Sportswriters need to learn how to dress
Sportswriters need a lesson in how to dress. Maybe the TV people should host a seminar. Too many sportswriters don’t wear socks, and too many wear shorts to Media Days.

Are sportswriters so poor they can’t afford socks?

I will say compared to many a pressbox, the attire was better than typical for a newspaper-type audience.

Croom Impressive
Listening to Slyvester Croom I’m struck with how impressive he is. What moron thought Mike Shula would be a better representative of the University of Alabama? Shula may have had the pretty boy looks, but Croom is more authentic, eloquent and interesting than Shula could ever hope to be. Plus, Croom is a good football coach.

Croom is everything you would want as a representative of the University.

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Smug Alert
Urban Meyer comes across as…smug. Only George Clooney is smugger. Birmingham’s pollution is bad enough, but Meyer’s arrival in town only increased the ozone alert.

Am I a cynic?
Am I a cynic? I didn’t think so until I found myself writing sarcastic remarks about Tim Tebow during the quarterback’s opening remarks. I’ve thought Tebow was overrated, but that isn’t a reason to laugh or mock his good works.

There I was making notes comparing Tebow’s comments about having a platform to something lame we’d hear from a candidate for Miss America.

But as I listened, I became more and more impressed.

Tebow really means what he says, and in an age of inauthentic superstars, Tebow’s faith is refreshing.

Best courtesy gift ever
The SEC was thoughtful enough to put a packet of BC headache powders into each packet. After a long day of talking to reporters and listening to coaches like Les Miles, I needed it.

Les Miles
The reigning SEC and national championship coach Les Miles looked better than he sounded. But, no suit can camouflage his buffoonery. Miles doesn’t want to talk about Nick Saban, but the guy is such a moron he doesn’t understand that by talking about Nick Saban, you create more reason to talk about Nick Saban.

Miles comment to LSU boosters about beating Alabama not being such a big deal because several Louisiana teams beat Alabama last season netted him this question:
Q. The state of Louisiana has 12 colleges that play football. If Alabama played those 12 as a schedule in the season, what do you think their record would be?

And Miles was obligated to provide this answer:
“I want you to know something. I have great respect for the University of Alabama, the history they have presented to college football, the competition that they put on every time they take the field. I promise you that any fun and entertainment that I have with supporters is very respectful,” Miles said. “I love college football, the competition and the young men that play it.”

Here is a free tip Les, if you don’t want to talk about Nick Saban, shut your mouth about him.

18 thoughts on “Random notes from Day 1 of SEC Media Days”

  1. Cappy,

    Miles may be a “buffoon,” but he has exactly as many NCs as Saban has. Face it, the guy has a huge ego, just like the Sabanator. Neither one of them is a “great” coach. Both are good, but they have had some good luck, too.

    So what’s the Big Story tomorrow? Will Saban show up in his grey polyester JC Penney suit again? Anyone got money riding on how many times he says “a’ight” during his press remarks?

    And in closing, I think Miles can be as snarky about Saban and UAT as he wants to be. One more thing — Who was the bammerhoid reporter that asked the question about the 12 colleges? (And people wonder why the SEC may move out of B’ham…all they need to do is show up for Media Days and live through the redneck homer questions.)

  2. Don’t think it was an Alabama reporter who asked the LSU coach that question about Alabama’s record against Louisiana teams. My guess, it was some Internet LSU site reporter. I could be wrong…I honestly don’t know who asked it. But I doubt it was a Bama homer. I didn’t even know they had more than two or three colleges in Louisiana. 😉

    Miles seriously has an inferiority complex to Saban.

    He shouldn’t. He’s done a good job in his coaching career, and should enjoy his SEC and national title. But Miles lets Saban get under his skin too much.

    Just shut up and enjoy your success. That’s the best advice anyone could give Miles.

    We should start a betting pool on the a’ight over/under. 🙂

  3. I’ll take your word for it about the reporter, Cappy. Seriously, with the dopey questions coaches get asked, I’m surprised that more of them don’t just walk out. (And I was kinda surprised that they had 12 colleges in LA myself.)

    I think you’re right about the betting pool. There’s already a drinking game based on his “a’ights” in his post-game press conferences. I think it started in Auburn.

  6. Kevin,

    in order to answer your question in the first comment, according to al.com, it was a reporter from a New Orleans newspaper that asked the question.

  7. I just could not give a damn about how sportswriters dress. I don’t care if they showed up in Leotards with testicles hanging out. What I care about is what they “write” and for the most part – CRAP. As far as this talk from Les and everybody else – only WINNING will solve this stupid arrogance.

