Football season arrives with annual SEC Media Days gathering
Birmingham — I’m here at SEC Football Media Days with AJC colleagues Jeff Schultz and Tim Tucker. We’ll be providing you online coverage all afternoon. Schultz already has posted one of his infamous “Digi-Blogs.”
The actual event doesn’t get started until 1:30 p.m. EST when Commissioner Mike Slive gives the state of the SEC address — they take this stuff very serious — but the Wynfrey Hotel is already abuzz with activity. According to the SEC, more than 1,100 media professionals have been credentialed for this year’s festivities, which is a record.
Of course, foremost on the agenda this year is the expansion of the league to 14 teams. New members Missouri and Texas A&M will both meet the press today. I wrote a story that you can LINK TO HERE previewing this year’s event and reviewing all the work that has gone into adding these two programs over the last nine months.
One of the highlights of this event is the annual polling of the media, who pick a preseason All-SEC team and predict the order of finish. Don’t go running to Las Vegas to put money on our projected champion.
Since the last expansion in 1992, the media is 4-16 at predicting a champion. We got two in a row right in 1994-95 (Florida) and back-to-back in 2007-08 (LSU, Florida). Otherwise we’ve whiffed, including 11 consecutive misses from 1996-2006.
Following is a list of predictions provided by the SEC. Thanks for keeping track guys:
Year—-Projected Champion—–Eventual champion
1992—–Florida—–Alabama
1993—–Alabama—–Florida
1994—–Florida—–Florida
1995—–Florida—–Florida
1996—–Tennessee—–Florida
1997—–Florida—–Tennessee
1998—–Florida—–Tennessee
1999—–Tennessee—–Alabama
2000—–Alabama—– Florida
2001—–Florida—–LSU
2002—–Tennessee—–Georgia
2003—–Auburn—–LSU
2004—–Georgia—–Auburn
2005—–Tennessee—–Georgia
2006—–Auburn—–Florida
2007—–LSU—–LSU
2008—–Florida—–Florida
2009—–Florida—–Alabama
2010—–Alabama—–Auburn
2011—–Alabama—–LSU
So who do you think we should pick this year?
Remember to check back right here all day as we’ll be providing blogs after each school’s turn at the podium. Today’s agenda in order of appearance is: Commissioner Slive, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Missouri and Vanderbilt.
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112 comments Add your comment
UGASlobberknocker
July 17th, 2012
12:51 pm
Was Crowell in Tuscaloosa last night? just wondering.
TampaGator
July 17th, 2012
12:52 pm
…..and Skitty Friddy…..
Nothing average about the University of Florida….from academics to atheltics. One of the top athletic programs in the country….including football……and a very good academic institution as well…..ask Dante Phillips. How is Bama’s recruiting of Phillips coming anyway? I hear you guys really want him…..
TampaGator
July 17th, 2012
12:54 pm
BankerDawg….
South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Vandy are on that schedule….but you do have it easy on the West side of things.
DP
July 17th, 2012
1:09 pm
TampaGator, it is to Florida’s benefit that the 20 year history of the SEC football championship coincides with the only extended period in which Florida football has been relevant. Congratulations.
Paul Webber
July 17th, 2012
1:16 pm
Great assessment of all the qb’s under CMR and a great read on Aaron Murray’s legacy found:
http://dawgsandbstreet.blogspot.com/2012/07/why-will-aaron-murray-be-best-qb-of-cmr.html
AltamahaDawg
July 17th, 2012
1:20 pm
So, we should hope TN is picked this year.
Not so Fast My Friend
July 17th, 2012
1:23 pm
Who care’s it’s July
Jim
July 17th, 2012
1:23 pm
So UF has won 7 SEC Titles since the inception of the Championship game to UGA’s 2. I have to admit that does suck. But I’d like to point out that pre 1992, UGA has 10 SEC Titles to UF’s 1.
patricio el fabuloso
July 17th, 2012
1:30 pm
Chip: Isn’t your countdown clock showing 11 days longer than it should be?
Butter Bean Floyd
July 17th, 2012
1:33 pm
Richt hasnt done anything since the departure of all Donnan Recruits and BVG.
7576DAWG
July 17th, 2012
1:41 pm
Who will win the SEC Championship?
It depends on which team get’s the best leader at Quarterback. The key to the Championship in the SEC has always been the defense. The team that wins has got to have a great defense and they have to have a Quarterback who is a leader. The third key a lot of times will be a reliable field goal kicker.
Mettenburger has the size and arm but can he maneuver under pressure or does he have a quick release that is accurate. If so LSU has a great chance in the West. Alabama has a great defense again but not an experienced Quarterback. Arkansas has a good Quarterback but not a good enough defense to hold up the entire season.
