SEC Catch-all Thread

[LTtxfan 49,141]

NIL

Associated Press  Updated June 1, 2023 

DESTIN, Fla. — Alabama's Nick Saban is among a contingent of coaches and administrators from the Southeastern Conference scheduled to meet with lawmakers in Washington next week to make a case for a federal assistance in regulating how college athletes can earn money off their fame.

The SEC confirmed the trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday as it was winding down spring meetings on the Florida Gulf Coast.

Commissioner Greg Sankey will lead a group that is expected to include university presidents, athletic directors and lobbyists

https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/saban-goes-to-washington-alabama-coach-set-to-lead-sec-contingent-on-lobbying-trip-ir1obijj

[BachelorTrek 2,965]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:43 AM, LTtxfan said:

NIL

Associated Press  Updated June 1, 2023 

DESTIN, Fla. — Alabama's Nick Saban is among a contingent of coaches and administrators from the Southeastern Conference scheduled to meet with lawmakers in Washington next week to make a case for a federal assistance in regulating how college athletes can earn money off their fame.

The SEC confirmed the trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday as it was winding down spring meetings on the Florida Gulf Coast.

Commissioner Greg Sankey will lead a group that is expected to include university presidents, athletic directors and lobbyists

https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/saban-goes-to-washington-alabama-coach-set-to-lead-sec-contingent-on-lobbying-trip-ir1obijj

AKA -- We're scuured of how much money Texas has to outspend us and we want to go back to the old way of everyone else following rules while our bagmen ensure our "recruiting dominance."  

What Sorry Sacks Of Shit they all are!  Lulz.

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

Again the hair dye is leaking into Saban’s brain. He boasted about Bryce Young’s million dollar NIL deal with Dr. Pepper, but Texas paying their OL $50k is an issue. He’s reached the age where almost every hot take he makes is unintentionally ironic. 
 

His DC trip will go about as well as his rules campaign to outlaw no huddle offenses. 

[LTtxfan 49,141]

What's behind the SEC's decision to play eight conference games

ESPN staff   Jun 1, 2023

With the SEC expanding to 16 teams for the 2024 season, when Texas and Oklahoma officially join the conference, there has been much debate over the schedule format, specifically whether to continue playing eight league games or instead play nine.

The league finally made a decision at its spring meetings, sticking with an eight-game format for 2024 while keeping its options open after that. The 2024 opponents will be released June 14.

We asked our college football insiders to explain the ramifications of the decision for the SEC and beyond, and to weigh in on the move, including their takes on who benefits from the decision and who gets hurt by it.

Why eight games instead of nine?

Chris Low: Even though SEC commissioner Greg Sankey indicated several times his preference was to play nine conference games, there wasn't a consensus among the rest of the schools. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024, there was concern among some regarding how playing a ninth SEC game could affect a two-loss or three-loss team's chances of making the playoff. Also, Alabama wasn't ready to sign off on having to play Auburn, LSU and Tennessee as its three permanent foes in a nine-game schedule. Some presidents cited concerns over player safety with an extra conference game, while others in the SEC didn't see the need to expand to nine games, especially with the conference dominating the sport the way it has for the past two decades. In other words, "Why fix it if it ain't broke."

Another concern was that some schools said they would have to buy their way out of nonconference games already scheduled for the 2024 season if a ninth SEC game were added. And let's not forget perhaps the major factor: SEC schools would like to see rights holder ESPN kick in more money for an extra conference game with Oklahoma and Texas joining the league in 2024, according to multiple sources within the conference.

Which schools were pushing for eight and which were pushing for nine?

Low: Texas A&M was the school most aggressively pushing to play nine games. Florida, Georgia, LSU and Missouri also publicly favored nine games, while some schools remained on the fence. Alabama's Nick Saban had long been a proponent for playing nine games but wasn't on board with the Tide having to play Auburn, LSU and Tennessee every year because he felt that would create an uneven playing field if other teams' permanent foes weren't as strong. Kentucky and South Carolina were among the teams in favor of eight. Kentucky cited having to already play rival Louisville every year out of conference, and South Carolina's concerns were similar. The Gamecocks face Clemson every year out of conference.

What will cause the league to go to nine games in 2025?

Low: In short, more money. If ESPN were to throw in additional revenue for a ninth game, it would be extremely difficult for schools to turn that down, according to multiple sources within the SEC.

Also, waiting to see how the expanded CFP field looks in terms of rewarding strength of schedule could play a role. If schools see the selection committee prioritize quality wins over the number of losses, that might help push the nine-game conference schedule over the finish line.

What are the next steps? Is a nine-game conference schedule inevitable?

Low: Nothing like continuing to kick the can down the road, or as Sankey himself said, continuing to circle the airport. Call it what you want -- a temporary schedule, a bridge schedule or a stopgap schedule -- but it's pretty clear the SEC is buying a little more time to navigate its way to playing nine conference games. Surely, by 2025, they can figure it out after Oklahoma and Texas have been in the league for a season. Sankey doesn't lack patience. It's a big part of what makes him such an effective leader. Nine games are coming to the conference that has won 13 of the past 17 national championships. We'll all just have to wait a little while longer to see it happen.

