SEC Media Days: The only thing that could trump the NFL in the south

SEC Media Days 2008/Courtesy: Me

Arguably, whatever portion of the Sports Media world isn't in Atlanta today, is in Birmingham, Alabama.

Why you ask? Because it is the Daytona 500 of the SEC season, the kickoff to all that is southern in football, it's SEC Media Days.

For those who don't know, Media Days brings together oh, say, about 1000 members of the SEC media to pepper, cajole and tweak SEC football coaches and players for three days about the upcoming football season.

To say the event is somewhat chaotic would be being polite to the word chaotic. The reason: Those 1000 media types are in a ballroom area, roughly the size of a good sized Chili's restaurant. And yes, there are media people falling all-over each other to get the "Money" shot....coaches and players "Walking".

So you ask, how do you know so much about this event? Well, that would be because I covered it for several years. And you'll have to take my word for it that I'm probably underselling the chaos.

Anyway, day 1 featured one of our favorite coaches to quote, the ever quotable "Ol' Ball Coach", Steve Spurrier.

Here's what he said about his quarterback Stephen Garcia, who though suspended, is expected to run his team this year. "I guess we just don't want to kick him out for stupidity."--Nice

From Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino: "It's good to be here in Birmingham again for Media Days. I always wonder when I say that how to keep a straight face."--What's with the humor dude?


Al.com qutoes Mississppi State running back Vick Ballard after being asked about the day being the most talking he's ever done. "Yes, it is. My jaws are tired."


And this quote from Florida quarterback John Brantley on coach Will Muschamp who has associations with Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Alabama coach Nick Saban. "We don't really speak about those stories too  much. We just try to think about when he was growing up in Gainesville, and we'll leave it at that."


And Muschamp was asked this, "How does it feel being a Georgia guy coaching at the University of Florida? I'm a Florida guy."


In lieu of digging up someone's TV report, enjoy a music accompaniment:

Mike Leach to visit SEC Media days

Mike Leach's book/courtesy: al.com

((ht: al.com))

Well, this should be interesting. Apparently former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach will be making the rounds in Birmingham, Alabama this week at the same time SEC Media Days takes place.

SEC Media Days have evolved from a fairly small meeting of beat writers to a full-fledged media event where 500-plus TV, Radio, Newspaper and Internet reporters all jockey and battle for their 5-minutes with coaches and players.

Having worked the event several times our-ownself, simple words do not describe the craziness of 30-cameras trying to walk room to room through a hotel conference center lobby with a football coach.

Now added to all the craziness, Leach. Leach will be in town on his book tour, the book, flying up the bestseller list thanks unintentionally, the folks at ESPN. He's signing books at a store Thursday, but according to the folks at AL.com, he'll be visiting his coaching brethern at the Wynfrey Hotel.

Read more from Kevin Scarabinsky of al.com RIGHT HERE

Oh boy. Can't wait to see this circus. I kind of wish I was there. Though I don't miss having to jockey for position and getting a word in edgewise at the event.

We know the writers will be all over this, we think some of the TV guys will too. We'd really like to see if Leach could trump Nick Saban's visit. On the Alabama day, it is virtually impossible to move in the Wynfrey conference center as seemingly every writer and camera in the state of Alabama shows up for this.

We laugh at the premise of all this and will be closely watching with the hope someone does a story on it, because if you are a true "Hard-core" sports fan, it will be one worth seeing.

For the few of you not familar with Leach, he actually warranted a 60-Minutes story a few years back:

Ess-E-Cee Media Daze Day Last: Aairon Savage Rules With His Dapperness...

((HT: al.com/McAlister))

Just look... don't even listen to the interview questions...
Just continue to be dazzled by the sartorial splendor that is Aairon...

Auburn's Aairon Savage speaks at SEC Media Days

Thanks to TBH for that heads-up, by the way...
Since she is all things Auburn...
Here's Evan Woodbery's blurb on Savage...

Oh, here's Coach Chizik talking up his team...

Auburn's Gene Chizik speaks at SEC Media Days

SEC Picks their winner...

((ht:secsports.com))

To the surprise of a very few, the writers covering SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama have picked their winners. As far as we know, no agents were involved in this story.

Strangely, though there were close to 1,000 alleged media types in attendance, only 177 actually participated in the vote and....drum roll please....here are the results: (and remember who is voting, take these as you will)

SEC Champ: Alabama

SEC East Champ: Florida

SEC West Champ: Alabama

SEC East Standings (Predicted): (1st place votes in parenthesis)

1. Florida (153 votes)

2. Georgia (15 votes)

3. South Carolina (8 votes)

4. Kentucky

5. Tennessee

6. Vanderbilt (1 vote?)

SEC West Standings (Predicted)

1. Alabama (157 votes)

2. Arkansas (6 votes)

3. Auburn (10 votes)

4. LSU (1 vote)

5. Mississippi St.

6. Ole Miss (3 votes)

This more or less is the way the teams have been picked each of the past few years. The surprises...Tennessee at 5 in the East, LSU 4th in the west. If that happens, there will be an awful lot of angst in Knoxville and Baton Rouge. That might be kind of fun.

