milohimself
RIP CITY
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- Sep 18, 2004
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Could it be the tides are turning? The SEC has been known for a lot of things in its recent history, some good, some not so good. It has been known to be clearly the best football conference in recent collective history. Not quite year-to-year, but close. The program passion is unmatched. Game attendance is through the roof. The stadiums are as intimidating as any in the country. Ohio State is the only other place in the country that really has any sort of comparable experience.
Of course, not all of the SEC's notoriety has been flattering. The phrase "recruiting scandal" is almost inextricably tied to the whole conference by the college football-watching public in the rest of the country. A lot of the fans can be complete nutjobs, as evidenced by horror stories you invariably get from all fans, be it Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, South Carolina, etc. Only those fanbases that are so humbled by their program's complete lack of recent success have no stories about them. Why is that?
If there's one thing most notable to me about the SEC in recent history, it's the incredible disparity between the teams at the top and those at the bottom. Sure, there are some occassional 'tweeners, but as one VN poster recently stated it, "it's generally feast or famine in the SEC."
Kentucky has a combined 4 wins over Tennessee, Georgia and Florida between 1985 and 2005. That's 4-56 for those that arent big on counting. Vanderbilt posts preciesely the same record. South Carolina hasn't faired much better since it joined the SEC in 1992, posting a 7-35 record against UTK, UGA and UF. Conditions in the SEC West are not quite as bad, but there is still a noticeable disparity between Arkansas/Ole Miss/Mississippi St. and Auburn/LSU/Alabama.
Most of these schools arent even competitive... All the lower-half schools have been the victims of numerous blowouts. In addition to a usually weak non-conference schedule, getting to .500 was no big deal.
But it seems as if the gap is closing... The top teams don't seem quite as dominant, although still very good, and the bottom teams seem to be picking things up a been.
Generally speaking, the bottom feeders aren't quite the experts at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory they once were.
As Tennessee fans, we have to be able to openly admit that Fulmer's failure to beat Spurrier's Florida squads and Randy Sander's subsequent replacement of David Cutcliffe has dragged down our standing as a program. We went from being a step away from dynasty to a sub .500 season.
Other major schools are having problems as well. Georgia hasn't necesarily been a stellar representative of the SEC, during Richt's reign as the king of the East. Florida is still working on climbing its way out of the hole that Zook put them in. Most are predicting nigh disaster for LSU due to the hire of Les Miles. Tuberville, while getting fabulous talent for Auburn, is infrequently able to put it together. The one season he does manage to do it, USC and Oklahoma look outstanding and the Tigers suffer the misfortune of a D-IAA team on the schedule, and an SEC schedule about as easy as they come. Alabama has never been quite the same since their probation.
On the other hand, you've got Arkansas, Ole Miss and South Carolina who all seem to be inching their way too success. Kentucky and Mississippi State are a long ways off, but most of us recognize they could build themselves into respectable programs. Vanderbilt... Well, I'll be realisic. Vanderbilt's football program is hopeless.
But the performances have been shining through. Vanderbilt has managed victories over us and Georiga in consecutive years, Arkansas controls its own destiny in the SEC West, and Orgeron appears to be quite on to something at Ole Miss.
Yes, I think the top of the SEC is slowing being diluted. Yes, I think the bottom is starting, slowly, to catch up. The conference will be truly tougher top to bottom, instead of just at the top and laughably bad at the bottom.
Where does this matter to us Tennessee fans, though? The window is opening, guys. No doubt about it, with powers combined, Fulmer, Cutcliffe and Chavis form a pretty damned good coaching trio. Spurrier just happened to be better last time. The path may now be clear. Meyer may be building another big-time program, and Richt will come back. But neither will be as dominant as Spurrier was. Should leave the window wide open for Tennessee to take over, and at least put a few SEC titles together. Now's the time, Fulmer, prove your worth.
Will it happen? In the SEC, you never know.
Of course, not all of the SEC's notoriety has been flattering. The phrase "recruiting scandal" is almost inextricably tied to the whole conference by the college football-watching public in the rest of the country. A lot of the fans can be complete nutjobs, as evidenced by horror stories you invariably get from all fans, be it Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, South Carolina, etc. Only those fanbases that are so humbled by their program's complete lack of recent success have no stories about them. Why is that?
If there's one thing most notable to me about the SEC in recent history, it's the incredible disparity between the teams at the top and those at the bottom. Sure, there are some occassional 'tweeners, but as one VN poster recently stated it, "it's generally feast or famine in the SEC."
Kentucky has a combined 4 wins over Tennessee, Georgia and Florida between 1985 and 2005. That's 4-56 for those that arent big on counting. Vanderbilt posts preciesely the same record. South Carolina hasn't faired much better since it joined the SEC in 1992, posting a 7-35 record against UTK, UGA and UF. Conditions in the SEC West are not quite as bad, but there is still a noticeable disparity between Arkansas/Ole Miss/Mississippi St. and Auburn/LSU/Alabama.
Most of these schools arent even competitive... All the lower-half schools have been the victims of numerous blowouts. In addition to a usually weak non-conference schedule, getting to .500 was no big deal.
But it seems as if the gap is closing... The top teams don't seem quite as dominant, although still very good, and the bottom teams seem to be picking things up a been.
Generally speaking, the bottom feeders aren't quite the experts at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory they once were.
As Tennessee fans, we have to be able to openly admit that Fulmer's failure to beat Spurrier's Florida squads and Randy Sander's subsequent replacement of David Cutcliffe has dragged down our standing as a program. We went from being a step away from dynasty to a sub .500 season.
Other major schools are having problems as well. Georgia hasn't necesarily been a stellar representative of the SEC, during Richt's reign as the king of the East. Florida is still working on climbing its way out of the hole that Zook put them in. Most are predicting nigh disaster for LSU due to the hire of Les Miles. Tuberville, while getting fabulous talent for Auburn, is infrequently able to put it together. The one season he does manage to do it, USC and Oklahoma look outstanding and the Tigers suffer the misfortune of a D-IAA team on the schedule, and an SEC schedule about as easy as they come. Alabama has never been quite the same since their probation.
On the other hand, you've got Arkansas, Ole Miss and South Carolina who all seem to be inching their way too success. Kentucky and Mississippi State are a long ways off, but most of us recognize they could build themselves into respectable programs. Vanderbilt... Well, I'll be realisic. Vanderbilt's football program is hopeless.
But the performances have been shining through. Vanderbilt has managed victories over us and Georiga in consecutive years, Arkansas controls its own destiny in the SEC West, and Orgeron appears to be quite on to something at Ole Miss.
Yes, I think the top of the SEC is slowing being diluted. Yes, I think the bottom is starting, slowly, to catch up. The conference will be truly tougher top to bottom, instead of just at the top and laughably bad at the bottom.
Where does this matter to us Tennessee fans, though? The window is opening, guys. No doubt about it, with powers combined, Fulmer, Cutcliffe and Chavis form a pretty damned good coaching trio. Spurrier just happened to be better last time. The path may now be clear. Meyer may be building another big-time program, and Richt will come back. But neither will be as dominant as Spurrier was. Should leave the window wide open for Tennessee to take over, and at least put a few SEC titles together. Now's the time, Fulmer, prove your worth.
Will it happen? In the SEC, you never know.
