(11-22-2021 10:44 AM)OdinFrigg Wrote:  First, let me say the SEC is receiving plenty of complaints on social media, and in articles, about biased officiating. I observed complaints from Arkansas (most dominant), Auburn, and Mizzou fans on their first drive due to a no-call pass interference by Florida.
Whether certain teams are being favored or protected, or if it is just sloppiness and ineptness, this needs addressed.
If those guys in stripped shirts are being completely fair, some explanation on that is due. Watching on TV can differ from what is seen on the field or sidelines, but too much controversy on calls/no-call, Sankey needs to speak to the matter and fix what's broken.

As to the thread topic, I am fine with the new 16. I don't favor new SEC expansion, at least not immediately.
Months ago, when it was announced OU & UT would be coming to the SEC, I was not shocked, but not elated to a high degree. I expected it would eventually happen. What surprised me, though, the decision happened one or two (or three at most, maybe) years earlier than anticipated. If ESPN wasn't deeply involved, change would have been slower and perhaps quite different.

Adding any ACC schools anytime soon is unnecessary and would look too predatory, and certainly costly, at the moment.

The BIG-driven "Alliance" is reactionary and silly.

The SEC is in the best situation. Get all the formatting and logistical work done before OU & UT arrive.

When an official on the field makes a bad call we know who he is and can check his connections. This includes no calls which in the Auburn / S.Carolina game involved no pass interference calls for 99% of the game and that with DB's on both sides holding receivers all night. I don't like it but I know who those guys are. It's the faceless, nameless prick in the replay booth which is turning me off on the games. Their rulings are inconsistent, tend to benefit the House on spreads, and are wholly arbitrary. Those jerks should be made known to the public like field officials are.

As to further realignment, I can sympathize with your position, but if there is a breakaway get ready for more consolidation of conferences and major moves seemingly at once.

That's a good observation, JRsec, on what may be happening with officiating.

I understand your point on consolidation when it comes to expansion. I am still trying to digest adding OU & Texas. They are certainly the most strategic choices among elite schools to incorporate into the conference. I suppose I will need to become a "sometimes" fan of each.

In the future, depending on how the marbles roll, and more expansion for the SEC is in order, I'd like to see a NC ACC school added, UNC or NCSU in particular. That, in part, has to do with coming from my South Carolina perspective. That would be a tough egg to crack. UNC and UVA makes a nice mid-Atlantic combo.
18 or 20 SEC members? I'll work on trying to grasp how that may unfold. I am not at that point.

(11-21-2021 10:38 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(11-20-2021 09:37 PM)Guardian Wrote:  Any chance we could/would ever drop Vandy to add one such as North Carolina?

The SEC may not need to drop Vanderbilt as they may choose to leave with rules in place like NIL and their inability to keep up. At that point, I’d suspect the SEC to take a serious look at boosting their basketball profile with Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia. This would allow the SEC to maintain the shelter of a private school (Duke).

Football Divisions
Central: Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M
East: Duke, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
South: Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi, Mississippi St, Tennessee

It is possible that Vandy drops out, but it would be their decision only. The SEC has never asked a member to leave and never will. Clearly though, Vandy has to step up their investment in athletes, coaches, and facilities.

To answer Guardian, I don't believe we need an excuse to add Carolina. If they expressed the desire to join the SEC would take them while holding 16 members. The Conferences are about to be able to design divisions, or set scheduling, as they see fit. So taking UNC would not be an issue. The question would be do we take Duke and likely Virginia too? I think yes. Then at 19 Kansas makes sense for 20.

As long as South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky can play Clemson, FSU, Ga Tech, and Louisville OOC there is no need to add any of them. This would be true of Virginia Tech and North Carolina State as well. And ESPN would likely prefer to monetize the remaining ACC schools by adding to their football profile. You might see the ACC's acquisition of West Virginia, Cincinnati and another to replace the departing hoops bluebloods.

We'll see.

(10-26-2021 07:09 PM)JRsec Wrote:  The SEC will stand at 16 members when Oklahoma and Texas formally move. That means the SEC will have 5 of the top 10 earning programs in the United States and 11 of the top 20, and 12 of the top 25.

The SEC already is richer in blue blood football programs and adding Texas and Oklahoma makes the conference's slate of teams hands down the top conference for football.

So, if we expand again all we need do is to expand in such a way as to make the SEC an unsurpassed basketball conference as well. Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, and Virginia would not upset the power of football and added to Arkansas, Florida, L.S.U. and Kentucky would represent a massive collection of basketball history and championships.

What's more is that 3 of those 4 have stellar baseball as well and all 4 are AAU.

I can't think of a move that would bring more sports strength and balance than this one and the 4 weaker football programs do not detract from the football pedigree.

Perhaps this is how the SEC should move to 20. Clemson, FSU, and Louisville can still be played OOC.

Maybe it's time to make the SEC superior year round!

Trying to be objective here, but to me, Duke doesn't really "fit" the culture of the SEC. Even the most ardent SEC apologists are still divided on the Mizzou move (FWIW, I still love it!!), but Duke is even less of a fit than Mizzou, IMHO. If folks were divided over Mizzou, Kansas, to me, is an even stronger departure from SEC culture than Mizzou is/was. The only add that really makes sense out of that group to me is North Carolina. UNC does culturally fit in with the SEC, and makes SC less of a "misfit" IMO. As for UVa, yeah, we get a new market in BalWash, which is nothing to sneeze at, but VT has much more of a presence in the state than UVa, again IMHO. The only private in North Carolina that really fits the SEC culture is Wake Forest, but you really have to ask what Wake brings to the table that Tennessee does not.