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The 3 missing SEC charter members
Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:51 pm
Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:51 pm
How would the conference be different today had all the charter members remained in the conference?
LINK
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Tulane, Georgia Tech and Sewanee were part of the original Southeastern Conference, but losing seasons and a perception that academics were being overshadowed by sports led to their departures.
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Sewanee ultimatum
Sewanee, officially known as the University of the South, needed a new chief executive in 1938 and Alexander Guerry was the top choice.
He agreed to take the job only if the school dropped football scholarships and considered leaving the SEC. The regents and trustees agreed and Guerry came aboard as vice chancellor.
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Bill Curry was a Georgia Tech lineman when the Yellow Jackets left the SEC in June 1964. He said head coach Bobby Dodd pulled the school out of the conference because he was unhappy with scholarship allocations.
Dodd believed Tech was at a competitive disadvantage because he would sign 28 to 30 players a year and keep them all while other SEC schools would sign 60 a year and run off players who weren't good enough, Curry said.
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Tulane, a private university, could easily be another Vanderbilt in the SEC if not for a decision in 1951 by new president Rufus Harris to cut football scholarships from 100 to 75, reduce coaches' salaries and switch physical education from a major to a minor.
The Green Wave had won three conference titles in football but Harris believed athletics was overshadowing academics.
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Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:51 pm to weagle99
I don't know
Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:55 pm to weagle99
All of those forfeited millions of dollars.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:57 pm to weagle99
Amazingly weak SOS playing Sew...who has no team.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 10:57 pm to weagle99
Big 12 would have had an additional NCAA Basketball championship.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 11:18 pm to weagle99
Buddy of mine went to Sewanee for a little while and said due to them being a charter member that they have the option of returning to the SEC if they wanted. Don't know how they would get to D-1 from D-3 bc I don't know how that works but I thought that was interesting.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 11:23 pm to weagle99
quote:
How would the conference be different today had all the charter members remained in the conference?
Kentucky would win a lot more football games.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 11:26 pm to gatorhata9
I'd like to see Georgia Tech back in the conference and either VaTech or FSU if we have to get to 16.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 11:33 pm to gatorhata9
Doubt that this is true. I would think that GT would have wanted back in by now.
Posted on 2/23/13 at 11:36 pm to Stripes314
quote:
I would think that GT would have wanted back in by now.
No, they don't want back in.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 12:51 am to Stripes314
Tulane prolly would of as well. There was talk of them wanting the Bevo 12
Posted on 2/24/13 at 7:23 am to Tiger Live2
You have to assume that Tulane and GT would be stronger programs if they had stayed. Maybe not Big 6 level but a lot stronger than they are today. And they would hurt LSU and GA at least a little.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 7:40 am to shinerfan
When I was a young the HS kid next door went to GT on a football scholarship, probably about '58-'59. I don't think he ever made a big impact but he would send me pennants -the old style wool ones, and other stuff. I loved the Yellow Jackets.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 8:55 am to weagle99
Sewanee - was home of the Iron Men which may be the greatest college football team of all time. With an emphasis on academics had they remained in the SEC the current academic status of the SEC would be more in line with the ACC. On the downside it would have put 3 schools in TN and after WW II with the GI Bill the Vols would have the greatest advantage for sports because of size and living alumni.
Tulane - Originally the top team in LA and founder of the Sugar Bowl. Their stadium at one time was one of the top stadiums in the country and they were coached by the legendary Bernie Beirnabum (who is still the only D I coach in college football to 3 peat a MNC) and were the football school in LA. They once turned down a Rose Bowl invite before WW II because the time and travel to the west coast would interfere with their students studies (I think Bama went in their place and won) so like Vandy and Sewanee they were an academics first school. Fast forward to today and like the Vols, the Tigers as the state school in LA, would have a decided size and financial advantage being the state school in LA.
