Has the cycle started to shift for the SEC?

[orientalnc]

Stewart Mandel of The Athletic has an interesting article today that covers the SEC’s struggles among other things, including Jeff Sims. Surprisingly, it is relatively grounded in realism (no hot takes about how if an SEC team loses an OOC game, it is because the OOC team belongs in the SEC). A quote: “It was a great run, SEC.”

If you are a subscriber, here’s the link: https://theathletic.com/4848846/202...ll-results/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983

Time to cue the folks who will say “I refuse to pay for sports journalism.” Sorry.

I have been a NYT subscriber for a very long time. Since my days living in NJ. I was a by mail subscriber in Atlanta and NC. Now a digital subscriber because delivery is no longer an option. Gradually the Times has raised the cost of their digital offerings by making sections extra. First it was the crossword puzzle. Then the food section. Then their product review section (Wirecutter). Then they bought Wordle and started charging extra for that. More recently they disbanded the sports section entirely in favor of the Athletic. I am paying for digital content and do so willingly. But, I cannot pay for everything that's offered. No matter how attractive.

I think this is where we are going with televised/streamed live sports. ESPN is considering (or Disney is considering forcing ESPN to consider) moving 100% of ESPN's content to ESPN+. Will Fox and NBC and CBS be far behind? Will I have to subscribe to five or six streaming services just to see GT sports? If so I might decide to spend more time in my shop on Saturday afternoons and less time in my den watching sports. Or, maybe, I will go up to the local high school on Friday nights for my football fix. The team isn't very good this year, but we're hopeful about the basketball season (sound familiar?).

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I’m a huge fan, but I ditched the NFL, and except for Tech, I’ve basically ditched CFB.
Sometimes I will check the scores for upsets. But now I’m a casual fan that’s disappointed in the direction things have been going.

 

[Vespidae]

Will I have to subscribe to five or six streaming services just to see GT sports?

Not sure. But streaming is suffering from saturation as the average time to locate a program increases. Consumers are simply electing to find something else to do.

As more streaming comes board, so too does the need for more infrastructure. Fewer cable tv trucks, but more routers, data centers, etc. So prices will go up, not down.

Britons are already canceling streaming services as the monthly rates increase.

The Spectrum issue was interesting. Unable to watch Alabama-Texas, I simply turned on the radio and listened to it from my balcony. Reminded me of the old days … and just as fun.

 

[roadkill]

I have been a NYT subscriber for a very long time. Since my days living in NJ. I was a by mail subscriber in Atlanta and NC. Now a digital subscriber because delivery is no longer an option. Gradually the Times has raised the cost of their digital offerings by making sections extra. First it was the crossword puzzle. Then the food section. Then their product review section (Wirecutter). Then they bought Wordle and started charging extra for that. More recently they disbanded the sports section entirely in favor of the Athletic. I am paying for digital content and do so willingly. But, I cannot pay for everything that's offered. No matter how attractive.

I think this is where we are going with televised/streamed live sports. ESPN is considering (or Disney is considering forcing ESPN to consider) moving 100% of ESPN's content to ESPN+. Will Fox and NBC and CBS be far behind? Will I have to subscribe to five or six streaming services just to see GT sports? If so I might decide to spend more time in my shop on Saturday afternoons and less time in my den watching sports. Or, maybe, I will go up to the local high school on Friday nights for my football fix. The team isn't very good this year, but we're hopeful about the basketball season (sound familiar?).

A bit off-topic but for some reason I am able to play the NYT games online without a sub. My daughter also plays Wordle without a sub. I think I had to give them my email, and they spam me with links to their articles which are behind a paywall, but I can ignore that as needed.

 

[orientalnc]

A bit off-topic but for some reason I am able to play the NYT games online without a sub. My daughter also plays Wordle without a sub. I think I had to give them my email, and they spam me with links to their articles which are behind a paywall, but I can ignore that as needed.

My wife is the gamer. She acknowledged the correctness of your reply. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[ThatGuy]

Time to cue the folks who will say “I refuse to pay for sports journalism.” Sorry.

Or the people (like me) who say "I paid for this particular brand of sports journalism, until I realized they gave virtually no coverage to the team I cared about (which is what was promised when I signed up).

Glad to see they're investing more in features and such, now that the NY Times has taken over. But I'm still gun shy about going back to them again. Royally ticked me off the last time I paid for them.

 

[FredJacket]

It might be just this simple (see link)... no way to know how good UGA is with such a soft schedule. And it IS early.... but the rest of the SEC could be a jumbled mess... record-wise.

College Football QB Power Rankings: Quinn Ewers leaps Caleb Williams, Shedeur Sanders surges into top five

The star Texas QB rose to the top spot after leading the Longhorns to a statement win over Alabama on the road

www.cbssports.com

 

[roadkill]

It might be just this simple (see link)... no way to know how good UGA is with such a soft schedule. And it IS early.... but the rest of the SEC could be a jumbled mess... record-wise.

College Football QB Power Rankings: Quinn Ewers leaps Caleb Williams, Shedeur Sanders surges into top five

The star Texas QB rose to the top spot after leading the Longhorns to a statement win over Alabama on the road

www.cbssports.com

Agree. Of the 4 teams in the SEC West that were ranked at the start of the season, three have already lost to OOC teams. Now they start playing each other, guaranteeing that some of their best teams will have two or more losses. Their reputation as the strongest division in college football is certainly taking a hit this year. Harder to tell about the east division since they haven't played anyone of note.

