Why Does The World (Outside The Southeast) Hate The SEC?
posted by Scott Hood, Friday, March 13, 2009
At least for this season.
Why? I have no idea. But it’s obvious more than just a few of them actually believe that the SEC getting four teams into the NCAA Tournament would lead directly to the return of the Third Reich in Germany or, just as worse, the return of Pol Pot to Cambodia.
The hate fest against the SEC is puzzling. Is it the best basketball league in the country? No. But is it the worst? Not even close. But you wouldn’t know it listening to some of the dweebs on ESPN and the other cable sports stations that pollute the precious airways.
The venom against the SEC has been so widespread that it appears some of these schmucks have actually convince themselves that the SEC on the same level as the Horizon League or Patriot League or some other low-grade mid-major conference.
What has led to this? I think there are a couple of factors in play. First, I believe there is an overemphasis on non-conference schedules.
Over and over, I’ve heard so-called experts drone on endlessly about games played way back in November and early December when teams were still feeling their way, while conveniently ignoring what happened in conference play.
One bracketologist who appears to place considerable emphasis on non-conference games is Jerry Palm. He has Florida in and USC out? Why? UF beat eventual Pac-10 champion Washington on a neutral floor in late November.
Of course, Palm ignores the reality that USC finished ahead of Florida in the final SEC standings when putting together his bracket.
Ah, those pesky conference standings. They always seem to get in the way.
Now, did USC play an easy non-conference schedule? You could make that argument. But I think they neutralized that contention by winning 10 conference games during the regular season. Frankly, how you do in your own conference should be more important than what you did against non-conference opponents. But math whizzes like Palm don’t agree, apparently.
In his opinion, the losses to College of Charleston and Clemson should carry more weight in the minds of the selection committee than the huge road win over Baylor (a Top 25 team at the time) or the two wins over Kentucky and the thrilling home win over Florida.
I disagree wholeheartedly.
Second, I keep hearing over and over about how awful the SEC is, that it’s a “down year” for the league. In my opinion, the major reason for this perception is the mediocre season Kentucky experienced.
The Wildcats are far and away the glamour team in the league when it comes to basketball, and when UK fails to do well, the image of the entire league takes a hit. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.
It’s as if the experts assume at the beginning of the season Kentucky will be the best team in the SEC and if the Wildcats stink, then the whole league must stink as well. That’s a dangerous way if thinking, but I know it’s out there.
Hey, it’s not USC’s fault that UK head coach Billy Gillispie is a horrible X’s and O’s coach and makes few adjustments after the game begins.
Third, I truly believe there is a tremendous amount of jealousy being spewed towards the SEC over the $3 billion worth of TV contracts the league signed last August.
As Wilt Chamberlain once said, no one roots for Goliath. So, when these college basketball pundits have a chance to take a punch at the SEC, the heavyweight of the heavyweights when it comes to athletic conferences, they will.
With the SEC Tournament heading into quarterfinal action on Friday, we know that South Carolina must beat Mississippi State – a team they lost to in Starkville earlier in the year – in order to have any chance of earning an at-large berth to the SEC Tournament.
But, be assured that beating the Bulldogs won’t guarantee anything for USC. The NCAA Selection Committee is too unpredictable, too political and too willing to submit to the demands of CBS for USC to believe otherwise.
If USC does win Friday, I think they will be about 70 percent certain of a NCAA Tourney bid. Win Saturday – thereby advancing to the SEC tournament championship game - and it goes up to 90 percent.
As I said the other day, if CBS wants Davidson and superstar Stephon Curry into the NCAA Tournament for purposes of higher TV ratings, chances are they will get in.
Same thing with Kentucky. The Wildcats are too prominent a program – and attract too many eyeballs to the TV sets - to ignore on Selection Sunday. Especially since they’ve won their opening round game in the SEC Tourney over Ole Miss.
Of course, neither Davidson or Kentucky will get in as long as cooler heads prevail.
USC got a few breaks Thursday with Baylor upsetting Kansas in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament and team like Miami (Fla.), Providence, Northwestern and Arizona losing. The Bears win should help USC’s RPI.
The time has come for USC to take care of business, and take their NCAA chances out of the hands of those people who don’t want them to get in.