  8. Every bammer fan has a problem with Miles. No one seems to know what it is. Miles said something to a group of boosters. These same boosters that are still pissed off that Saban left them hanging in the wind when he bolted for the NFL and we all know bolting is something Saban likes to do. Miles is the head coach at LSwho and he has to appease the boosters. Taking a shot at Saban was right up their ally. That is what a head coach is suppose to do. Get over it bammer fans. Miles is a good coach. He wins games in the SEC. Bottom line.

  9. Sly Croom was not hired by Bama because he had a bad interview, he’s even admitted to it. Also, Mal Moore went to Ozzie Newsome and asked “Mike Shula or Sly Croom”, and the Wizard said “Shula”, because Croom is unorganized. Quit trying to build this guy up. He’s a bitter man with much hatred toward UA.

  10. Good point, Redneck Tider. Miles is just playing to his crowd. And — love him or hate him — he does win.

    And tmc — the same thing you said about Miles can be said about the Sabanator. I’m just sayin’…

  12. Cappy, I agree with you about Croom. I gotta admit, I was genuinely concerned when I thought Alabama was gonna hire him. We aub’s wouldn’t be stickin’ 6 fingers in your face right now if Bama had hired him, I’ll tell you that. P.S. Before all you bammers jump up and say “I told you the streak was just b/c of Shula”, let me once again remind you: Football is about the entire program, including the presidents and ad’s who hire coaches. If you have a bad coach and your team loses, then your football program sucks.

  13. “F***ing Alabama”

    -Les Miles, 2007.

    If that doesn’t get under your skin, anymore than Tuberville holding up fingers after a victory, then you truly aren’t a devoted fan. Had he made that reference toward API, you guys would feel the exact same way. Don’t deny it!

  14. miles is almost as pathetic as tuberville is. i just wonder if miles could accomplish what he has today if he took over LSU in 2000 after consistent losing seasons after another. doubtful. just like tuberville who was a proven loser until his competition was brought down to the ground hard. so who is more pathetic boys, tuberville or miles? i give the nod to tuberville.

    Count this as my signature:

  15. Are you guys on acid? Wait, that’s just typical Barnie talk. Croome would’ve done no more for us than Shula did.

    He’s the most overrated coach in the SEC, regardless as to what anyone says. He’s a one hit wonder, and Houston Nutt is going to tear his overrated ass up in the near future.

    I’m not defending The Alabama PolyTECHnic Institute, but being objectively realistic, had he played Alabama before our late season slide, the results would’ve been totally different, and had he played The Alabama PolyTECHnic Institute later on in the season after Cox got his act together, the results would’ve been totally different.

    You guys may insincerely defend Croome, just because I, a bammer, said something you truly agree with behind the scenes, and you may call me delusional, but be serious and objective for once. He simply played both of our hated programs at the right time in the season, and that’s the only reason he was able to sweep the entire state of Alabama last year.

    Whether you agree or not, he won’t beat us or you guys next season, period. Nor will he defeat Ole Miss. His time in the sun has come and gone. I hope you enjoyed it, Sly.

  16. Yep ol’ Les is a great guy and he just loves Auburn. Especially after the chop block episode. Les felt a lot of love toward AU for that.
    I am sure you guys will have a lot of love for him after the LSU-Auburn game this year. Les is not a forgive and forget kinda guy…..

  17. Umm, NYC….It wasn’t us “barnies” who said that Bama should have hired Croom, it was Cappy. To quote directly, “[w]hat moron thought Mike Shula would be a better representative of the University of Alabama?” We were simply agreeing with him. In sum, you just accused Cappy of engaging in “typical barnie talk.”

    Croom is 10 times the coach that Shula was. His team’s records were bad the first few years b/c Jackie Sherril left that program in absolute shambles in regard to talent. All of Sherrill’s juco expiriments blew up in MSU’s face. Croom had to go in there like he was starting a program from the ground up.

    As to him supposed catching both of us at the right time, that’s a little illogocal. I guess he caught Bama at the right time 2 yrs in a row. I’ll be the first to admit Brandon Cox was playing like his M.G. was out of remission until the FL game last year, but guess what: Croom got some breaks thru turnovers and capitalized on every one of them. Cox threw 2 picks, and MSU was suddenly up by two scores. Same thing to be said for that little INT JPW chucked up right before halftime that turned 3 pts for Bama into 7 for MSU. See, that’s what good coaches do, they capitalize on breaks. Unlike Shula, who recovers a fumble on the 2 yd line in Knoxville and can’t even put the ball in the endzone.

  18. Miles may not like us…but he respects us….Im going to quote several Bama fans remarks of “Tennessee is our real rival”…Well “LSU is OUR real rival”. Why I say that is because, well , it matters when we play. On a conference and on a national level. Sorry guys, but you just dont matter any more.

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