Just got back from SEC country

[Lexjacket]

I always spend the New Years holiday visiting my Brother-in-Law in Birmingham, Alabama. We watch every bowl game that has an SEC team in it, and he pulls for the SEC. He's a big Alabama fan but he even pulls for Auburn.

This year as always, I wore only Tech gear. People we encounter, at service stations, restaurants, malls always comment, because they only see Alabama, Auburn or maybe another SEC team. The trip this year I noticed something a little different, everybody I talked to about football was as worried about all the SEC teams doing well as much as they were worried about Alabama or Auburn. It was weird, the state of Alabama has totally bought in to the media hype that the SEC is the only 'real football' conference in the United States. But today they are all in a state of shock and disbelief that their strongest division is 2-4 in bowl games.

There is no joy in Mudville . It was great, their arrogance is shaken and they don't know what to do.
http://markbradley.blog.ajc.com/201...-secs-status-as-king-of-the-hill-takes-a-hit/

 

[TheGridironGeek]

Ha, I use "joy in Mudville/no joy in Mudville" in my prep column all the time.

 

[Sean311]

I believe with this new playoff system the SEC will be exposed for years to come.

 

[SimpleGT]

Agree - no free voter passes into the championship game. The eventual growth t0 8 or 16 teams will hurt them even more, as they have to actually play their way through the bracket

 

[MWBATL]

I believe with this new playoff system the SEC will be exposed for years to come.

This.

And it's about time.

Been so sick of all the SEC crapola.

 

[UgaBlows]

Parity in college football is real

 

[Squints]

He's a big Alabama fan but he even pulls for Auburn.

This right here is everything that is wrong with the SEC obsession.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

No real Alabama fan pulls for Auburn. Just like no real Tech fan pulls for UGA.

Go Jackets!

 

[potatohead]

This right here is everything that is wrong with the SEC obsession.

Couldn't agree more. The loss of Bama made me happy not because I hate Bama, but because the long dark night is over. Hopefully now we can return to hating our conference rivals and foes all the time, as God intended.

 

[Animal02]

I always spend the New Years holiday visiting my Brother-in-Law in Birmingham, Alabama. We watch every bowl game that has an SEC team in it, and he pulls for the SEC. He's a big Alabama fan but he even pulls for Auburn.

This year as always, I wore only Tech gear. People we encounter, at service stations, restaurants, malls always comment, because they only see Alabama, Auburn or maybe another SEC team. The trip this year I noticed something a little different, everybody I talked to about football was as worried about all the SEC teams doing well as much as they were worried about Alabama or Auburn. It was weird, the state of Alabama has totally bought in to the media hype that the SEC is the only 'real football' conference in the United States. But today they are all in a state of shock and disbelief that their strongest division is 2-4 in bowl games.

There is no joy in Mudville . It was great, their arrogance is shaken and they don't know what to do.
http://markbradley.blog.ajc.com/201...-secs-status-as-king-of-the-hill-takes-a-hit/

I am always wearing Tech gear up here in b10 country......for years I was asked if I worked for Grand Trunk Railroad. They believe for the last century they are the only football conference. they are the only Had lots of fun wearing a (gold) Tech sweatshirt to the B10 championship game in 2013......I could even spot myself in the crowd shots......the gold really stuck out in the sea of red and green.

 

[33jacket]

2-5. Auburn, Bama, LSU, Miss St, Ole Miss all lost.

The west sucks and was overrated and many of us had been saying it all year. They play no one out of conf, 3 cupcakes beat each other and claim how tough it is. LOL

 

[takethepoints]

I don't know if you can say that. Bowl games are supposed to be hard for teams to win because they are planned to be competitive. I wouldn't be surprised to see the SECw win 4 and lose 2 next year; it's largely a crapshoot. The SECw teams are good and will continue to be so. However, as the Simple one says, the playoff structure will make the parity in the different conferences more apparent. No more free rides for the SEC to the MNC.

The one exception was our win over MSU. There it was a simple matter of the Good Dogs not having experience playing against our version of the TO. Talent-wise, I think the two teams are pretty equal. They were like Syracuse a couple of years ago; once the game started it became obvious that they were constantly making wrong decisions or being caught off guard by the speed of the O. I enjoyed that.

 

[Animal02]

I don't know if you can say that. Bowl games are supposed to be hard for teams to win because they are planned to be competitive. I wouldn't be surprised to see the SECw win 4 and lose 2 next year; it's largely a crapshoot. The SECw teams are good and will continue to be so. However, as the Simple one says, the playoff structure will make the parity in the different conferences more apparent. No more free rides for the SEC to the MNC.

The one exception was our win over MSU. There it was a simple matter of the Good Dogs not having experience playing against our version of the TO. Talent-wise, I think the two teams are pretty equal. They were like Syracuse a couple of years ago; once the game started it became obvious that they were constantly making wrong decisions or being caught off guard by the speed of the O. I enjoyed that.

I think the way bowl selections have changed also has something to do with it. It is no longer the bowl games deciding the matchups much as the conferences deciding who plays where. I do not think the new set up plays as favorably to the SEC as the former system did.

 

[iceeater1969]

Back in the fla panhandle - wear ga tech gear year round and am well received

I will see if that changes as our strength in football grows - think not as most people here (ala, au, FSU ,fla) TRULY despise uga. I tell them -"many UGA fans are an embarsesment to the state and the south in general. As sacel Paige , the great African american pitcher said = ain't no mam can avoid being average, but that don't mean you got to be common". Always ask them to please root for gt when not playing them- they always say you bet.

In 2016 I will return to Athens the cesspool - for first time since in college. What a game that will be. One of us will be kicked out of national championship. I believe we will win and lil joes twin - the matrix - will get what was stolen from him!

 

[DvilleJacket]

I had some family in bama and they pulled for who ever was winning at the time. They would send me bama stuff some years and auby to stuff the next. Got a bottle of Coke with Bear Bryant on it from when he died I guess. Not near as treasured as my Tech ones from winning the National Championship!

 

[alaguy]

I've lived in Ala for 30yrs and it is like UA and awbern are the only schools around to most fans.Huntsville as a tech center does have some GT folks but a small dent in the general noise.This bowl season has stunned more than a few of the population..