re: Why did the SEC only play 6 conference games a season up til the late 80's

quote:

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In the early '60s? The Bear was respected but not, well, the Bear that far back, right?

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Bear played @ Alabama for Thomas and am pretty sure he was on a MNC team during his tenure. He was an assistant @ Alabama and @ Vanderbilt after he graduated. He was at UK for almost a decade from the end of WWI to the mid 50's. Did a few years @ TAMU before returning to Alabama in the late 50's. He went 11-0 and won the Sugar in 61' so he had lots of history with the SEC.

When Bobby Dodds pulled Tech from the mid 60's because a dispute with the Bear it is easily plausible Bear was a power once Neyland went from coaching to AD in the 50's, opening the way for the new head man on the field in the SEC. Also, Vanderbilt created what would become the SEC and UK's president was the first person in charge of the SEC so Bear would have connections to the early leadership.