Auburn to the SEC East? It’s a cushy move – for the moment
Howdy there, folks. Welcome back to the neighborhood. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Provided Kenneth Starr and Baylor don’t get litigious again, Missouri is expected to become the SEC’s 14th member at any moment. And with Missouri and Texas A&M arriving as Nos. 14 and 13, somebody from the current SEC West will have to move to the East for the sake of balance. Most folks expect the mover to be Auburn — although Alabama, being its selfish self, is making noises about preferring that its arch-enemy stay put — and how would Auburn feel about upping sticks?
Pretty darn good.
Auburn is based in the Central Time Zone by the grace of 25 miles. It’s almost as close to Atlanta’s southern suburbs as to the capital of Alabama. The Tigers’ greatest rival has always been the school in Tuscaloosa, duh, but for most of Auburn’s existence its next-biggest rivals were Georgia and Florida and Tennessee. (And don’t forget Georgia Tech, which is now out of reach in the ACC, which will require some realignment of its own. Auburn students would hold a Wreck Tech parade — I once covered it — before that annual game.)
Auburn-Georgia remains an annual fixture — it’s the Oldest Rivalry in the Deep South and, in my view, the best game of most every year — but Auburn-Tennessee and Auburn-Florida were lost to the realities of divisional scheduling. They’d return with Auburn’s move to the East, and the Tigers wouldn’t be displeased.
Back in September, both Auburn president Jay Gogue and AD Jay Jacobs said they’d have no problem with moving, and in saying “no problem” they sounded almost giddy. As Jacobs told Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News: “We have so many students come from Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, they come on campus and say, ‘Why aren’t we playing Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina?’ ”
What Gogue and Jacobs didn’t say was what seems rather blatant: As it stands, the SEC East would be easier to win than the West. (Arkansas, the third-best team in the six-team West, is ranked ninth in the BCS standings.) But here we need to say, “Whoa.”
When the SEC split into divisions, the East became Beverly Hills and remained so until Steve Spurrier left for the NFL and Tennessee began to wobble. Of the first 11 SEC championship games, the East won eight. Only after Nick Saban planted his flag at LSU did the West begin to rise, and only after Saban returned from his own NFL misfire to reconfigure Alabama did the West become the cutthroat division we see now.
Alabama and LSU are two of the three best teams in the country. Arkansas is nuzzling into the Top 10. Auburn won the 2010 BCS title. Mississippi State, which was either the fourth- or fifth-best team in the six-team division, was ranked No. 20 nationally in preseason. (That was before anybody realized the maroon Bulldogs couldn’t beat any of its Western brethren save Ole Miss.) The winner of the SEC West has won not just three of the past four SEC titles but three of the past four national championships. That said …
These things are, as things tend to be, cyclical. From 1994 through 2003, every SEC East winner — meaning Florida, Tennessee or Georgia — was ranked No. 6 or higher in the Associated Press poll entering the league championship game. Over that span, only two SEC West champs — Alabama in 1994 and LSU in 2003 — were ranked as high as No. 6.
But Florida is on its third coach since Spurrier and Tennessee on its second since Phillip Fulmer and South Carolina, which for a century stood as a case study in never-won-anything, took the SEC East last year with three conference losses. (And got beaten by 39 points by Auburn in the title game.) Georgia is scrambling to bleed out another division title to prove it’s still relevant. Add all that together, and … why wouldn’t the Tigers be thrilled at the prospects of relocation?
Just as Florida and Tennessee weren’t impervious to time and tide (pun intended), Alabama and LSU and Arkansas won’t be, either. What if Saban takes $10 million to go rescue Texas? What if Les Miles gets a similar offer from Ohio State? What if Derek Dooley loses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee looks to Bobby Petrino, ever-ready to relocate?
For all the homage we pay to college football’s traditions, the cold truth is that the sport’s greatest determinant is the head coach. Alabama won a national championship under Gene Stallings in the first season of SEC divisional play, but didn’t sniff another until Saban worked his dark magic. Florida ruled the SEC under Spurrier but became a punch line under Ron Zook; then it hired Urban Meyer, who won twice as many national titles as the Evil Genius.
So long as Saban and Miles and Petrino remain in the SEC West, any opponent would find the going softer anywhere else. But that’s the catch with coaches. Eventually they leave, and everything changes.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
336 comments Add your comment
Columbus Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:14 am
Saban will be at the University of Texas next year with brand new 100,000,000 dollar contract.
Swarles Barkley
October 19th, 2011
10:16 am
Sounds good to me
just sayin'
October 19th, 2011
10:16 am
let’em come…cheetnik won’t be there long anyway…
juvenal
October 19th, 2011
10:16 am
uga should pull for Tech so we could be an easy sec win……
Swarles Barkley
October 19th, 2011
10:17 am
Hahaha. Make that an eleventy billion dollar contract. It’s how much they’re making from the Longhorn Network.
Swarles Barkley
October 19th, 2011
10:19 am
juvenal….tech doesn’t deserve a spot on the SEC. they left and they have to live with it.
Pesch Master Flex
October 19th, 2011
10:21 am
Why not go get two teams from the ACC to round out the East? Va Tech and NC State would both be wonderful additions that expand the SEC market.
Swarles Barkley
October 19th, 2011
10:21 am
Oh, and it’s about time the AJC shut the f up about Todd Grantham. Y’all are as giddy as a little kid at Christmas any time someone from UGA does something controversial.
Swarles Barkley
October 19th, 2011
10:23 am
Pesch, I don’t think anyone really wants a 16 team conference. Especially as strong as each division would be, it would be a nightmare to try and win the conference. Each school would see an SEC championship once every ten years. And that’s just assuming of the 16, 10 would be competitive.
Dawgs97
October 19th, 2011
10:23 am
C’mon. Alabama would MATCH anything Texas offers, please. Alabama has just as many deep pockets supporting the football program as Texas and no way they let Nick leave.
I’m all for Auburn coming to the East. The competitive balance and travel aspects make more sense. What’s tiresome is all the Alabama fans who whine & moan about losing the annual Tennessee game and talk about the rivalry’s history. Exactly – history. They’re not breaking up the Iron Bowl and Bama-LSU is a much better rivalry now than Tennessee, which is a shell of itself and an automatic win for Bama the next 10 years.
NC Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:24 am
First to say “First!”
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
10:25 am
Kudos, NC. For … something or other.
Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:26 am
The reason the East has fallen on lean times is that there is a pay freeze in effect, so Auburn might not fare as well as they think
Tiger1992
October 19th, 2011
10:27 am
Mark, have you not been paying attention? They won’t get the votes for approval of Missouri with Auburn going East. That would mean UAT and UT not playing every year, because they won’t stop the Iron Bowl under any circumstances. Unless they go back to two permanent opponents from the other division, expect Missouri to end up in the East.
Oleballfan
October 19th, 2011
10:30 am
SEC Re-alignment Problem solved: Mizzou to SEC East. Check your geography. Mizzou is closer to most SEC East teams than SEC West teams. http://mizzou2sec.com/
http://mizzou2sec.com/
Alaska Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:30 am
Swarles Barkley, I ama lifetime Dawg fan and I find Grantham’s actions disgusting. Thanks AJC for calling it like it is.
rabundog
October 19th, 2011
10:30 am
Read where bama wanted Mizzo in the east for it’s vote – doesn’t matter Auby or Mizzo to the east – UGA will not be competative till they make a lot of changes
Tider58
October 19th, 2011
10:31 am
Saban to TX, you have gotta be kiddiing, Mack Brown is not gone yet. CNS isn’t going anywhere, except to the North Georgia mountains when he finally decides to hang itup!
Aaron
October 19th, 2011
10:32 am
I agree with ole Swarley.
vdunkndunk
October 19th, 2011
10:33 am
It seems to me that Auburn coming to the East would help Georgia; we were already playing Auburn every year anyway, but Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee weren’t – and now Auburn will likely play Alabama every year, whereas Georgia won’t. It seems to me that this could mean more SEC losses to go around for Eastern division rivals.
SSG Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:33 am
When is someone in the media going to mention how childish coach Franklin acted? I don’t condone coach Grantham’s actions, but I don’t think he should get all of the blame either. Why is coach Franklin the victim when he seemed to start it? I’m just sayin.
DC
October 19th, 2011
10:35 am
I so hope that AU goes over to the east! Jay Jacobs said it best..AU’s recruiting fits best with the east. We lose 2 games in the east and it still wouldn’t matter! Please make this happen Slive!
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
10:36 am
I understand that Alabama doesn’t want Auburn to move to the East. But Auburn seems fine with it, and I can’t believe anyone else would object.
DC
October 19th, 2011
10:37 am
Plus Mark you could write more hateful articles on how obnoxious us AU fans are…but I think these past two days..your opinion might be slighted to something closer to home..
D Fence
October 19th, 2011
10:41 am
AU has always been a second rate school in their own state so moving to a second rate divison (at such time) in their own conference shouldnt be an issue. I mean they are used to it.
And I cant wait to pay them back on Nov 12 for all the cheap shots on Murray last year..talk about suspensions.
richie rich
October 19th, 2011
10:41 am
Grantham and Franklin are at fault. An overlooked or not mentioned tidbit is Hubert Owens referee and crew. Did they let the game get out of hand ? I’m asking beacuse I did not see the game. Hubert and his crew let Nick Fairley get away with assault on Aaron Murray last year and were suspended for making Alabama national Champs the year before with fantom calls(against Arkansas?).
Maybe there is a common thread in officiating crews?
SSG Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:42 am
I’m sure the Alabama/Auburn game will still happen every year. I shouldn’t matter to Alabama if Auburn comes to the East. It shouldn’t make a difference to UGA fans either. Auburn is a good team most years, but they are no Alabama or LSU. They would not have even played for a NC if they were without Cam or Nick Fairley.
Oleballfan
October 19th, 2011
10:45 am
Why are you dumba$$es changing the subject matter? This is thread is about Auburn moving to the East. All some of you do is take pot shots at other posters. and try and get vendettas off your chest.
S GA AU FAN
October 19th, 2011
10:45 am
Too many Tigers in the West as it is.
WDE
October 19th, 2011
10:46 am
uga doesn’t want any more competition in the east. if they couldn’t feast on vandy and kentucky every year they would’ve fired their coach by now. even south carolina has gotten into the fun the florida has.
we’d be going to atlanta this year if we were in the east
Otis
October 19th, 2011
10:47 am
Jeff FYI
Alabama won the SEC beating Florida in ‘99 with Mike Dubose.
DC
October 19th, 2011
10:47 am
D Fence, second rate? I mean if we go back to when bear bryant was a coach and going to movies cost a nickle..then yeah…AU was bama’s little brother…
but lets look over this since the late 80s to present…
The series record is bama leading 40-34-1
DC
October 19th, 2011
10:49 am
SSG Desert Dawg…you say that back in 2004 too?
