As Mark Schlabach puts it, “After only three weeks, there’s a creeping feeling that the SEC is once again following a familiar script: It’s Alabama and then everyone else.”
It’s hard to argue with that. My only thought is that instead of continuing to blame all the mediocre coaches, why doesn’t somebody start blaming all the mediocre athletic directors who hired the mediocre coaches?
Get The Picture 
How about all the mediocre fans/boosters who insist that the AD fire the guy they’ve already got?
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If I’m hearing you correctly I’m with you here. The impatience of fans is worse now than it’s ever been and will only get worse.
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the main difference is that the fans are not being paid to make those decisions….in some cases they may actually be paying for the opportunity to make those decisions.
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That’s exactly what I’m saying. As much as we complain and act like we’re powerless before the idiots in high places, “the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”
There is a direct correlation b/w the “win yesterday” attitude and the clusterfuck that has become the SEC. Yes, Alabama has made it hard on everyone to get to the top, but everyone has been destroying themselves trying to compete and the result has been only to make the gap wider.
You want to know why the Big Ten is a better conference right now? Listen to Finebaum callers. People who know nothing about football spouting nonsense in anger.
This may be the third year in a row where there may not be a second top 10 team in the SEC at the end of the year. How many does the Big Ten have right now? Its disgusting and we (collectively) asked for it.
That said, our own idiot fans and boosters may have gotten very lucky. We’ll see more clearly Saturday night whether the gamble is paying off. I feel like we may have dodged a huge “mediocre for 20 years” bullet canning the last guy like we did.
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Our last coach was here for 15 years. Not 3. Your point might hold relevant for some schools who fired their coaches within 2 years of winning a championship (Auburn) or running them out with unreasonable expectations (Florida) but it’s intellectually dishonest to lump Georgia in with them when the last coach was given nearly two decades and hadn’t won an SEC title in over a decade at the time of his canning.
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Firing a coach after two straight ten win seasons (not matter how ugly) is a risky proposition. I stand by that. The chances were that we’d do worse post-CMR. We may have beaten the odds though and for that I’m grateful.
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We dodged a bullet by firing CMR. We could have just kept him on and kept repeating the endless cycle of losing all the games that matter until he was so deeply entrenched and worshipped that we ended up like Penn State where the man became more important than the program.
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Comparing Mark Richt to Jerry Sandusky’s enabler is about as low of a blow you could take.
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I think his point has more to do with the fan base placing the head coach above the well being of the program, not the men themselves.
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Even if Penn State had been winning championships at a clip of Nick Saban, Paterno still should have been out at PSU after the Sandusky rumors were proven true. People there still want his statue back on display. I don’t think our fan base ever put the man before the program. Did some (including myself) say that his personal character should be a source of input on his continued leadership of the program? You bet … and I still say that. I’ll say that about Kirby as well. I don’t think anyone ever said Richt should be “coach for life” because of his personal character or the man himself.
I still think the comment of comparing the two situations was in poor taste.
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The good and the bad is that if CKS wins, you’ll be proven right. Math remains math though and most programs who pull that shit end up the victims of it.
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Also it should be noted that there are four B1G teams in the top ten now purely because the media wants them there. Ohio State certainly doesn’t deserve to be there after being pantsed at home by the only real competition they’ve faced, and Penn State is getting a sympathy vote. And SEC schools or their fans had nothing to do with the hiring of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, nor did they affect the resurgence of the wolverines. If anything the SEC being dominant pressured those traditional power houses into doing more to get back, which is why the playing field is leveling out once more.
To expect that the SEC would remain a lopsided dominant conference is naive.
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If there were four SEC teams in the top 10 why the fuck would that be? Glue sniffing?
The SEC should be dominant because that’s where the players are. No reason that the SEC should be anything but the class of the nation as it was through the 1980’s, 90’s and 00’s and part of the 10’s. Its really been since 2012 that its gone to crap. 30 years on top isn’t a trend. Its a new reality that’s since been squandered.
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^^^^^Derek knows what’s up. Agreed entirely.
Derek, have you ever read Dan Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational”? There’s a chapter in there on market norms vs. social norms. Whenever I think of the state of college football, I think of that chapter. Seriously.
The long/short of it: College football used to be built on social norms. Now that the powers-that-be have monetized the hell out of it, market norms have taken over. To fans, the sport more feels like something you invest in (and consequently expect an ROI) than something you “support.” It’s the difference in asking a neighbor to help you move a new sofa into your house (“thanks for the help, bud”) and paying him to do it (“you know… you should have been more careful about scraping the sofa legs against the newly painted walls in the den…”).
But that brings us to the threshold of other mysteries.
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One of the most annoying things I read around here is what people think they “deserve” from the football program. Individually we don’t deserve a damn thing, period. They could win the next 50 or lose the next 50, I’m in. All in. Ride or die. I know I don’t deserve anything. Every win is an undeserved gift that I try and appreciate. Some more than others I must admit.
This idea that people have that its all about them is how we end up with someone famous for being famous as president. Maybe we’ll get Kanye and Kim next. Fucking Idiocracy was prescient.
