SEC Media Days Experience

HOOVER, AL.—When I first thought about becoming sports editor for my college newspaper, I didn’t really take into account the type of outsider media experiences I would have.

Being a member of the local media, opportunities have opened up to cover several pro and collegiate sporting events in the greater Birmingham area. The experiences have truly been eye opening, and definitely make you see things from a different perspective.

SEC Football Media Days was definitely one of the most vivid events I had the opportunity to cover. The three day period in late July is basically the flag being raised announcing college football is right around the corner. Fans pack into the lobby of Hoover’s Wynfrey Hotel, and wait for a glimpse of the coaches and players that many idolize and obsess over.

SEC Football in the state of Alabama is more than significant. It’s a way of life. The Big 12, Pac-10, ACC and other big conferences may play football, but as the University of Alabama’s media guide front page reads, “WE LIVE IT.” The same goes for every other SEC school.

The first day of interviews was more of a warm-up for the SEC’s prominent powers. Despite that, even a school such as Vanderbilt, who had not made national headlines until last season, has high expectations within an already stacked SEC.

Every coach fields the same questions, and gives answers that are quite comparable. Each does so with such a different demeanor though, that it can make a team tough to read for the upcoming season.

New Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, the former Florida offensive coordinator, spoke with an attitude that he earned at Florida and Utah; definitely not one that is worthy of the way MSU has played football in recent years. The way he spoke about his program, and the strides they are in process of making, you would think that MSU was coming off a national championship season.

The big names dominated headlines like always, with Nick Saban and Urban Meyer stealing the stage on Day Two. That comes as a relief to other coaches, like UGA’s Mark Richt, who compared to previous years, will fly under the radar per say.

Ole Miss Head coach Houston Nutt was also a big name, and did his best to convince reporters that his Rebels will be in Atlanta for the SEC title game this season.

Each coach brings two players who are usually seniors that embody the face of their program. What better player to do that for the SEC than Tim Tebow, who may be the most iconic figure in college football history and is currently the face of college football. He’s a two-time National Champion, Heisman trophy winner, devout Christian, and a stand up person at that.

As soon as he descended from the back hallway of the Wynfrey, every cameraman on the floor was on a straight line to surround him. It truly was something that I have never seen before, and certainly did not expect to see. Yes, he is a huge name and a tremendous football player, but the treatment he received was that of an immortal. He fielded every question, and answered truthfully and confidently, which is what the people have come to expect from Tim Tebow.

What made his mass following even more impressive was the fact that Nick Saban was still giving interviews when Tebow arrived. Around this state, Saban is the big dog and everyone knows that. Bama fans don’t make a move without hearing what their Coach has to say first. Tebow not only stole the show, but he stole the spotlight in Saban’s backyard. If there was someone to do that though, I can’t think of anyone better.

Day 3 of Media Days included two first time SEC coaches, Lane Kiffin (UT) and Gene Chizik (AU). Both handled the SEC media frenzy well, with Kiffin using his signature sly attitude and Chizik bringing his business-like approach.

The Ol’ Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, stole the show though, when he revealed it was indeed he who did not vote for Tim Tebow on the All-SEC ballot. Though he says it was an accident, many members or the media were very reluctant to go along with that.

Les Miles, the coach of the 2007 National Championship LSU team, flew below the radar for most of Day 3.

Through all of the media non-sense, SEC Media days concluded. What can we take from this? Every coach praised Tim Tebow beyond belief, and Florida is once again expected to run the table.

Will they? I’m not so sure. They have the tools, but the target on their back has never been bigger. Does Ole Miss finally have enough to win the West? I think so, but they won’t. That goes to the LSU Tigers. Too talented and too hungry from last year to let this be another flop.

There may not be another division in the country with as many quality teams as the SEC West. Once again, the SEC will continue to prove their dominance as the best conference in the country.

Tim Tebow will finish second in the Heisman ballot, and Alabama will once again fall short.

Here’s to another year of the highest and most exciting level of football in the country.