RunningDog
October 19th, 2011
10:50 am
Mark, Tennessee people will likely object to the Auburn move because of the potential loss of the Bama rivalry if Auburn and the Tide become permanent crossovers. Missouri will likely end up in the East.
blazerdawg
October 19th, 2011
10:51 am
Welcome East Auburn! Do not really get the Mizzou thing outside of TV, but looking forward to my first visit to Columbia – hope it is close to KC – I want some of that BBQ!
bitter knock your block off
October 19th, 2011
10:51 am
GRANTHAM——————————RULES————————go dawgs———–
ps —–add tech to sec west
Spike
October 19th, 2011
10:52 am
Missiouri ? In the SEC? What the hell?
David "D-Day" Housel
October 19th, 2011
10:53 am
WDE – We Deny Everything
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
10:54 am
OK….Auburn moves to the East….
Would the Iron Bowl game be moved from being played during Thanksgiving Weekend?
You surely can NOT have Alabama-Auburn play the Iron Bowl and then play the next weekend for the SEC Championship?
There currently are no other cross-divisional games that late in the SEC season….
This may be why Alabama really wants to keep Auburn in the West…..
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
10:56 am
Well, Georgia and Florida and South Carolina all finish their regular seasons with out-of-conference games. Not sure why Alabama couldn’t finish with an out-of-division game.
To MarkB
October 19th, 2011
11:01 am
Yea, Maybe Alabama and Texas since A&M is no longer there.
SSG Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
11:01 am
I don’t recall Auburn playing for a NC is 2004…oh, that’s because they didn’t. They probably should have, but didn’t. Auburn will not dominate the East. They will contend for it every year, like Georgia, Florida, and SC (for a couple of years atleast), but they will not win it year in and year out. Moving to the East is not something they should be giddy or overly excited about.
Not so Fast My Friend
October 19th, 2011
11:02 am
if AU comes east who will be GA,s new perm. apponent?
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:03 am
Don’t forget that there’s been plenty of talk about Mizzou moving to the East. Geographically, it’s not as big of a leap in logic as you might think.
Also, Auburn to the East would be a scheduling boon for Georgia. One more quality opponent for UF, UT, SC that Georgia plays every year anyway.
Big Albany Dawg
October 19th, 2011
11:03 am
Everyone’s got a little brother. And sometimes they need to go prove themselves. I say bring it so that Vandy, KY and Sc won’t be so lonely.
bitter knock your block off
October 19th, 2011
11:04 am
if these pu$$_ keep writing about being weak and disliking someone who can be
—————————————- NASTY——YAAAAW————IM GOING TO GIVE THE CHOKE SIGN
———–HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
11:04 am
That’s a good question. There really wouldn’t be a great natural rival for UGA in the West, would there?
Texas A&M? They played in the Independence Bowl.
To Not So Fast My Friend
October 19th, 2011
11:04 am
Alabama? Roll Tide
D Fence
October 19th, 2011
11:05 am
All you AU folks who think you arent second fiddle in your own state ….well like my old pal OReilly sez ‘the spin does stop here”….
DC
October 19th, 2011
11:05 am
SSG Desert…not saying they will win the east year in year out..but if this move happens it will be a lot easier for them to get to SEC Championship..
MB states that everything is cyclical…i agree..but i feel this cycle is going to go on for several more years..
SSG how many undefeated seasons has UGA had over past 10 years? now refer to AU..
UGA Insider
October 19th, 2011
11:06 am
Mark, these things go in cycles. In a few years after Saban goes to Texas and Chris Peterson and Will Muschamp get their players the East will be strong again. It’s just a matter of time. I don’t know who USCe will get this year as their coach after Spurrier retires but I think it will be Charlie Strong or James Franklin. Basically the East will have a new look and that’s a good thing. UT will be back soon as well.
Bill
October 19th, 2011
11:06 am
97 you are wrong.Texas has far more money than Bama..They have a world wide fan base and are one of the top if not the top athletic programs in the country.
Bama cares about football more than anything else.So they can pool the resources they have to pay 10 million a year.UT could handle that expense easier
puppykiller
October 19th, 2011
11:07 am
Bradley totally misses the entire reason AU is more than willing to get out of the West.
richmondDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:08 am
I like this move, makes a lot more sense than Missouri, in any case. AU will get back their yearly games with FL and TN, which makes sense, and will make the alumni happy…AL TN will just have to figure something out, I guess
bitter SCAM NEWTON
October 19th, 2011
11:09 am
COOL———-MAKES SINCE————————keep your friends close and your loyal cash boosters
———————————————————CLOOSER——————————-hahahahah
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:11 am
Mark….come on….
Out of conference is one thing….a repeat game in the SEC Championship is another….not great for TV on a national scale….
Georgia-Auburn is the latest cross-divional game currently played in the SEC….three to four weeks BEFORE the SEC Championship….not the week before….
A natural West rival for UGA would be the Ole Miss Bears….half their students are from the Atlanta Metro area anyway….
Glenn
October 19th, 2011
11:11 am
Auburn should be in the east and Mizzou and aTm should be in the west …..and the conference should play 9 games instead of 8 . One annual rivalry game so Bama and Auburn can play every year. Then rotate the other two games amongst the six teams so everyone will be played every three years. It will stop the conference from being to watered down and then stop expansion . No need for 16 teams .
SSG Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
11:12 am
DC,
Touche, you got me on that one. I hope Auburn comes over to the East. I would love if the Auburn game decided who when to the SECC most years.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:13 am
If Auburn moves East, presumably, Georgia would pick up either Mizzou or A&M. Mizzou would probably figure to be an easier win but A&M would give more exposure to Texas recruiting.
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
11:13 am
Make the Iron Bowl the third Saturday in October. Alabama would forget Tennessee ever existed.
joe
October 19th, 2011
11:13 am
Cyclical is right on…UF, UT and UGA won’t be down for long…by the time Auburn makes the move, they may find a tougher East than West, say the way it was back in the 90’s.
Triple Lindy
October 19th, 2011
11:18 am
Mark, the common element with the Thanksgiving weekend games for Florida, S. Carolina, and Georgia is they’re all in-state rivalries. That’s what’s special about that weekend and I see Bama holding firm on it. I’ve heard there’s a movement to put Vandy in the West and both Alabama teams come to the East, but it’s only a rumor. Also, I love the stir you caused amongst the Bama fans simply by wondering what if Texas hired Saban. It’s hypothetical, people! Get over yourselves.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:19 am
If you move the Iron Bowl to the third Saturday in October, they might forget there’s still four more games to be played.
GrannyCares
October 19th, 2011
11:20 am
Bet Mark Richt is swigging Maalox reading this! Grantham is probably slamming helmets — cussing — and practicing for another temper tantrum!
Gordon
October 19th, 2011
11:20 am
Alabama would be unhappy because they would have to give up their cross-divisonal game with Tennessee, since their new cross-divisional opponent would be Auburn. That’s why they don’t want Auburn going. Both Georgia and Tennessee will have new cross-divisional opponents in the west, presumably the 2 new teams.
Will the SEC go to 9 conference games? If not, the rotation is VERY slow.
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:21 am
Agreed…..then Alabama-LSU game during Thanksgiving Weekend!
But a problem exists with only seven teams
Wow
October 19th, 2011
11:21 am
“It’s almost as close to Atlanta’s southern suburbs as to the capital of Alabama.”
You do know Alabama’s capital is Montgomery right??
Captain Obvious
October 19th, 2011
11:22 am
I agree that everything’s cyclical in a day in the life of the SEC. It wasn’t long ago that the East was the top-heavy division and the West was merely a footnote on the way to capturing an SEC title. However, you leave out a few material aspects in your assessment.
First, since you’re a biased, blind UGA homer, I’ll provide a point that perhaps you haven’t considered in your argument and might want to consider before bashing other institutions. Auburn would love to get into the East so that it can make further in-roads to the fertile recruiting grounds of Florida and Georgia. This is why Jacobs is so giddy at the idea. And I don’t blame him nor do I blame Auburn fans. However, it’s going to be UGA that is hurt the most by this in terms of recruiting.
Second, your totally off point with your position towards Alabama. The primary reason that it does not want Missouri in the West is b/c it loses it’s oldest and longest standing rivalry with Tennessee. Ever heard of the Third Saturday in October? Nice comments which obviously show the level of disdain that you have towards Bama. That’s very professional, I might add. Almost as professional as the non-objectivity in which you write every article. Peace.
QUAGMIRE
October 19th, 2011
11:22 am
My cousin’s best friend’s brother, who is dating a girl that works in at Kinko’s in Athens that has really relible information concerning the SEC, told me, WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pat's Rockett
October 19th, 2011
11:23 am
What is so Southeast about Texas A & M and Missouri ? At least make schools in the south and east .
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
11:24 am
Demmit Bradley, you are going to kick in the chest pounding of the SEC westerners who seemed to have conveniently forgotten their 2nd class citizen status of the first 15 years of the SECCG. I know because I live in the West that “these guys are good” but few of them seem to understand it wasn’t very long ago that the SEC East were the big boys. Ebb and flow boys, ebb and flow. Kinda like a menstral cycle
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:24 am
It’s hard to imagine the SEC going to nine conference games even with the slower rotation of teams cross-division. It would make the schedule tougher and every other year, you’d lose the financial benefits of having a guaranteed home game.
Wells
October 19th, 2011
11:24 am
No way the state can deal with the thought of the Iron Bowl twice in two weeks…
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:26 am
Captain Obvious, you’re the first non-tech fan I’ve ever seen that thinks Mark Bradley carries the water for Georgia. Maybe you missed his blog yesterday where he called for Georgia’s DC to be suspended for the Florida game.
RockyTop
October 19th, 2011
11:27 am
i don’t believe that Tennessee would EVER hire Bobby Palthetic from Arky. Gosh I should hope not because that would be the second coming of lane kiffin — ugh.
I’d rather be 7-6 under Dooley than 9-3 under Bobby P.
Go Vols!
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:28 am
The final weekend of the season could look like this…..
East:
UGA-AUB
UK-Louisville
USC-Clemson
FLA-FSU
TN-Vandy
West:
TAM-UT (Sorry TN fans…)
Mizzou-ARK
ALA-LSU
MSU-Ole Miss
This would be a GREAT way to end the season…..
CJ
October 19th, 2011
11:29 am
Do you really want the AU-Bama at the end of the year, and them have them play again in Atlanta?
NCDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:29 am
Well just damn… there is an impostor on this freaking board! I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended. NCDawg – no space – is the real deal… for anyone who cares. Incidentally… I don’t give a rat’s a$$ who is first. Gawd…LOL
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:30 am
It would NorthStarsDave but you’d have to get tech to first agree to move their game with Georgia to sometime earlier in the season. Tough sell.
