Saturday, October 3, 2009

What's the big deal about S.E.C. Football



I have been an avid college football fan since the 70's. Tony Dorsett was my favorite player as a child. Then in the 80's loved me some Herschel Walker. Then Jamiel Holloway from Oklahoma, Bo Jackson, Barry Sanders, Tim Brown and the Rocket, Primetime all the way to Reggie Bush. I have seen great quarterback, receivers, offensive and defensive linemen and safeties. I think i have a good eye and could evaluate talent and determine who should be in the NFL and not. So i wonder as I watch each saturday, "What is the big deal with the SEC?"
The SEC has 4 teams that every year has a chance to play for a championship. Florida, LSU, Alabama, and Georgia. Once in a while, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina will chime in. Tennessee usually is in the conversation as far as good teams, but they play Florida in the first game in the SEC and if they win, they compete for a title. If they lose then usually their season collapses. I actually like Tennessee so i should include them with the elite 4. Auburn is like Tennesse. If they get a big win to start the season, they are motivated for the rest of the year. If they lose early, they tend to fizzle out for the rest of the year. The quality of the games on the lower level teams are better than the games against the higher level teams. I am watching this LSU-Georgia game and i am falling to sleep. These teams are supposed to have these amazing athletes and the quarterbacks on both teams couldnt hit water if the fell out of a boat. I know everyone says that they play great defense here and that is why they have the best football.. They conference has won three straight national championships. So they have the credibility. But i would rather watch paint drying.
The styles that all of the teams use in this conference is similar. Each team runs some version of the Florida offense and defensively, they blitz on every down. I often wonder how is anyone to score if they all run the same plays. I know that in the NFL, every team ran some version of the west coast offense for years. I also know the every conference does the same thing. Imitation is a form of flattery. I also know that every conference the same thing happens if a team has established dominance. USC and Oklahoma have won several titles in a row in their conferences and each team tries to emulate their offenses. How do the players get prepared for the NFL playing that style of offense? There are currently 6 starting quarterbacks in the NFL from SEC. All of them were first round picks. Four of them were the overall first pick. Five actual starting running backs. And handful of receivers and tight ends. Hines ward and Jason Witten come to mind but they are like 55 years old. As far as other positions in the league the SEC is well represented on defense and the offensive lines. Yes i know that Emmit Smith the all time leading rusher in an SEC alum. and Before Peyton Manning is done, he will be the all time leader in a lot of statistics. when they played in the SEC, the games were more exciting than this. I believe last season, Auburn beat Mississippi St. in a game, 3-2. I watched every second of that game. I aged 10 years during that game.
I prefer the schools and conferences that play a pro style offense. The Pac-10 may be a top heavy conference but at least they throw the ball down field and each team looks different. I would have given my arms and legs last year to see USC play Florida. When the best teams from other conferences play you usually get to see why they are so good. Not in the SEC. The defenses overpower the offenses. Dont get me wrong, the SEC teams go and defeat teams from other conferences with regularity. Alabama and Georgia have defeated teams from other conferences and so did south carolina.

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