Fourth and Dumb

So there was this one big game this weekend, and it went the way a lot of us expected: Bama’s passing game looked pretty mediocre, save one giant play made by uber-talent Julio Jones, and Mark Ingram ground down the Tigers in the second half. And one other thing we expected: a crazy homer call for Alabama which seemed obviously wrong to every American not sworn to fealty to George Wallace or Bear Bryant.

So Bama wins 24-15 and stays on track for the BCS CG semi-final game against UF. Considering the seeming bad call against Florida that wasn’t overturned in the win over Arkansas, is there a clear conspiracy to get UF and Alabama into that game? Consider what this would entail: first, a clear desire on the part of the SEC to stage that match-up, as if an Alabama-Florida game somehow guarantees more money or exposure for the league than, say, having LSU or Georgia in the game; surreptitious communication of this plot to league officials along with directions on how to quietly execute calls; a hope that a call here or there could turn the game (certainly not always the case!); and then much hope that none of this gets out.

So, no, there’s no obvious conspiracy. As in almost any sport, officials tend to protect the home team, as well as the highly rated team. But a call here or there couldn’t protect Bama or Florida if they couldn’t win. Still, that shitty call screwed LSU, which sucks.

Bama still has some challenges ahead, with games at Miss State and Auburn (the former gave a good game to UF, so anything’s possible (though unlikely); the latter’s a rivalry game on the road), but they should get into the SEC game undefeated. Florida is at SC this weekend, which some of my Gator pals fear as a trap game, but frankly I can’t see it being close. The grind-it-out Gators will grind out another 14-17 point win, but it will likely be pretty dull, as many of their games have been.

So it will be UF and Bama undefeated. With their erratic offenses and stout defenses, anything can happen. And though we’re a ways away from needing my preview, let’s just consider one thing: both teams have top-five defenses and great run games, with mediocre but potentially explosive passing games. So what separates them? Well, in a big game, whom would you like leading your team: Greg McElroy or Tim Tebow?

On paper this seems like a pretty mellow week in the world’s greatest football conference. Tennessee and LSU get the weekend off, and only one match-up features both teams in the top 25. So let’s start there.

The ‘Cocks strut into Tuscaloosa, turgidly engorged with pride and confidence (goddamn, will I ever stop being so immature?). But can Stephen Garcia find ways to repeatedly penetrate Crimson orifices? (Apparently not). Seriously, we can all see how this game will play out, right? Bama’s D will not allow any serious rushing success by SC, so Garcia is going to have to make plays against a young but good Bama secondary (which, it’s worth noting, couldn’t be exploited by Jevan Snead or Tyrod Taylor). Still, the game will be close in the fourth quarter because of SC’s better-than-advertised defense, so a couple big plays may decide it. I think Bama wins a squeaker, but I won’t be surprised if the Ol’ Ball Coach steals this one.

Florida hosts Arkansas in a game that should allow the Gators to finally put up some points. However, this game smells a lot like the Ole Miss game of last year. The Gates just got a big win and might be caught flat this weekend, despite Urban’s urgings. Still, the Razorpigs are giving up 40 points per SEC game this year, and it seems unlikely that even a stinky performance won’t net more points than the Gators’ defense will allow. Gators win 45-17 or something.

The Vandy-Georgia game could get interesting, but probably won’t. Georgia has allowed an average of 35 points per SEC opponent so far, but Vandy has only averaged 6 points (!!!) in three SEC games this year. That and the advantage of being between the hedges allows the Dawgs to stanch the bleeding for a while.

The only other conference match-up sees Kentucky travel to Auburn. The PlainsTigers might be looking ahead to next week’s game with LSU, but I don’t think Kentucky’s back-up QB Will Fidler (or the other back-up, if they choose to use him–unlikely enough that I don’t even feel like googling to find out who the hell he is) can meet the challenge of taking Auburn down in Jurrdin Hayeh stadium. Young Chizzy’s going to have Auburn bowl eligible in seven games, something Tubby couldn’t do last year in 12. Where are your curses now, War Eagles?

