NFL level parity in the SEC...

[Dawgology]

I'm afraid we are beginning to see the end of the SEC as the top-to-bottom powerhouse conference that it has been. I know there is an ebb and flow to everything but I wonder if having LSU and Bama as such dominant teams within the conference for the past decade has actually hurt the conference as a whole in the long run. If you look at the talent level difference between LSU/Bama and the rest of the conference on both sides it seems like the conference as a whole is growing weaker. The exception on the East side may be Georgia this year.

Just wondering is this is my own imagination or if we are just in the perfect storm of coincidences but, top to bottom, the conference looks weaker with the Big Two perched above all and a major talent gap between them and "the rest".

 

[thatsbaseball]

Just made exactly the same post in different words. If I had read yours I would have just replied. I don`t remember it ever being any worse as far as talent disparity. It`s so great it makes wonder about the future of the conference.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Its not as bad as it seems. LSU and Bama are really hot right now, but they won't be this dominant forever. It might require Saban and Miles retiring, but eventually they will level out. In the meantime, South Carolina, UGA, and Florida look to be just a little behind those two. UK, Vandy, UMiss are the only teams that seem to be really far behind, and UMiss is already starting to pick up. I don't even think Arkansas is all that bad, once they get a real coach in there.

 

[Incognegro]

Yeah... it was really just a perfect storm of inopportune things happening for a lot of teams at the same time, but nothing has been so detrimental to where it'll kill a lot of the programs that were used to staying in the upper echelon... unfortunately.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

The SEC should implement NFL-style revenue sharing and make things completely equal. Alabama would still have an edge in recruiting, but we could at least close the gap somewhat. There's a reason why the NFL is more popular everywhere but the Deep South...

 

[Gen. Grant]

I would love to see Bama play an nfl team.

 

[dawgstudent]

Bama would lose by 40-50 points.

 

[TUSK.sixpack]

yup... it would be ugly...nm

nm

 

[TUSK.sixpack]

there's already a welfare system in place... I think Bama actually loses money on some bowl trips when you considerate the handouts to the rest of the conference...

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Everyone loses on bowl trips. The system needs drastic reform, and the new Big 12 - SEC Champions Bowl is the first step.

I think all 14 schools should have the exact same profits, with the understanding that all 14 have to still try to try to bring in as much as they can -- no freeloading.

 

[dawgoneyall]

How much do you consider your get out of jail

free card worth? That is bama's handout.

 

[VirgilCaine]

It does seem like a drastic talent discrepancy... but i remember thinking very similar ideas for the first time back in the early 2000's, except the idea was about USC when Pete Carol was there. Then again, but to a lesser degree, a few years later with Florida. I wondered how either of them would ever NOT be in the Nat'l Championship mix.... yet both fell rather quickly into relative mediocrity, one coincided with a coaching change (USC) but the other did not (UF). USC seemed especially primed for a nearly endless dynasty because i felt like that had a huge recruiting base with very little regional recruiting competition and easy conference schedules at the time.

Whats really odd to me in hindsight was that I felt the strongest about USC's seemingly endless awesomeness in 2007, especially when they slaughtered Arkansas ('07 SECW Champs) in Fayetville in what was supposed to be a "rebuilding year" for USC. Yet while I thought USC was gonna be awesome forever-on, it actually turned out to be the start of the program falling from dominance. Shows how quickly things can change.