Bubba & Earl
October 19th, 2011
11:32 am
What about Vandy to the west and both Auburn and Alabama to the east? Vandy is geographically further west than Auburn. This would preserve the Auburn – Alabama and Alabama-Tennesse rivalries. LSU could become the permanent west opponent for either Auburn or Alabama. Vandy – Tennesse would be a permanent cross divisional match up. We’d lose either LSU-Auburn or LSU Alabama as an annual game.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:33 am
CJ, you couldn’t really expect that to happen very often and even if it did, would that really be a big deal?
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
11:35 am
Geoffdawg
And there you go with an infusion of facts
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:36 am
How about UGA-Tech at the Dome the first game of the year???
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
11:37 am
Who really believes Bama/AU playing back to back would actually be a reality, muchless a problem?
CJ
October 19th, 2011
11:38 am
I enjoy all the talk about Saban leaving. Meanwhile Bama Rolls toward their 14 Natl Championship title this year, and UGA is a shell of a program. Just go bully Vandy around you “hairy dawgs”. Maybe in another 20yrs you might win another SEC title. Maybe.
Florida Lizard
October 19th, 2011
11:39 am
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE,
Don’t let Auburn come to the East.
We don’t want to have a guaranteed one loss every year.
Hot Dawg
October 19th, 2011
11:40 am
Hey UGA Insider, thanks for your prophetic info! You seems to be right on the pulse of UGA football and the SEC East in general. Good to know we have a fine fellow like you manning the ship at the UGA nerve center. LOL!!
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
11:40 am
Sometimes trying to schedule around a conference title matchup doesn’t pan out. Remember how the ACC had to separate Miami and Florida State so they could play in the title game? They haven’t met in one yet.
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:41 am
Besides, Georgia-Auburn is a better rivalary than Tech anyway….means more….what does Georgia-Tech mean anyway?
this is bad
October 19th, 2011
11:41 am
The divisions will not be balanced if this happens. I know the West is stronger right now but the East was stronger for years and it goes in cycles.
This would be putting 4 of the top 6 programs in the conference in one division. What sense does that make?
Rot In Hell AU
October 19th, 2011
11:41 am
I got news for you… Almost no one connected to the Unversity of Alabama wants the barn in the SECw. In fact, it would really make our day if you leg humpers could get them kicked completely and totally OUT of the SEC. Forever!!… I swear sometimes these newspaper reporters speak LIE as their primary language…
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:43 am
Personally, I think playing Tech the first game of the year instead of the last would have a couple big benefits (1) it give you ample time to prep for the triple option and (2) it allows you to focus on the SEC race at the end of the year instead of risking a letdown by finishing out of conference. That being said, I think it’s a no-go. The Chick-Fil-A kickoff game tried to set that up a couple years ago and it fell apart pretty quickly.
shankit
October 19th, 2011
11:43 am
Stay Staus Quo. – Don’t need mizzou coming to our league.
They already snubbed the SEC when they got turned down
by the Big Ten, Eleven, Twelve, ???
Tech Guy
October 19th, 2011
11:46 am
Is UGA gonna accept that Big East invitation if this happens? Otherwise, they will be dawg meat.
LOL
October 19th, 2011
11:47 am
While the geography will be slightly screwed it makes more sense to put Missouri in the east. If they go to the east you simply make A & M there permanent western opponent and it keeps the scheduling much simpler.
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
11:47 am
The reason Miami-FSU was separated was because of the stupid way the ACC divisions were aligned….they should be in the same division….
Quick….without looking…who is in what division in the ACC?
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
11:47 am
Tech Guy, your moobs are showing.
AU Rules!
October 19th, 2011
11:53 am
Auburn will upset alabama in the Iron Bowl—mark it down!
Mark Bradley
October 19th, 2011
11:54 am
If I marked down everything people told me to “mark down,” my name would be … Mark.
Chuck
October 19th, 2011
11:55 am
The solution might be to move Auburn and Alabama to the East and send Vandy to the West. Then, all rivalries could be preserved. Vandy’s permanent Eastern opponent would be Tennessee.
GT
October 19th, 2011
11:56 am
Georgia is a perfect example. They get some coaching and they are SEC Champs. You put Auburn in the East, and they are already getting beat by South Carolina, you will see a more tightly run program at Georgia and those westerners will be glad they are not there.
Herschel Talker
October 19th, 2011
11:58 am
MB:
You say that Alabama would forget all about Tennessee, but then you say how the Auburn AD says people wonder why now they don’t regularly play UF and UT. Well…which is it? You can’t have it both ways.
HT
LHM1509
October 19th, 2011
11:59 am
I have no desire for Mizzou in the SEC. But, explaine who else would come to the East. I heard it discussed before about AU and Bama both coming East. That would even out the number of teams wouldn’t it?
Mighty whale !
October 19th, 2011
12:00 pm
If Alabama and Auburn are in the east and Vandy goes to the west , LSU would play in the SEC title game every year against a team of half dead zombie kids . The east would be just way to brutal .
Good one Mark!
October 19th, 2011
12:01 pm
The only thing worse than “mark it down” is when a poster adds the word “fact” to the end of every sentence.
dinkdunk
October 19th, 2011
12:01 pm
Well heck, if it pisses the tree killers off to move to the East, what are we waiting for?
Doesn’t seem to really matter-bring any of em’ on.
War Eagle!
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:01 pm
I guarantee death and taxes. Mark it down!
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
12:02 pm
GeoffDawg….
As you know…this is a totally different time….you could still play the UGA-Tech game AFTER the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game…..
And for Tech Guy….isn’t Tech now a part of the Big East….since nearly half of their original football playing teams are in the ACC???
DUH!
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:02 pm
FACT.
Good one Mark!
October 19th, 2011
12:03 pm
@Chuck
You can’t move Alabama and Auburn both to the East. Mizzou and the Automatic Teller Machines don’t have enough game to fill that void.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:04 pm
Regarding UGA-Tech, I think there was overwhelming opposition to the scheduling traditionalists. That and I think that tech also was requiring that Georgia switch the odd-even scheme for the home and home. Maybe one day but not anytime soon IMO.
Dr. Skeptic
October 19th, 2011
12:04 pm
Can someone answer the most important question of all – How does adding these two lame schools HELP the SEC? Whats the point. Just doing something for the sake of doing something. So dumb. Why mess with the greatest conference in college sports history when its at its peak?
Good one Mark!
October 19th, 2011
12:06 pm
@Dr. Skeptic
ESPN has a big bucketful of dollars waiting for Mike Slive after this expansion is done. That’s why.
Hot Dawg
October 19th, 2011
12:06 pm
Hey Tech Guy, did you actually just says that. You guys just lost to UVA! UVA! LOL! I would love to see you Nerds in the SEC with your little option attack. What a joke. See you in ATL for your annual Thanksgiving butt kicking!
No. 19 Auburn challenges top-ranked LSU – Canada.com « סיקורים וחדשות
October 19th, 2011
12:07 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
PJ's Turkey Neck
October 19th, 2011
12:07 pm
Mark Bradley wears a skirt
Richt`s Hammer
October 19th, 2011
12:08 pm
Lord not another bunch of thugs in the east. Our thugs will get jealous.
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:08 pm
There are four holdouts on approving Mizzou, and it has to do with breaking up the existing E/W conference alignment. Mizzou needs nine votes for entry.
Bobby Knight
October 19th, 2011
12:11 pm
Mark,
All of us learn to write by the second grade, then most of us go on to other things.
Just Say NO
October 19th, 2011
12:13 pm
Just Say NO to Mizzou!
RxDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:13 pm
Nah, word is Missouri will be placed in the east. And if you look at a picture of the divisions it kinda makes sense. Besides that’s the most likely way they’ll get all the votes they need for admission.
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
12:14 pm
Missouri comes in to the East. The initial vote was held up by Ala, Tenn, LSU, Fla because each wanted to preserve a rivalry game which would disappear if Auburn came East. LSU wants Fla as their crossover rival and to avoid every other year in Columbia, Tenn wants Ala. The Commissioner wanted unanimous approval. Missouri begins league play in 2013, joining the East makes scheduling much easier. Missouri’s campus is located closer to Lexington, Nashville, KNoxville than any of the West schools, it’s equal distance to Athens as Auburn, equal distance to Gainesville as College Station, closer to Columbia SC than Baton Rouge.
bad moon
October 19th, 2011
12:18 pm
PLEASE SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!
Not Missouri! Why in the hell do we want to downgrade? The reason you bring people into your exclusive club is because it will make you better. How does Missouri make the SEC better? Honestly with all do respect. They are not SEC material. Clemson , Florida State even West Virginia makes more sense than Missouri.
Banned Poster
October 19th, 2011
12:19 pm
Dr. Skeptic, Mizzou brings the St. Louis and Kansas City media markets into the SEC coffers. A&M brings the Houston market and all of the sudden SEC sports are seen on many more TVs which bring in many many more $$$.
Personally I like AUB moving to the east, but would have no problem with Mizzou in the east as well.
Boca Baby
October 19th, 2011
12:19 pm
DC: And what is your point? Is not Auburn 1-5 against UGA in the past six? I would love to have Auburn in the East. Based on past trends the Dawgs could put a “W” in the column at the beginning of the season.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:19 pm
Forget the idea that each team has to play every team in their own divison. Instead each team has to play the same number of SEC games, problem solved. You peeps in blogosphere really do over complicate chit
bad moon
October 19th, 2011
12:20 pm
Hopefully Bradley is wrong. He usually is.
bob
October 19th, 2011
12:23 pm
Tennessee would join Alabama in objecting. Mizzou will come to the east, geography be damned. Hell, 75% of the kids in Kansas City highschools recently failed a geography test trying to locate their home town on a map.
bad moon
October 19th, 2011
12:23 pm
Can’t we get a member that can bring some attitude, history, geography, culture , winning tradition, etc etc ?? Who gives a crap about somebody in St Louis watching the game on T.V. Last time I checked we were doing fine without the St Louis T.V market.
GTBob
October 19th, 2011
12:23 pm
Clemson , Florida State even West Virginia makes more sense than Missouri.
Clemson and FSU have no interest in the SEC and West Virginia has already reportedly been turned down by the SEC and ACC. Missouri is their best option, now that the Big 10 has decided that they don’t want them.
zbulldawg
October 19th, 2011
12:23 pm
Mizzou to the west! Auburn Bama to the EAST Let’s rock and roll. If Saban wants to run out let him go.He never sticks it out anywhere anyway.The power in the SEC will always been there! What hurt the SEC in the past was being tied to the sugar bowl.The only way a SEC team could get a shot at a national championship in past before the spilt was to go undefeated. That was almost impossible before.I say if we are going to have 7 in each sub conference let’s cut down on travel so the players have more time for school.
wesmcdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:24 pm
AU to to east would make the most sense and restoring the game with Ole Miss would be great for UGA.