No list would be complete without the....wait for it...the All-SEC Team: (We will only list 1st teamers here)

QB- Ryan Mallet (Ark)

RB- Mark Ingram (Ala)

RB- Trent Richardson (Ala)

WR- AJ Green (UGA)

WR- Julio Jones (Ala)

TE- DJ Williams (Ark)

OL- Lee Ziemba (Aub)

OL- Barrett Jones (Ala)

OL- Clint Boling (UGA)

OL- James Carpenter (Ala)

C- Mike Pouncey (Fla)

DL- Marcell Dareus (Ala)

DL- Jerrell Powe (Ole Miss)

DL- Cliff Matthews (S.Car)

LB- Dont'a Hightower (Ala)

LB- Kelvin Sheppard (LSU)

LB- Josh Byrnes (Aub)

LB- Brandon Hicks (Fla)

DB- Mark Barron (Ala)

DB- Patrick Peterson (LSU)

DB- Ahmad Black (Fla)

DB- Stephon Gilmore (S. Car)

PK- Blair Walsh (UGA)

P- Drew Butler (UGA)

RS- Derrick Locke (Ky)

AP- Randall Cobb (Ky)

A couple of interesting notes. One, the lack of Florida players on the 1st team and the abundance of Alabama players. We will add here that the event is held in Alabama and there are 3 times more Alabama media members than anyone else that attend this. We aren't saying there is a tilt, the Tide may be that good, we are just making an observation, in part because we have attended the SEC Lovefest a few times are ownselves.

If you want to see the whole list, follow the link RIGHT HERE

((SEC logo//Courtesy: wildcatsthunder.blogspot.com))

Ess-E-Cee Media Daze Day Two: Robbie Caldwell Worked On A Turkey Farm...

((HT: al.com/McAlister))

Vandy interim head coach Robbie Caldwell came with his sense of humor to the gaggle in Birmingham...

Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News got the print media version- forty minutes worth. The best line comes from there:

"I can still go places and no one knows who I am," Caldwell said. "Last night, I opened the door for people and they gave me a tip."

Here's his ten minutes with TV folks and he glossed over his turkey farm experience.

Vanderbilt's Robbie Caldwell speaks at SEC Media Days

Ess-E-Cee Media Daze Day Two: Richt Speaks, UGA Front and Center...???

((HT: al.com, McAlister))

Georgia head coach Mark Richt was asked about the elephant in the room, and he answered as good a non-answer as he could have considering the circumstances...

Georgia's Mark Richt speaks at SEC Media Days

And AJ Green still says he's never been to Miami...

Georgia's A.J. Green speaks at SEC Media Days

Ess-E-Cee Media Daze Day One: Saban Speaks, UGA Next For NCAA...

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban did not address the Marcell Dareus "did-he-or-didn't he" monkey with an agent issue at the Wynfrey Hotel...

Not that the HQ thought he would or anything like that...

He did go off on agents, and even went as far as suggesting that the university's attitudes may change toward agents and professional coaches if the dynamic does not change post-haste-and-toot-suite...

We did enjoy the idea that Saban called rogue agents "pimps."

Here's the greatest hits from Saban's presser, thanks to the SEC and ESPN...
As an added bonus we get analysis from Joe Schad...


Or, if you should so choose, here's the Saban presser in its entirety, thanks to our friends at WVTM-TV in Birmingham... and, of course, the SEC...


2330 UPDATE: Tim Tucker, on top of all things UGA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reports that Athens may be the next stop on the NCAA itinerary.

Just in time for head coach Mark Richt's appearance at Media Daze...

You like apples...???

From Tucker:

Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton confirmed Wednesday’s call from the NCAA and said UGA Athletic Association officials responded by pledging full cooperation.

Felton said the NCAA requested that UGA officials, coaches and student-athletes decline further comment on the matter “until the inquiry is completed.” Georgia interim athletic director Frank Crumley declined to comment when reached by the AJC.

Tucker also relays that UGA wideout AJ Green told SI.com before the inquiry was announced that he was not an attendee in South Beach...

Won't Day Two be fun, boys and girls...???

The Book of the Tebow

And so sayeth the Tebow...so sayeth we all. For on the 2nd day he was foisted upon us to impart the wisdom of the book.

Chapter 2, Verse 1, Question One: What is your favorite ice cream? And then the Tebow spoke: "Well, I kind of like Vanilla with Chocolate Swirl". And the room was a "Twitter" and the voices rose in unison "The Tebow likes Vanilla with Chocolate Swirl". And the acolytes from the village of Gainesville foisted upon the Publix and Kroger of the world the newest flavor of the ice cream "Tebow Swirl".

And then....the Tebow departed. And a crowd must gather and follow, with the blazing of the lights and the Tebow smiled, not a smile of disdain, nor a smile of happyness...but rather the smile of knowledge, knowledge that he is the Tebow. He is all knowing and we all shall bow to the greatness.