In the East Florida will have a good defense but will they find a Quarterback. South Carolina will have a very good defense with depth for the first time but has Spurrier finally found a Quarterback in Conner Shaw. I think Shaw will need at least one complete year under his belt but he may have played enough last year after Spurrier gave up on Garcia. South Carolina could be the team to beat. Don’t ever underestimate Spurrier, he is a great Coach.
Georgia will have the great defense with depth but has Murray finally learned that you can lose a game just as easy as you can help win one. Will his mistakes cost Georgia again this year.
In the SEC the field goal kicker is always one of the most important players on the field. A lot of Georgia’s win’s and losses are by 3 points or less. Marshall Morgan could be our savior to a 12 to 14 game season. Can’t wait to see who are the Pretenders and who are the contenders.
How's Loretta doing, Butcher Holler?
July 17th, 2012
1:41 pm
May have noticed the “Queen of Country Music” Kitty Wells passed away. Loretta always got a new pair of shoes once a year.
DawginLex
July 17th, 2012
1:42 pm
butcher holler
UGA 45
Auburn 7
Top tier???
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
DawginLex
July 17th, 2012
1:45 pm
Blaize
There is a confirmed report that your mommy is looking for you
TampaGator
July 17th, 2012
1:54 pm
DP…..
If I am reading corectly……
Georgia has won 12 SEC titles since 1950….
Florida has won 8 SEC titles since 1950…..
But Florida has been less relevant than Georgia for 40 years….yet have just 4 less SEC titles. I guess relevancy…..is relevant…….based on how you look at things.
dap01
July 17th, 2012
1:58 pm
I sure hope we hear a report from the GREAT Saban!
WDE
July 17th, 2012
1:59 pm
First off I’d like to send best wishes to the good people of Tuscaloosa after the tragic shooting yesterday, hope they catch that person quickly. Second can I get an amen that college football is getting closer, can NOT wait for kickoff !
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July 17th, 2012
2:07 pm
[...] Chip Towers blogs from SEC Media Days [...]
LuvmyG
July 17th, 2012
2:08 pm
Lsu again..but were gonna work hard and win it all.
zbulldawg
July 17th, 2012
2:11 pm
IT’S GEORGIA TIME !! Let the BIG DAWG EAT !!!!!!!!!
P_The_Ricker
July 17th, 2012
2:14 pm
Champ Game: LSU v UGA
Champ: LSU
East: UGA has the least amount of question marks going into the season.
West: Alabama is just as over-rated going into 2012 as they were in 2010.
DawginLex
July 17th, 2012
2:18 pm
Tampa
The only problem is that college football in the SEC did not begin in 1990
There was a ton of football played before that and florida’s legacy was ZERO SEC titles and tons of humiliating defeats.
gatorref
July 17th, 2012
2:21 pm
Lex
Tampa never said football began in 1990 – just stated facts – UGA with 12 SEC titles and UF with 8.
No shame in either program.
Your gerbil must have you jumpy.
AltamahaDawg
July 17th, 2012
2:23 pm
Bama had FIVE first round drafts picks on that team, very little weaknesses going in, experienced, very few injuries, and holding on to a solid #1 ranking well into the season. How were they over-rated? Under performed would be more accurate.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
2:31 pm
“UGA 45
Auburn 7
Top tier???”
Auburn won a national title in 2010, Lex. Something UGA hasn’t done since Jimmy Carter was in office. If you’re only accomplishment is beating an Auburn team that lost 33 players from that 2010 team, then you really are pathetic.
Not sure if you know this or not, but Auburn is going to have yet ANOTHER top ten recruiting class. You’re coveted Ruben Foster has Auburn inked on his arm. He’ll have a FIELD DAY taking out your offense in 1-2 years.
Have fun losing ANOTHER bowl game.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
2:32 pm
“There was a ton of football played before that and florida’s legacy was ZERO SEC titles and tons of humiliating defeats.”
Since 1990, UF has THREE national championships.
UGA…..ZERO…
Go back to your trailer, Lex.
duronimo
July 17th, 2012
2:32 pm
So, UGA has been picked once and won the SEC twice … in 20 years. Unfortunately, I think that puts us in the second tier of SEC football teams.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
2:34 pm
“There is a confirmed report that your mommy is looking for you”
Spoken like a true child. Hey, isn’t your trailer on fire, Lex?
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
2:35 pm
“So, UGA has been picked once and won the SEC twice … in 20 years. Unfortunately, I think that puts us in the second tier of SEC football teams.”