Who benefits the most with the decision to stay with eight conference games?

Alex Scarborough: Even though fans would have benefited most with the nine-game conference schedule, the division-less format will still be a win for fans and players. It means they'll get to see every SEC team twice during a four-year stretch -- home and away. And with Texas and Oklahoma joining the league, that means they won't have to wait as long as they would have in the past to visit Austin and Norman for the first time.

Low: The eight-game schedule helps those teams that might be on the bubble when it comes to winning six games and qualifying for a bowl game. And in a 12-team playoff, the chances of the upper-tier teams having fewer losses are greater if they're having to play eight conference games as opposed to nine. Also, those schools already facing challenging nonconference games against in-state rivals (Florida vs. Florida State, South Carolina vs. Clemson and Kentucky vs. Louisville) are probably better off not having to play a ninth SEC game.

Ryan McGee: The Group of 5. Open dates on SEC calendars mean, at least in theory, chances for booking games with big schools for the mid-majors looking to beef up their CFP chances. How better for Coastal Carolina, Boise State or the like to get the attention of the committee than to be able to point to Week 3 and say, "Hey, we went to Auburn and had them on the ropes for 3½ quarters!"

Harry Lyles Jr.: The teams that had previous engagements locked in benefit the most with sticking with eight for now. Getting out of some of those games doesn't sound like a fun proposition.

As far as the bigger picture, I don't think there's all that much to SEC teams getting docked by the CFP if they stick with eight games. Much to Sankey's point, this has been the strongest league for a while now, and I don't think one fewer conference game is going to make anybody feel much differently about the strength of the teams at the top. And even if that fear exists, there's room to book games as needed. We saw how quickly that can get done during the pandemic.

Who is hurt most by the decision?

Scarborough: It isn't exactly a positive reflection on the SEC that the commissioner clearly favors a nine-game conference schedule and he can't get the votes. It might not be best for every school on an individual level, but it's what's best for the league as a whole (and its fans), and that should have been enough to get it done now.

McGee: I don't know ... accountants? I get the need for a level playing field/résumé among Power 5 conferences, but do we really think that this will hurt the SEC's chances of making an expanded CFP?

What would the impact be of not playing some of the league's rivalry games every year?

Low: A short-term schedule that calls for eight conference games would likely still allow for long-standing rivalries such as Auburn vs. Georgia and Alabama vs. Tennessee to be played without a break. But if an eight-game schedule is locked in for several years, then we wouldn't see Auburn and Georgia playing every year or Alabama and Tennessee every year, which would be a kick in the face to the rich history of the SEC.

McGee: It became a thing over the past several years to start questioning the necessity of Tennessee-Alabama or other rivalry games because they had become lopsided, but you cannot allow yourself to become a prisoner of the moment. A decade of oh-fer on one side of a matchup doesn't cancel out a century-plus of games, nor does the inconvenience of having a tough schedule because you're a classic program and the teams you play and have always played happen to be really good (sorry, Nick!).

The SEC was built on history and regional rivalries and the classics have to be protected. Period. See: Tennessee-Bama last fall. When you get away from those, you get away from what made you who you are. So much weird change is inevitable in the expansion/realignment/transfer portal era; it should be countered by digging a preemptive moat around what you can. Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, Third Saturday in October, Earth's Largest Outdoor Libation Soiree (since we can't call it the cocktail party), Red River Rivalry, Clean Old Fashioned Hate, the Palmetto Bowl, any game with history and a real nickname, in-conference and cross-conference, needs to be taken care of. Any other plan is abandoning the sport's roots.

Lyles: I think my elders have covered everything here. The only thing I would add: These games help form the fabric of society in this part of the country, up there with religious and national holidays. They are the games that keep everyone coming back to college football, and we've seen how taking away rivalries has gone in the past in other parts of the country. I would be shocked if the SEC went away from that in the long term.

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

Clearest path to 9: 

- Hold on to the existing 5 yes votes. 

- Texas and OU vote yes at next SEC Meetings. 

- The League flips LSU for MS State on Bama's permanent schedule. Bama votes yes, and leans on Auburn to do the same. That would get it to 9. 

I doubt Sankey wants a contentious 9-7 vote, but I don't think MS State, Kentucky, and South Carolina will budge. I bet Arkansas would flip their vote to get the Texas game back. A 13-3 vote for 9 games next year sounds about right. 

[LTtxfan 49,141]

Schedule Reveal... 🤘

 

[LTtxfan 49,141]

Ten Takeaways From the New-Look 2024 SEC Football Schedule

Story by Pat Forde • Yesterday 8:35 PM

Ten quick takeaways from the 2024 Southeastern Conference football schedule, which was revealed Wednesday night:

1. This should have been a nine-game schedule with a 16-team league. But the league nailed the eight-game slate as best it could.

As previously stated here, the big, bad SEC has no business only playing eight league games with a league of this size and caliber. That was decided a couple of weeks ago, though, and the direction was set for an eight-team schedule that will essentially be a one-off creation. (The league may well go to nine in 2025, stay tuned.)

Given that, the SEC set up a slate that is balanced, fair, intriguing and still tradition-based. Without publicizing a specific breakdown, the league is operating on an eight-team “A” list of more successful teams and an eight-team “B” list. The SEC neatly divided every team’s schedule into four “A” games and four “B” games, two apiece at home and two apiece on the road. It’s airtight (though still subject to debate, of course).

