SEC Talk

Yes, that is the latest rumor about Billy Donovan that he is leaving Florida to coach the Orlando Magic in the nBA for 6 million dollars a year. I hope it’s not true as I think he doesn’t understand what he is getting into. It’s a whole different animal in the nBA than the college game. Players their won’t listen like they do at Florida. Most of the players will make more than he is getting and it’s just not worth it. At least right now if I was Donovan I think I would pass on the job offer. We will see what Donovan does in the next couple of days.

Florida president Bernie Machen is going to see how much support he can get from Southeastern Conference teams when they talk about a playoff system. This playoff system would be run by a private coporation seperate from the NCAA or BCS. I like his idea about it so far. We do need an independent to come in and run it to make it fair. Florida could have easily got shut out of the National Championship game last year. When you leave it into the hands of certain voters than that worries me.

We need the best two teams playing for the National Championship and recently that hasn’t always been the case. A playoff system is the only real answer. Division II and III use it why can’t we. Hopefully one day we will, but as long as money dictates things I don’t see it for a very long time.

I get tired of reading all about the different stories about cheating in sports, but it seems it’s a never ending story. Rumor has it two Auburn recurits had their grades changed according to the NCAA Clearhouse which is the ones who look over the grades before they get into college. If this is true I think this is just the tip of the iceberg in college atheltics. through the years i would imagine millions of grades have been tampered with. It’s just Auburn is a big time college football program so it’s in the spotlight.

Frank Broyles recieved the NACDA/NIT Atheltica dorector award. Broyles who was a coach many years for the Arkansas Razorbacks is a guy who is very passionate about college atheltics in general and this award just shows that everyone has also seen and valued his work in the college arena.

Broyles has slowed down some from his coaching days and now is mens Atheleic Director at Arkansas. Congratulations Frank Broyles on your award you deserve it.

Today, I’m going to break way from my sports blog to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day and to thank all the veterans and the people we have lost for the sacrifice they have made so we can do what we do everyday. Many times people seem to take it for granted and with a war going on many of us may forget all the soldiers we have lost through the years.

If you see a vet thank him and shake his hand. You will be surprised how much a thank you and a hand shake means to someone.

Now that Nick Saban has been hired by Alabama and he’s already pushing the envelope makes you wonder is he really worth it. While he was at LSU he did the same thing and while at Miami he did the same thing. Pushing the envelope to the edge without getting caught. The real question is how long before he makes a crucial mistake and costs Alabama. It will be interesting to see how long he stays clean at Alabama.

You have to love college football and it looks like Nick Saban may be in trouble again. According to various reports he may have committed so recuriting violations by conacting recurits hwen he was only to have limited contact with them.

It should be very interesting to see how this all ends up in the end. With Saban you just don’t know anymore.

The Georgia Bulldogs added some more hardware to their trophy case with a 32-0 perfect season and a national Championship in tennis. What is amazing that they didn’t suffer a lost during the season and was perfect. That’s unheard of in Tennis or any other sport really. You have to tip your hat to them though for winning the championship and bringing the Georgia Bulldogs back into the spotlight.

The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team had a game scheduled with UMass but backed out and paid a 50,000 dollar opt out clause in the contract to get out of the game. Travis Ford who now coaches UMass and a former Kentucky player was trying to rebuild his program and a Kentucky game would drw in fans among other things. The game was scheduled by Tubby Smith to help Ford out, but the new adminstration apparently didn’t want to honor it.

It’s a shame that Kentucky would do that to an old Kentucky players and I guess your word means nothing anymore as long as you have the opt out in the contract.

Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain who was 8-0 as a starter last season has decided to transfer to USC. he will have to sit out next year, but is hoping to be able to be the starting quarterback the following year. in a way this is probably a great move for him. he will be in the spot light and be able to learn from Booty this season.

Today we are going to start an legend series where we will profile great players at SEC schools. First up is Pistol Pete Maravich. Pistol Pete as he was known set many records at LSU, but was a legend way before that as he had a trigger quick release that made blocking his shot almost unstoppable. Pete Maravich could score with the best of them and was in the mold of working hard and never giving up.

When Pistol Pete went to the NBA he played for the New Orleans Jazz and thye were a horrible team, but Pistol Pete made them better during his career. Tragically Pete died way to young at 40 years old. He still holds the NCAA scoring average of a astonshing 44.2 points a game which probably will never be broken.

Pete was more than just a basketball player he was a great humanbeing. He was loved by so many for everything he did on and off the court. If you ever met Pistol Pete he was geniune and a great guy. It’s a shame we no longer have Pistol Pete, but if you watch any of his games on tape you can see why he was one of the great ones.

The vanderbilt football team didn’t have the greatest season last year and it doesn’t look like this year will get any better if you look at their schedule. They have a very tough schedule to get through and it’s tough from top to bottom:

VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Sept. 1 RICHMOND
Sept. 8 *ALABAMA
Sept. 15 *OLE MISS
Sept. 29 EASTERN MICHIGAN
Oct. 6 *at Auburn
Oct. 13 *GEORGIA
Oct. 20 *at South Carolina
Oct. 27 MIAMI (OHIO)
Nov. 3 *at Florida
Nov. 10 *KENTUCKY
Nov. 17 *at Tennessee
Nov. 24 WAKE FOREST

Games at Tennessee,Florida,Auburn,South Carolina, makes this a killer schedule. The Commodores are in for a rough 2007 it looks like.

The Tennessee Volunteers started out very good last season than struggled and than got back untracked. This year should be very interesting for the football team and their fans. The football gods weren’t kind to them on their schedule though:

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Sept. 1 at California
Sept. 8 SOUTHERN MISS
Sept. 15 *at Florida
Sept. 22 ARKANSAS STATE
Oct. 6 *GEORGIA
Oct. 13 *at Mississippi State
Oct. 20 *at Alabama
Oct. 27 *SOUTH CAROLINA
Nov. 3 LA.-LAFAYETTE
Nov. 10 *ARKANSAS
Nov. 17 *VANDERBILT
Nov. 24 *at Kentucky

Games at Califorina, Florida, and Alabama are killers. The one at california to open it up will be very tough. If they can win that game it could be a very good season for the Vols.

The South Carolina football team had a decent season nothing like they could have had if a few breaks would have went their way. They are progressing well under Steve Spurrier and should improve this year to. Now they do have some tough games on the road which will test them.

Sept. 1 LA.-LAFAYETTE
Sept. 8 *at Georgia
Sept. 15 SO. CAROLINA STATE
Sept. 22 *at LSU
Sept. 29 *MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 4 (Thu.) *KENTUCKY
Oct. 13 at North Carolina
Oct. 20 *VANDERBILT
Oct. 27 *at Tennessee
Nov. 3 *at Arkansas
Nov. 10 *FLORIDA
Nov. 24 CLEMSON

Games at LSU,Tennessee,Arkansas are some very tough ones to win. You never know though with Spurrier. many times his teams play well on the road so Gamecock fans better be ready for another crazy season.

College Football I love to death, but their comes a time when we need to cut down on some of these bowl games. I understand that bowl games are used to reward a team for having a great season, but if you are 6-5 and your at a bowl game thats a great season. A 6-5 record would be disappointing to me, but they are rewarded for that. i think we need to change the way we do things about the bowl game system.

I enjoy the bowl games just as much as anyone else, but it’s time to cut down. That way we could have better games and the games would mean more.