Less than a week to go, folks.
- Pat Forde’s got a good column up about the evolution of college offenses. Read Rich Brooks’ comment at the end of the piece about what a good fit Tebow is for Meyer’s scheme and wonder again what Florida does with Jeff Brantley’s different skill set next year.
- Then you should read this companion article in The Quad about how college defenses are struggling to keep up with the changes on offense, if for no other reason than to see Gary Patterson’s chili metaphor.
- There’s nothing like a condescending, clichéd piece on Southerners to get you ready for the season opener.
- At least our schools are kicking ass in the revenue department, though. Plus, “Other conferences can downplay it all they want, but the SEC is everywhere now…” SEC! SEC! SEC!, indeed.
- The folks in the Mountain West continue to kid themselves: “The critical aspect as far as getting to one of the BCS games is doing very well in your conference…” See how that works for BYU if the Cougars get whipped by Oklahoma. Sooner or later, the MWC schools have to start winning some of those big OOC regular season match ups if the conference wants to be taken seriously year in and year out.
- Two phone calls were all it took to put Georgia and Oklahoma State together.
- When you come out of preseason practice and your biggest gripe is that your punt team isn’t living up to expectations, you’re in pretty good shape.
- No pressure, Pokes: “This is as big as it gets for a season opener for the Cowboys.”
- And why should there be pressure, when the answers to all of OSU’s questions are breaking the Cowboys’ way?
Get The Picture 
I hate to break it to Barry Tramel (even his name makes him sound like a douchebag) but maybe the reason you hear SEC! SEC! SEC! in football and ACC! ACC! ACC! in basketball, is because members of those conferences actually have something to be proud of.
You’re right Barry…you don’t hear it from fans of the Big 12, Pac-10, and Big 10. Why would USC fans cheer other teams in the Pac 10 or perhaps a better question would be, when have they had the opportunity to do so? Similarly, you won’t hear it for the Big 12 or Big 10 because Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 and Ohio State in the Big 10 consider themselves the only big time programs in the conference. And recently, they’ve been right…although they still manage to lose to the SEC.
Mr. Tramel and the OU professor he quotes say that Southerners are still defensive because of the Civil War. I say we’re defensive because idiots like Barry continually reference the South with Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, and HeeHaw references.
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Brantley will probably be more in the mold of Leak and what they did with him in 06.
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You mean Tebow didn’t win that National Championship? For shame!
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Who crafted this sociological masterpiece for Barry? Surely he had some help doing the research; I mean, you don’t just pull deeply insightful metaphors invoking Granny Clampett or the Civil War out of thin air when writing about the South, do you? What a unique, penetrating deconstruction of the mentality of UGA fans, as well as fans of other SEC schools.
It would not be too strong to say that reading this staggering work of heartbreaking genius reminds me of the first time I heard the Beatles, or tasted chocolate. Frankly, I can’t recall the last time I was exposed to such a clever, thought-provoking presentation, one that made me laugh, made me weep, made me reconsider my own deeply held hopes and fears. Oh wait…yes, I can. It was the last time I saw Michael Scott present a seminar on sexual harassment on The Office.
Nice work, Barry. I’m sure ESPN or SI will be calling to take you national any second now. “SEC fans still fighting civil war”…….Genius!!!!!!
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You do, however, hear it on the Internets. (coughheismanpunditcough)
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I don’t suffer fools well at all; and, Berry Tramel has zoomed to the top of my list.
I suggest Mr. Tramel might choose a nice, orange blazer with matching flack jacket.
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John Brantley. 🙂
There’s no doubt there will be a drop off when Tebow leaves. But, Brantley is a very well thought of quarterback.
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No pressure, Pokes: “This is as big as it gets for a season opener for the Cowboys.”
What Gundy may be thinking about, or not…
Barry Switzer to some portly gentleman, “I’m going to tell you something…”.
Here’s the finally complete brand spanking new Boone Pickens Stadium where Boone will be watching from his Owner’s luxury box to make sure that Gundy beats Georgia. If not, Boone will get from the lead receptionist tending him in the Owner’s box Boone’s shortlist for new coaches. The rumored top two are Urban, and if Boone can’t outbid Jeremy, Lane and Lane’s Family.
http://www.okstate.com/facilities/boone-pickens-stadium.html
As the choke chain tightens this week, here’s hoping Gundy can handle the steadily increasing pre-game pressure of two turntables and microphone…
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“This is no knock on the South. We all have our peculiarities.”
Dear Barry,
Thanks for the love.
Peculiarities like this are why we like the SEC.
This is no knock on you, but some crackers think maybe you ought to get around more like we do.
By the way, Granny Clampett was run out of the SEC years ago when he lost the battle trying to referee against Clemson. He was a carpetbagger anyway and is now in exile with Mark May in Bridgeport where Granny referees matches in professional wrestling.
Warmest Personal Regards from all of Your Peculiar Admirers in the South
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I liked this quote: “Georgia didn’t invent college football, it just seems like it.”
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I can stereotype too.
Barry Tramel is a typical old North journalist, still clinging to memories of being big brother to the dependent South in an effort to marginalize his own feelings of insignificant self-worth and deeply ingrained inferiority complex in a new world in which the South is a leader in industry, technology and football talent.
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“Florida hates Georgia, Georgia hates Auburn, Auburn hates Alabama, Alabama hates Tennessee and everybody hates LSU.”
really?
I bet if he actually knew anything about the SEC that sentence would look a lot different.
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