re: Alabama/UGA/Auburn/Tennessee Fans...lets say we did away with your games...

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JDM1992

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Georgia Tech pussied out. Alabama had no say in it

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Thanks for the context, but that's not the point I'm driving at.

My point is that for any team to be referenced in your fight song, it had to be a great rivalry game. Yet, your team thrived in the conference and developed other white-hot rivalries.

So, it's possible for that to happen.

Just as an FYI, we had a great in-state SEC rival, but Tulane opted out of the conference, which wasn't our call, either. So I know what you mean.

Well, the bulldogs are in our fight song too. Whichever ones they meant, we obviously still play them, but they were never our biggest rivalry. The rivals we had then are still our rivals now, save a few. And Georgia Tech certainly hasn't thrived. In part, I think an argument could be made for the emphasis the SEC has made in keeping rivalries in tact and fostering a program's ability to thrive. When they have down years, rivalries keep people interested in the games.

I still imagine a 16 league with four divisions in the near future. Perhaps it is counter-intuitive but I think that might be the best shot at keeping more of the core rivalries intact. Imagine something like:

Southwest:
LSU (Florida)
Arkansas (Virginia Tech)
A&M (Missouri)
Ole Miss (MSU)

Northwest:
Bama (Tenn)
Auburn (Georgia)
Missouri (A&M)
MSU (Ole Miss)

Northeast:
Tennessee (Alabama)
Virginia Tech (Arkansas)
NC State/ECU (South Carolina)
Vanderbilt (Kentucky)

Southeast:
Florida (LSU)
Georgia (Auburn)
South Carolina (NC State)
Kentucky (Vanderbilt)

This would imply a 8 game conference schedule with four fixed opponents (the fixed out of division opponent is noted) and allow you to rotate four new opponents every two years. And the whole premise would hinge on your ability to have a two round division playoff to settle who wins the SEC (I like the idea of them being seeded and the top two seeds hosting the first round)

It isn't perfect. I would hate seeing fewer games between LSU and Bama/Auburn. But considering the other options something like this may turn out to be the best available solution.

If Slive wanted to do away with UGA/Auburn, then I would favor telling him to go frick his self and leaving the conference. tDSOR is my favorite game of the year, more so than the WLOCP, and I'd be pissed as frick if they wanted to relegate that shite to just every few years.

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UGA/Auburn

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if i can only go to one game a year it will be this one

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If Slive wanted to do away with UGA/Auburn

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given a 14 team league and this type of language maybe having tennessee and auburn trade divisions is the best available solution

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Now, I think we either have to do a 9 game schedule (my favorite) like every other BCS conference is doing, or kill the traditions for the better of the overall conference

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agree completely... 9 game conference schedule or do away with permanent cross-division opponents.

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agree completely... 9 game conference schedule or do away with permanent cross-division opponents.

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the verbiage being used implies 9 conf games are not seriously on the table at this point

which for the larger part I agree with - 9 conference games regularly is a bad idea when it means pretty unequal schedules from year to year (diff #s of home/away games)

Tradition in football is unique...it is everything in my view to fans and alumni of all 4 schools and each would never willing give up the games...pride, passion, and rivalry are upmost to those schools not saying other SEC schools don't have it but it is special to those four. When we lose to Auburn it hurts 24/4 7 and you don't forget until the next game a year later and UT rivalry is huge...it's the game you measure your manhood with for both schools.

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it's the game you measure your manhood with for both schools.

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Not exactly.