Another week, another layer of lustrous nacre added to the fine pearl that is the greatest football conference on Earth, the SEC.

The marquee game between UF and LSU in Death Valley was tense and fascinating but not exciting, if that makes sense. I don’t imagine that disinterested fans from the Midwest or Northeast would say it was a great game to watch, as it was a defensive slugfest without many big plays. But for the discerning or interested viewer, it was a masterpiece of slug-it-out Southern football. The Gators played it awfully close to the vest on offense, obviously very confident that Jordan Jefferson couldn’t move the ball on their defense. And as in the Tennessee game, the Gators left obvious points on the field (missed FG, lame 4^th-down attempt in the red zone), allowing the score to make the game appear closer than it was. But despite the low scoring, the outcome wasn’t much in doubt after the first few LSU possessions. LSU now gets a needed off-week to prepare for Auburn, an elimination match for the Tigers as far as remaining in the SEC West hunt. 

Why an elimination game already? Because Alabama is starting to look nigh-unbeatable in the West. Greg McElroy has turned out to be an ideal game manager for the Tide, who, like the Gators, are happy to grind you to death with their front seven, score a few points, and play field position. Ole Miss just played awfully against Bama, but most of that is attributable to the Tide’s D. However, as much crap as Jevan Snead has gotten for that game, he had some receivers drop some balls and one of them literally hand over an interception to a linebacker when the Rebels had a chance to cut the deficit to three early in the fourth quarter. But that’s the danger of these low-scoring games for Bama and Florida: you’re always just a crazy play away from being in big trouble. But then again, these teams don’t seem to allow those plays.

Auburn’s offense played like a bunch of CHUDs suddenly exposed to bright light in Fayetteville against the Razorpigs. They were fumbling and throwing INTs and dropping passes against a three-digit-ranked defense. But to be fair to Arkansas, that Petrino offense is for real, and Massive Mallett is making lots of plays for that team. Now Arkansas gets Florida in the Swamp, while Auburn hosts Kentucky. Arkansas is dead meat, no matter how good that offense is, but Auburn has a fight on its hands, too. However, they’ll be aided by the fact that they’ll be playing a Kentucky team without starting QB Mike Hartline.

That’s because he got hurt in a very tight contest with South Carolina, who keeps escaping with wins. The SC defense played one of its softest games this year against Kentucky, even allowing pretty scattershot back-up QB Will Fidler to make some plays against them. The Cocks will have to seriously pick up the pace to have a prayer against Bama on Saturday, but I think their defense, matched up with Bama’s, means the game will be in doubt into the fourth quarter.

Meantime, Vandy went down in overtime vs. Army, telling us that Vandy’s seeming resurgence under Bobby Johnson is likely stalled, and that they’ll be a 5-6 win team forever, unless of course they scrap those stupid entrance rules and SAT scores for students and stuff. Miss State showed more offensive flash in a tough loss to Houston, but OtherBulldog fans should be excited by the fact that Dan Mullen has this team scoring points. How good will they be when he gets some actual players in there?

Last but certainly not least, what the hell is going on with Georgia? We all figured their offense would be down after losing Stafford and Moreno, but I at least assumed their defense would be as good or better than ’08. In fact, however, Cox has been better than expected, or was until Saturday when the Vols tore him up, and the Dawg defense has been just wretched. They made Jonathan Crompton look like Tom Brady Saturday; I wouldn’t have thought that Crompton could have thrown for that many yards against tall grass. Georgia may end up having a hard time getting to seven wins at the rate their D is playing; fortunately for them, they get offense-challenged Vandy to practice on this week.

The biggest news of the fifth weekend in the world’s greatest college football conference came from its dullest game, Florida’s 41-7 victory over Kentucky, 31/48 of the total points of which came in the first 15 minutes. Of course the news was the bonk on Tim Tebow’s noggin, which was truly horrifying for all Gator fans. Seeing Tim’s blank face on the sideline brought home just how serious a head trauma he took.