The As: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M.

The Bs: Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.

The must-play rivalry games all will be played (including the resumption of Texas-Texas A&M). The secondary rivalry games will be played. Even the third tier is largely intact. And in a move to accelerate full integration of the new members, all of the current 14 members will make a trip to either Austin or Norman—but not both.

Coming up with a model that is (on paper) this balanced and this deferential to tradition was assuredly not easy. But the SEC got it as right as could be done with an eight-game schedule.

2. The A-B schedule fulcrum tips considerably if Tennessee continues its resurgence.

Do the math over the past decade and the Volunteers deserve their “B” status. But the return to the program’s traditional stature has begun in earnest, with Tennessee going 11–2 and finishing the 2022 season No. 6 in Josh Heupel’s second year on the job. Keep that up, and by ’24 that could upset the balance of schedules.

Examples: Alabama is playing “A” games at home against Georgia and Auburn, and “A” games on the road against Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Throw in a road game against the Vols (who beat the Crimson Tide last season) and that looks like five “As.”

Of course, this is a zero-sum game and someone from the “A” list probably will be a “B” by then. Among the candidates: Auburn is 11–14 over the last two seasons, Florida is 12–14, Texas A&M is 13–11. It probably will all work out fairly equitably, but for the moment Tennessee looms as one hell of a tough “B” in ’24.

3. As of the moment, Georgia at Alabama is the Game of the Year nationally in 2024.

The two super powers haven’t played a lot in the regular season, but they’ve clashed repeatedly in the postseason and have combined to win five of the past eight national championships. Pairing them up in Tuscaloosa will draw a lot of eyeballs and help both teams’ strength of schedule in jockeying for position in what will be a 12-team playoff by then.

The conference’s two heavyweights last met in the national championship in 2022. 

When that game is played will be of great curiosity (the league did not release dates, just opponents and sites). If the SEC is going to honor traditional calendar placements, Alabama has the Iron Bowl at season’s end and LSU in early November, with Tennessee the third Saturday in October when possible. Georgia has Florida in Jacksonville at the end of October/beginning of November.

Could the 2024 ‘Dawgs-Tide game be a September matchup? Or early October?

4. The league gave Texas and Oklahoma each a marquee home game.

The Sooners will host Alabama. The Longhorns will host Georgia. Whether the Big 12 emigres are good enough to win those games won’t be known for quite some time, but the SEC is sending its best to the West to baptize the newcomers.

5. As expected, the SEC did what it could to appease Texas A&M for adding Texas.

If you recall in the summer of 2021, the bombshell news of Texas and Oklahoma matriculating from the Big 12 was not received with great joy by the Aggies. Among the biggest reasons they left the Big 12 was the opportunity to stick it to the Longhorns, ancient rivals but difficult league partners, and to grow into something that would overshadow the monolithic program in Austin. Then the SEC brought Texas aboard without so much as a serious consultation with A&M.

As part of the payback for A&M only pitching a minor fit instead of a major one, it was inevitable that the resumption of this ancient rivalry would begin in College Station. Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork has been saying that would be the case for more than a year, and the SEC made it official Wednesday night.

6. Texas-Arkansas is also back, which is a good thing.

The Longhorns and Razorbacks played annually from 1932 to ’91, with the ’69 meeting essentially deciding the national championship in one of the sport’s more famous games. After Arkansas left the Southwest Conference for the SEC in ’92, they’ve played just six times, once in a bowl game.

The first conference matchup of the two in 33 years will be played in Fayetteville. In addition to taking on the hostile crowd in College Station, the Horns will have to deal with a similarly charged atmosphere in Fayetteville.

7. Oklahoma-Missouri doesn’t have the same cache as Texas-Arkansas, but it’s another rivalry resumed.

From 1919 to ’95, the Sooners and Tigers played every season. When the Big Eight and Southwest Conferences merged in ’96, the two were put in different divisions and played 10 times over the next 15 years. They haven’t played since 2011. The resumption will come in Columbia, Mo.

8. Congrats to Mississippi, Mississippi State and Arkansas. Alabama is off the schedule.

With divisions wiped out, some SEC West schools can celebrate finally getting away from the Crimson Tide. The records haven’t been pretty.

Mississippi State has played Alabama every year from 1948 onward. The Bulldogs’ record in those games: 10-64-1. Record against Nick Saban: 1–15.

Arkansas has played Bama 31 straight years. The Razorbacks’ record in those games: 5–26. Record against Saban: 0–16.

Mississippi also has played the Tide 31 straight years. The Rebels’ record in those games: 4–27. Record against Saban: 2–14.

9. Shed no tears for Oklahoma playing only three league home games.

ESPN analyst (and former Sooner) Dusty Dvoracek noted on the SEC Network that Oklahoma fans won’t be happy about having only three home contests. Well, sorry. With the annual Texas neutral-field game in Dallas designated as an Oklahoma home game, that’s the way it goes.