Chapter 6, Room 5, Interview 12. Question 2: Who dare dishonor the Tebow by not voting for him? Mind thee not the vote be insignificant, but rather why disrepect the Tebow by not allowing him to be the unanimous selection for the Team of 1st, of the SEC?

Chapter 6, Rooms 6-11, Interviews many. How dareth one of the wise elders known as the coach not continue the legacy of the Tebow? Thoughest the wise elder knows that the Tebow cares not, the wise elder disdains that the evil ones seem to.

Chapter 9, Rooms 1-3. The evil ones of the Letter 4 ask the wise elders incessantly? How dare the wise elder cast dispersions upon the Tebow! And the wise elders looked with disdain..."Why shall the Evil Ones be the only who care of such trivial matters?".

And so this poor peasant smiles at the legacy. For the Tebow is all knowing, though this poor peasant still poses the question of the ages "If the Tebow faceth off with the Norris of Chuck...whom shall be the victor?".

And the Tebow sayeth "Let thee be entertained by the Python of Monty". Courtesy: The You Tube.

A Busy Day at Media Days

Today by far was the biggest and busiest day at the SEC Media Days in Birmingham, Alabama. Among the featured guests: Nick Saban, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Mark Richt and Houston Nutt. All had...well they really didn't say much other than what you would expect them to say. Now that we have figured out that the official OSG Flipcam actually does have a small zoom, we were able to zoom a little closer. Unfortunately, the Flipcam doesn't have an audio input, so we had to deal with the same audio issues.

We tried something new tonight, here are clips from all of our featured guests, please enjoy them:

Media Days Wrapup, Day 1

Well, we are here and for lack of a better way to put it; the "Preseason SEC Kickoff" is in full swing. It really is quite scary to think that there are close to 1,000 media members here though it probably isn't what you think.

Yes, there are a lot of TV cameras. Heck, there are 3 for pretty much every station in the state of Alabama. Yes, there are a lot of newspaper writers, a large room full of them. Yes, there are networks, each with there own seperate room; or in the case of the 4-letter word (ESPN), 3 rooms. And yes there are bloggers/internet folks. Not a lot of people like me, I am there for my day job and filing stories on my own time. No, there are internet writers everywhere. Everyone seems to be the "Website" of (insert school here) the team.

There are also the Sports talk radio folks. A full corridor of the hotel is devoted to them and much like the T.V rooms, coaches and players bounce from table to table, making there way every 5 mintues or so from one end of the corridor to the other.

The funny thing to me is watching the media interview the media. TV interviewing Radio, Radio interviewing Writers and everyone interviewing the bloggers. While I like the idea of the bloggers getting their props, I'm not really sure that any of them are really qualified to be "Experts", but hey...I guess it's all about being part of the "In" thing. Or in the case of the "Old Media" acting like you are being "Hip" by including those of us who are trying to tell stories on this here Internet thing.

The Commisioner Speaks

Our final interview of the day, SEC Commisioner Mike Slive. The ever jovial Slive had a lot to be happy about. The league's new Sugar Daddy (ESPN) was prominent, banners everywhere, the league is flush with money...even in the current economy and the "Pre-season kickoff" is overflowing with coverage. Did I leave anything out?

Slive says that "This week is a great opportunity to get the millions of fans who follow SEC Football excited and ready as the upcoming season approaches". Yes, he speaks like that. Here is another 2 minutes or so of what he had to say:

Robert Petrino Esq. addresses the Masses

Old School OSG Favorite (not for good reasons) Bobby Petrino, currently the Head Coach at Arkansas was another of the coaches who addressed the assmebled media (1000+) at the Wynfrey Hotel this afternoon.

Petrino, not known for his candor or for that matter his enjoyment of having to speak to the press actually seemed to be very relaxed and much more comfortable than last year. Of course that might have to do with the fact that he didn't have to answer questions about his bizarro departure from the Atlanta Falcons and oddball appearance in Arkansas wearing a pig hat.

SEC Media Days 2 The Bobby Johnson Presser

Since we all thoroughly enjoyed the interview with D.J. Williams, we thought we would continue giving you the latest..and the greatest from here at the Wynfrey Hotel.

Up next, Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson, fresh from his most successful season ever at Vandy and he's "Darn" excited about starting this one.

Yea!...We are at SEC Media Days

That is right. Your favorite Sports Website is at SEC Media Days in beautiful Hoover, Alabama. While technically, I am here for my day job, I also have the latest and greatest in Internet Video Technology to post video clips on the web (note: sarcasm). The OSG Flip Cam doesn't have a zoom lens on it, so we weren't able to zoom in. Unlike our friends at the 4-Letter Word (ESPN), we don't have an official microphone either.

We are going to try a bit of an experiment here. What will follow is the first of 4 clips. This one will be about a minute and a half of Arkansas Tight End D.J Williams presser from early this afternoon (Wednesday). 3 more of these to follow (we hope).