Maybe it's because I'm not in Birmingham today, but SEC Media Days doesn't have that exciting feel, or maybe it's business as usual without any drama of Danny Sheridan, wondering if Tim Tebow is a virgin or Phil Fulmer getting slapped with subpoenas. Mizzou and Texas A&M made their debuts at SEC Media Days yesterday. I'll update this post as we go but so far Dan Mullen and John L Smith have taken the podium. Les Miles, Gene Chizik, and Joker Phillips to take the podium soon.
Missouri and Texas A&M coaches Gary Pinkel and Kevin Sumlin addressed the media yesterday. Sumlin had an energy with him as Pinkel looked to be business as usual. Both schools are benefiting from their membership in the SEC with Top 10-15 recruiting classes. Texas A&M will have a tough season, but only because they're in a tough division. A bowl game should be considered an accomplishment. Missouri might be able to make some waves early on the field being fielded in the down SEC East. A win over Georgia could be a huge momentum builder and put Mizzou on the SEC radar other than the laughing stock. I'm interested to see how the spread offenses of both teams (Sumlin bringing his from Houston) will transition into the tough defensive style of the SEC. My favorite moment was when T.J. Moe addressed the media and said (and I paraphrase) "The SEC has 6 straight national championships, but not all 12 teams won it." and then went on to say there were 2 really good teams and the rest were average. I'm sure there will be alot of eyes on T.J. Moe when he takes the field in SEC games this season.
You have to like the confidence of both Mullen and Smith coming into this season. Mullen owns the state of Mississippi while Hugh Freeze is trying to catch up. Smith has a caliber lineup on offense and a defense that is getting better. However, there's one problem. They're in the SEC West. Mullen thinks MSU is not far from an SEC West Championship, just need to make plays at crunchtime. To be honest, having 40+ scored on your defense against a Cam Newton-less Auburn doesn't strike me as close. However, the team is more comfortable in Mullen's eyes and now the season lies on the shoulders of QB Tyler Russell.
Arkansas has the QB, they have the offense with RB Knile Davis returning. They don't have.....Bobby Petrino. As much of a sleazebag that Bobby Petrino is, he is a damn good coach compared to John L. Smith. If Petrino was returning, Arkansas would be a legit contender for the BCS Title. However, they play in the West with Alabama and LSU. If this was the Eastern division, I'd take them more seriously as a contender. The Razorbacks will have a good season and I wouldn't be surprised if they go 10-2. However, it's going to be another 3rd place finish for Arkansas in 2012.
The hot topic of debate for the last week or so (since the Freeh report was released) has been should the NCAA give Penn State the death penalty. I state on the Tennessee Valley Sports Asylum last Wednesday that I can't go with giving them the death penalty. As disgusting as the crime and cover up is, it seems the court of public opinion is out for their usual bloodthirst fueled by emotion. I don't blame anyone who thinks this and they're not wrong at all. However, they're not being realistic. NCAA President Mark Emmert is leaving that option on the table. The grey area in all of this is this in the jurisdiction of the NCAA or does it go beyond it? If you want to make an argument for the death penalty, you can say lack of institutional control.
You're probably saying "There's a big difference between paying a player and a child being molested at one of their institutions". I will say, you're right. However, if you look at the latest ruling at Ohio State and the tattoo scandal, they merely got a slap on the wrist for almost cleaning house from Coach Jim Tressel to all of the players involved including Terrelle Pryor. Let's take Penn State, Tim Curley, Graham Spanier, Jerry Sandusky, and Joe Paterno are no longer associated with the Penn State program. Joe Paterno can't tell us his side of the story, as much as we want to know the truth. The players at Penn State had nothing to do with these sick acts, so should they be punished and forced to transfer to another school? I don't think so.
Don't get me wrong, should there be a punishment by the NCAA in regards to Penn State? Sure. Multi-year probations and loss of scholarships, and bowl bans could be as punishing as the Death Penalty. Does anybody remember how the Death Penalty affected SMU? Granted, they were doing wrong, however. It was like the NCAA's version of a nuclear bomb wiping out the entire program and took 25 years to fix. The outrage is valid, but it's not reality. As much as we would like the NCAA to drop that nuclear bomb on State College, that's not being real. Compassion will prevail and the NCAA can lay a stiff punishment but also giving them the opportunity to rebuild the culture and tradition faster than what SMU could do after their program died a gruesome death before everyone's eyes.
The Dwight Howard circus looks to continue. Now, reports are the Los Angeles Lakers have started negotiations with the Orlando Magic again. As I watch this whole saga unfold, I think back to all of the offseason drama that LeBron James put us through before he took his talents to South Beach. However, there's a difference. Dwight Howard is still under contract and not only held the Orlando Magic hostage, but got Stan Van Gundy (who has won an NBA Championship) fired. The Magic are going to rebuild regardless, but I see this as a more worse act than what LeBron James "did" to Cleveland. Everyone turned on LeBron, are they going to turn on Dwight? If so, count me in. As much as I like Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, and Steve Nash, if Dwight Howard wears that Laker uniform, I will openly root against the Lakers from winning an NBA Championship. I stuck by LeBron from day one, because I thought his outrage was unwarranted. I will root against Dwight Howard because what he is doing is far worse or more of jerk act than what LeBron did over two years ago
