SEC Media Days 2010: 10 Things We Learned on the Final Day

Another SEC Media Days is in the books. Now all we have to look forward to is the start of fall practice next week, and the beginning of the season, which is barely one month away.

The final day held a few surprises. Nothing earth-shattering, but it was much better than day two.

Still, there were no comments containing the word "pimp" or "predator." There were no impassioned pleas to rid the world of rogue agents. There wasn't even a "ROOOOOLLLLL TIDE" floating through the air.

A group of Auburn fans did break out the infamous, "S-E-C, S-E-C" chant at one point, but it was still nothing like Day One, when 200 or so Alabama fans apparently thought they were at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, rather than the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover.

There was still plenty to be learned on the final day of SEC Media Days.

Here's just a few...

The Media Apparently Thinks Alabama Will Run Away with the SEC

You probably knew this was coming. After all, when a team wins the national championship one season, they should be top-ranked until they're beaten.

But it appears the media might have gone a tad overboard in this year's selection.

One-hundred and forty-three fellow media members picked Alabama to win the SEC. 17 picked Florida, the nearest competitor.

Whether that's a make-up for not selecting Alabama to win the conference since 2000, or just an overwhelming feeling that Alabama will thoroughly trash every SEC team they play this year, the sheer margin of votes for Alabama over Florida is remarkable.

Tennessee’s Contingent Personified Class

From the moment Derek Dooley walked into his first media session in the Radio/Internet room, you could tell the difference.

There was poise. There was class. There was a friendly exchange with a couple of media guys from Ruston, Louisiana (where Louisiana Tech is located).

Dooley didn't want to leave his first media session either. The word that quickly came to mind was politician. Dooley was a professional from the moment he stepped in the room.

The class shown by the his players was second to none, as well.

Luke Stocker sat up, smiled, was articulate and friendly. Chris Walker spoke of his devotion to his faith. And Nick Reveiz talked about persevering through significant family issues and his own set-backs (a torn ACL) from a year ago.

It was a very refreshing few sessions with the Tennessee contigent. Quite the contrast to the few troublemakers that have made national news in the last couple of years.

Les Miles’ Time-Management Skills are Still Non-Existent

Les Miles became known for a few late game gaffes last year when he apparently forgot when or how often the clock runs.

On Friday, he apparently wasn't able to tell time yet again.

He was due in the Radio/Internet Room at 10:50 a.m. When the clock hit 11 a.m., the jokes had already begun clouding up the twitterverse.

Miles finally showed up around 11:10 a.m., and began his day making the rounds.

Win a Juco National Championship, and You, Too, Can Play QB in the SEC

Coaches have to be part-coach, part-spin doctor, part salesman. They have to. We all understand that your basic college football coach has a little bit of car salesman in him.

On Friday, Auburn head coach Gene Chizik took that to the next level.

When asked about junior college transfer, QB Cameron Newton's strengths, Chizik said, "The fact that he went to a junior college, was able to lead that team to a national championship, I think that was big. I think that's all kind of in the recipe of getting Cameron ready to play in this league consistently."

Really, Coach? Winning a national title at Blinn College can help you prepare to call an audible while staring down the barrel of a Florida defense that could be the fastest in that team's history?

It can prepare you to be successful in the Iron Bowl, in Tuscaloosa, with 90,000-plus screaming fans who all hate your guts?

Cameron Newton may very well have a good season in 2010. He may lead Auburn to new heights, but I doubt very seriously that his stint at Blinn College will have anything to do with it.

Someone Actually Picked Vanderbilt to Win the SEC East

Wow. Just, wow.

There really are no words that can describe what would possess someone to pick a team, that might not win a game all season, to win its division—especially when that division has been the strongest division, in the strongest conference in America, for much of the past decade!

What's even more disconcerting is the fact that this person was credentialed to cover SEC Media Days. Someone had to actually look at the application and say approved for this person.

Maybe next year the SEC should make us all submit our preseason picks prior to issuing credentials. That way they can weed out the one's who make asinine selections like this one.

Ole Miss Finds Itself on the Other End of the Spectrum in 2010

A mild surprise was the fact that Ole Miss was picked dead last in the SEC West. Although at least three writers selected the Rebels first, the overwhelming majority apparently didn't care for Ole Miss at all.

Houston Nutt doesn't care.

"I understand somebody told us y'all picked us last. Thank you. That's all right. It's good. It really doesn't matter," said the 13-year SEC head coaching veteran.