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#Finebaum
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Perfect example. He’s making millions talking about a subject over which he has no clue. Paul does not know football. What he knows is people and he knows how to engage and agitate them to fill his pockets.
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The season is young.
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The season is young, but more than anything I think it is a lazy comment that I am disappointed to see Mark make. Yes, Alabama is the cream of the crop, but on the first weekend when many played out of conference games the SEC did very well. Georgia beat ND. Mississippi State has been crushing it. What it comes down to is that Ole Miss, UT and Florida, previously considered decent competition, really aren’t anymore. And even UT beat Tech.
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I’m probably in the vast majority on this, but IMO Alabama has slipped a bit this year, and I don’t see them as dominating as they’ve been in years past. Sure, their D looked great against FSU, but in the last two weeks against the other FSU and CSU, they’ve been sluggish at times and not the same Bama team that totally dominates such lower caliber opponents.
Bama has suffered season ending injuries to three of their D starters, and though I’m well aware of the depth of talent Bama has, CSU moved the ball fairly well on Bama and ended up scoring around 24 points if I recall. Now, don’t get me wrong, if we were playing Bama next week we’d rightfully be a solid underdog, but I’d feel far better about our chances than I would against some of the previous Bama teams, without question.
With all that said, MSU is a concern for me this week. We have a talent edge no question, but beating LSU by 30 is an impressive feat regardless of coach (well, perhaps Curley Hallman being an exception).
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vast minority, not majority.
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Bama is looking more beatable now that it has in a few years likely since LSU last won the SEC. Miss St. is looking very good. I thought LSU hired the wrong coach last year and we will see over the next few if they did make a mistake.
I disagree with so many coaches being mediocre, the SEC has done well in the OOC games. Saban will go down as one of the best coaches in history and everyone is believing programs are mediocre when the domination Bama has produced makes the competition look mediocre.
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I don’t think you’re in the minority. Or if you are I’m right there with you.
I think they’re right on par with Clemson (again), though. The question how far have each of them slipped this year. And has anyone else caught up enough. Are Oklahoma or PSU going to beat either one of them? They certainly could on any given Saturday, but I’d be hard pressed to bet on either one over Bama or Clemson right now.
MSU is a huge concern. I wonder if they might actually prove to be the greatest test we have all regular season once it’s all said and done….
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I don’t know if MSU was that good or LSU was that bad (or some combination in between), but I’m leaning towards LSU being that bad. And, there are some games that simply get away from you and basically go to hell. We’ve experienced many of those types of games over the years, where a few things go against you and snowball out of control. IMO it was one of those types of games for LSU last Saturday, and if they played again this week at LSU, I’d bet considerable money that LSU would win.
I am worried about their offense but really, really like our D and our chances overall.
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Or Gerry DiNardo
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Gerry turned the program around from the dumpster fire Hallman years and had a few solid years there as well, so I’ll give him credit there. But yea they really fell off in the late 90’s.
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I thought the fightin Bobos looked pretty good on Saturday. That coach has a way of making good defenses look a little slow, indecisive, and out of position. But the result was inevitable because talent…and a couple good coaches on the other side, too.
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Believe they had 5 linebackers out for that game.
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Who are all these GREAT corches theses ADs should have hired instead of x,y, and z?
Who is this year’s Flavor of the Year?
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Imagine if after Dooley UT had just reached over and got Franklin.
I have to think that UT would be better..maybe playoff good..or right there.
The SEC is lacking the second playoff contender to talk about week to week.
The other power 5 conferences have their teams, but in the SEC it seems like you got Bama winning and the other 13 teams finding new ways to play sloppy football.
Winner of MSU/UGA gets to hold that title, but that grasp would seem tenuous.
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If MSU or UGA looks really good in a win this week, they’ll get some attention.
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He has done an amazing job at PSU, glad they didn’t.
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PSU has returned to where they should be in a mediocre Big10. I honestly don’t believe he has done a better job than Butch has a UT or that Franklin would have done better at UT.
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Crazy talk (mediocre), you realize that the Big 10 is the only conference that has a winning record against the SEC…. right? Anybody that can win 9 games 2 years in a row at Vandy is a damn good coach imo. He inherited a mess at PSU, appears to have them going in the right direction. Would not be surprised if they win the Big 10 championship again this year, making it 2 years in a row…& making it as one of the 4 teams in the playoffs. Sargent Carter and Franklin do not compare…..don’t like the guy, but gotta give credit where it is due.
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You think Butch would have won 9 games in two consecutive seasons at Vandy?
Franklin is an ass, but no one questions whether he can coach..
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Bama has done the same to the entire College Football field not just the SEC.
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+1
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Franklin hates UT, for what it’s worth.
Also, there was that whole “interfered in a rape investigation” thing. Dude’s shady as hell. Penn State was the perfect landing spot, culture-wise.
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And 5-7 years ago that list would have been: Muschamp, Smart, McElwain, Herman, Chip Kelly, Butch Davis, Brian Kelly and Lane Kiffin.
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I’d still add Hermann to that list as well.
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The SEC has improved a good bit from top to bottom. The Mississippi’s, USC, Vandy, and Kentucky have all improved over the past 10 years. These teams make it much more difficult for the traditional powers to dominate. Alabama is just on a whole different level from anyone in college football.
