should support hitler, then you either disagree with my logic or you support his ideas. Honestly, both of those scare me; if that’s you, seek help.
BTW, no one says “highway system” when you ask what hitler’s message was.
Likewise Kap is known for the message conveyed by kneeling during the national anthem, not socks he wore once.
There are times where the messenger and message become so intertwined that they are essentially inseparable (societally; I still maintain we can and should seek to do so individually), but you seem to think that this has happened with hitler & highways, Kap & socks when the reality is closer to this occurring with hitler & hate, Kap & protesting racial inequality, specifically in policing.
Btw, presence/absence of nuance is a horrible criteria for accepting/rejecting arguments. There are good and bad ones both with and without it.
I get the police, which is what started the whole thing with Kaep.Not sure what you’re talking about with the military.. Whatever fits ur agenda tho..
The anthems ceremonies are events where vets are honored at almost every NFL game. He didn’t differentiate that his protest didn’t include them, not once.
That flag has covered too many military coffins, been through too much for it to be disrespected by some malcontent millionaire screaming about oppression. Every single veteran put his or her life on the line to ensure that flag still flies high. When it is disrespected, we are too no matter how loud he screams about his actions.
@UGARMYRet – He specifically changed his protest out of respect for military members after consulting with some of them. Besides, one of the many rights that so many have fought and died for is his right to say things we don’t agree with.
There are also plenty of military people who fought and died for a country and people who oppressed them, and many military members fought/died for the ideals of the country. So I’d argue that we do owe them respect, but that working towards ending oppression would be far more respectful than standing for the anthem (though that’d be nice too). I get that it’s personal for a lot of people, but so is the oppression that people have dealt with and still deal with. As long as people aren’t interested in what others are saying and feeling, people will remain offended, bitter, and divided.
USArmy. Amen to that brother. I hung a BR flag outside my house and bought two BR tShirts as well.
Tony, I have had the Betsy Ross flag flying at the end of my driveway for several years and it is there at this moment. I have no intention of taking it down since every American flag since 1776 is by law an official US flag. WOT, as for Kaepernick respecting the military, you can talk yourself blue in the face about how he tried to change that perception but he did not with any veteran I know and cannot now, not with this latest salvo against our flag and his hatred for America.
How can you expect him to talk to every veteran? What about the dead? Even if he did, they don’t all agree. Just because he didn’t talk to you doesn’t make him wrong or you right.
Not sure where old flags belong anywhere outside of museums…what’s the point?
Is the message that some people don’t want to allow other people to make their own decisions?
Isn’t that what Nike did when they pulled the Betsy Ross flag shoe? Because Kap said it represented slavery? He and Nike made that decision for anyone that would have bought that shoe.
I posted this earlier with a link and it’s awaiting moderation. Here’s what I wanted to say:
I have some Mizzou shirts that have the Nike emblem on them. I bought some Betsy Ross flag sew-ons on amazon to cover up the Nike stain.
Nice one.
Not even close, unless you think you should get to force companies to make and sell you whatever you want. It was their material, labor, cost, etc. and their product. Their decision. If you want to be able to tell them what to make and what to do with it, own the socialist label.
That’s comical. Nike made the shoe, put it on the market, and then pulled it because of liberal nonsense. The same dumb stuff you are spouting here. You simply don’t know what you are talking about and sound very ignorant. Typical of so many liberals.
Except they didn’t put it on the market. And even if they did, they can take it off the market because it’s theirs, not yours. Missed the mark on calling me a liberal, but since you think we all own everyone else’s stuff, maybe you’re projecting?
Gee whiz. You are as liberal as they come. You have no credibility left.
When you can’t argue my ideas, you try to attack me. Classic. And then following that up with an ironic comment about credibility…you’ve outdone yourself, congrats.
Oh stop. You are just full of nonsense. You haven’t made a single valid point. Every one has been completely rebuffed, so you started talking about taxes. The whole article is about how people spend their money, nothing to do with the government’s portion. You should have dropped this long ago. Nothing you say now can regain any credibility you may have had here.
Well my ‘nonsense’ would still be less of a waste of time than your juvenile ad hominems. You have in no way rebuffed my point nor have you adequately defended your own. I think that we shouldn’t get to force companies to make and sell products they don’t want to; you disagree, and think you should get to tell Nike what to do. Pretty sure you’re talking about the wrong article, but I’m not surprised; denial and abandoning consistent reason often lead to confusion.
Well done Tony. Wot, why is Kaepernick deciding that I cannot buy the Betsy Ross shoe? Is that the same thing you are talking about or is that just a one way street benefiting Kaepernick and his hatred of our flag and country?
Which is ironic, considering Wot argues it’s hypocritical not to recognize the imperfection of messengers.
Nike decided, not him. Why do you think you have a right to tell them what to do with their stuff?
But you want to be able to tell others what to do with their money. That’s funny stuff.
@LSU – I want US to tell people what they do with some of their stuff (taxes) because that’s the only way we’ve figured out to survive as society. You’re the one who wants to tell others (Nike) what to do with their stuff. Should we laugh or sob?
You should just stop with the nonsense. Taxes have been around since the country was formed. You aren’t exactly covering new ground here.
Um, taxes have existed for much longer than that. Which is part of my point and wasn’t supposed to be new ground (despite some people struggling with it).
You still haven’t made a single point. Taxes still have no place in this discussion. It’s just all you are left with. What a ridiculous reach.
You brought up my point about taxes. Stop complaining about me addressing a point you brought up.
You still haven’t explained why you have a right to tell Nike what to do, but I’ve given up hope of receiving even an attempt at a discussion, much less a reasonable one.
Funniest trigger piece I’ve seen so far this year. The phrase “It’s funny because it’s true” kept coming to mind time after time.
@Rxdawgs
Dweller – a person that lives in a specific place.
One example from 1979 and another decades later does not qualify for being a dweller. I stand behind what I said.
I don’t have the time or desire to look up UGA or any other team’s record to find an outlier where a consistent winner happened to finish last one season in the past. That does not make you a cellar dweller. DaJerk is one example of many Georgia trolls who routinely post over the top and false statements
UK slips…dude no one outside of a few sec fan bases knew who Josh Allen Or Benny Snell were. Much less the rest of our draft picks. And I know for a fact they have several offensive weapons that no one knows about as well as the number 4 sec defensive line according to SDS. Plus the return of Kash and Chris oats up the middle And josh paschal coming back from cancer and Landon young coming off a torn ACL. Very little talk about the blue chip players we didn’t have playing last year but do this year…seems to me post articles are taking the easy route and saying we will slip. Bad Bad reporting
Houston Barber, this is one of the best pieces I’ve read here.
“In fact, Kelly Bryant has more in common with Tua than any other quarterback in the SEC, because they both got beat by Trevor Lawrence.”
I literally laughed out loud! Thank you.