Georgia Tech - With 3 MMC's under 3 different coaches in the early history of the SEC the Yellow Jackets may have fallen the farthest by leaving the SEC. The Dawgs have not only come to dominate the state but they own GT's home in Atlanta. Unlike Sewanee and Tulane the Yellow Jackets were a state school and would probably dominate Georgia today the way the Dawgs dominate GT. Bobby Dodds spoke privately years later that leaving the SEC was a terrible decision and that GT would never be asked back. Clemson is now in the same boat as a declined invite from the SEC allowed USC in and they have been eating Clemson's lunch ever since.
In short, had all 3 remained the SEC would have a much better academic reputation. Tulane and Georgia Tech are both AAU schools and it would be interesting to see how academic standing might have turned out for Sewanee if they remained a D I school. The vast majority of current AAU schools are D I schools even though it is more even in public vs private composition.
On the other side, culling multiple schools from the states of GA, TN, and LA has allowed the remaining schools to become more competitive. Imagine of only Ole Miss or State had a monopoly of in state players for their sports programs. Taking the top half from each school into a combined singe team would be a bigger power than either as separate institutions.
Tulane - Originally the top team in LA and founder of the Sugar Bowl. Their stadium at one time was one of the top stadiums in the country and they were coached by the legendary Bernie Beirnabum (who is still the only D I coach in college football to 3 peat a MNC) and were the football school in LA. They once turned down a Rose Bowl invite before WW II because the time and travel to the west coast would interfere with their students studies (I think Bama went in their place and won) so like Vandy and Sewanee they were an academics first school. Fast forward to today and like the Vols, the Tigers as the state school in LA, would have a decided size and financial advantage being the state school in LA.
Georgia Tech - With 3 MMC's under 3 different coaches in the early history of the SEC the Yellow Jackets may have fallen the farthest by leaving the SEC. The Dawgs have not only come to dominate the state but they own GT's home in Atlanta. Unlike Sewanee and Tulane the Yellow Jackets were a state school and would probably dominate Georgia today the way the Dawgs dominate GT. Bobby Dodds spoke privately years later that leaving the SEC was a terrible decision and that GT would never be asked back. Clemson is now in the same boat as a declined invite from the SEC allowed USC in and they have been eating Clemson's lunch ever since.
In short, had all 3 remained the SEC would have a much better academic reputation. Tulane and Georgia Tech are both AAU schools and it would be interesting to see how academic standing might have turned out for Sewanee if they remained a D I school. The vast majority of current AAU schools are D I schools even though it is more even in public vs private composition.
On the other side, culling multiple schools from the states of GA, TN, and LA has allowed the remaining schools to become more competitive. Imagine of only Ole Miss or State had a monopoly of in state players for their sports programs. Taking the top half from each school into a combined singe team would be a bigger power than either as separate institutions.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 10:24 am to Cheese Grits
Sewanee-100 years ago: Best team in the land and one of the best teams in the SEC when it formed.
Now: Div. III bottom feeder
Now: Div. III bottom feeder
Posted on 2/24/13 at 12:16 pm to gatorhata9
quote:
gatorhata9
The 3 missing SEC charter members
Buddy of mine went to Sewanee for a little while and said due to them being a charter member that they have the option of returning to the SEC if they wanted. Don't know how they would get to D-1 from D-3 bc I don't know how that works but I thought that was interesting.
Hard to fathom tens of thousands of fans flooding through Monteagle on a Saturday afternoon.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 12:41 pm to Cheese Grits
quote:
On the other side, culling multiple schools from the states of GA, TN, and LA has allowed the remaining schools to become more competitive. Imagine of only Ole Miss or State had a monopoly of in state players for their sports programs. Taking the top half from each school into a combined singe team would be a bigger power than either as separate institutions.
So you're saying Auburn sucks?
Posted on 2/24/13 at 12:57 pm to diddydirtyAubie
quote:some things are more important than money.
All of those forfeited millions of dollars.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 1:09 pm to weagle99
From an LSU perspective, I'm glad Tulane is out.
Posted on 2/24/13 at 1:13 pm to gatorhata9
quote:
Buddy of mine went to Sewanee for a little while and said due to them being a charter member that they have the option of returning to the SEC if they wanted. Don't know how they would get to D-1 from D-3 bc I don't know how that works but I thought that was interesting.
you and your friend sound smart
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