This is what happens when you schedule a neutral-site league game. Georgia has just three in Athens with the Jacksonville game against Florida designated as a Bulldogs home contest. Texas A&M has three in College Station with the Arlington game against Arkansas designated as an Aggies home game. There’s nothing to complain about.

10. Is Arkansas the biggest schedule winner?

The Razorbacks play neither Georgia nor Alabama. They get old/new/current rivals Texas and LSU in Fayetteville. Their four road opponents (Auburn, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Missouri) went a combined 25–25 in 2022. I think the Pig People will happily take the hand they were dealt.

[DigglerontheHoof 21,167]

2 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Among the biggest reasons they left the Big 12 was the opportunity to stick it to the Longhorns, ancient rivals but difficult league partners, and to grow into something that would overshadow the monolithic program in Austin. Then the SEC brought Texas aboard without so much as a serious consultation with A&M.

Forde can go fuck himself.  I guess if aggy says it enough, it becomes a "reality". 

[DFW Horn 6,123]

3 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Forde can go fuck himself.  I guess if aggy says it enough, it becomes a "reality". 

It's like these sports "journalists" share the same fucking brain. Repeat the lie enough and it becomes truth. Define propaganda

[LTtxfan 49,141]

 

[horn4life 3,759]

While I am an old mofo, I think probably the most important question for ya'll younger folks is there an SEC equivalent for "raider Rash?"  Maybe Vandy Vage? or Old Miss Drips? or Gator Rash? Bulldog Blister Balls? Louisiana Swamp Crotch? Tennessee Tomato Testes? Tiger Scratch? (LSU gets two mentions, because Low SAT University.)

I bet we could get one of those names into Wikipedia...

Edited June 16, 2023 by horn4life

[Tomatillo 354]

14 minutes ago, horn4life said:

While I am an old mofo, I think probably the most important question for ya'll younger folks is there an SEC equivalent for "raider Rash?"  Maybe Vandy Vage? or Old Miss Drips? or Gator Rash? Bulldog Blister Balls? Louisiana Swamp Crotch? Tennessee Tomato Testes? Tiger Scratch? (LSU gets two mentions, because Low SAT University.)

I bet we could get one of those names into Wikipedia...

Gator Gonorreah

[TheContractor 70]

On 6/5/2023 at 12:43 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Clearest path to 9: 

- Hold on to the existing 5 yes votes. 

- Texas and OU vote yes at next SEC Meetings. 

- The League flips LSU for MS State on Bama's permanent schedule. Bama votes yes, and leans on Auburn to do the same. That would get it to 9. 

I doubt Sankey wants a contentious 9-7 vote, but I don't think MS State, Kentucky, and South Carolina will budge. I bet Arkansas would flip their vote to get the Texas game back. A 13-3 vote for 9 games next year sounds about right. 

F no. Don’t give into Saban. 
Bama: Auburn, Tenn and Lsu 

you don’t like it, retire 

[LTtxfan 49,141]

5 hours ago, TheContractor said:

F no. Don’t give into Saban. 
Bama: Auburn, Tenn and Lsu 

you don’t like it, retire 

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

Yeah, pretty shocked Sankey did Saban like that. The little guy publicly bitches about the schedule being too hard and the SEC comes back with Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, and OU. 
 

Delicious. 

[Catdaddyhorn 3,444]

On 6/15/2023 at 7:09 AM, LTtxfan said:

Among the biggest reasons they left the Big 12 was the opportunity to stick it to the Longhorns, ancient rivals but difficult league partners, and to grow into something that would overshadow the monolithic program in Austin. Then the SEC brought Texas aboard without so much as a serious consultation with A&M.

This is one area where the burnt orange media behemoth failed us mightily. Everything about our time in the BIg 12 and the original sin of unequal revenue sharing gets told as if we were the sole beneficiary and other schools that had the same favorite son status such as A&M and Nebraska played no part in things being the way they were.

[Texzilla58 4,731]

I’m a nine game proponent but want ESPN to pay for it. So kick the can

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

Given the schedule difficulty, I predict the SEC sneaks a 8-4 team into the 2024 CFP and everybody outside of the SEC footprint will lose their collective shit. 
 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by billfromlaketravis

[DFW Horn 6,123]

9 minutes ago, Catdaddyhorn said:

This is one area where the burnt orange media behemoth failed us mightily. Everything about our time in the BIg 12 and the original sin of unequal revenue sharing gets told as if we were the sole beneficiary and other schools that had the same favorite son status such as A&M and Nebraska played no part in things being the way they were.

Because DeLoss and our SID at the time didn't give a shit what anybody thought of UT.

It's annoying, but ultimately who cares what aggy, corn, and the Big 12 hanger-ons think? They're never gonna love us anyway.

Fuck 'em

[DFW Horn 6,123]

6 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Given the schedule difficulty, I predict the SEC sneaks a 8-4 team into the 2024 CFP and everybody outside of the SEC footprint will lose their collective shit. 
 

 

Yes, it'll be nice to benefit from the SEC myth

[Cairn Horn88 8,259]

https://www.si.com/college/alabama/football/report-alabama-football-dl-jamil-burroughs-potentially-facing-removal-from-team-hannon

Alabama defensive lineman possibly off the team for punching an assistant strength coach

Posted on 6/17/23 at 7:19 am

91

quote:

---

According to Tide Illustrated’s Tony Tsoukalas, Crimson Tide fourth-year defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs’ status with the team is uncertain at this time. The reason behind the discipline is "serious enough to result in the redshirt junior's removal from the program.”