Of course, now we know he seems mostly fine, though he’s going to sit all of this week and may not be cleared to start against LSU on October 10, but most of us are betting he will. Now that he’s mostly well, though, it’s worth noting that the Gators can now proclaim another title: CFB’s pukiest team. Timmy joined his roommate Riley Cooper in being shown on national TV barfing; Coop planted some green-looking yams after running a couple long outs against Charleston Southern. Mmmmm.

Miss State nearly shocked the world by taking down LSU. If the Tigers are giving up 26 points to MSU (and if Tyson Lee really stretches on fourth down, they’d have given up 33 and the win), they’re in trouble. This week they get to play the REAL Bulldogs, the ones for whom Joe Cox is making people forget that dude who’s playing for the Lions now. They might give up 40+ to Georgia between the hedges.

Alabama’s defense really locked down mega-man Ryan Mallett and Arkansas. I think an argument could easily be made that Alabama has been the best team in the country over this third of the season, led by a stout D and an offense which is keeping McElroy methodical and in management of games.

Arizona State’s defense showed it was for real against the Dawgs, but Cox came through with a nice drive when he had to, getting field position for the winning FG. Georgia is finding a good offensive rhythm; if they had made another play or two versus Okie State, they’d be sitting in the top five right now. As it is, they might get in after beating LSU this weekend, provided we see some upsets like we have the last couple weeks.

Nobody else played anybody really worth commenting on, but I can’t help but point out that Tennessee nearly gave up as many points at home to Ohio as they did to the Gators in the Swamp. I think Lane’s daddy could’ve spent some of the off-season looking at video of other teams, couldn’t he?

Just a few minutes before I take the wife and kid to a friend’s to watch the USF-FSU game of dyslexia. But I didn’t want to leave our loyal fans without my sage predictions for the fourth week in the world’s greatest conference of football:

There’s a top three offense (Arkansas) going against a top three defense today in Tuscaloosa. The Razorbacks are going to give the Tide all they can handle today, but Bama’s defense is too good to let Zeus-like Ryan Mallett to throw his lightning bolts all over them. Bama gets two picks wins 27-23.

Miss State will slow it down and slog it out, as they always do, against the Bayou Tigres in Starkville. Still, even Jordan Jefferson can get some first downs against the “athletes” Miss State rolls out on defense. LSU wins 23-10 after a close first half.

Arizona State currently has a top 20 defense statistically, but they haven’t played anybody. The Dawgs hang 40+ on the Scum Devils between the hedges and knock them out of the nation’s statistically best D’s.

I just heard that Jesus didn’t protect Timmy from getting a respiratory infection, but at least it’s not the flu that so many other Gators are suffering. Brandon Spikes is fighting some nasty tendinitis in his heel, and I heard a doctor say this week that the overcompensating that people do with such injuries can lead to a ruptured achilles, so I hope that Charlie Strong doesn’t make him play much today. Kentucky’s not the pushover they used to be, but the Gators will get their 23rd straight against the ‘Cats by something like 33-13.  I just don’t think the Gator offense is going to be destroying too many people this year, but they’ll grind it out again.

The other games mostly suck. Tennessee fans will feel good about themselves for beating Ohio, and Auburn will crush Ball State. Next week we’ll learn something about Auburn when they go to Tennessee, where I predict they’ll give Kiffin another “moral victory.”  Oh, and don’t be surprised if Rice’s bizarre triple option gets the win over Vanderbilt.

Let the cheddar burst out of the wurst and the Red Stripe flow like the milk of paradise!