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Listening to and watching all these talking heads on the four-letter network and sports talk radio the past couple of weeks – some of whom pretend to know a thing or two about college basketball – it’s painfully obvious many of them despise the SEC.
At least for this season.
Why? I have no idea. But it’s obvious more than just a few of them actually believe that the SEC getting four teams into the NCAA Tournament would lead directly to the return of the Third Reich in Germany or, just as worse, the return of Pol Pot to Cambodia.
The hate fest against the SEC is puzzling. Is it the best basketball league in the country? No. But is it the worst? Not even close. But you wouldn’t know it listening to some of the dweebs on ESPN and the other cable sports stations that pollute the precious airways.
The venom against the SEC has been so widespread that it appears some of these schmucks have actually convince themselves that the SEC on the same level as the Horizon League or Patriot League or some other low-grade mid-major conference.
What has led to this? I think there are a couple of factors in play. First, I believe there is an overemphasis on non-conference schedules.
Over and over, I’ve heard so-called experts drone on endlessly about games played way back in November and early December when teams were still feeling their way, while conveniently ignoring what happened in conference play.
One bracketologist who appears to place considerable emphasis on non-conference games is Jerry Palm. He has Florida in and USC out? Why? UF beat eventual Pac-10 champion Washington on a neutral floor in late November.
Of course, Palm ignores the reality that USC finished ahead of Florida in the final SEC standings when putting together his bracket.
Ah, those pesky conference standings. They always seem to get in the way.
Now, did USC play an easy non-conference schedule? You could make that argument. But I think they neutralized that contention by winning 10 conference games during the regular season. Frankly, how you do in your own conference should be more important than what you did against non-conference opponents. But math whizzes like Palm don’t agree, apparently.
In his opinion, the losses to College of Charleston and Clemson should carry more weight in the minds of the selection committee than the huge road win over Baylor (a Top 25 team at the time) or the two wins over Kentucky and the thrilling home win over Florida.
I disagree wholeheartedly.
Second, I keep hearing over and over about how awful the SEC is, that it’s a “down year” for the league. In my opinion, the major reason for this perception is the mediocre season Kentucky experienced.
The Wildcats are far and away the glamour team in the league when it comes to basketball, and when UK fails to do well, the image of the entire league takes a hit. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.
It’s as if the experts assume at the beginning of the season Kentucky will be the best team in the SEC and if the Wildcats stink, then the whole league must stink as well. That’s a dangerous way if thinking, but I know it’s out there.
Hey, it’s not USC’s fault that UK head coach Billy Gillispie is a horrible X’s and O’s coach and makes few adjustments after the game begins.
Third, I truly believe there is a tremendous amount of jealousy being spewed towards the SEC over the $3 billion worth of TV contracts the league signed last August.
As Wilt Chamberlain once said, no one roots for Goliath. So, when these college basketball pundits have a chance to take a punch at the SEC, the heavyweight of the heavyweights when it comes to athletic conferences, they will.
With the SEC Tournament heading into quarterfinal action on Friday, we know that South Carolina must beat Mississippi State – a team they lost to in Starkville earlier in the year – in order to have any chance of earning an at-large berth to the SEC Tournament.
But, be assured that beating the Bulldogs won’t guarantee anything for USC. The NCAA Selection Committee is too unpredictable, too political and too willing to submit to the demands of CBS for USC to believe otherwise.
If USC does win Friday, I think they will be about 70 percent certain of a NCAA Tourney bid. Win Saturday – thereby advancing to the SEC tournament championship game - and it goes up to 90 percent.
As I said the other day, if CBS wants Davidson and superstar Stephon Curry into the NCAA Tournament for purposes of higher TV ratings, chances are they will get in.
Same thing with Kentucky. The Wildcats are too prominent a program – and attract too many eyeballs to the TV sets - to ignore on Selection Sunday. Especially since they’ve won their opening round game in the SEC Tourney over Ole Miss.
Of course, neither Davidson or Kentucky will get in as long as cooler heads prevail.
USC got a few breaks Thursday with Baylor upsetting Kansas in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament and team like Miami (Fla.), Providence, Northwestern and Arizona losing. The Bears win should help USC’s RPI.
The time has come for USC to take care of business, and take their NCAA chances out of the hands of those people who don’t want them to get in.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.