Burroughs reportedly struck assistant strength coach and former Alabama defensive lineman Josh Chapman after an argument surrounding the use of gel pellet guns. Tsoukalas reported that Burroughs and other Crimson Tide players were play-fighting with the toy weapons at Bryant Hall when police were called to the scene — as well as Chapman. The other players involved were cooperative — Burroughs apparently was not, striking Chapman in the process.

[TrashMaster G 17,536]

8 minutes ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

https://www.si.com/college/alabama/football/report-alabama-football-dl-jamil-burroughs-potentially-facing-removal-from-team-hannon

Alabama defensive lineman possibly off the team for punching an assistant strength coach

Posted on 6/17/23 at 7:19 am

91

quote:

---

According to Tide Illustrated’s Tony Tsoukalas, Crimson Tide fourth-year defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs’ status with the team is uncertain at this time. The reason behind the discipline is "serious enough to result in the redshirt junior's removal from the program.”

Burroughs reportedly struck assistant strength coach and former Alabama defensive lineman Josh Chapman after an argument surrounding the use of gel pellet guns. Tsoukalas reported that Burroughs and other Crimson Tide players were play-fighting with the toy weapons at Bryant Hall when police were called to the scene — as well as Chapman. The other players involved were cooperative — Burroughs apparently was not, striking Chapman in the process.

1st half suspension vs Middle Tennessee 

[Tomatillo 354]

On 6/16/2023 at 7:00 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Yeah, pretty shocked Sankey did Saban like that. The little guy publicly bitches about the schedule being too hard and the SEC comes back with Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, and OU. 
 

Delicious. 

Yeah, the SEC is vindictive like that. Auburn whined about having UGA two weeks before Alabama in Nov, so the SEC moved the UGA game to Oct and gave Auburn LSU two weeks before Bama. 😄

[Tomatillo 354]

On 3/6/2023 at 1:48 PM, LTtxfan said:

Ranking the most iconic SEC football stadiums from worst to first

Joe Vitale          Fri, March 3, 2023

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ranking-most-iconic-sec-football-214548580.html 

 

So folks that have been to a lot of SEC stadiums, what's your favorite venue???

 

 

I'll rank overall trips, not just stadiums. 

 

1. LSU - Legendary place that has been a "large" stadium for quite some time. Huey Long had them build dorms in the stadium so it would get around some campus laws/rules at the time. They are now offices, I believe, but it is pretty cool to walk through one of the side doors and see the small halls and offices inside one of the largest stadiums in the country. Place has had all sorts of legendary games and instances occur such as the earthquake game, the live tiger mascot that lives across the way and used to be paraded around the field during games, the fourth down calls of Les Miles that all seemed to work out, and the overwhelming noise and energy from the crowd. Loudest stadium in the league. 

Two things will happen if you attend a game here as a visitor - you'll get called Tiger Bait and you'll be offered some type of cajun/creole cuisine (jambalaya, etoufee, gumbo, etc.). 

Definitely a must for a new league member. Pro move is to stay in NoLa Fri and Sat. Make a weekend out of it. 

 

2. UGA - Homer pick I guess, but Athens is consistently ranked as one of the top college towns in the nation and the best in the southeast. Fly into Atlanta and get a shuttle/rental an hour, hour-and-a-half to Athens. Grab a hotel room downtown well in advance, and you'll be able to do most of the town just by walking. tons of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, walking trails, etc, all in a few blocks of downtown. There is also a free art gallery and botanical gardens near campus that are quite nice. Sidewalks features stars where local music acts such as REM, B-52's, Widespread Panic, Daner Mouse, etc are immortalized. 

Stadium was built in 1929 in a natural valley and visitors can look inside the stadium from a bridge that runs by one of the end zones. The famed hedges line the fields and our Uga mascots are memorialized with a mausoleum and statue in the corner of the west end zone. 

Stands were built inside a valley that was created by a creek which still runs underneath the field, so it is built at a shallow grade. It doesn't lend itself to crowd noise, but the place gets plenty loud. 

 

3. Tennessee - Venerable stadium that was built on the river. Place gets raucous and they have started a t shirt thing in recent years where they do a checkerboard by section. Looks pretty cool. The place comes down with the Vols run through the T. 

Vol navy is overrated. Cool concept, but the draw to me is driving at Calhoun's or on "the Strip" pregame. Vol fans are absolutely insane online, but they are fairly cordial in person. Friendly group as long as you aren't a douche. 

Can stay in Nash and drive in for the game or in some of the nearby mountain towns with mountain cabins. Right across the border in NC, you have a couple Harrah's casinos with sports books, but they are at least 2 hours away. 

 

4. Arkansas - You guys have a rivalry with them, but it's a decent town and in a nice part of that state. Stadium has been renovated and is pretty nice now. Plenty of mountain areas in the Ozarks if you want that sort of getaway.