So, I’m going to take a moment to bum everyone out while explaining why I haven’t posted for a while: this weekend we had to put our 15-year-old dog Belue to sleep. That kind of threw me for a loop, but I’m happy to know he’s not struggling and suffering anymore. But my segue back into my SEC posting is that even after we were there for him during that moment on Saturday morning, I came back home and watched the Gators.  And then Tennessee-UCLA. And then Georgia-South Carolina. And then USC-Ohio State (well, actually, I fell asleep in the fourth quarters of the last two and had to see the awesome finishes I missed on SportsCenter). But it just reminded me how great this game is, and why it’s worth wasting my valuable time to share my uninformed views about it with our vast readership. Getting lost in college football’s general awesomeness was a comfort indeed.

Now back to the SEC, and let’s hope this is the last time I’m serious this year, or ever again!

I’m going to stick by my belief that Stephen Garcia is ready for a break-out year. He was really slinging it around and looking commanding for much of the game vs. Georgia. However, the Cock defense we saw vs. NC State was inexplicably spotty and confused, letting a weakened Joe Cox shred ‘em up a bit. The Cocks had two TDs called back and were oh-so-close at the end. Again, the Ball Coach just can’t get a break against the Dawgs.

Usually, as a staunch SEC booster, I’m happy to hate on all the Gators’ rivals, but like all extended families, we usually (well, the good ones among us, anyway) don’t want to let outsiders hate on us. So normally I’d support Tennessee vs. UCLA, like I did last year when they flailed around like a bunch of drunken hoboes fighting for a can of beans. But I had to take a little pleasure in watching Lane Kiffin get some boos at the end of their 19-15 loss to UCLA. It can’t bode well for them playing against a far better defense and offense on the road at some school this weekend.

Like everyone else outside of Alabama, I didn’t get to see the Tide futz around with FIU for 2.5 quarters, but clearly their big lines eventually shoved the Panthers around for a 26-point win.

The jury’s still out on LSU’s offense after their 23-9 win over Vandy. Now SEC folks know Vandy’s capable of gumming up a game and slogging around on a rainy night (as they had in Baton Rouge Saturday), but this year’s Vandy team shouldn’t be quite as good as last year’s, and still Jordan Jefferson doesn’t seem comfortable throwing the ball all the time. Ricky, if you got to see this game, I’d like to hear what you’re thinking, being our resident Bayou Bengal and all.

I’m going to defer to my WarEagle TigerPlainsman friend Todd’s evaluation of Auburn’s win over Miss State. I did watch stretches of the game, and in it Auburn’s offense looked fluid against the Bulldogs. But Miss State did break off some plays periodically against Auburn. Still, Chizik detractors don’t have much to hang their hat on right now. Interestingly, if Auburn gets by West Virginia at home this weekend, they’ve got a very good shot at being 5-0 heading into Arkansas, and if they win that, they’ve got an even better shot at being 7-o heading to Baton Rouge on October 24. But all this is just to jinx Todd and all the other WarTigers. That game at Tennessee on October 3 may not be a freebie, after all.

And the Gators, well, their season starts Saturday. Less than a year ago Kiffin talked about what a “blast” it was going to be to sing “Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida.” Well, a blast is indeed going to be had, but we’ll see who’s singing at the end.

Enjoy the endless pigs’ ears in Dog Paradise, Belue!

So the season has actually started for the SEC, considering the Gamecocks are already looking good at the end of one quarter against NC State. Thus, I ought to share my considerable expertise with you hoi polloi, born of 22 years of keen analysis of the pre-eminent conference in America, and filled with lots of specific discussion of position players for each school!

Actually, if you want all that crap, buy a magazine. But here’s how I see the order of finish, with some brief justifications of my madness.

SEC East

1. Florida: Yeah, no kidding. But I watched entire replays of both the SEC Championship vs. Bama and the BCS game vs. Oklahoma in the last week as they replayed here, and it just brought back home how close those games were. UF should be the best in the conference, but it’s absolutely not far-fetched that they lose a game. However, I don’t think that game will be what everyone else seems to be pointing at–the LSU game in Death Valley on Oct. 10. Instead, I think that if the Gators drop a regular season game, it will be Georgia. LSU’s offense isn’t going to be able to do squat against the UF D, but Georgia, coming three weeks later, may have gotten Joe Cox to be a good enough game manager by then to let the Georgia D create some turnovers. Still, I don’t think the Gators lose a regular season game.