 

[RamblinRed]

It's starting to show up in the polls a little.
SEC only has 1 team in the Top 10 - UGA, and only two undefeated teams in the Top 25 - Ole Miss.

I think QB play has alot to do with it. As a whole the SEC does not look to have its usual outstanding group of QB's. I'd take the ACC QB's over them easily.

AL has real problems with their O. I'm not sure they have a SEC level starter at QB and their OL doesn't look very strong. Skill positions are good, but not the great units they usually have.

I actually have a theory about AL. I think the rise of Smart's program at UGA has hurt AL. AL has mined GA for decades (and they still get plenty of players from GA), but with Smart really keeping almost all the cream of the crop of the state in Athens that leaves less top end talent for programs like AL, AU, Clemson, FL, and FSU to raid.

 

[orientalnc]

It's starting to show up in the polls a little.
SEC only has 1 team in the Top 10 - UGA, and only two undefeated teams in the Top 25 - Ole Miss.

I think QB play has alot to do with it. As a whole the SEC does not look to have its usual outstanding group of QB's. I'd take the ACC QB's over them easily.

AL has real problems with their O. I'm not sure they have a SEC level starter at QB and their OL doesn't look very strong. Skill positions are good, but not the great units they usually have.

I actually have a theory about AL. I think the rise of Smart's program at UGA has hurt AL. AL has mined GA for decades (and they still get plenty of players from GA), but with Smart really keeping almost all the cream of the crop of the state in Athens that leaves less top end talent for programs like AL, AU, Clemson, FL, and FSU to raid.

I hit the Like button, but I would just as soon have FSU and Bama raiding the state to keep those 5* kids out of Athens.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I hit the Like button, but I would just as soon have FSU and Bama raiding the state to keep those 5* kids out of Athens.

Well, there’s that. I liked it too but only to say I agree with the assessment that Alabama is losing their pipeline due to Smart.

 

[Vespidae]

It's starting to show up in the polls a little.
SEC only has 1 team in the Top 10 - UGA, and only two undefeated teams in the Top 25 - Ole Miss.

I think QB play has alot to do with it. As a whole the SEC does not look to have its usual outstanding group of QB's. I'd take the ACC QB's over them easily.

AL has real problems with their O. I'm not sure they have a SEC level starter at QB and their OL doesn't look very strong. Skill positions are good, but not the great units they usually have.

I actually have a theory about AL. I think the rise of Smart's program at UGA has hurt AL. AL has mined GA for decades (and they still get plenty of players from GA), but with Smart really keeping almost all the cream of the crop of the state in Athens that leaves less top end talent for programs like AL, AU, Clemson, FL, and FSU to raid.

It's starting to show up in the polls a little.
SEC only has 1 team in the Top 10 - UGA, and only two undefeated teams in the Top 25 - Ole Miss.

I think QB play has alot to do with it. As a whole the SEC does not look to have its usual outstanding group of QB's. I'd take the ACC QB's over them easily.

AL has real problems with their O. I'm not sure they have a SEC level starter at QB and their OL doesn't look very strong. Skill positions are good, but not the great units they usually have.

I actually have a theory about AL. I think the rise of Smart's program at UGA has hurt AL. AL has mined GA for decades (and they still get plenty of players from GA), but with Smart really keeping almost all the cream of the crop of the state in Athens that leaves less top end talent for programs like AL, AU, Clemson, FL, and FSU to raid.

Last I heard, Alabama recruited most heavily from Texas, not Georgia.

Tommy Reese is a disaster as OC and apparently, Kevin Steele isn't even calling the plays on defense. It's a hot mess in T Town.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Last I heard, Alabama recruited most heavily from Texas, not Georgia.

Tommy Reese is a disaster as OC and apparently, Kevin Steele isn't even calling the plays on defense. It's a hot mess in T Town.

Currently they have 12 players from GA on their roster and 10 players from TX.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

The SEC and particularly Alabama has lost some good assistants over the years. Hard to sustain the level of coaching and recruitment for a long period of time. I’m still hoping for at least two losses for every team in their conference.

 

[FredJacket]

It's starting to show up in the polls a little.
SEC only has 1 team in the Top 10 - UGA, and only two undefeated teams in the Top 25 - Ole Miss.

I think QB play has alot to do with it. As a whole the SEC does not look to have its usual outstanding group of QB's. I'd take the ACC QB's over them easily.

AL has real problems with their O. I'm not sure they have a SEC level starter at QB and their OL doesn't look very strong. Skill positions are good, but not the great units they usually have.

I actually have a theory about AL. I think the rise of Smart's program at UGA has hurt AL. AL has mined GA for decades (and they still get plenty of players from GA), but with Smart really keeping almost all the cream of the crop of the state in Athens that leaves less top end talent for programs like AL, AU, Clemson, FL, and FSU to raid.

Speaking of polls...the AP poll... there are 21 unbeaten teams in top 25 & FOUR 1-loss teams. All 4 from the SEC. Odd & trivial Wk3 info.