Is the SEC still a “southern” conference?

[the lost33]

I’m going to take a step back and ask why is it important to you that Kentucky be viewed as a Southern State? That’s where I should have started when you replied initially.

I’m just arguing my position. I think KY is a southern state. Same for Virginia and West Virginia. It’s not important to me, this is a discussion forum. We’re discussing.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I agree with Lost33.

Any place called "the bluegrass state," famous for its bourbons, and stomping grounds of a fella like Daniel Boone, well that's just a pretty strong echo of the greenest state in the land of the free, home of sippin' whiskey, with Davy Crockett as a standout citizen.

Yah, Kentucky is our baby brother. They're southern, for sure. They may try too hard at it, but they are southern.

Go Vols!

 

[DuckInAPen]

There's one in New Orleans. Apart from being Catholic, I don't believe it's connected to any of the others.

Together with the others, it's a member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Schools.

 

[adam.vol]

I’m just arguing my position. I think KY is a southern state. Same for Virginia and West Virginia. It’s not important to me, this is a discussion forum. We’re discussing.

In that case, can we agree that if your heroes are Jersey sounding names, like Pitino and Calipari, or even Patrino, you’re not southern?

 

[DuckInAPen]

Well there's this: Little Dixie (Missouri) - Wikipedia

Home of -- arguably -- our greatest Southern writer, Mark Twain.

 

[EasternVol]

In that case, can we agree that if your heroes are Jersey sounding names, like Pitino and Calipari, or even Patrino, you’re not southern?

There are a lot of Italians in Louisiana and Mississippi.

 

[DuckInAPen]

In that case, can we agree that if your heroes are Jersey sounding names, like Pitino and Calipari, or even Patrino, you’re not southern?

What if your heroes are named Heupel or Pearl or Cafego?

 

[VOLLeeann]

Arkansas? No sir.
Louisiana? Some parts.
Virginia's? LOL
Florida? like uh no

My drift.

 

[adam.vol]

What if your heroes are named Heupel or Pearl or Cafego?

You make a good point. Is there nothing more to being southern than Geography?

 

[DuckInAPen]

You make a good point. Is there nothing more to being southern than Geography?

I won't attempt to define what a Southerner is, but I will say that I feel myself to be among Southerners when I'm in Kentucky (which, after all, was once the western extension of Virginia, from whence so many of our ancestors came to Tennessee).

 

[Orange.]

In that case, can we agree that if your heroes are Jersey sounding names, like Pitino and Calipari, or even Patrino, you’re not southern?

You mean like Vitello?

What if your heroes are named Heupel or Pearl or Cafego?

Yes. Or Iamaleava.

 

[Orange.]

There are a lot of Italians in Louisiana and Mississippi.

South Louisiana. Mississippi, not really.

 

[EasternVol]

South Louisiana. Mississippi, not really.

Mississippi Gulf Coast and Delta, yes quite a few. That is unless you don't count Sicilians as Italian.

 

[jasonvol18]

I don’t think Missouri is culturally southern, for the most part, beyond the southern strip near Arkansas. Columbia isn’t Southern. I was there once and a lady told me she missed the South because she used to live in Alabama and learned I live is in TN.

S. Carolina is absolutely a Southern State

 

[jasonvol18]

According to the Census bureau, only Missouri is not a Southern State.

 

[rbvol]

With the inclusion of Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Is the SEC still a culturally southern conference?

Southern OK is really SEC like. The folks in southeastern OK sound as southern as anyone in the south.

 

[Panthro]

Sure it is. I can’t speak to the future just because as the big 10 continues to grow, who knows what the SEC will do. But for now, it absolutely is and it absolutely is the best conference in college football.

 

[Tin Man]

So, if I’m getting the gist, adding Texas and Oklahoma means that the SEC is leading CFB in the mainstreaming of special needs universities.

 

[perico]

I’ve NEVER forgiven Kentucky for staying “ Yankee “ and leaving our
Northern boarder totally exposed to Northern aggression. I’ve considered
Kentucky and Missouri the “ enemy “ ever since. I can “ hold a grudge “ for
a long time.

I hope you forgave East Tennessee.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

Southern-Western

 

[GVF]

It’s not. Missouri goes all the way to the bottom of Iowa. Missouri is farther north than KY. But the boot heel is actually more southern geographically than KY.

Columbia is only marginally further north than Lexington. And if you're laying lines down, the most northern region of KY is well above the half way point of WV. A good chunk of Indiana/Illinois is as far south of most any point in KY.

Today's regional references are still a byproduct of the division of "civil war lines".

 

[GVF]

I hope you forgave East Tennessee.

And a good bit of Middle, TN. Especially the Upper reaches of the Cumberland Plateau. My direct family of the time held about 550 acres+- in Jackson County and never one slave. They did employ one paid black family that relocated to the Dickson area west of Nashville and took the family last name with them. We have correspondance letters from only one relative I'm aware of that was in service out in Texas, and I'm not 100% sure why that one person participated, as that is the only one I am aware of and we have an immense collection of family history.

 

[GVF]

Kentucky is southern everywhere but the cincy burbs and Louisville. Not really comparable to those others, IMO. They’re majorly non-southern in culture. With a few southern pockets. Where Kentucky is majorly southern. With a few midwest pockets.

By that description, the lower third of Illinois and Indiana should be quite southern in culture.

 

[GVF]

Of course it is. Among the states represented in the SEC, the only state that doesn't "feel" Southern in my opinion is Missouri. It's the one exception. It very much is a midwestern state.

Oklahoma is an interesting fusion of midwestern, southwestern, and southern into a single state.

There are a few anomolies as far as what constitutes "southern". Historically, most lines for southern or southeastern centered around civil war alignment. Most people don't include VA or MD as southeastern or southern. Yet VA was ingrained in the south during the war. And MD was a slave state before and during that remained a part of the union states. KY, TN and MO were also divided.

Geographically, I would consider KY, and VA not so much southern, but with border areas that definitely have more of the culture. You may possibly also probably find a swath of southern culture in Indiana and Illinois as they come down as far as most of KY.

Appalacian regions are a whole different culture within the "southern" culture. A vast number of Scots came to those areas as it felt like home to them and didn't really care what you looked like, as long as you weren't in their space. And that's likely true of the whole stretch of Appalicia.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Arkansas? No sir.
Louisiana? Some parts.
Virginia's? LOL
Florida? like uh no

My drift.

When you put the "LOL" next to "Virginia's?" .... I interpret that to mean that you don't think any part of Virginia fits the southern culture.

If you have spent time in Lynchburg, home of Liberty University .... Virginia definitely belongs in the "Some parts" category.