Pawl is a Tennessee alumnus, but unlike a lot of graduates, he is painfully much more objective from his entertainment platform than the homer media piled up in Knoxville that have to have local advertisers to turn sports conversation into dollars, Pawl doesn't have that issue and has never been afraid to point out how turned around the Tennessee athletic programs have been over the last decade. He's never really been afraid to point out the problems, the failings and the lack of success within the SEC when it is relevant and entertaining.
Pawl is one of the few SEC/ESPN shows that actually has a sustained and growing audience from time to time, which mirrors the success and popularity of the SEC sports brands, particularly football, during the school year.
Pawl is an SEC guy and the noise he makes, draws listeners and viewers to all things SEC, win and he'll point out the things you are doing well, fail, tank it, break the rules, go Jimbo, end up in front of the NCAA committee on infractions, he'll razz your program until something more sensational comes across his desk.