Can’t wait to see the video of you being held accountable for some of the awful things you spew about UGA. Explain to me why Franklin gets a pass for his antics in your column? What if Richt would have been videoed crying to Franklin that Vandy’s players where rubbing it in my face after last years victory in Athens? Your column would have been how helpless Richt has lost his edge. You are a hater pure and simple.
I’m sure your thick skin self can appreciate the fact that Franklin needs to grow a pair. Vandy’s center should be suspended one game for the cheap shot. Hoping Schultz punches you in the face on principle. Have a good day.
Boca Baby
October 19th, 2011
12:24 pm
Texas A&M ok. But Missouri? The is The “Southeastern” Conference. A&M already has a regional footprint with many of the West division school recruiting the same players. And there has not been much talk about logistics. Aside from football and basketball (revenue sports) the non revenue sports would have a nightmare on their hands. Talking about stretching athletic budgets. The St Louis TV market is not worth what is will cost to make this thing work with Missouri in the fold.
John
October 19th, 2011
12:24 pm
Put Missouri in the East. They actually are as geographically close to some eastern teams than western teams. All of this ridiculous realignment does not pay much attention to geography…I don’t know why it should here when nothing would be altered by Missouri going to the east. All the rivalry games stay in tact and A&M and Mizzou could play every year as their new “rivalry”.
robodawg
October 19th, 2011
12:26 pm
So the Bama-Tennessee annual rivalry goes on the chopping block, right? I expect their fans to be the most upset. But it’s a good move for Auburn.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
12:27 pm
I like the sound of this.
SEC Championship
BAMA – WEST VS. AUBARN – EAST
UGA fans would be very upset. If AUBARN goes to EAST………………………….You know it will happen.
Sharpshooter
October 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
If Mizz goes SEC, the conference should just go all out and try to bring in Oklahoma and Oklahoma “lite.” Then you could have Mizz., OK, ok lite, Ark, A&M, LSU, Miss, Miss St. in the west and everyone else can go east. What a conference that would be. OK thinks they can only survive if they continue to feed off of texas’ teat. Someone needs to convince them there are better options out there.
Slive=Slime
October 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
I understand why the money brokers want this to happen. What I don’t understand is why the hack reporters and a lot of the fans are following suit like little lemmings? You guys aren’t getting a check in the mail if and when this all happens.
Nick
October 19th, 2011
12:29 pm
I think Auburn moving East poses a problem with the yearly rivalries with AL-AU & AL-TN.
robodawg
October 19th, 2011
12:29 pm
Auburn’s move drastically shifts the balance of power in the East. I expect Florida will win the division half the time (they should fire their coach if they do any less because they have the most talent anywhere). Auburn, UGA, Tennessee and S Carolina will slug it out the remaining years. It will be much tougher for UGA to entrench ourselves where we want the program to be, in the upper tier alongside Florida.
But trading Auburn for Mizzou undoubtedly makes the West an easier division.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
12:30 pm
BAMA………………………………..AUBARN……………………..SEC Championship MATCH.
Have to love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:30 pm
GTBob!
Hows that race for the BCS championship game working out for you?
WAR CAM EAGLE (not guilty)
October 19th, 2011
12:32 pm
I HEARD IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT THIS SEASON AND I HOPE ITS TRUE. WE WOULD LOVE TO BICH SLAP THE DAWGS OUT OF THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Saban
October 19th, 2011
12:32 pm
I’m in my 5th year at Bama now…and just signed a contract for another 6 years. You Insider Dorks have been saying “book it” that I’m leaving since Day 1. When I leave in another 8-10 years you will all say “SEE!!! I TOLD YOU SO!!!”
7576DAWG
October 19th, 2011
12:33 pm
By going to 14 team that tells me eventually the SEC will end up with 16 . I think we should go ahead and make it mandatory that we play 9 conference games now and that would help preserve a lot of the rivalries..
Ted M
October 19th, 2011
12:34 pm
Does this all happen in time for next season?
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:34 pm
@ARdawg
Can’t have a playoff game unless each division plays every team in their division.
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:35 pm
Ted M
October 19th, 2011
12:34 pm
“Does this all happen in time for next season?”
That’s the plan.
DC
October 19th, 2011
12:36 pm
Boca baby…love it…1-6..oh Kiss the ring!
GTBob
October 19th, 2011
12:36 pm
Hows that race for the BCS championship game working out for you?
Not good. We are a bit of a long shot now. I’m not sure any team has ever lost to UVA and gone on to win a championship.
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:37 pm
Might have to put Kenneth Starr in a closet bound & gagged to guarantee that it will actually happen though.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:40 pm
SECinsider, Sure you can. There could at times even be a playoff for divison champ
GTBob, That certainly does complicate your chances eh? I was pretty sure you were speaking out of turn last week but, I didn’t quite believe reality would hit your guys so fast
Ted M
October 19th, 2011
12:42 pm
Thx Insider
Mark
October 19th, 2011
12:42 pm
You guys are crazy. Mizzo to the East is guaranteed. Why?
The West has already taken on A&M.
Think about it. If Mizzo goes to the West and Auburn to the East, the West has added TWO new teams with no rivals. Alabama would have to play A&M and Mizzo every year AND give up UT and move possibly move up the turkey day Iron Bowl. UGA, UF, USC have their instate rivalry games that Saturday, but they are all ACC schools. So no rematch in the SEC champ game conflicts. I don’t know what they do about the Iron Bowl, but it COULD be moved. That sucks.
Of course the East schools (other than UT) like this: they get to add a traditional SEC team the schedule every year. However…
The West (other than Auburn) has to take on TWO non SEC teams and give up Auburn.
UT losses Alabama every year.
Auburn keeps Alabama, gets Tenn, UF, USC instead of being stuck with the two new schools. Of course they love it.
So half the schools lose, half gain.
If Mizzo to the East, who loses anything? No one. A&M and Mizzo don’t have an rivals so they don’t mess anything up Mizzo could be rivals with UT and UK and cross game with Arky. USC gets to add A&M. Or something like that. USC and Arky were never rivals, they were just the new guys so they got stuck together.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:43 pm
SEC insider
For the conference to go to a 16 team Super conference AND retain other rivalries as well as a cupcake workout, the divison round robis will have to be the sacrifical lamb
DAWG with two bags over head
October 19th, 2011
12:43 pm
Mark,
It’s nice to see you’ve moved on from Vandygate. I guess you had to go back to earning your paycheck.
kellyburger
October 19th, 2011
12:44 pm
It doesn’t matter which division Auburn winds up in, if you’re going to be number one you have to beat them all anyway. So who cares?
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:44 pm
@ARdawg
Theoretically, you can do whatever you want. In reality, you have to play within the rules established by the NCAA.
SEC Insider
October 19th, 2011
12:46 pm
The 16 team superconference is a pipe-dream fantasy.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
12:46 pm
When I came here, I came here with the idea that I would be here for the rest of my career,” Saban said. “I had moved around a lot and made some mistakes moving around, probably, and I sort of learned from some of those things and sort of found out from some of those experiences who you are and what you’re really all about. So as long as I feel healthy and I’m excited about coaching and teaching and being around players, I would like to stay here for as long as I could.
Mike
October 19th, 2011
12:47 pm
I dont think it has a thing to do with the current state of the SEC East. Remember, they would still have to play Alabama yearly. Its not like they just leave the west behind. It just means that for now, they might sneak into the SECCG. Things change when you become division rivals too. UT, UF, UGA, and South Carolina are more concerned about each other than West teams for obvious reasons. Their focus will also be on Auburn which means those games will get tougher.
No I have an Auburn friend who is very excited about the move because of the rival situation you discussed. Its more natural for Auburn to be in the East than the West. The big question now is, who does UT and UGA play from the West? Missouri and A&M?
JB
October 19th, 2011
12:47 pm
Some thoughts today: One post mentioned earlier about Saban and Texas. Mack Brown has a hotter seat than Richt and with an all new staff, that team is just as bad. Don’t think for a moment he won’t be on Texas list…as he is with most Football schools. He has a great situation at Bama, and the SEC is the greatest game day experience and conference in the country and Saban is wealthy…..but, that ego is hard to keep in the closet, and 3 rings from 3 different schools would cement that legend status forever. Keep an eye on that. And don’t believe a word he say’s….ask the Dolphins. Auburn would love to get away from Bama and LSU and Arkansas…..They feel Florida would be there only road block to the dome every year if Richt stays…and the jury still out on Muschamp.
Sharpshooter
October 19th, 2011
12:48 pm
Mark A&M has two longtime rivals…..Ark ( from the old SWC) and LSU.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
12:51 pm
kellyburger———-> BINGO!
SEC insider, You apparently are not as much on the inside as you’d like for us to believe eh? Please show me where a division round robin is an NCAA requirement?
Mike
October 19th, 2011
12:51 pm
As for the East being weak, that’s cyclical as you said, Mark. UGA appears to be on the road back. Not sure about UT. They made a complete mess of things handling Fulmer the way they did. UF will need a year or two to get the right players in, if they can. Its been a long time since UF had the personnel to run a prostyle offense. The East is definitely in flux right now just like the West was for most of the last decade.
GTBob
October 19th, 2011
12:52 pm
Missouri will be in the West. It wouldn’t make sense to put them in the opposite conference of Texas A&M, Arkansas and the Mississippi sisters. It would cause more travel for everyone.
JB
October 19th, 2011
12:52 pm
01HAWK… look up naive in the dictionary. And, you may be right, but he has spent his entire career being “itchy”. Maybe his age has slowed him down….and all BS aside, it’s obvious he’s got it going on over there…………But don’t think forever with Saban………….you’ll get your heart broke.
gtfanfrom1951
October 19th, 2011
12:52 pm
Will Coach Fulmer get another job in SEC?
Saban
October 19th, 2011
12:55 pm
Who is naive JB? Someone who listens to the whinings of Dolphin beat reporter Dan LeBatard? Because Saban was completely up front with the Dolphin players and Huizenga…notice you don’t ever hear anything negative out of them. Just the hack reporters like Bradley and LeBatard who can’t stand that Saban hates the media.
Mark
October 19th, 2011
12:56 pm
Sharpshooter: Yea, but A&M is already in. This is about Mizzo.
USC wouldn’t care. They give up Arky and gain A&M. It’s not like Arky was a rival. They gain access to Texas markets. A&M doesn’t care. Do they have a rival in the East? Like you said, they have West teams they want to play. Having cross game with USC is the cost of admission.
So who is upset here? No one, that’s why it’s going to happen. Even if they have the votes for Mizzo in the West, they would still go with putting them in the East b/c IT MAKES MORE SENSE.