It was quite the contrast for a team that was the "sexy" pick to win the conference in 2009. A team that the media placed lofty expectations on, only to see them falter and ONLY win nine games and win the Cotton Bowl.

Nutt continued, "Well, you know, again, been here 13 times. Most of the time I've been picked towards the bottom.

I don't really worry about that. I never have. A lot of people say, You coach better when you're not under such high expectations."

Who knows, now that there's no pressure from the guys who cover them, maybe the 'Rebs can make a run at the top of the conference and surprise us all.

Alabama, Florida Account for More than Half the Preseason All-SEC Team

You heard that right. Of the 53 slots on the Preseason All-SEC First and Second Teams, 32 of them were either Gators or Crimson Tide players.

No wonder the two teams have played for each of the last two SEC Championships. No wonder each of the two have won the past two national titles.

And, of course, no wonder they are both picked to represent their respective divisions in Atlanta this December.

No wonder.

That's A First: LSU Fourth in the West, Tennessee Picked Fifth in East

These two schools just played in the SEC Championship Game in 2007. LSU won the national title that season.

Now both teams find themselves ranked fourth and fifth in their respective divisions.

As ESPN's Pat Forde tweeted, that is "startling" to say the least.

Tennessee is on its third head coach since that 21-14 SEC title game loss to LSU. The Tigers head coach, Les Miles, is apparently on the proverbial hot-seat, heading into 2010, as a direct result of LSU's fall from grace.

One day both powers will be back. Just don't try guessing when that day will be.

Ole Miss DE, Kentrell Lockett Likes to Have F-U-N

Kentrell Lockett knows how to play the game of football. He's been a standout defensive player for Ole Miss in each of the last two seasons.

He told the group assembled in the Radio/Internet room that, for him, it's all about having fun.

"Why cry? Why mope? You feel better if you laugh."

He continued, "That's a complete reflection of coach Nutt. He's never sad. Nothing ever bothers him. That rubs off on the whole team.

"When he first stepped foot in the door, he said how do you define win? He said fun. I said, 'that's my guy right there."

The 45th press conference in three days, was definitely a breath of fresh air, after Lockett reminded us all what college athletics was once all about.

Derek Dooley is Not Vince Dooley, Nick Saban, or Lane Kiffin

New Tennessee head coach, Derek Dooley, was asked 32 questions in his main session with the media on Friday.

Roughly one-third of those questions contained the names Lane Kiffin, Vince Dooley, or Nick Saban.

Q. How are you enjoying the city of Knoxville, all that good stuff? Has your dad picked out any orange shirts yet?

Q. When you accepted the job at the University of Tennessee, had a chance to visit with your father, what kind of advice did he give you? He was such a legacy in the SEC for many years.

Q. What kind of relationship do you still have with Nick Saban? What is that going to be like when you're on the opposite side this year?

Q. I wanted to ask you about Coach Saban, did a great job of building LSU and Alabama, two states that produce a lot of talent. Is rebuilding at Tennessee tougher because you don't have as many SEC players within your state as Alabama and Louisiana?

Q. In what shape did your predecessor leave the program, in your opinion?

Q. You mentioned that your dad has gotten a little more involved, giving you more feedback since you got this job. What has been the nature of that feedback? What has he told you?

Q. Obviously, you have the relationship with your dad and with Coach Saban. What are some things that you yourself have learned on your own, some character traits of your coaching style that may be different from both of them?

Q. Have you spoken at all with Kiffin?

Q. In all seriousness, was there anything you did like about the way Lane Kiffin handled your job?

Q. Have any of your fellow coaches thanked you for not being Lane Kiffin or not being anything like him?

Not to ridicule any of those questions, because most of them were fair questions to ask a relatively unknown head coach coming to one of the most storied programs, in the greatest conference in the land.

But there comes a point where asking a guy for his opinion on the last guy (Kiffin), just to get some quip or off-the-cuff comment, gets old, really old.

His dad is fair game as well, but Derek is not Vince. Derek hasn't coached a down in the SEC yet. He's not Vince. And Vince does not have a magic serum that he gave to his son the minute he was announced as the new head coach at Tennessee.

He's close with Nick Saban, the top coach in all the land. They're good buddies. But, once again, no magic syrum or powder from St. Nick could make Derek Dooley the greatest thing since sliced bread.

He has to earn that on his own.