How in the heck is it already June 1st? It seems like yesterday I was standing out in the snow on New Year’s night.
At any rate, here’s what’s been creating a buzz in Destin over the last 24 hours.
SEC Network
1. Former CBS president Neal Pilson says a new SEC Network “is not a slam dunk” yet. ”The SEC has two issues. One is they granted a lot of those rights to their broadcast carriers. Second, some of the SEC schools are already exploiting their third-tier (broadcast) rights.”
Scheduling
1. This writer fears — as yours truly does — that SEC presidents today could “go away from what turned a regional collection of mostly state institutions into the most powerful intercollegiate athletics conference in the country. They want to forget where the SEC came from.” (For the record, here’s our take on the same topic from yesterday morning.)
2. Former Tennessee AD Doug Dickey says the SEC tried to put three “haves” and three “have nots” in each division when it expanded in 1992… and that’s in part also how the permanent cross-divisional rivals were formed.
3. If Texas A&M is about to replace Arkansas at the end of LSU’s football schedule, it’s news to Razorback AD Jeff Long.
4. Regardless of when the teams play and in what sport, this writer thinks LSU — not Arkansas — will be Texas A&M’s new top rivalry.
5. It’s still expected that the 6-1-1 football schedule will be adopted today.
Playoff
1. This writer — like most folks, it seems — believes a “best four” model is the right way to go with a new playoff.
2. This scribe says everyone must be willing to compromise to make a playoff fly.
UPDATE — We’ve pushed a 3+1 compromise for a while now so it’s no surprise that we agree 100% with what SI.com’s Stewart Mandel has penned here. The facts show such a system would work and work well. Good stuff.
Other News
1. The SEC is looking at a 6% jump in the amount of cash handed out to league members this year.
2. AthlonSports.com tabs Alabama as their preseason #3 team in America.
3. The football coaches at Missouri and Texas A&M expect an adjustment period as they enter the SEC.
4. Both of Steve Spurrier’s big proposals at this week’s SEC Meetings were shot down.
5. Arkansas’ John L. Smith isn’t making a return to the team easy for three Razorbacks arrested for burglary and suspended last month.
6. This writer’s picking Georgia to win the SEC in 2012
7. Kentucky’s John Calipari likes new transfer point guard Ryan Harrow.
8. Projected starting defensive back Izauea Lanier won’t be eligible at Tennessee this fall.
9. Here’s more on James Franklin’s comments about coaches’ wives — and his backtracking from those comments — at Vanderbilt.
10. Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton won’t be on hand for today’s SEC Meetings in Destin due to “an undisclosed matter on campus.”
11. As we told you earlier this week, Kansas City is one of seven cities being considered to host the 2017 SEC basketball tournament. ”They, like every other city, need to put their best foot forward and give our people a chance to evaluate it,” said Mike Slive. (Translation: They need to pony up big dollars and woo us real nice.)