JB
October 19th, 2011
12:58 pm
Mark @12:51,,,,,,,,,,,,Georgia on the way back…….Go to the Macon paper today and read an article about the Georgia program written by a guy named Shank I believe. Mark, Georgia ain’t back. Replace those two Mississippi schools with say LSU and Arkansas and the Dawgs would be 3-4 and McGarity would openly be talking about a replacement. Those five wins are against teams who are 1-13 since the win streak started. Other than Coastal Carolina, the Dawgs have not looked good and those weak teams. I get bashed on here, but I can’t defend him anymore.
Aubin janitor
October 19th, 2011
12:59 pm
aubin wud have a bater chances to win sec if dey muv to d east cuz it b lotz mo easy dan d west.
aol.com
October 19th, 2011
1:01 pm
Looking more and more like Saban will be moving west to Texas as his wife don’t like the small town life.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:01 pm
Saban….I heard him with my own ears at a presser 2 days before he flew to Bama deny it. Dream on all you want to.
Alphare
October 19th, 2011
1:02 pm
Kinda remember Auburn always gave FL a hard time even when FL was good. Then they stopped having annual meeting. But life goes on.
AL-TN rivalry doesn’t hold much water in the last 20years. It’s always a one-sided streak.
Brian M.
October 19th, 2011
1:02 pm
The case for adding Georgia Tech instead of Missouri:
http://the14thmember.blogspot.com
RTD
October 19th, 2011
1:03 pm
Damn! Bradley wrote a decent column.
Saban
October 19th, 2011
1:04 pm
Yes he did…to the Dolphin beat reporters who kept hounding him and hounding him. His position was its nobody’s business except him, his boss and his players. Not the media. Funny that you all take shots at these reporters yourselves but when they turn on a rival program you all lap it up like lemmings.
Antique Roadshow
October 19th, 2011
1:04 pm
Saban said he could give a s####t less.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:05 pm
At least with Saban at Bama, they did away with guard at the “Bears” grave and quit hiding the shovels,
Saban
October 19th, 2011
1:06 pm
Original. Just like you are simpleton.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:07 pm
Saban, relax and enjoy your ride. Just like between Stallings and Saban, you’ll back to fighting for wins like the rest of us soon.
Half Century Dawg
October 19th, 2011
1:08 pm
JB
October 19th, 2011
12:47 pm
JB, just for the record, MR has won the last 4 of 5 against AU and is 6-4 overall.
Saban
October 19th, 2011
1:09 pm
You can’t win em all every year. But yeah…let’s just forget the century of tradition Bama has produced. It all started with Stallings.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
True half Century….What’s his record against SEC teams in 09,10, and thus far this year?
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
Auburn would instantly become the powerhouse in the East seeing as how UGA, UF etc suck.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
1:14 pm
BAMA will always be an attractive job due to the admin will pay the most for the best. HINT, HINT………………That is why SABAN is the highest paid coach in any sport in college.
SABAN makes 6 million and CMR makes 2.9 Million………………………….Looks like you got what you paid for………………………….LOL……………….WOW …………………….SABAN makes twice as much because he is doing twice or better of a job…………………….LOL
If Nick left after this year their would be a ton of coaches who are already at established programed that would leave their program in a heart beat.
BAMA is not worried. We are still the winnest program in the SEC and the 6th winnest program in all of college football……………………………………….I believe UGA is ranked 13th. You will never see the day that UGA catches up to BAMA………………………..READ IT AND WEEP ……………….THUGAS
If he leaves it will not be because of money. BAMA can match anyone in funds.
Lefty
October 19th, 2011
1:16 pm
Saban has only ever bailed on one program for another once. He left Michigan St. for a better gig at LSU. His move from LSU to the Dolphins was because he wanted to see if he could do it in the NFL. To his credit, he realized he was more effective at the college level. At least he didn’t pull a Petrino and leave the NFL in the middle of the season. Saban is 60 years old and will finish his career at Alabama. Book it!
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
1:17 pm
BRADLEY…………………………although Alabama, being its selfish self
You got that right because we are ALABAMA
ROLL TIDE ROLL
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:22 pm
O1Hawk………….your pay numbers are wrong. go to ( coachhotseat.com) and when on the site, go to Coach’s salaries and contracts. put some accurate stuff on here rather than seeing what sticks
RollTide80
October 19th, 2011
1:23 pm
I know that everybody likes to hate on teams that win all the time. So I’m not going to be pissed that you all keep saying that Bama fans cry, etc. We don’t care who we play, put then on the field with us and we will whip their azz. But when all of you talk bad about Alabama and it’s fans, including the author of this article, Mark Bradley, you all come off as criers and haters. Bash us all you want, just make sure you don’t put your team on the field with us because you will be heaing the RAMMER JAMMER cheer after we beat your azz. Later haters!
dinkdunk
October 19th, 2011
1:24 pm
13 Bammer Nat Championships? Self-flaggelation at it’s finest.
What a joke.
Bama Fan
October 19th, 2011
1:24 pm
We appreciate everything that Coach Saban has accomplished at the Capstone, but we’ll still be Bama after Coach Saban gets ready to retire. Until that time comes, he is enjoying having the best job available in all of CFB.
Brian
October 19th, 2011
1:26 pm
Mark, I wish you had time to mark down every comment where someone says “mark it down”, or “book it” (another of my favorites, haha) and then write an article at the end of the year called “Mark marked it down” and then call out everyone by their handle and prediction to see who was right and who was wrong! It would be hilarious.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:26 pm
01Hawk……I knew when Shula took it because of all the trouble Bama was in with with the NCAA due to cheating with probation and loss of scholarships and all, he thought it was a good job going from a lowly assit. with the Dolphins to Head Coach of one of the most revered Football schools in the country. We all remember that.
Bammer
October 19th, 2011
1:26 pm
13…8…whatever. Still more than 2.
John adne
October 19th, 2011
1:26 pm
We are used to them cheating in the West. Maye they can find another superman man and win the East.
smyrnabob
October 19th, 2011
1:28 pm
Exactly Mark, five years ago the East was dominate and the West was inept. Besides A&M and Missouri for Auburn sounds like you are watering down the West from the start.
Alphare
October 19th, 2011
1:30 pm
Winning percentage and win total are really exaggerated stats. They depends on conference teams’ strength.
BSU is the winning program in the past 5 years because their conference teams are too weak.
So are Texas and OKie. Usually no other teams can beat in their conference.
Bowl winning percentage may be a better stat in that regard.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
1:30 pm
TUSCALOOSA | Nick Saban is officially college football’s first — and only — $6 million man.
The University of Alabama’s head football coach will accrue compensation of $6,087,349 for 2010, making him not only the highest-paid coach in college football but one of the highest-paid coaches in the entire sport.
Mack Brown of Texas, who earned more than $5.1 million for the year, ranks second in income among college football coaches, according to data compiled by USA Today, but Saban’s big-money year puts him in a different stratosphere.
According to salaries published by Forbes magazine, Saban’s compensation ranks him behind only three National Football League coaches: Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots ($7.5 million), Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins ($7 million) and Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks ($7 million). In fact, only those three NFL coaches and National Basketball Association coaches Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers ($10.3 million) and Larry Brown of the Charlotte Bobcats ($7 million) have higher salaries than Saban’s 2010 income among U.S. coaches.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
1:30 pm
I’ve read somewhere previously that under the NCAA rule that allows a conference to host a championship game, the competing schools must be selected via a divisional round robin format. Just what I recall off the top of my head. Can’t name the specific reference source.
Vince Doodley
October 19th, 2011
1:31 pm
I’d like to see Auburn come east and the Iron bowl moved to some time mid season. I think it would take some of the heat out of that rivalry, which has become unhealthy.
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
1:32 pm
Wow, I’m actually more surprised that the Seahawks agreed to pay Pete Carroll that kind of money.
no drama needed....,
October 19th, 2011
1:33 pm
moving AU over to the East makes the most sense….do it!
Bamzo
October 19th, 2011
1:33 pm
Vince,
I don’t think the AU-UGA rivalry is any healthier.
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=13501268
Bama Fan
October 19th, 2011
1:34 pm
Nick’s worth every penny. Think I’ll send him a dollar in the mail, just as a tip for good service!
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
1:35 pm
UGA hasn’t been relevant since Reagan was in office.
When will UGA create their own logo and stop renting their G from the Green Bay Packers?
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
1:37 pm
“I’d like to see Auburn come east and the Iron bowl moved to some time mid season.”
That makes no sense.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:37 pm
Richt is 11-10 in SEC play since the beginning of the 09 season up to last week, none beaten ranked.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
1:37 pm
MACK BROWN and TEXAS are on the DECLINE……………………He has lost a little bit lately.
Larry Brown and Phil Jackson are gone.
Chipper is a Redneck
October 19th, 2011
1:38 pm
UGA played Mississippi every season until the divisions were created, so that’s a ‘natural’ rival, or at least a historical one. But there could be many changes. If you play every in-division opponent, and keep 8 total SEC games, you will have only 2 non-division games to spread among 7 teams. If 1 of those is an annual ‘rival’, you will play the other 6 teams on average only once every six years, or twice every 12 years with the home/home setup. 12 years is a long time to go without playing a conference foe.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
1:40 pm
Geoffdawg
I believe that is an assumption rather than an NCAA rule. There is a NCAA criteria for determining a conference champion as in number of conference games played. How that is determined is left up to the conference. If there is such a “rule” I’d really like to see it. When any one conference approaches 16 teams, rules will be changed. Might be when one approaches 14 teams. A 7 team round robin divison becomes more and more restraining
The Ghost of Wally Butts
October 19th, 2011
1:40 pm
SEC will be 24 teams and 4 divisions….that’s my long-range prediction of reality in, say…about 20-25 years from now…
There will only be “super-conferences” left in Division I football, and the SEC will be among them
There will be SEC North, East, South and West divisions, 1st round byes, divisional playoffs, wildcards, etc. The ultimate championship game will be the biggest ticket around, and it won’t matter what the other conferences think about who the national champion should be.
Example: The SEC West will be Texas, Ok, Okie St, TCU, LSU and Arkansas….The East will be South Carolina, Clemson, Tenn, UGA, Ga Tech and UNC.
The teams will include Fla State, Ohio State, Va Tech….we’ll drop Vandy and Ky in favor of big boy football teams.
Just a vision of the future.
01HAWK
October 19th, 2011
1:40 pm
TISSUE ANYONE !!!!!!!
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Upon review of game tapes of the football game between the University of Georgia and Vanderbilt University, played in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive has announced that Vanderbilt sophomore center Logan Stewart, Georgia sophomore defensive lineman Kwame Geathers and Georgia junior defensive back Shawn Williams have been suspended for the first half of their team’s next football games.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:41 pm
6 mil per year…………And still lost to the Russian in the Iron Bowl last year.
dap01
October 19th, 2011
1:42 pm
Auburn was great last year because of a hired qb. But their history don’t say that they would walk all over the east.
