Football second at SEC event
By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
While conferences around the country are scaling back on pre-season football media events, the Southeastern Conference bucked the trend last week in Birmingham with a party for 500-plus media representatives.
And even though the upcoming football season was the focus of the three-day event at the Wynfrey Hotel, the sidelines provided plenty of entertainment.
Somebody once called the annual SEC Media Days a circus, but that may have been a epic understatement. These three days of interviews with 12 college football coaches and 24 football players bring a smattering of information, along with a long list of entertaining scenarios and situations.
Certainly, former Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer’s visit to Birmingham last year when he was subpoened may have been one of the greatest blockbusters of the event.
Until this year.
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, one of the nation’s top football players, found himself in the middle of several different controversy.
Tebow was not named by the SEC coaches as a pre-season unanimous All-SEC quarterback, falling one vote shy.
The voters denied the snub one by one until South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier admitted that the lone vote for Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead was from him through a proxy.
And the week’s top controversy came to a quick and sudden end.
Thursday’s festivities took an unusual twist when took the podium.
After Alabama head coach Nick Saban made several opening remarks Thursday, he decided to take questions from the floor. He may now regret that decision.
Saban, obviously caught off-guard, responded dryly, “Thanks. You look good too.”
It almost makes you wonder how these people get credentials to the media event every year.
But the shocker came later when Tebow was questioned about his sexual experience level.
It makes you wonder if the game is really important any more.
Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com