Most of today’s column, inspired by the Maurice Smith transfer situation, is fairly inoffensive and even, by Barnhart’s standards at least, challenging, as far as Greg Sankey goes.
But then he has to go and end it with this:
Here’s one final point: It is not good for the SEC to have a narrative out there that two of its coaches – Nick Saban and Kirby Smart – are having some kind of turf war of mentor vs. pupil. I know the talk-radio fans find it highly entertaining. But it is bad for the SEC.
Mike Slive had to intercede in 2009 between Urban Meyer and Lane Kiffin when those two boys were getting a little too frisky in public. I would suggest that Sankey put in a call to Saban and Smart with the simplest of messages: “This ends now.”
What, pray tell, is “this”, exactly? Neither coach has called the other out in public by name, or questioned the other’s transfer practices. (To a large extent, that’s because with regard to non-graduate transfers, they’re both the same.)
The edgiest things have gotten between the two is that Smart has come out for allowing graduates to transfer freely, but even there, he’s avoided direct criticism of Saban about the Black transfer from Alabama or the Pappanastos transfer to Alabama, both of which are easy targets. If that’s as bad as it gets, then perhaps Mr. CV should offer a brief smack down of Bert for publicly backing Saban’s approach.
To compare what’s gone on in this case with the sniping we saw between Corch and Junior is, frankly, a bit insulting to both Saban and Smart, about whom the worst anyone can say is that when it comes to each other, they’re competitive. In my book, that’s a long way from outright contempt.
Then again, you can’t be conventional if you can’t wallow in a little “both sides do it” when you think it’s needed. I’m sure the parties involved will give Barnhart’s advice the attention it deserves.
The thing about Barnhart that cracks me up is that he says what he says with the apparent belief that someone gives a damn about what he thinks.
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But he’s so statesmanish. The wise old owl of Southern college football, the sage of the ages….There MUST be something we’ve missed.
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He wants to be known by a superlative name.
Barnhart is the penultimate journalist. How does that sound, Tony?
Tony noses CFB?
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There’s a name for Tony, but it might be already trademarked by the guy who is the very last pick in the NFL draft.
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Well played sir! I would agree. And it’s not for lack of trying that I can’t stand Tony. By all accounts, he’s super nice guy and he’s obviously a Georgia grad. But the next thing he writes something remotely thought provoking (or accurate, for that matter) will be the first in a long time.
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I have a feeling this whole ordeal was more a Frank Underwood n Remy Danton behind the curtain perfectly orchestrated act and it worked just how both of them intended.
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I don’t think Nick Saban has time for three-dimensional chess.
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Nuttin’ to it. Move on.
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It’s a crisis! It’s a crisis! And don’t forget to click our advertisers.
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Yep.
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Come on fellow CFB fans… The struggle to find something of interest to report on in the doldrums of August before the season starts is real ya’ll. Surely you can feel the pain of Mr. Conventional Wisdom just trying to justify his paycheck now that summer vacation is over?
When something doesn’t exist, it must be created, because…. it’s yer job.
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The part that is so Mr College Football is that if he had all the inside info, he would be able to write something of interest like which UGA QB is in the lead or wtf is the plan at Auburn.
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Do you really think UGA has made a decision and Auburn has a plan? There’s no info to get, I’m afraid… even for for Barnhart. His inside knowledge is whatever his brain comes up with based on what few facts exist. Wouldn’t surprise me to get a piece from him entitled ‘Jacob Eason will not be the starter at Georgia against UNC’, despite not having any inside knowledge whatsoever… but it’s pretty safe bet. But that’s what passes for Tony’s ‘super insider information’… safe statements he’s willing to make this far out.
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I’m a little disappointed you couldn’t work the word “conflate” (or some form of it) into your eminently reasonable post. All the fashionable pundits are using it now. I realize that you are “El hombre de los gentes,” but come on, man.
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or if you prefer, האיש של העם
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All in the media would love for this to have been and still be a pissing match between Saban and Smart, but it just ain’t. Sorry guys, you’ll just have to talk about football instead.
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Do not think either has time for this shyte.
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Where there’ smoke there’s fire…but there’s not even any smoke here..except what TB is trying to conjure up. If he can start a meme that there is a war of words and thus bad blood between the coaches, other lazy assed sports “journalists” (and I use the word lightly) will pick up on it as if they somehow have information that they are,”Oh, so concerned about.” This is what TB is after because it get’s his name out there…Maybe he’ll win a sport’s Pulitzer for creating something from nothing…Hell, Obama won the NPP for his intentions.
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(See, “Does Georgia have a QB controversy?….DJ vs DG..AJC) for a contrived comparison. That was bullshit and the media took off with it like it was the invasion of Normandy.
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Not the first time to see a teacher vs pupil fist fight anyway, LOL.
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