It seems the Pac-12 isn’t the only conference having to refund significant funds to its broadcast partner.
Say what you will about the TV deals Slive and Sankey cut, but at least the SEC isn’t handing out refund checks.
It amazes me every time I see people giving conference commissioners credit for being sharp operators.
Filed under Big Ten Football, It's Just Bidness
Back in 2019, watching the James Coley directed offense sputter throughout the season, could you imagine in a few short years that ESPN would rank the Dawgs’ third in their college football future offensive power ratings ($$)? Not me.
Scouting the Bulldogs: Georgia’s offense is in an interesting spot after losing quarterback Stetson Bennett, the former walk-on who achieved what more gifted Bulldogs signal-callers could not, leading the team to two national titles. Also gone is coordinator Todd Monken, offensive tackle Broderick Jones — the No. 14 overall pick in the NFL draft — and several other key contributors. So why is Georgia moving up? An excellent group of returnees and recruits, plus Mike Bobo is no stranger to the coordinator role at Georgia, having served in it from 2007 to 2014. Junior Carson Beck and sophomore Brock Vandagriff are competing to replace Bennett, with Beck having an edge entering the summer. Vandagriff was ESPN’s No. 37 overall recruit in 2021. But the big QB news came May 15, as Georgia landed a commitment from Donovan Raiola, ESPN’s No. 1 overall recruit for 2024, who had initially committed to Ohio State. Despite losing leading rusher Kenny McIntosh to the NFL, Georgia projects well at running back with veterans Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, sophomore Branson Robinson, incoming freshman Roderick Robinson II and others.
Tight end and offensive line are positions of strength for Georgia and should remain that way through 2025. Junior tight end Brock Bowers, the Mackey Award winner, is back for what should be his final season, after recording 119 catches for 1,824 yards through his first two seasons. Georgia has recruited well behind him with Oscar Delp, Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin III. Georgia returns one of the nation’s best interior line groups with center Sedrick Van Pran and guards Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge. Junior Amarius Mims could become Georgia’s next star at tackle, and redshirt freshman Earnest Greene III and junior Austin Blaske are both interesting players. Wide receiver is a group that could make a jump in the coming seasons. Junior Ladd McConkey and senior Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint are proven players, and sophomore Dillon Bell, junior Arian Smith and others should see their roles increase. Mississippi State transfer Rara Thomas could provide bonus production after making 44 receptions last season. Georgia also has a commitment from Ny Carr, ESPN’s No. 43 recruit for 2024.
And that’s without mentioning Dominic Lovett.
The only two teams ahead of Georgia are USC and Ohio State. Wild.
Filed under Georgia Football
Whoever keeps advising the decision makers that the road to success is emulating the NFL more and more needs to be taken out back and shot. The sooner, the better.
Not that that’s gonna happen. Sigh. Enjoy it while it lasts, peeps.
Filed under Big Ten Football
The SEC spring meetings are next week. Will the conference decide on a schedule format for 2024 then? Who knows? Maybe even Greg doesn’t.
If SEC officials meet for four days at a beach resort and no 2024 football schedule is approved, did it really even happen?
That question could become relevant after the SEC’s spring meetings next week in Miramar Beach, Florida.
For the second straight year, the SEC’s schedule format for ’24 and beyond will be a central topic of debate. No football schedule is approved after this season, the final year before the SEC expands to 16 teams.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told me in early March that he expected a vote on the schedule to occur within 90 days. In other words, by the end of spring meetings.
By April, he’d eased on that timeline.
“Could be,” Sankey said then, when asked if the schedule would be decided at the meetings. “But, I said that last year, too.”
Indeed, coaches and administrators debated eight- and nine-game schedule formats a year ago. No vote occurred.
I think it’s safe to say at this point that Sankey hasn’t made a convincing case to his broadcast partner that the additions of Oklahoma and Texas should accrue to the SEC’s financial benefit under their contract. I also think it’s fair to say that momentum appears to be shifting away from the nine-conference game format.
Kentucky and South Carolina are among the schools on record favoring staying with eight SEC games. Florida, LSU and Texas A&M are among those favoring nine.
But the divide is not neatly divided among the SEC’s haves and have-nots. Sports Illustrated reported that Nick Saban told the publication Alabama favors sticking with eight conference games, a pivot from his years-long pandering for a ninth conference game. Saban’s stated hang-up with the nine-game format revolved around Alabama’s earmarked rivals being Auburn, LSU and Tennessee.
I mean, when you’ve lost Nick Saban…
One downside of sticking with eight conference games would be the sacrifice of some longstanding annual secondary rivalries, like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia.
Eh, what’s a century’s worth of tradition, compared to appeasing Saban’s self-interest?
Filed under Nick Saban Rules, SEC Football
This was sad to hear yesterday.
Tina Turner, the earthshaking singer whose rasping vocals, sexual magnetism and explosive energy made her an unforgettable live performer and one of the most successful recording artists of all time, died on Wednesday at her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland, near Zurich. She was 83.
Her publicist Bernard Doherty announced the death in a statement but did not provide the cause. She had a stroke in recent years and was known to be struggling with a kidney disease and other illnesses.
Ms. Turner embarked on her half-century career in the late 1950s, while still attending high school, when she began singing with Ike Turner and his band, the Kings of Rhythm. At first she was only an occasional performer, but she soon became the group’s star attraction — and Mr. Turner’s wife. With her potent, bluesy voice and her frenetic dancing style, she made an instant impression.
Their ensemble, soon renamed the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, became one of the premier touring soul acts in Black venues on the so-called chitlin’ circuit. After the Rolling Stones invited the group to open for them, first on a British tour in 1966 and then on an American tour in 1969, white listeners in both countries began paying attention.
Ms. Turner, who insisted on adding rock songs by the Beatles and the Stones to her repertoire, reached an enormous new audience, giving the Ike and Tina Turner Revue its first Top 10 hit with her version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song “Proud Mary” in 1971 and a Grammy Award for best R&B vocal performance by a group.
Mick and Keef always had good taste in music.
It’s a little strange, but Tina’s career after she ditched that rat bastard Ike never connected with me like she did when they were an act together. They could hit a funky groove and roll with it like nobody’s business, as this obscure single shows.
All in all, a helluva career. You will be missed, lady.
Filed under Uncategorized
Get The Picture 