 

5. Kentucky - Stadium is pretty blah, but you can visit the race track nearby (Kenneland) and see some quality horse racing. Bourbon trail is also nearby if you'd like to learn more about America's whiskey. Lexington is in a beautiful part of the country with rolling hills and horse farms surrounding their basketball nirvana. this might be an even better place to go for a basketball trip. Cincinnati is 1.5-2 hours north if you want to catch a Bengals/Reds game and try some of the best chili in the world. 

 

6. Ole Miss - Cool town and the Grove is a famous SEC tailgating experience. It is more of a drinking occasion than actually cooking food. You bring the food in with you and drink bourbon or beer under a tent that has a candelabra and on tables with silk tablecloths. 

 

7. Mizzou - Unique experience for our league, but nice college town with plenty of places to eat and drink. Right in the middle of the state, so you can fly into and stay in STL or KC, each of which has plenty to do for a long weekend. Fans are very nice and lack the mean-spirited and assumption nature many SEC fans have. 

 

8. Vandy- Terrible stadium, but "plenty of tickets available" and by far the best city in the SEC. You go for Nashville, not the stadium. or game experience. Vandy has a nice campus as well and is in a pretty part of town. 

 

9. Auburn - Nice little town with plenty of stuff to do on gameday. You'll probably want to stay near Atlanta if you're going for the weekend and hang out there. Aub is about 2-2.5 hours away. Gameday traffic can be a mess, but if you go early enough, you'll be fine. Stadium is okay and the fans are in the game as long as they are competitive. You won't have the threat of violence here that you do on the other side of that state. 

 

10. South Carolina - Located in a soup bowl in the middle of that state, it gets really hot and stuffy here. Not a bad town with a few places to go, but the pro move is to stay in Charleston or on one of the beaches 1.5-2 hours away. If the game is in Sept, dress for sun and heat. Also, thunderstorms pop up in the afternoon out of nowhere. 

 

11. Alabama - Nice stadium that lords over the rest of campus. They have some nice campus buildings and a huge meadow in front of their chimes that is good for tailgating. Town is okay - another college town with a "strip" where there are a handful of bars. Mean-spirited fans that get upset over simply seeing the other team's fans. Some will be nice before the game, but the stories I've heard from there from all sorts of other fanbases are really bad. They don't take losses well, so if the Horns win there this year, be prepared to get out of there in a hurry. Here's a couple stories to read about their fan behavior - https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2021/10/people-of-alabama-please-stop-shooting-each-other-over-football.html

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/alabama-mom-attacks-oklahoma-students-article-1.1565867

https://krod.com/cop-delivers-epic-body-slam-to-alabama-fan-caught-throwing-drinks-at-opposing-team/

 

12. Miss St - Stadium is one of the oldest in the nation and there is little gameday traffic, especially for night games. Nothing nearby and a very small town, so that explains the ranking. 

 

UF and A&M - never been to A&M for a game, but the stadium is very nice after the recent renovations and additions. UF I haven't been there enough to form an opinion, but it is within a couple hours of several beaches. 

[ScottS 1,061]

1 hour ago, Tomatillo said:

5. Kentucky - Stadium is pretty blah, but you can visit the race track nearby (Kenneland) and see some quality horse racing. Bourbon trail is also nearby if you'd like to learn more about America's whiskey. Lexington is in a beautiful part of the country with rolling hills and horse farms surrounding their basketball nirvana. this might be an even better place to go for a basketball trip. Cincinnati is 1.5-2 hours north if you want to catch a Bengals/Reds game and try some of the best chili in the world. 

I really hope you are trolling us with this statement and it is not an actual statement of belief.  The part about the chili, that is.  If it is not a troll, then you are about to learn a very painful lesson about Texans and chili...

[Treefidy 1,463]

1 hour ago, Tomatillo said:

I'll rank overall trips, not just stadiums. 

 

1. LSU - Legendary place that has been a "large" stadium for quite some time. Huey Long had them build dorms in the stadium so it would get around some campus laws/rules at the time. They are now offices, I believe, but it is pretty cool to walk through one of the side doors and see the small halls and offices inside one of the largest stadiums in the country. Place has had all sorts of legendary games and instances occur such as the earthquake game, the live tiger mascot that lives across the way and used to be paraded around the field during games, the fourth down calls of Les Miles that all seemed to work out, and the overwhelming noise and energy from the crowd. Loudest stadium in the league. 

Two things will happen if you attend a game here as a visitor - you'll get called Tiger Bait and you'll be offered some type of cajun/creole cuisine (jambalaya, etoufee, gumbo, etc.). 

Definitely a must for a new league member. Pro move is to stay in NoLa Fri and Sat. Make a weekend out of it. 

 

2. UGA - Homer pick I guess, but Athens is consistently ranked as one of the top college towns in the nation and the best in the southeast. Fly into Atlanta and get a shuttle/rental an hour, hour-and-a-half to Athens. Grab a hotel room downtown well in advance, and you'll be able to do most of the town just by walking. tons of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, walking trails, etc, all in a few blocks of downtown. There is also a free art gallery and botanical gardens near campus that are quite nice. Sidewalks features stars where local music acts such as REM, B-52's, Widespread Panic, Daner Mouse, etc are immortalized. 