2. Georgia: The D is tough, and the running back by committee will be good enough to beat the rest of a weakened SEC East, though if I were them, I’d be worried about the home game against the ‘Cocks, which could put the Dawgs in a world of hurt following a likely loss at Okie State.

3. South Carolina: This is where I’m supposed to have Tennessee, as that seems the consensus. But I’m watching SC’s defense looking pretty good here tonight, and I think that Garcia is ready to make a jump given the Spur Dog’s coaching. Also, freshman RB Jarvis Giles should ensure that Garcia isn’t the leading rusher this year.

4. Tennessee: Jonathan Crompton as QB isn’t going to scare any SEC defense. Montario Hardesty is a solid RB, but everyone knows that Vols Nation is pinning its hopes on Bryce Brown, who, as one of my earlier posts pointed out, has more Jesus on his side than Tim Tebow, according to some Vols. Something tells me they’ll need all the Yahweh they can get, with games at Florida (who is looking to teach Lane Kiffin a lesson), Bama (ditto), and Ole Miss (who’s just better).

5. Vanderbilt: Hey, they were in a bowl last year! But games at LSU, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee will make it a one-year run.

6. Kentucky: Can Mike Hartline improve on last season’s turnover-plagued effort? Can RB Tony Dixon be replaced? Do people outside of Lexington care?

SEC West

Damn, it’s hard to differentiate among the top three over here.

1. Ole Miss: Why the Rebels? They get Bama and LSU at home, and they’re fast at the skill positions with the best throwing QB in the conference to spread it around. Also, in the Rain-Mainesque way I like to think about these things, I notice that about six weeks ago it was very fashionable to love the Rebs, but in the last two weeks we’re seeing lots of talk about whether they’ve been overhyped (usually by the folks who have been hyping them) and/or can handle the “pressure.” Well, the “pressure” can’t sack Jevan Snead or tackle Dexter McCluster.

2. Alabama: Like Georgia, Bama has to break in new starters at QB and RB, where they had consistency for a couple seasons. The D is fierce, which is why they’ll still go 9-3, but I don’t see them getting a rematch with the Gators.

3. LSU: The Tigers still have powerful RB Charles Scott, and great WRs Brandon LaFell (seeming to me to be in his seventh season or something, but maybe that’s because I still see him catching balls against the Gators so often) and Terrance Tolliver (who could have two rings had he signed with the Gators–suck it, Terrance!), but unfortunately for them they still have Jordan Jefferson at QB. If Jefferson struggles like I think he might, expect to see uber-recruit Russell Shepard starting after the UF game on 10/10 (you wouldn’t want to put that kid up against that defense, I don’t think).

4. Arkansas: I don’t buy the Ryan Mallett hype, frankly. And I’ve always thought Petrino was over-rated. Concrete evidence for this? Nah, not really.

5. Auburn: Kodi Burns is still QB. Man, there are some average-to-bad QBs on this side of the conference. Chizik? Yeah, good luck with that.

6. Miss State: Dan Mullen will make these guys interesting right away, but he needs two more seasons of recruiting to revive the most boring and moribund offense outside of UCF in all of college football.

Well, that “this evening” turned into “two days later,” but you’re not going to hold that against me, right? RIGHT?

After reading over the Revised Revised SEC Ticket Policy, I think the terms are generally more pleasant than the original. It’s clear that at least on the surface, the SEC understands the outrage they caused and are trying to do the right thing for their fans while also trying to protect their own interests; I won’t presume to speak for anyone else, but I don’t fault them for that. The SEC gets bonus points for both listening to the complaints and acting quickly to reform their policies to something that is fan-, social media- and SEC-friendly.

