SEC media daze
We’re one day into the annual SEC glad-hand fest that is known as media days.
Co-Colas and dark liquor aside, this is what it is, gang.
The coaches believe in their teams. The media is skeptical, other than Saban and Alabama of course, a combo that we all know is all knowing.
Today should be more fun. Georgia and Tennessee reps will meet with the media today, so there’s that.
As for Monday, well, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey took the stage and spoke. He used his words, but he said very little. He did announce that the SEC football media event will go back on the road next year, heading back to the A-T-L in 2020 and to Nashville in 2021. Here’s my column on it.
One of the bright spots of Monday was having LSU All-America safety Grant Delpit on Press Row. Here’s his back and forth, with Delpit’s especially good impression of LSU coach Ed Orgeron.
Good times. Mostly.
THE Open Championship
The British Open is this week. And it’s cool.
Seriously.
Plus, it allows those of us with daytime flexibility to watch a fair amount of major championship golf.
There is a lot to like about THE Open, even if it’s OK not to like THE Open as much as THE Open likes THE Open, if that makes sense.
First, there is the field. It’s rich in talent. Here are your favorites: Rory McIlroy (8-1), Brooks Koepka (10-1), Dustin Johnson (10-1), Jon Rahm (16-1) and some dude named Tiger (18-1).
And more than any other major in recent memory, THE Open has produced the best Sunday theater with the biggest of the game’s stars.
With all apologies and respect to the Green Jacket, the Claret Jug is easily the coolest trophy in golf and one of the coolest in all of sports.
There is the weather, which is as predictable as a teenager’s mood.
There’s the pressure. The stakes. The grass up to your knees. The wind. And even the accents. (Admit it, when they go to the BBC feed and some dude comes on with the hard English accent it sounds more golfy and more like a big deal.)
God bless THE Open Championship.
GOAT measurements
OK, THE Open is part of the major circuit in golf. Like Wimbledon in tennis.
I understand the measurements of our best ever. How many majors did you win? How many rings did you collect?
But I am starting to wonder if we are not overly tilted in that direction. Thoughts?
Arnold Palmer and Bobby Jones each won seven current majors – fewer than Watson or Gary Player, mind you – but both are all-timers.
Heck, Robert Horry has more rings than MJ. And Charles Haley has more than Joe Montana.
Yes, those are extremes of course, but what about Bill Russell, who has 11 titles in a much different time? Or those Yankees teams of the ’50s that won almost every year?
The main reason I ask, and I wonder this for context of what we watched Sunday at Wimbledon, is if Novak Djokovic wins another handful of majors will he be the GOAT.
He has 16 majors – four fewer than Roger Federer and two behind Rafael Nadal – and will be the favorite at every non-French Open for the next few years.
Yes, that line item is a monster on the resume.
But is that all it takes? Thoughts.
This and that
– Hard to believe that it has been four years since the July 16 shooting in Chattanooga, right? Rest easy you brave souls.
– Pernell “Sweet P” Whitaker died Sunday after being struck by a car. He was 55. “Sweet P” was one of the most elusive fighters to ever wear gloves. Rest easy.
– Braves played. Braves won. Ho hum, so it goes. Side note: Did you guys see what Brewers star Christian Yelich is slashing? Buckets of bashing baseballs, he’s at .332/.431/.705. That’s stellar. (And it made me look up ol’ George Herman Ruth’s numbers, which are mind-blowing, friends. Babe’s career slash line goes .342/.4-bleepin-74/.690. Wowser.)
– The Falcons paid Grady Jarrett. Big time. Truth be told, I like the signing for a slew of reasons. Primarily, the NFL has three main ways to find an advantage. One is fiscally, which Jarrett already provided. The second is schematically, an area in which we hope that Dan Quinn and Co. can continue to improve. Finally, there is mathematically, and in terms of the NFL, if you can demand a double team – like Jarrett does – whether you make the play or not, you give your team an edge.
Today’s questions
True or false, shall we? I think true.
True or false, we overvalue titles in terms of the GOAT conversation.
True or false, the Claret Jug is the best trophy in sports.
True or false, Jeremy Pruitt will say something interesting today. (Fingers crossed.)
As for today, July 16, well, we’ll start with a moment of silence.
Shoeless Joe Jackson would have been 142 today. Shoeless is an awesome nickname.
Orville Redenbacher would have been 112 today.
Jimmy Johnson, one of the most underrated football coaches of my lifetime, is 76 today.
Will Ferrell is 52 today. Rushmore of Ferrell movies. Go.