SEC Media Days are our league's little version of a tempest in a tea cup. You've got hundreds of well dressed reporters and radio stations packed into Birmingham, and 90% of them are writing the same stories. This means they all get to ask the same questions. Over. And. Over. And. Over.
Some coaches, like Richt, can hold their water all week. They can stay on message and never waver, and they bring kids who can avoid saying something ridiculously stupid. Other coaches and players get fed up and start saying nutty stuff to humor themselves. See Steve Spurrier as Exhibit A.
And my favorite...the coach that gets frustrated and to quote Nick Saban, they "don't have time for this shit." The smart money on cracking this year follows Les Miles. After watching him this afternoon on ESPN's new College Football show (3:30 PM EST), you could tell that he bristles at the very mention of Nick Saban. You can also tell that he hasn't found a graceful / honest way of answering any questions about Saban's return to the SEC.
Saban is totally in his head. Or to paraphrase Paul Finebaum tonight..."Miles is Saban's bitch."
The media will ask Miles a parade of Saban related questions. Eventually, he'll snap and say something dumb. The best part, he's too proud to just admit when he's wrong and too stupid to know how to avoid obnoxious media questions.
For instance, all Miles had to do when asked about the Southern Cal / Pac-10 comments a few weeks ago was to just laugh and say, "I was just hamming it up with our fans back in Louisiana. I seriously doubt that Pete Carroll cares what I said." Then there's no story. Instead of sort of denies that he said it. That's why almost a month later he still gets asked the question.
Of course, I look forward to Steve Spurrier poking some of his peers with a stick. Ideally, it will be Fulmer again.
I'm not looking forward to three days of questions for Houston Nutt about Arkansas fans. Nutt won't say anything honest or interesting the situation, and I'm not comfortable with questions that bounce around allegations of marital infidelity. Unless they are funny questions.
I'm also not looking forward to Urban Meyer and Tommy Tuberville as they navel gaze at their own personal greatness and monstrous achievements. Although, listening as Tuberville makes up stats and yardsticks that proclaim his dominance over the rest of the SEC is always fun.
What are you looking forward to this week?
PWD