Stadium was built in 1929 in a natural valley and visitors can look inside the stadium from a bridge that runs by one of the end zones. The famed hedges line the fields and our Uga mascots are memorialized with a mausoleum and statue in the corner of the west end zone. 

Stands were built inside a valley that was created by a creek which still runs underneath the field, so it is built at a shallow grade. It doesn't lend itself to crowd noise, but the place gets plenty loud. 

 

3. Tennessee - Venerable stadium that was built on the river. Place gets raucous and they have started a t shirt thing in recent years where they do a checkerboard by section. Looks pretty cool. The place comes down with the Vols run through the T. 

Vol navy is overrated. Cool concept, but the draw to me is driving at Calhoun's or on "the Strip" pregame. Vol fans are absolutely insane online, but they are fairly cordial in person. Friendly group as long as you aren't a douche. 

Can stay in Nash and drive in for the game or in some of the nearby mountain towns with mountain cabins. Right across the border in NC, you have a couple Harrah's casinos with sports books, but they are at least 2 hours away. 

 

4. Arkansas - You guys have a rivalry with them, but it's a decent town and in a nice part of that state. Stadium has been renovated and is pretty nice now. Plenty of mountain areas in the Ozarks if you want that sort of getaway.

 

5. Kentucky - Stadium is pretty blah, but you can visit the race track nearby (Kenneland) and see some quality horse racing. Bourbon trail is also nearby if you'd like to learn more about America's whiskey. Lexington is in a beautiful part of the country with rolling hills and horse farms surrounding their basketball nirvana. this might be an even better place to go for a basketball trip. Cincinnati is 1.5-2 hours north if you want to catch a Bengals/Reds game and try some of the best chili in the world. 

 

6. Ole Miss - Cool town and the Grove is a famous SEC tailgating experience. It is more of a drinking occasion than actually cooking food. You bring the food in with you and drink bourbon or beer under a tent that has a candelabra and on tables with silk tablecloths. 

 

7. Mizzou - Unique experience for our league, but nice college town with plenty of places to eat and drink. Right in the middle of the state, so you can fly into and stay in STL or KC, each of which has plenty to do for a long weekend. Fans are very nice and lack the mean-spirited and assumption nature many SEC fans have. 

 

8. Vandy- Terrible stadium, but "plenty of tickets available" and by far the best city in the SEC. You go for Nashville, not the stadium. or game experience. Vandy has a nice campus as well and is in a pretty part of town. 

 

9. Auburn - Nice little town with plenty of stuff to do on gameday. You'll probably want to stay near Atlanta if you're going for the weekend and hang out there. Aub is about 2-2.5 hours away. Gameday traffic can be a mess, but if you go early enough, you'll be fine. Stadium is okay and the fans are in the game as long as they are competitive. You won't have the threat of violence here that you do on the other side of that state. 

 

10. South Carolina - Located in a soup bowl in the middle of that state, it gets really hot and stuffy here. Not a bad town with a few places to go, but the pro move is to stay in Charleston or on one of the beaches 1.5-2 hours away. If the game is in Sept, dress for sun and heat. Also, thunderstorms pop up in the afternoon out of nowhere. 

 

11. Alabama - Nice stadium that lords over the rest of campus. They have some nice campus buildings and a huge meadow in front of their chimes that is good for tailgating. Town is okay - another college town with a "strip" where there are a handful of bars. Mean-spirited fans that get upset over simply seeing the other team's fans. Some will be nice before the game, but the stories I've heard from there from all sorts of other fanbases are really bad. They don't take losses well, so if the Horns win there this year, be prepared to get out of there in a hurry. Here's a couple stories to read about their fan behavior - https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2021/10/people-of-alabama-please-stop-shooting-each-other-over-football.html

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/alabama-mom-attacks-oklahoma-students-article-1.1565867

https://krod.com/cop-delivers-epic-body-slam-to-alabama-fan-caught-throwing-drinks-at-opposing-team/

 

12. Miss St - Stadium is one of the oldest in the nation and there is little gameday traffic, especially for night games. Nothing nearby and a very small town, so that explains the ranking. 

 

UF and A&M - never been to A&M for a game, but the stadium is very nice after the recent renovations and additions. UF I haven't been there enough to form an opinion, but it is within a couple hours of several beaches. 

Skyline chili or whatever is not really chili, some Bama fans do seem pretty douchey but no way they can be as bad as fOSU fans, and aggy stadium is far from nice.   They have had serious trouble figuring out the great mystery of indoor plumbing, there’s some really shitty sections and views, plus the whole place will probably collapse if they play sandstorm.   Pro-tip, did some 2%ers with a suite if you go, that’s ok.   Sitting down on the benches with the fucking weirdos swinging their towels around repeatedly hitting you in the face is not enjoyable.  
 

but thanks for the write up., looking  forward to several of those away games

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

@Tomatillo you’re going to get flamed for the chili comment and praising aggy’s stadium. Godspeed. 
 

Assuming Goergia ever plays aggy, I’d suggest hiring a car and driving in from Austin or Houston. The George is a nice hotel, but I’m sure it’s booked solid in the fall. Also do you really want to wake up the next morning in College Station? I’ve heard most of the SEC West + South Carolina fans stay in Austin for aggy away games. I’d suggest you do the same thing, but Houston is going to be cheaper and a quicker drive. 