Bammer
October 19th, 2011
1:43 pm
Yeah but only 5 losses since the ULM debacle. On the other hand…3 million and lost to UCF. Who’s getting the better return on their investment?
Alphare
October 19th, 2011
1:44 pm
01HAWK,
is that true? a better job would give the source too.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:44 pm
Let’s hope they suspend Bobo for the Florida game. Boy, Vegas would have to move the line.
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
1:45 pm
Well if you’re going to poach two ACC teams get Clemson and FSU or Ga Tech.
JB
October 19th, 2011
1:48 pm
Bammer, with out a doubt, we are in almost total melt down in Athens. It won’t always be that way, as you guys can attest to difficult times.
Bammer
October 19th, 2011
1:49 pm
For sure.
bad moon
October 19th, 2011
1:49 pm
MAN!!! I can’t wait for that road trip to Columbia! Yawwwnnnn
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
1:52 pm
Kansas fans, which are some of the most undeservedly self-righteous twerps, really have their panties in a bunch over Mizzou’s possible move. Sour grapes because they didn’t get invited to the prom??
Sharpshooter
October 19th, 2011
1:53 pm
Wally Butts are you mad? Have you taken your meds? Why would you wish for the cancer that is texas to come into the SEC. And if you meant Texas A&M………don’t ever make that mistake again.
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
1:58 pm
Texas A&M fans are really dorky and horrible in their own right though, should’ve torpedoed the ACC for expansion teams. Best to just stay out of Texas altogether!
Dontavius Supremo
October 19th, 2011
2:00 pm
Good move for Auburn and all teams in the East. Welcome back, brother!
VININGSDAWG
October 19th, 2011
2:02 pm
FOr all of those that don;t think Auburn is that good or their history doesn’t show it….In the last 20 years what team has more undefeated seasons than any team in the country…Auburn with three. We have none. Auburn has a winning record over Bama since the Bear quit cheating and died.
So these fools that don;t think Auburn will be that good obviously don;t follow football. Chizik is a good coach with the best staff in the country. Auburn to the East would be great and return great rivalries of the past. In exchange UGA will probably get Texas AM as our new permanent from the West.
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
2:03 pm
Why hasn’t the SEC sent Vandy back down to the minor leagues (the ACC) yet? That’s the real travesty here.
Sharpshooter
October 19th, 2011
2:10 pm
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
1:58 pm
Billy seems to me you are saying A&M is going to fit right into the SEC
BILLY MAYS HERE
October 19th, 2011
2:12 pm
Great post Sharpshooter, did you write that one yourself
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
October 19th, 2011
2:15 pm
AU wants the east because that side sucks and for no other reason regardless to how they spin it!!!! 10rc is years away at best,Vandy and KY are a joke ,USCe is going down because the ole ball coach is done,UF is a unknown at this point with Coach Boom but it doesn’t look so good today, UGA is always the best team in America from March until August and Richt needs to be fired. If I am the AU folks then you bet your sweet arze you can relocate me to the sissy side and I will be glad to get away from Petrino,Miles, and Saban! Texas A&M would win the east this year without any problem and they’re going to the West as well. Auburn and DaTrupa and DaLupa has been buying your players for 3 years and now they want to come play in your little girl league. Pricelss.
Sharpshooter
October 19th, 2011
2:16 pm
I apologize for referencing your post rather than pasting your quote Biily Boy. I should have known you would have trouble finding it.
Clyde Bolton
October 19th, 2011
2:19 pm
“Make the Iron Bowl the third Saturday in October. Alabama would forget Tennessee ever existed.”
Mark, are you serious?
Mighty whale !
October 19th, 2011
2:20 pm
@ Vinings
Yeah Auburn is good . It comes down to the ridiculousness of having Missouri in the east . The whole state of Missouri is west of the Mississippi . Its geographically silly . Its just not proper shoolin and these are schools .
S GA AU FAN
October 19th, 2011
2:21 pm
For Vandy to be as bad as dawg fans claim, they sure played the “dream team” close!
Buckhead Dawg
October 19th, 2011
2:36 pm
Has anyone seen my pickle? I seem to have lost it around here somewhere. Oh well guess I’ll get another one.
Musashi
October 19th, 2011
2:39 pm
LSU suspends Ware and Mathieu… how dumb can you be?
http://www.lsureveille.com/source-mathieu-ware-suspended-for-auburn-game-1.2655296#.Tp8WeDoMVUZ.twitter
St Simons - we're on Island time
October 19th, 2011
2:46 pm
Hey SEC! I think I saw Bobo cursing at someone at the game.
Cmon help a dog out….
Auburn’s ready to make another bidness move, now that they’ve
freed up all of Scam’s cap room.
MUTIGER94
October 19th, 2011
2:49 pm
Someone above needs some geography lessons. Mizzou is no closer to all of the potential East SEC schools than it is the potential West SEC schools. The closest to Columbia, MO are in order: ARK, VAN, KY, UM, MSU & UT. 3 east and 3 west. Maybe alignment should be a North division and a South…ARK, VAN, KY, UM, TN, MSU & MIZZOU. This could keep AUB and BAMA together; however, there are still many that are sensitive to having a “North” division. Maybe come up with some stupid division names like the Big Ten…I’m personally hoping they’ll be added to the west so that I can see more road games – Andy in Memphis.
concern
October 19th, 2011
2:50 pm
SEC West has their low dwelling teams and about to add two more. Maybe to the point can win but not play for championship. Ala schedule not that tough. One big game does not equate to tough season. Look at who they play light out of conference and the bottom teams in the East. If going to play in big game need at least one out of conference team that finishes in top 10 for sure top 15. Is that asking for much.
ADMan
October 19th, 2011
2:50 pm
Bradley…you are a complete dumbass the way you reported the Vandy incident…biased and one sided.Your credability as a sports writer has been tarnished and I’m not sure you’ll ever be able to make amends with the Bulldawg Nation. Might as well start looking for another rag to write for because you’ve just lost at least 35-45% of you readership. When you don’t report both sides of the incidents and distort the facts your credablity as an SEC sports writer is shot…Have fun covering GSU and Morehouse.
Gordon
October 19th, 2011
2:50 pm
I think the interesting question is how many conference games will be played? If you stay at 8, you will only play teams from the other division who are not your permanent opponent once every 6 years, which means once every 12 years at your place. If you play 9 conference games, those numbers are cut in half. But if you go to 9 games, that leaves for some teams (UGA, USC, UF) only 2 “free games” each year since they have permanent out-of-conference opponents. I would imagine both those games every year would be cupcakes. Teams would never play different top-flite talent from another conference except in a bowl.
SEC fan
October 19th, 2011
2:51 pm
MUTIGER94, great idea!
How about the “Jorts” and “Skoal” divisions?
george
October 19th, 2011
2:54 pm
SEC EAST=ACC
Ohio State-Michigan rematch hype in 2006 taught us a long-lasting lesson – SI.com | Sports
October 19th, 2011
2:57 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
NorthStarsDave
October 19th, 2011
2:58 pm
Um….Clyde Bolton…..Georgia did NOT play Tennessee every year until the divisional format was implemented….now it is a big game!
Do you really think that Alabama would miss Tennessee…and Tennessee miss Alabama?
Does Georgia miss Clemson? Does Tennessee miss Ole Miss? Come on….
The Alabama-Tennessee game used to be important in the old days….before divisional play….not anymore….LSU and AUB are the big games on the schedule…with Arkansas getting there…
It IS because of divisional play that make the rivalries great in the SEC….
Lou Holtz "AKA The Spitting Cobra"
October 19th, 2011
3:02 pm
Every team in SEC West wants to be in the East because they have a built in advantage over Florida and Georgia since the entire SEC West oversigns and Florida and Georgia don’t.
Nativebird
October 19th, 2011
3:04 pm
ah…the pendulum swings for now my friendly Tigers. Just remember that painful yet oh so easy to forget SEC rule of nature while you’re on top.
Kelly
October 19th, 2011
3:04 pm
It’s easier now…but these things are cyclical. Hasn’t been that long since the East was better than the West. It will eventually tip back that way, and then after that, back to the way it is now. Really doesn’t matter when viewed from that perspective.
Clyde Bolton
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
I never said anything about Georgia and Tennessee playing every year, WTH?
Vol Nation had a poll this week asking if expansion was worth losing the Alabama game. 70% responded no. As MB said it is cyclical, meanwhile I have my cigar ready for 3SIO.
brick
October 19th, 2011
3:08 pm
AU is not going to be moved to the East, thats why Missouri was denied earlier because the plan was to move AU to the East. Bama and UT blocked it because that would ruin the UT/Bama game. If Missouri is accepted they are going to be in the East. Distance is actually less for most games than if they were put in West.
MikeP
October 19th, 2011
3:14 pm
SSG Desert Dawg
October 19th, 2011
10:42 am
“……Auburn is a good team most years, but they are no Alabama or LSU. They would not have even played for a NC if they were without Cam or Nick Fairley…………..”
Auburn is, indeed, no bammer. Auburn has whipped bammer 8 of the past 11 years. As for the crack about Newton and Fairley, name any national champion for the past 20 years, take away their two best players and they wouldn’t have won either. Not much of a student of the game, are you?
Kelly
October 19th, 2011
3:15 pm
Dear AU: “It’s my belief that history is a wheel. “Inconsistency is my very essence” -says the wheel- “Rise up on my spokes if you like, but don’t complain when you are cast back down into the depths. Good times pass away, but then so do the bad. Mutability is our tragedy, but it is also our hope. The worst of times, like the best, are always passing away.” – Boethius
Ala or Texas
October 19th, 2011
3:15 pm
Dude,If you think Alabama money can match Texas money? You are very sadly mistaken!!!
Ala or Texas
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
And Nick winning another NC at another School.That will just be too much for his ego to turn down.it may be a bidding war,but oil money will win ever time.
its not happening people
October 19th, 2011
3:22 pm
Mark, just another lazy column..why not do another one speculating on conference realignment next? On this subject, you have no clue.
If the SEC expands to a 14th team, that team is going in the East.Period. Even Missouri. End of problem. You dont think that the SEC will screw up SEC rotations and rivalries for Missouri’s benefit ,do you? No way. To split Ala and Auburn would open up scheduling cans of worms the SEC doesnt want to open.
If the SEC goes to 16, then Bama and Auburn may move to the East together, but not separately. If Mo doesnt like their Eastern division location, they can stay in the Big 12.
Lou Holtz AKA "The Spitting Cobra"
October 19th, 2011
3:22 pm
MikeP- to take you up on your challenge, I would say both Nebraska in 1994 and Miami in 2001 could have National Championships without their 2 best players.
Half Century Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:29 pm
St Simons – we’re on Island time
October 19th, 2011
2:46 pm
great post, I needed that laugh.
