re: When will the SEC decide to take basketball seriously?

Seems to me that basketball is more popular in the northeast due to weather and metropolitan areas. In the city it's easier to find a court to play on than a field to play football or baseball. I'd imagine colder temps have athletes indoors playing basketball instead of outside playing other sports.

I think the rise of the sec in football has pulled a lot of athletes from basketball to football in the south, too. I don't recall any bball player ever getting free crab legs :)