 

[DFW Horn 6,123]

Quote

Cincinnati is 1.5-2 hours north if you want to catch a Bengals/Reds game and try some of the best chili in the world. 

You've gotta be shitting us, @Tomatillo

Somebody take him to Texas Chili Parlor this fall when he visits ATX for the game. That Cincinnati fare is just spaghetti with spicy meat sauce.

[Tomatillo 354]

16 hours ago, ScottS said:

I really hope you are trolling us with this statement and it is not an actual statement of belief.  The part about the chili, that is.  If it is not a troll, then you are about to learn a very painful lesson about Texans and chili...

It’s a totally different kind. Think of it as spaghetti with a unique sauce and a lot of cheese. 

[Kyrie Eleison 9,312]

2 hours ago, Tomatillo said:

It’s a totally different kind. Think of it as spaghetti with a unique sauce and a lot of cheese. 

[ScottS 1,061]

6 hours ago, Tomatillo said:

It’s a totally different kind. Think of it as spaghetti with a unique sauce and a lot of cheese. 

 

3 hours ago, Kyrie Eleison said:

^^^What he said.  I am aware of what it is, but I cannot and will not ever consider it "chili".

[ScottS 1,061]

@Tomatillo

You might need this thread.

The chili thread

Edited June 19, 2023 by ScottS
thread wasn't showing up...and ou sucks.

[Tomatillo 354]

16 minutes ago, ScottS said:

@Tomatillo

You might need this thread.

The chili thread

I get it, man. Texas is the home of chili. They are pretty proud of their stuff in cincy, and i like it. 
 

Not really chili though! I get it

[squib 1,120]

39 minutes ago, Tomatillo said:

I get it, man. Texas is the home of chili. They are pretty proud of their stuff in cincy, and i like it. 
 

Not really chili though! I get it

I agree. It's pretty good.  "It's 7:34 somewhere"

[markstanco 12,570]

I hope @jade is doing well.

[LTtxfan 49,141]

SEC Shorts - East and West divisions learn they're fired

[PittsburghTiger 6,174]

 

[Underdog 28,543]

LSU FB be like... 

 

[markstanco 12,570]

3 years!  I bet it has some real teeth to it.

[gatormarc 911]

1 hour ago, markstanco said:

3 years!  I bet it has some real teeth to it.

 

The biggest hit seems to be vacating Football wins from 2012-2015 because of the ineligible player who's dad was getting paid by the booster that was stealing money from the children's hospital.

Other punishments like a bowl ban were useless, since the investigation took 4 years, LSU was able self impose it when they wanted to, skipping 2019 when they were winning it all, and instead waiting until 2020 and apply it to a team with a .500 record.

Basketball punishment followed the coach to McNeese even though LSU chose to let him continue to coach after knowing he was cheating.

[hook me 2,092]

On 6/19/2023 at 11:39 AM, Tomatillo said:

It’s a totally different kind. Think of it as spaghetti with a unique sauce and a lot of cheese. 

Think of it as dog vomit on spaghetti noodles & you've got the general idea. I say that, not because I hate that they call it chili & I'm some sort of chili purest, but because it's legitimately awful & the fact that they're proud of it is all I need to know about Cincy & Ohio in general. I'll never forget the 2 bites I took of that meal. The first one was in excitement over this unbelievable chili that I've heard so much about & the other was in shear disbelief at how awful it was. 

[Tomatillo 354]

4 hours ago, PittsburghTiger said:

 

That and embezzling money from a hospital to pay a recruit/player. 

[Zeus 6,012]

 

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

24 minutes ago, Zeus said:

 

 

Bama has very serious issues at QB. I guess Herbie is all in Buchner and Rees? 
 

But they’re going to start Milroe right?

[Sawbonz 27,523]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:43 AM, LTtxfan said:

NIL

Associated Press  Updated June 1, 2023 

DESTIN, Fla. — Alabama's Nick Saban is among a contingent of coaches and administrators from the Southeastern Conference scheduled to meet with lawmakers in Washington next week to make a case for a federal assistance in regulating how college athletes can earn money off their fame.

The SEC confirmed the trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday as it was winding down spring meetings on the Florida Gulf Coast.

Commissioner Greg Sankey will lead a group that is expected to include university presidents, athletic directors and lobbyists

https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/saban-goes-to-washington-alabama-coach-set-to-lead-sec-contingent-on-lobbying-trip-ir1obijj

[Sawbonz 27,523]

 

nvm

Edited June 25, 2023 by Sawbonz

[Kwix 2,186]

On 6/25/2023 at 11:56 AM, Zeus said:

 

 

Are we sure this isn't coming from Desmond Howard?

[LTtxfan 49,141]

Texas gotta win a conference championship before this goes away...  

 

[ocugolf 1,214]

RIP Ryan Mallett. Dude couldn’t spell his name but had a cannon.

[LTtxfan 49,141]

12 minutes ago, ocugolf said:

RIP Ryan Mallett. Dude couldn’t spell his name but had a cannon.

Dang... "According to reports, Mallett passed away on Tuesday, having drowned in Florida. He was 35 years old."

RIP 🙏🙏🙏