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SEC media daze
The 5-at-10 has been to a bunch of SEC media events.
We are not in Tampa this time, however. I’m OK with that.
Monday was the first day of the latest round of SEC Media Days.
As is tradition, the SEC commissioner is the opening act at the podium.
Greg Sankey is a smart dude. Calculated, too. His message is consistent, rehearsed and polished.
It rarely makes for fun interviews, but fun is not in the description of his day job.
For most of his tenure, Sankey’s opening salvo has been littered with carnival barking and hype jobs.
“We’re the SEC. We’re SEC-ond to none. We’re amazing …”
Sankey’s message Monday was more designed, however.
His message was about change and leverage.
The change needed across the landscape of college sports. He was clear and direct about the need for legislative reform on that landscape.
Weaved into that was the SEC’s hard-line stance against the media-revenue-sharing provisions of the Protect College Sports efforts.
The leverage came in the form of the first question when the media was allowed to quiz Sankey.
He was asked about the chatter of the SEC leaving the current structure and going its own way.
Sure, the SEC wants to expand the playoff. Yes, the SEC will angle for guaranteed bids. But the shared media rights line-item is the hill on which the SEC — and likely the Big Ten — will die.
Or more accurately separate.
When asked about the spring discussions about the SEC breaking away and doing its own thing, Sankey was as clear as a man who deals in grays and calculated vagueness can be.
“They’re real,” he said. “The frustrations (for some) that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different.”
It’s list time
With the soccer world taking a needed breath, we start to look forward to the real football.
And around these parts, that happens on Saturdays.
We referenced the start of the talking season.
Part of that for the opinion writers is listing season.
And the good folks at The Athletic have a fine version of a tiered ranking of the most important on-field position in college football.
Here are their 1-thru-5 at QB1.
1 Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
2 Dante Moore, Oregon
3 CJ Carr, Notre Dame
4 Darian Mensah, Miami
5 Julian Sayin, THE Ohio State
But the list comes with a very pertinent caveat.
On last year’s list, one Fernando Mendoza — you may have heard of him — was 17th on The Athletic’s preseason list.
Thoughts?
(And yes, Gunner Stockton deserves mention among the top 10. I think he is ready for a monster season.)
ESPN layoffs
So, reports started circling that there is another round of layoffs coming at ESPN. Layoffs in this business are always sad for me.
It’s a sign of these trying times.
I am wondering about the ethics of the way this played out in the eyes of group.
Reports were growing, but the 24-hour, worldwide leader in sports is always running, right?
So, Ryan Clark was doing NFL Live live — it’s in the name, friends — Monday afternoon, and ESPN was getting multiple requests from media reporters looking for comments that Clark was on the list of soon-to-be-laid-off employees.
They reportedly told him during a commercial break, and that was that.
This is not at all about the names on the list, whether they deserve or don’t deserve it, or any of the other stuff. There is conversation for that down the road, I suppose, and Clark’s off-camera controversies and reported $2 million annual salary were assuredly red flags for Disney as it navigates through the merger with NFL Network.
The ethical dilemma of today’s discourse is, do you let Clark finish the show even if he could see on social media during the broadcast that he is reportedly on the chopping block or call him off the set and inform him then and there?
Tough spot for sure, and ESPN choose the latter.
I was not watching the program live, but that has to be an extremely tough situation for the rest of the folks around the set, no?
This and that
> Braves played. Braves won. Yay, Braves. But know this AA, if you are relying on Bryce Elder to pitch Game 3 against the Dodgers in the NLDS or the NLCS, you are cooked. We will talk Braves trade options tomorrow, deal? Deal.
> Start the clock. We’ve got roughly 24 hours until Decision DGG is known. Reports claim that the decision has been made. The announcement is set for tomorrow. I think Tennessee, but I know that in recruiting we know nothing until we know everything.
> Speaking of the SEC media event, Paschall has the skinny on the pertinent comments from UT coach Josh Heupel, who spoke to the gathering Monday. Rules and all.
> Speaking of rules, here’s Hargis and his crew with a look at some of the most consistently successful high school football programs from the area.
> We have a huge travel tournament here in Chattanooga this weekend. It starts Wednesday. Lord, please don’t let it steer toward the reports coming from Mississippi last weekend. Yikes.
Today’s questions
True or false it’s Tuesday. Morning, Ernie.
True or false, you have watched SEC media days coverage.
True or false, the SEC and the Big Ten will be its own combined college sports league in a decade.
True or false, Trinidad Chambliss is the best QB1 in college football.
True or false, laying off Ryan Clark mid-show was the proper decision, all things considered.
True or false, DGG is going to wear Orange.
You know the drill. Answer some T’s or F’s, ask some T’s or F’s.
As for today, July 21, let’s review.
On this day in 1925, John Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution in Dayton. Such legal monkey business, you know.
Couple of comedy legends were born on this day. Don Knotts would be 102. Robin Williams would have been 75.
Have we done the Rushmore of TV sit-com sidekicks? Because Barney Fife has to be far left, right?
Let me know, and if we need to sub-out, we can.
Go, and hydrate, people.