Here’s the important stuff, direct from the policy:

No Bearer may produce or disseminate in any form a “real-time” description or transmission of the Event (i) for commercial or business use, or (ii) in any manner that constitutes, or is intended to provide or is promoted or marketed as, a substitute for radio, television or video coverage of such Event. Personal messages and updates of scores or other brief descriptions of the competition throughout the Event are acceptable. If the SEC deems that a Bearer is producing a commercial or real-time description of the Event, the SEC reserves the right to pursue all available remedies against the Bearer.

Absent the prior written permission of the Southeastern Conference, game action videos of the Event may not be taken by Bearer. Photos of the Event may be taken by Bearer and distributed solely for personal use (and such photographs shall not be licensed, used, or sold commercially, or used for any commercial or business purpose).

In short, if you’re at the game, you can’t provide any sort of for-profit live coverage (such as live-blogging) from the game, or anything that you’re offering as a replacement for anyone to view in lieu of their already-established TV, radio and Internet broadcasts.

What you CAN do now is provide tweets, Facebook status updates and other electronic communications (including photos, but excluding video) during the event for your personal enjoyment. Anything anyone in the stands provides for-profit is, as it already was, forbidden.

Twitter follower (and loyal FnD-significant other and reader) @sabine01 asked a followup question of the folks at the SEC regarding blogs specifically, even :

And she received this response from the people at the SEC:

I don’t understand why fan videos are any different than fan photographs; even if someone was trying to peddle their grainy, unsteady video full of nothing but the fat guy in the seat in front of them shouting for profit, there’s a pretty good possibility that I’ll pick the professional version anytime. I’m hoping someone from the SEC will clarify this (not that they might actually READ this blog or anything, but you never know).

There it is, in a nutshell. Props to the SEC for listening and providing a welcoming environment for its technologically-savvy fans. [Obligatory Chris Borglum-is-a-technophobe joke goes here.]

I wrote last night about about the SEC’s new media policy. Since then, they’ve taken a step back and revised this somewhat.

A short version, courtesy of the SEC’s Twitter feed:

Revised SEC Ticket Policy in place. Twitter fans, please share the great times you have at our stadiums with your friends.

Granted, I can’t seem to find where the SEC has actually published their new Teicket Policy online, but I suppose it’s a start.

Edit: The SEC has posted the revised full Ticket Policy here. I’ll have some additional commentary later this evening.

Most of us at Fourth and Dumb aren’t too big on social media. I’m on Twitter, and DanGr has a significant other with the same, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Chris thinks Twitter is how he feels after one too many Red Stripes.

When it comes to social media, I think the SEC is trying to do their best Robinson Crusoe impression, because that’s how much they missed the boat.

Mashable has the best summary of the SEC’s new media policy that I’ve seen yet. Specifically, here is the portion of the policy that is most concerning: “Ticketed fans can’t “produce or disseminate (or aid in producing or disseminating) any material or information about the Event, including, but not limited to, any account, description, picture, video, audio, reproduction or other information concerning the Event.”

So let me get this straight. The SEC wants to keep fans from creating any sort of digital material regarding SEC games? This seems counter-productive at best, and absolutely ridiculous at worst. It’s obviously impractical to expect that the SEC will confiscate or turn away cell phones at the door, but where do they draw the line? Are they going to persecute people who Tweet or update their Facebook statuses about games? What about people watching on TV?

This epitome of a bad decision seemingly gives the SEC the rights to do all of the above, in addition to the expected like pursuing YouTube highlight videos and the like. I can understand their desire to protect their contract with CBS, but by expanding this policy to include the fans, the SEC has also excluded the fans. I’ve tuned into more than one game after seeing Tweets and other comments about worthy games. By restricting these types of interactions, they’re also restricting potential viewers.

There’s been plenty of backlash this year regarding overly broad terms of service: see the Facebook TOS hullabaloo and more recently the noise surrounding the the dealer’s TOS on the CARS.gov website. Whether or not it exercises any part of the fan media policy, the SEC has already done plenty of damage to both its reputation and its customer base.