As the SEC coaches and administrators prepare for their annual spring meetings this week, their conference has never been hotter in football.
The league has money to burn - thanks to a couple of networks which subscribe to the theory that the only thing better than a few SEC football games on television is every SEC game on television. The conference is in the second year of 15-year deals with ESPN ($2.25 billion) and CBS ($800 million).
It's not just the money. It's the winning, which includes four consecutive national championships and two of the last three Heisman Trophy winners.
As hot as the conference is, all heat is not equal. Here's my hottest of the hot list with SEC football ties:
Nick Saban - There's nothing bigger in SEC football than winning a national championship at Alabama, which explains why a Saban statue will be unveiled at Bryant-Denny Stadium before the 2010 season.
Another national title could be followed by stadium expansion, and I don't mean more seats. How would "Bryant-Denny-Saban Stadium" sound?
Jimmy Sexton - College football's super agent also has benefitted from the conference's good fortune. But it's not exactly a "trickle-down effect." It's more like Niagara Falls.
Saban is a client. So is South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. And Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt. And first-year Tennessee coach Derek Dooley.
No one rewards Sexton like his alma mater, whose idea of a coaching search is to replace one Sexton client with another (See Phillip Fulmer, Lane Kiffin and Dooley for details).
He's not content to corner the coaching market. He's now representing Team Tebow.
Tim Tebow - He capped his legendary college career, which includes two national titles and a Heisman Trophy, by completing 31 of 35 passes in the Sugar Bowl. And who else could get away with tackling his mother in a commercial?
Tebow doesn't have to make it in the NFL to make a Super Bowl commercial. What does that tell you?
It tells you that his hometown Jaguars made one of the biggest draft blunders ever when they didn't select him in the first round. The city practically revolted against the Jags after Denver took Tebow in the first round.
A few weeks later, Tebow's jersey was selling faster than any other in the NFL. And Jacksonville sporting goods stores had a waiting list for Broncos gear.
Peyton Manning - So what if he didn't win the Super Bowl against the Saints. He still has one more Super Bowl appearance on his resume than Dan Marino, whose name also comes up in the best-quarterback-ever conversation.
Manning will soon have a new contract, which is expected to make him the highest paid player in NFL history. And he won't even need Sexton to negotiate it.
Urban Meyer - He shocked everyone by resigning as Florida's head coach. Then, he shocked everyone by returning as head coach.
He said he would take a leave of absence for health reasons. That amounted to about a day and a half.
So much for the idea that authority figures have to be decisive. Meyer waffled his way through the recruiting season, then emerged with the No. 1-ranked class in the country.
Mark Ingram - Alabama's running back is on a Tebow pace with a national title and a Heisman Trophy after two college seasons. Now, if he can just learn to throw a jump pass.
Eric Berry - As the fifth player taken in the NFL draft, UT's former safety is not only assured of big bucks. His fan club membership is about to get a huge boost.
Despite playing in a small market, the Kansas City Chiefs always rank among the NFL leaders in attendance. Their fans should fall in love with Berry, who plays the game with such flair and passion, and is a solid citizen as well.
Ryan Mallett - Arkansas' quarterback is 6-foot-7 with one of the strongest arms in football, pros included. A big season in 2010 could mean a huge payday in 2011.
Marcell Dareus - Even before he knocked quarterback Colt McCoy out of the national championship game, he was emerging as a dominant player on Alabama's defensive front. Ingram and Mallett notwithstanding, Dareus could be the best player in the SEC this season.
Mike Slive - His mandate in signing on with the SEC was to clean up the image of a conference that was becoming way too familiar to NCAA investigators. It's now NCAA clean and ESPN green.
The green included a million-dollar bonus for the commissioner.
John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 20
dvhill100 writes:
Good information and a nice take on things SEC.
nicknack1 writes:
I don't have a problem with Saban at all. He's said alot of good things about Dooley when he was working with him. I hope the SEC continues to roll and win championships, hopefully with Florida or Bama stomping USC or Ohio State.
CoverOrange writes:
Why let the facts get in the way of a good rhyme.
GoVols_16 writes:
You forgot something--Manning not only has another Super Bowl "appearance," he also won the game & was MVP.
bhjohnso#207063 writes:
seems as though this column mostly concerns football...
keepitreal4vols writes:
So what's the point? I love Peyton Manning and Eric Berry but what do they have to do with the upcoming SEC meetings? I have never read an article that meant so little.
Tennfan4075 writes:
Very interesting. Most of the accomplishments of the SEC and players I probably already was aware of but seeing them all listed together was very impressive.
txvolsfan writes:
All Sexton men!!!
CoverOrange writes:
Wasn't LSU football being investigated at the end of last season?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colleg...
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
So was Fulmer, I don't see any job offers knocking at his door..Just goes to show even the best SA's can only do so much..Just a thought.
easleychuck writes:
Who would have know that Adams had a mancrush on Saban?
Maybe Adams/Saban can double with Hooker/Kiffie at the beach this summer.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Too funny, perhaps biggunzz44 can drive the limo..
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Joe Dirt and kin..
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
I was fooled by this articles title, I thought it was another one like "The Sexiest Woman Alive" thing our last coach was in.....
roloyo writes:
I've also noticed a little twinkle in his eye when he mentions Slive. JMO
gohawks1 writes:
I'll hold off on declaring the Jaguars draft decision to be a blunder until after Tebow proves he can be an impact player in the NFL. That is yet to be determined.
tsaecesnitsebhtruof writes:
They don't wear mullets. They wear 'Bama Bangs.
kman29 writes:
I'd also like to know where Adams gets his info on the city of Jacksonville revolted against the Jags when they didnt pick Tebow. As a resident of Jacksonville, I can assure you that never happened. Ticket sales for the Jags continue to be going great for the 2010 season....some revolt going on there.
Tennfan4075 writes:
That's not true according to jags.com forum while ticket sales for the past few weeks are picking up they still need to sell 15,000 season tickets before Sept. to avoid blackouts, and many of these are in the club level and hard to sell because of the price.
Lizardgrad89 writes:
Peyton Manning...
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