War Eagle
October 19th, 2011
3:30 pm
55G Desertdawg, Would UGA not won the NC without Hershell, silly comment??
Jimmy Crack
October 19th, 2011
3:32 pm
At least we will respect them better than Bama. Dawgs don’t poison trees, they pee on them.
NC Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:42 pm
Missouri to the East is as absurd as the Braves when they were in the NL West!
Really?
October 19th, 2011
3:45 pm
All the bammers will scream, but Texas is the best job in college football. If they want to spend the money Alabama can’t match it. As deep as their pockets are they aren’t nearly as deep as Texas’.
Miz
October 19th, 2011
3:50 pm
It doesn’t matter which division Mizzou is in. Very soon there will be four, four team divisions. Everything will be reorganized then.
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
How many team have won the NC from the East?
One: Florida
How many teams have won the NC from the West?
Three: LSU, AU and Bama
Nuff said
Augusta Jacket
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
If Auburn move to the east, Georgia would never win the east again. Georgia only beat FL. one time out of 10 ha ha ha ha
Jimmy Crack Corn
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=13501268
Tee Martin
October 19th, 2011
3:56 pm
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH—- Get a clue my silly friend. UT has a BCS National Championship too.
Jimmy Crack Corn
October 19th, 2011
3:57 pm
MikeP-
Are you sure you’re not Patrick? Twist the stats to make yourselves look better huh? 40-34-1 is all that matters Wittle Weagle.
St Simons - we're on Island time
October 19th, 2011
4:13 pm
I’m afraid it’s going to be West Virginia to the East, and nobody moves.
That depends on WVa upgrading facilities, other sports, etc.
Auburn, don’t fret. You still got lots of cap room money, now that Scam’s gone. And the dogtrack, and the casino. And you can always use that retainer on Cohen to sue the NCAA if they think giving a player’s parent $200K is cheatin……180 just aint gonna get it, y’know
GeoffDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:14 pm
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH, if you’re talking BCS, add UT. If you’re talking any MNC, add UT and UGA.
NC Dawg
October 19th, 2011
4:15 pm
West Va. to the East?? Ok, nevermind…bring Mizzou to the East.
REDWEST
October 19th, 2011
4:26 pm
Auburn and Alabama go to the EAST, Vandy goes to the WEST. Missouri and Texas A&M go to the WEST. That makes the most logical, geographic sense
LHarding Dawg
October 19th, 2011
4:49 pm
It really does’nt matter to Georgia if Auburn moves to the east because we already play them every year. What could happen is that Auburn and Alabama could possibly play the iron bowl and then the SEC championship back to back. That really does’nt make a lot of sense. The two schools need to stay in the same division to prevent this.
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
4:56 pm
“UT has a BCS National Championship too.”
Not in the past 10 years, tard.
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
October 19th, 2011
4:56 pm
St Simons, it must suck to be you.
jeff
October 19th, 2011
5:39 pm
just to differ with you a bit on bama not sniffing – a 1994 a 12-1 bama team came within 1 pt of more than sniffing another BCSNC.
Yellow Fuzz
October 19th, 2011
6:06 pm
This just in……Georgia Tech, ranked no. 84, is the leading school in Georgia, ahead of Emory at 114 and the University of Georgia at 385, according to the rankings compiled by U.S. News and World Report.
Haha
October 19th, 2011
6:09 pm
Yes bring Auburn to the east. The dogs and gators need some more cats to eat.
Blackoutanyone?
October 19th, 2011
6:11 pm
Bradley ….”although Alabama, being its selfish self”
Bama is the ONLY SEC program that stands to lose anything. The barn will keep all its rivalries and move to the little sister division. If you want to talk selfish… talk about why GT, FSU and Clemson aren’t being considered. UGA, UF and USCe would have none of it. Let’s see… trade the 3rd Saturday in October Bama vs. UT for Bama vs. Mizz? Even an idiot like MikeP would realize how stupid that is.
Haha
October 19th, 2011
6:12 pm
Saban will never leave Bama on his own accord. The bama mafia would take him down and he knows it. Only way to get out of bama alive is to lose.
Just sayin' what we're ALL thinking....
October 19th, 2011
6:14 pm
Auburn – You can run, but you can not hide. Bama and LSU own you, and despite Walmart pricing, we can’t sell you to anyone.
Haha
October 19th, 2011
6:14 pm
Blackoutanyone. It’s all about the recruiting. Texas A&M and Missouri don’t pose a big threat to the existing SEC schools for in state recruits.
CHUCK UGA
October 19th, 2011
6:22 pm
Good points, Mark. What a nightmare for Georgia if Petrino did go to Knoxville. That would most certainly be Richt’s undoing (if this season doesn’t do it).
CHUCK UGA
October 19th, 2011
6:25 pm
Augusta Jacket = Uninformed village idiot. Amazing how many Tech fans are clueless of the facts. A fake football program is what they are…and irrelevant. Virginia!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Ohio State-Michigan rematch hype in 2006 taught us a long-lasting lesson – CNN | Sports
October 19th, 2011
6:35 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Blackoutanyone?
October 19th, 2011
6:35 pm
Haha… you are 100% correct. That doesn’t make it any less “selfish” than Alabama looking to protect it’s rivalry with UT. I’m actually surprised UT hasn’t made more noise about this. If I take off the Crimson sunglasses I still can’t name 3 SEC rivalries that are better than UT vs. Bama?
Iron Bowl
UGA vs. barn
UGA vs. UF (Maybe)
Knowall Moreno
October 19th, 2011
6:45 pm
Mizzou & A&M need to be in the West, sure move Auburn to the East to balance power out, those War Eagles are good people beleive it or not!
Blackoutanyone?
October 19th, 2011
6:47 pm
01Hawk curb stomping JB all day long. LOL JB getting his info from coachhotseat.com Bwaa haaa haa ahaaa too funny.
96dawgs
October 19th, 2011
6:53 pm
THIS HELPS UGA! WE HAVE TO PLAY THEM EVERY YEAR ANYWAY, THEY WOULD HELP US BEAT UP ON THE OTHER THREE!!!!!! SIGN ME UP
ldawg121
October 19th, 2011
6:53 pm
Alabama and Auburn to the East ? So basically you’d have whoever survived the carnage in the East versus LSU just about every year in the SECCG. I know things run in cycles,but to have 3 teams that have won National Championships recently along with traditionally powerful UGA ( I know,not the last couple of years,but who really believes thats going to last ) and up and coming SC along with another traditionally powerful Tennessee,in one division,while LSU is left to navigate Mizzou,A&M,Ole Miss,Miss St, Arkansas, and Vandy. Doesn’t seem too balanced does it ?
Yo
October 19th, 2011
7:06 pm
Keep in mind AU is 1 of 5 recently against UGA
Mike G
October 19th, 2011
7:10 pm
Easy solution: 1. Take Missouri into the West, 2. Move Alabama and Auburn to the East, 3. Move Vanderbilt to the West.
MikeP
October 19th, 2011
8:12 pm
Bammer wants to whine about losing their game with UT. Let ‘em schedule it as an out of conference game. That’s what Auburn was told about losing the AU/UF game back whenever.
MikeP
October 19th, 2011
8:19 pm
I see Blackout is back. Didn’t think he’d have the guts to show up. Blackout’s last three big predictions:
1)Mississippi State would beat Auburn by two TD’s. LOL
2)Auburn would finish the year 4-8. LMAO.
3)Auburn would have to give the National Championship trophy back. LMFAO!
Dude ain’t exactly Nostradamus, is he? Hey Blackout, predict something else. Like most members of the Updyke nation you’re a hoot.
MikeP
October 19th, 2011
8:29 pm
Just sayin’ what we’re ALL thinking….
October 19th, 2011
6:14 pm
“Auburn – You can run, but you can not hide. Bama and LSU own you, and despite Walmart pricing, we can’t sell you to anyone.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What gives you those weird ideas? Auburn has beaten Alabama 8 of the last 11 and AU/LSU have split the last 12 games 6-6. Do you know how silly you look when you post stuff that facts prove is false?
kybodawg
October 19th, 2011
8:50 pm
vanderbilts moving to the acc so they can be champs for 10 yrs like fla.. st. did, until the rest catch up to them
Blackoutanyone?
October 19th, 2011
9:44 pm
MikeP….I didn’t take into consideration UTAH STATE couldn’t cover an on side kick, usc qb would play so bad he would get kicked off the team and UF would have to play with their 3rd string QB. Speaking of predictions… how’s that 10 win season you promised working out? What are u guys a 21 point under dog this weekend? Lol
H-Town Dawg
October 20th, 2011
1:20 am
Auburn would be better off staying in the West and hoping that Saban and Miles just go away sooner rather than later.
bakerman
October 20th, 2011
8:15 am
The simple solution is add 2 more teams from the west and move both Auburn and Alabama to the east. Of course, the puppies would cry.
MikeP
October 20th, 2011
9:20 am
Quoting Blackout; “I didn’t take into consideration…” That was my point. Bammers are famous for running their mouths and thinking their wishes are fact.
Of my predictions, one is now fact: The NCAA has declared Auburn clear of any wrongdoing throughout the entire athletic program. Auburn will be keeping the National Championship trophy.
My other two, that Auburn will win no fewer than ten games this year and that the winner of the AU/LSU game will represent the West in Atlanta are still alive. Your three are all shot. Dead.
Now you act as though the betting line on a game predicts the outcome. Slow learner, aren’t you?
About Auburn moving to the SEC East, it’s all about renewing Auburn’s annual rivalries with Florida and Tennessee. Those were great games for the fans and teams of all three schools. The bamzos are against it because they are afraid to lose to Auburn twice in one season.
Better Alignment
October 20th, 2011
9:31 am
A better alignment would be for the Miss. schools to join the East and send Vanderbilt to the West.
This would keep cross divisional rivalries in place. Alabama will not allow Auburn to leave by themselves.
West
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Missou.
Vanderbilt
Texas A & M
Arkansas
East
Florida
Georgia
Miss. St.
Ole Miss
S. Carolina
Tenn.
Kentucky
No Big Deal
October 20th, 2011
10:08 am
Auburn to the East makes sense.Why would Alabama not endorse that?They could still make sure that Auburn plays them every year as a stipulation for the move.It seems that Florida plays LSU every year and they are in opposite divisions.I guess Alabama would prefer Vandy and Kentucky moved to the west so they would have a couple easier games on top of their annual PATSY GAMES……..BOO HOO Tide……………..Roll with it!
LSU#1
October 20th, 2011
10:15 am
How about moving Alabama and Auburn to the East and Kentucky to the west.That way LSU will win the west every year!
LHarding Dawg
October 20th, 2011
11:21 am
The easiest thing to do would be to put Missouri in the east. Their permanent lock in the west would be Texas A&M and nothing else changes.
