FanPost

The SEC talking-points train is off the tracks.

It is time to start fighting back against the SEC propaganda machine. First we have to acknowledge it exists. Whether or not we were consciously aware of it, the national sports media has spent the last year shamelessly SEC-baiting because they know it moves the ratings needle, not just on talk radio, but during games as well.



Just as for Notre Dame in years past, the populace now either hates or loves the SEC. People have all taken a side, so those people tune in and get involved. The dialogue has left the realm of logic in favor of inflammatory comments. We don’t hear about Alabama’s championships, they are all SEC championships. A good defense is called SEC-like. Yesterday, Ohio State’s defense was referred to as SEC-like, as was Virginia’s defensive line. We can assume the analysts are referring to Alabama or LSU and not UGA, whose defense so far leaks points like a sieve. On the heels of two (three, if you count bowl games) major SEC losses, the propaganda keeps spinning. Clemson “slipped by” Georgia according to the bottom line. Florida didn’t get beat, “an excited Miami team came away with a win.” There were apologies all day long for the SEC. When looking at Miami’s remaining schedule following their win, the so-called analyst Brian Greise noted “But we all know the SEC is better than the ACC.” Oh really? Why do we know that? Put aside the issue of whether a team with more physically gifted players who can’t win big games is “better” than a team that does win big games, we are looking at an SEC East where every team has a loss in week two. Anyone with any semblance of logic would not say such a thing. What we know is that the SEC has a better reputation than the ACC. We know Alabama is better than Virginia Tech. But we also know that Clemson is better than UGA, and Miami is better than Florida. We can assume Clemson is better than South Carolina, but we won’t have to debate this at season’s end because the teams play on the field. Why is the propaganda a problem? We all know Alabama will be allowed to defend its title. Alabama has an easy schedule, and it has already been proven twice that one loss won’t stop Bama from reaching the title game. But if Alabama were to lose twice, the replacement team would be an SEC team, deservedly or not. The way the dialogue is going, the sound bite is that the SEC schedule is tougher. There will be no analysis about the actual teams played. It won’t matter that a team never played Alabama, the SEC teams gets credit for being in the conference with Alabama. A win over Alabama will baptize the winning team and their sins, including ACC losses, will be forgiven. Ask yourself, if the regular season ended today and UGA or Florida beat Alabama in the title game, whether Clemson or Miami would have a shot at playing Oregon? The ACC teams’ wins over SEC opponents wouldn’t place them ahead of Ohio State, or evenplace them above the SEC team they beat. Because the ACC teams' schedule includes Georgia Tech instead of Vandy?

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