The ACC has become Clemson and a bunch of other teams. Big 10 is Ohio State and Michigan and a bunch of other teams. Pac 12 is typically Oregon and USC and a bunch of other teams. Its another dumb talking point from worthless pundits.
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This is true. College football has become a sport where every P5 conference has one, maybe two, dominant teams and the rest are mediocre at best and fighting for the scraps.
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Big 10 is a little different… as a matter of fact, thinks they are
As good if not better than SEC.
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They were 3-7 in Bowls last year. tOSU was just dominated by Oklahoma, Michigan’s signature wins was over Florida’s JV squad thanks to 10 suspensions and 4? out for injuries. and UF was leading at the half.
No the Big10 is over hyped as normal.
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Last year is not this year, winning record against the SEC overall. The only conference that the SEC has a losing record against. Take off those blinders.
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You have yet to stie anything other than take off the binders, to which the only reply is watch less ESPN my blinders are off.
If any conference had earned a right to claim to be better than the SEC it is the ACC.
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Read the 2nd sentence…..THEN – read above for your other response. Next step, process it. GEEZ!
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I did you twist and manipulate yet never submit a firm argument.
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LOL!! ….reading and comprehension, or something more serious?? Hard to argue if you have either. Maybe somebody else can break it down for you.
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Still waiting for you to break anything down. I posted games and records. Still waiting…..
You are amusing to run around in your ramblings.
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Shit man, apparently you think the SEC is better than the Big 10…and in your words, “over hyped” (s/b – 1 word). You also apparently think that Butch Jones is a better coach than James Franklin.
I said that I think that the Big 10 is as good and if not better than the SEC. I
explained why I feel that way & gave facts. Try to look above again, read and try to process it. If you can’t do it, don’t think that we I can help. Good luck!
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I think Butch and James Franklin is a coin toss. I have witness nothing from Franklin which makes me think he would do a better job and vice versa.
Again from my post post above:
I honestly don’t believe he has done a better job than Butch has a UT or that Franklin would have done better at UT.
Nice to put words in my mouth with:
You also apparently think that Butch Jones is a better coach than James Franklin.
I would have to say: LOL!! ….reading and comprehension
Nice name change about as consistent as your argument…..
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Missouri lost to Purdue at home 35-0. It’s not the bottom that has been raised it’s that no. 4 is so close to no. 14. It used to be that you had a top 4 that could beat anybody, a middle that could beat the top half of the teams in most conferences and then UK and Vandy.
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There is always going to be at least one terrible team in every conference every year. This year it is Missouri as the #14 team. They are no where close to the #4 team (pick UGA, MS ST, FLA, or whoever) so I don’t follow your logic. The middle to the bottom half of the SEC is very strong this year. SC, KY, Vandy, Miss, Auburn, LSU, Tenn, and whoever else could beat a lot of teams in the top half of most conferences. Off the top of my head these teams have beaten NC ST, GA Tech, K State, and come pretty close against Clemson. I’m sure there are more quality wins and probably a bad loss.
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I know you make up facts to support your political arguments but at least give Mizzou the 3 points they earned. I don’t know what is going on at Mizzou but they will probably sneak up and beat some SEC east team. That was a bad loss at home.
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Southern Cal is in the SEC now? Damn, we play them less than A&M, they must be in the Far West division…
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Don’t look now but Vandy has a really good defense and a couple of quality wins under their belt.
I think maybe the league is getting better at the bottom (not enough to topple Bama). Everyone thinks of Kentucky and Vandy as doormats, so if they’re good, we’ve all just fallen back. Deal is, they ain’t played any in-conference games (save for UK). I won’t be shocked if Vandy keeps Bama close for 2 1/2 quarters and if UK finally beats UF. South Carolina is sneaky good – but I think that’s done without the guy they just lost.
Beat State.
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That comment is not only lazy, but very premature. Georgia is still a little bit of an unknown, but they’ve done nothing to prove they can’t contend. But Mississippi State just shellacked a good LSU team. I guess we’re not the only ones who get Dawggraded.
Meanwhile I fast forwarded through 4 College Football lives last week to see what they had to say about UGA (not much), and ESPN still will not shut up about Ohio State. Half of every single episode was about Ohio State. They were challenged well into the fourth quarter by Indiana, then got absolutely destroyed by Oklahoma. Somehow thats a team worth discussing, but down here its Bama and everyone else…
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Well, personally I don’t feel that CKS is mediocre. He is 11-5 at UGA, and this year’s defense, IMO, is decidedly not mediocre. And Dan Mullen is another coach that would probably win big at a school with more resources and a better recruiting base. And, like others above, I am not ready to concede the SEC to Bama. Mullen and Smart may have a say in the matter.
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Stanford lost to San Diego State and Nebraska lost to Northern Illinois. The sec bottom dwellers certainly don’t look good, but they aren’t doing THAT bad.
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Alabama has their man for now but no one is immune from this. Bama went through 4 coaches in 10 years, 5 if you count Mike Price.
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Jimbo waits.
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