UGA is the Chicago Cubs of the SEC. NEXT YEAR, NEXT YEAR!!!!! Oh, and UGA rents their G logo from the Green Bay Packers.
P_The_Ricker
July 17th, 2012
2:35 pm
“over-rated” by definition that they started the season #1, yet finished #13.
can debate whether they were “over-rated” or “under performed,” but the fact is that they finished 12 spots lower than where they started. can’t argue that the voters “over-rated” them.
DawginLex
July 17th, 2012
2:40 pm
Auburn hired a mercenary QB for 1 year and cheated
Everyone knows it
Now they want to honor him and the people have spoken-NO
Auburn cheats to win. Period. The only way they get great players is to pay them.
They will eventually get caught and all you butt hurt idiots defending them will go into permanent hiding
WALDY BUTTS
July 17th, 2012
2:42 pm
Texas A&M will run roughshod over the SEC this year.
CubanDawg
July 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
Duronimo the SEC before this last expansion had 12 teams. Since 1990 the only teams to win an SEC title are: Ala, Fla, Tenn, LSU, UGA & AU. How does that make UGA 2nd tier?????
AltamahaDawg
July 17th, 2012
2:47 pm
Well if we go on purely voted/finished, (which I guess is technically the definition) if you finish one spot lower, you were “over-rated”.
I tend to think of that term as voters being high on somebody when there is no reason to be and it was obvious in the end. 2010 Bama HAD everything the voters thought that had. They just lost 3 games due to absolutely no good reason.
Of cource we agree on this, I am just being contrary.
MS Bully
July 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
Go State!!!!
Nimrod Dawg
July 17th, 2012
2:57 pm
DawginLex is right. The only way we get beat is when the other team cheats. By the way Chip, give us a tweet if one of the Georgia players gets arrested over there. I’m on pins and needles since it’s well-known that cops will only come after UGA players and let everybody else slide.
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July 17th, 2012
2:58 pm
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DawginLex
July 17th, 2012
3:01 pm
nimrod
The last 6 years, Auburn has beaten us once. That year they cheated, so yes you are correct regarding Auburn and their ability to beat UGA
AltamahaDawg
July 17th, 2012
3:03 pm
Another significant point would be: is the ranking how they appear at any giving week, or a prediction of how they will finish?
In other words , is it not possible to be BOTH a #1 team in one week, and a #12 team 3 months later? that’s neither over or under rated. That’s just what they are at the time of the vote.
If If you are saying they were “projected” to be #1 not #12 at the end of the year, to me that more the definition of underperforming expectations.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
3:08 pm
“Auburn hired a mercenary QB for 1 year and cheated
Everyone knows it
Now they want to honor him and the people have spoken-NO
Auburn cheats to win. Period. The only way they get great players is to pay them.”
Cleared by the NCAA, Lex. Try again. I guess if my school hadn’t won anything in over 30 years I’d try to smear other schools, too. Wait, no I wouldn’t because I’m a grown up and not a child.
Grow up.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
3:08 pm
“They will eventually get caught and all you butt hurt idiots defending them will go into permanent hiding”
If you believe that then you also believe that I have some swamp land in Canada to sell you.
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
3:10 pm
“The last 6 years, Auburn has beaten us once. That year they cheated, so yes you are correct regarding Auburn and their ability to beat UGA”
So what about all the other years Auburn beat UGA? Did Auburn cheat all 54 other times?
Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
3:12 pm
DawginLex
If UGA is so much better than Auburn then explain why UGA just kicked its star RB off the team?
Explain why UGA fired its AD for drunken sexcapades.
Explain UGA’s German profesor running a prostitution ring out of his house.
Come on, Lex.
KevinZ
July 17th, 2012
3:34 pm
Spurrier taking shots at UGA already
Texas A&M: Aggies excited — not intimidated– about SEC challenge | UGA sports blog
July 17th, 2012
3:47 pm
[...] Missouri, Texas A&M in the spotlight today. [...]
I dropped my fried Twinkie
July 17th, 2012
4:02 pm
Tampa and DiLex working hard today?
bucket
July 17th, 2012
4:10 pm
Spurrier, “It’s easier to win the national championship than the SEC – just ask Nick Saban” Drum roll please! Spurrier is always entertaining even if you hate the guy.
WTF
July 17th, 2012
4:18 pm
Shady gator math don’t you have some trees that need cutting down?
South Carolina: Spurrier would prefer Georgia’s schedule | UGA sports blog
July 17th, 2012
4:27 pm
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Shady gator math
July 17th, 2012
4:28 pm
“Shady gator math don’t you have some trees that need cutting down?”
Why, did you poison them?