Ga > AU
October 20th, 2011
12:03 pm
AU to the SEC east? No big deal. Once Richt gets this dream team some more experience, they will own the SEC next year. Ga will beat auburn easy this year and win the SEC next year–take it to the bank!
PigIron
October 20th, 2011
5:17 pm
@No Big Deal
Bama isn’t concerned with their lil’ brother in Auburn. They don’t want to mess up the Alabama vs. Tennessee rivalry.
UGA Rocks!
October 20th, 2011
7:09 pm
Yeah! Can’t wait till UGA turns the page and ends the Richt era! Then maybe we will have a shot at turning the tide (no pun intended back Jeff) and become relevant again!
the dawg
October 20th, 2011
7:42 pm
Clemson should join the SEC, not Missouri, simple as that.
Jake
October 20th, 2011
8:21 pm
Mark,
Keep in mind, Mark Richt has a higher winning % than Saban, Petrino, etc.
SweeneyDawg
October 20th, 2011
8:27 pm
Good point, here’s current ranking of win % of active SEC coaches.
#1 Richt
#2 Petrino
#3 Saban
#4 Miles
I don’t think Auburn wants to be playing Mark Richt a lot, Richt’s 4-2 in last 6 games against Auburn.
SweeneyDawg
October 20th, 2011
8:28 pm
Here’s the link for Mark Bradley to get to know a little bit. No one fears Richt? Sure.
http://www.coacheshotseat.com/WinningestActiveCoachesIA.htm
Chicken From TD
October 20th, 2011
11:03 pm
You cannot put Auburn in the East without moving Tennessee to the West. If you have both Tennessee and Auburn in the East, and Bama in the West, you will lose either the Bama/Auburn game or the Bama/Tennessee game. Anyone with any sense knows that it won’t happen.
Here is what you do:
1. Leave things alone and put Mizzou in the East.
2. Put Mizzou and Tennessee in the West and move Auburn to the East.
3. Leave things alone and put Mizzou in the West and Miss State in the East.
Options 1 and 3 more here:
http://www.tigerdroppings.com/blog/bp/29206392/A-Stab-at-the-SEC-Divisions-After-Adding-Mizzou.aspx
Thoughts?
good122
October 20th, 2011
11:17 pm
Missouri to the west makes the most sense. Missouri sets up as a natural geographical rivalry with Arkansas. It makes no sense to have Missouri in the SEC but not have them play a border war game with Arky every year when Arky plays their home games on the Missouri border. Logically, if your Missouri you want to be able to recruit Arkansas, Mississippi, which are great states for football talent and not Kentucky, Tennessee. Ole Miss and Miss State are combined closer geographically than Vanderbilt and Tennessee. UGA, Fl, and SC are on average about 900 miles away from the Missouri campus. In contrast, Missouri’s longest road trips in the West would be on average around 700 miles. It’s better all around for them to be in the west for recruiting, travel, natural and historic rivalries, etc. Also, just a guess, Missouri will never be able to recruit Florida or Georgia the way they could Arky, Texas and Mississippi.
The best solution is to move Auburn to the east, have two permanent divisional opponents, and rotate one team from the other division every two years. It makes more sense geographically and you get to keep those older rivalries such as UT and Alabama. That’s nine conference games per year. As far as when the Iron Bowl is played, I really don’t see why it matters if there is a rematch. First of all, rematches happen all the time anyway. Half the championship games over the last 10 years have been rematches of regular season games, including last year. There is always a good chance that will happen in a divisional format.
good122
October 20th, 2011
11:58 pm
@ Chicken.
Lol, you can’t put Miss State in the East, then you would have Vandy, Kentucky and Miss State in one division. Also, there is the possibility that South Carolina will fall off the face of the earth when Spurrier retires. They were the absolute worst team in the SEC before he arrived. In other words, you have four historic bottom dwellers in one division. That would make the SEC too imbalanced. Moving Auburn to the East makes way more sense. A&M is actually a top 20 program all-time, so in reality both divisions would be pretty balanced with Auburn in the east.
East = Aub, Tn, Georgia, Florida
West = LSU, A&M, Alabama, Arkansas
All-time average historical winning percentage ranking of top four teams in each division in this alignment:
East =13
West = 17
East is only slightly stronger historically at the top, but historically MSU and Ole Miss have been a lot more competitive than Kentucky and Vandy, so it balances itself out. Missouri and South Carolina are awash.
TybeeDawg
October 21st, 2011
7:54 am
Missouri to the SEC is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. We don’t need the friggin’ midwest teams in the SEC. What a bunch if idiots.
TybeeDawg
October 21st, 2011
7:55 am
What about Clemson, Florida State, anyone but Missouri, please!
FanSince59
October 21st, 2011
9:51 am
Bradley, that’s a good way to put it: “Georgia’s trying to bleed out another East title in order to remain relevant.” Nothing like backing into a title, but, when you’re Mark Richt and sweating to save your overpaid job, you ain’t proud. The fun stops there though. Saban or Miles will kick his overpaid A$$ all over the field in the SEC championship game and will show all UGA fans how “relevant” their program (as well as their beloved coach) is once and for all.
MikeP
October 21st, 2011
9:59 am
PigIron
October 20th, 2011
5:17 pm
@No Big Deal
“Bama isn’t concerned with their lil’ brother in Auburn. They don’t want to mess up the Alabama vs. Tennessee rivalry.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bammer is scared of losing to Auburn twice in one year. They already have to deal with the fact that Auburn has dominated them since Bryant retired in 1982. Losing to Auburn twice in one year would tax the battered wife and child facilities of the state beyond capacity.
Bazooka Joe
October 21st, 2011
10:00 am
Back in the day when we had 2 permanent opponents from the west, the other one was Ole Miss…..
The Real Indian Dawg
October 21st, 2011
3:27 pm
The SEC Least is a joke, so I am sure Awburn wants to move here.
If our Dawgs were in the SEC west, it would be bad news…. in fact we have had a lucky scheduling anomaly this year in that we missed Arkansas, Bama, and LSU and got to play the worst teams from the West….
So we have 4 SEC wins – All four of those teams combined have 1 total win in the SEC this year. Let’s face it, we are doing better because we have the easiest schedule in the SEC and have beaten the easiest part of that schedule.
Think about it, the 4 teams we have beaten are 4 of the 5 worst teams in the SEC with conference records of:
0-3
1-3
0-4
0-4
That is freaking 1-14 and the only win was one that had to happen cause Vandy and Ole Miss played each other.
Don’t worry though, we play the other winless SEC team too – Kentucky has an 0-3 conference record.
This program is going down and some people thinkit should all be puppies, kittens, and roses – you need to understand the reality of where this program is. We have not beat anyone good since we beat Tech back in 2009.
And another thing… I am afraid that the Gators will continue to own us… They have only played 1 easy SEC team while we have played 4. The other games were against LSU, Bama, and Awwwburn.
Now if you think we would have won 4 conf games in a row with that schedule you must be the same homers that say we are going to win a National Championship again.
Face it, those days and 1980 are long gone and we are a middle of the pack team that is 5-2 because of an extremely EASY SEC Schedule…. Rated the Easiest in the Conference.
jim h
October 21st, 2011
8:45 pm
I believe the capital of Alabama is Montgomery. Much closer than the Atl.
Roger
October 21st, 2011
10:43 pm
The Auburn- Alabama game must be protected, it means more than the Auburn- Ga game. The East is softer than the West, for now, so Auburn should welcome the move. THE IRON BOWL MUST BE PROTECTED
good122
October 22nd, 2011
4:07 am
Found on another site… It’s a lot closer than people think.
“Disregarding ties… here is how it would stack up:
Alabama 0.70747 802 319
Louisiana State 0.64317 720 389
Texas A&M 0.59863 674 444
Arkansas 0.59318 668 452
————————————————– ————————————-
2864 — 1604 4468 games total = 64%
Georgia 0.64364 737 396
Auburn 0.63174 703 400
Florida 0.63090 662 379
Tennessee 0.68993 789 340
————————————————– ———————————-
2891 — 1515 4406 games total = 65%
The two divisions would be almost identical in terms of wins, losses, and all-time winning percentage just looking at the top programs.”
Ted.
October 22nd, 2011
8:23 am
Bama has only been a factor in the SEC West for the past three years or so. AU’s traditional rivals have always been from the east…when I was in school we rarely played LSU or Ole Miss …and Ark was not in the conference. If we want traditional rivals, let’s go back to playing UF, UTk, Ga every year.
gmandog
October 22nd, 2011
10:57 am
Mark – If you were UGA AD, who would you recruit to replace Richt?
WDE in SD
October 22nd, 2011
9:30 pm
Maybe I missed something, but why not just move both Bama and Auburn to the East and have TAM and Mizzou be in the West? That way you preserve the AU/UGA, AU/Bama, and UT/UA rivalries.
WDE in SD
October 22nd, 2011
9:35 pm
…and move Vandy to the West (meant to include that in previous post.)
I own you
October 22nd, 2011
10:50 pm
I don’t want Auburn and their dirty program tainting the SEC East. Gross.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
October 23rd, 2011
8:58 pm
I agree with Aaron and Swarles. Put a sock in it Alaska. You(and the AJC crew) must not have seen the same game that most viewers saw.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
October 23rd, 2011
9:03 pm
Jim h: I thought the capitol of Alabama was approx. $4.65.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
October 23rd, 2011
9:29 pm
Oleballfan: Who died and left you in charge? Stick a sock in it.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
October 23rd, 2011
9:33 pm
CMR is the tenth winningest active coach in the nation. He also has a higher winning percentage than Saban and Miles. Of course most of you negativist never let facts get in your way. CMR is also a really class act.
Dawg '88
October 23rd, 2011
9:33 pm
Instead of some coming on here and calling UGA players thugs…watch something that proves otherwise. Also, for those that want to trash our own….
http://www.georgiadogs.com/allaccess/?media=272503
NC Dawg 90
October 23rd, 2011
10:41 pm
Finally, people are stating what should seem obvious….Missouri ends up in the East. It’s not like college conference names make any sense any way: the Big 10 with 12 teams, the Big 12 with 9, 8, 7. And Missouri is north of the state of Alabama, fulfilling one of the directional directives of SEC East membership: to be located north or east of the state of Alabama.
This was Alabama keeps its traditional rivalry with TN, and Auburn stays in the West. It maintains balance power program-wise, too. It would be unfair for the East to have to take a program like Auburn when the West would get two soon to be doormats. Especially Missouri.
I really wish we would be patient and try to work something out to get Va Tech, or even NC State. Missouri is one of the most boring, non-descript college athletic programs around.
NC Dawg 90
October 23rd, 2011
10:45 pm
WDE in SD,
Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee in the East? What, you want the West to be the minor league? That leaves one real power program in the West: LSU. Are you an LSU fan or something? Book the Tigers for Atlanta for the next 20 years with that conference set up.
You’re an idiot.