The biggest reason for having a conference?

Sharing the wealth.

Nearly four months after the conclusion of the 2014 football season, South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner received a letter from the SEC accompanied by a check for $729,343.70.

It was the Gamecocks’ share of bowl revenue from the conference, which had compiled slices of each member team’s bowl takes and distributed them throughout the league. It allowed USC to make a small profit off its Independence Bowl appearance, which had initially cost the school over $1 million in expenses. The same process will likely keep the Gamecocks in the black as they head to Thursday’s Birmingham Bowl against South Florida.

Although exact figures for the Birmingham Bowl are not yet known, within the SEC bowl structure the game is on the same tier as the Independence Bowl, in which the Gamecocks defeated Miami to close the 2014 campaign. A review of USC’s expenses for that trip shows the significant amount it takes to send a team and support personnel to even a mid-level bowl, and how conference revenue sharing ensures against losing money on the trip.

It’s just something else to keep in the back of your mind as college football continues the process of rearranging the postseason in the era of playoff expansion.

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Double secret probation

McGarity spells out in a letter to Shane Beamer why the school is keeping most of Beamer’s sweet bowl loot:

“While you claim that you did not utilize or further disclose the information, you knew or should have known that Mr. [Tommy] Elrod was not authorized to disclose the information to you, that it could provide a competitive advantage to Virginia Tech, and that your communications with Mr. Elrod were inappropriate and unethical,” McGarity wrote in the letter. “When questioned about these events by University of Georgia officials, you made representations about material facts that are inaccurate, although it is not clear that your misstatements were deliberate.”

Beamer’s contract requires him to conduct himself “at all times in a sportsmanlike manner,” and “in a manner to uphold the highest standards of conduct and decorum expected for the administration, faculty and staff of the University and its Athletic Programs, including on campus and in the community.” In that, McGarity expected Beamer be totally truthful “in any dealing with the University of Georgia and Athletic Association officials,” and any additional behavior of this type could result in “significant disciplinary action, up to and including termination.”

If the fine is strictly over not relaying all the facts about what occurred with Elrod when asked by Georgia staff, that’s one thing, I guess, although $25K seems a little stiff for something non-deliberate in nature.  But if any of the hit is over what Beamer did before he was on staff in Athens, that’s more than a little bizarre.

In that light, I wonder where negative recruiting falls on the McGarity Scale of conducting oneself “at all times in a sportsmanlike manner”.

Christmas in Memphis

Maybe I should have cued up some Elvis in honor of the team arriving in his town today for the start of bowl week.

It’s a Poguey Christmas.

College football may not care about traditions as much anymore, but at GTP, we’re all about keeping the faith, baby.

It’s Christmas and it’s an even-numbered year, so here’s Shane.

Enjoy your day.