yes but the problem with this is there are only so many non conference games per season. sounds fun to go to Georgia for a game, but that's going to happen every 20 years.
That's why you go when you have the chance! A once in a lifetime experience. I have seen the Bruins at Miami (ugh), at Alabama, at Tennessee, at Texas, and at Nebraska. All were great trips and all--with the exception of Miami--were Bruin wins.
A Tennessee grad and SEC sycophant, his first words on the then-potential Alliance were to start to complement the PAC-12 about being a successful conference, seemingly catch himself, and correct himself by substituting the ACC, as if he could not bring himself to say something nice about the PAC-12. It was all an act, of course, showing that the guy will never skip a chance to drag the PAC-12.
FSPN. It's just more part of their whole BS MO. They have become so biased and agenda driven that it's not a reliable source for anything other than basic stats and results. Witness that the "World Wide Leader" regularly didn't report NHL scores on Sports Center last season since they had no TV partnership with the league and therefore nothing to personally gain. Now that they have inked a big TV contract with the NHL, they suddenly are promoting various high profile stars (but not actual hockey). It's a joke. The Athletic is millions of miles ahead of BSPN for sports analysis and journalism.
I mean to be honest, what is there nice to say about the Pac 12? That we used to be a basketball powerhouse? That we used to be a football power? The gap between the SEC and Pac 12 is ENORMOUS. Face it, the Pac 12 sucks. Nobody has been good in football for some time. Occasionally Oregon or USC makes some noise. Stanford used to be ok. But the days of having 5 or 6 good teams every season are over. Cal and UCLA haven't been good in like a decade. In basketball, UCLA occasionally makes some noise. But beyond that, what does the conference have to offer? Championships in the irrelevant sports? Please. I really hope this new commish has a lot more up his sleeve. He better get a MASSIVE tv contract. But this "alliance" isn't going to cut it. Pretty soon the difference between playing in the SEC vs. any other conference will be like Power 5 v. any other conference 10 years ago, or maybe even D1 or D2. Recruits will talk about how many SEC offers they have like they used to talk about how many Power 5 or D1 offers they got.
No sport is irrelevant for the majority of Bruin fans. Sorry that you fell that way.
And, although I agree that the PAC-12 has not been nationally relevant in some time, why does Finebaum have to go out of his way to be a complete ass about it? Instead of reporting the facts, he goes out of his way to say, and I am paraphrasing because I can no longer find the clip, " . . . and why would a powerful conference like the PAC, . . . er . . . um, . . . I mean the ACC agree to join the Alliance?" Does he think he is being funny? It is garbage reporting. How do you think SEC folks would feel if a FOX pundit, say, Joel Klatt, said something like "student athletes at Alabama, wait . . . ha, ha, ha, did I just say that? Academics and Alabama, hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Finebaum is a partisan hack helping to destroy what little semblance of parity that college football has left and no Bruin should be defending him.
And the reason why the SEC / PAC-12 gap is enormous is because ESPN and the SEC got into bed years ago. Everything is skewed by the preseason rankings. An SEC team can go 4-4 in conference, 4-0 (all games at home) against FCS schools, and go to a New Year's Day bowl while also being in the top 25. The justification is that the team was ranked, say, #20, at the beginning of the season and won four straight against cream puffs, rising to, say, #12. Then a loss the loss to #8 Auburn doesn't hurt but for a spot or two, nor does the loss to #1 Alabama, and so on and so on. It happens EVERY. SINGLE. SEASON. in the SEC. The system is rigged and college football, frankly, is broken with the same five schools in the mix to be "champion" every year.
Great response! I'll be uploading Part 2 of my initial post tomorrow. SEC is a one-trick gridiron pony with the media lifting all "SEC boats" through the success of one program.
Welcome, Cristina! Thank you in advance for joining the awesome writing crew here! I'm looking forward to writing many long winded and often tangential comments to your articles in the months ahead.
not sure i understand the point of this all that much. Better than nothing I guess? Seems like just a mutual pact with all Pac 12, Big 10, and ACC schools that the non conference schedules are guaranteed to have some tough games from now on? I have a feeling it's going to be 1 or 2 gams per year. I'm sure the SEC is shaking in its boots.
Anything that pokes a thumb in the SEC's eye is fine by me. They couldn't give two shits about the PAC-12 or anyone else outside of their cabal and need to be taken down a few pegs. If the Alliance results in a situation where those three conferences do not schedule SEC schools (much too early to see if that will be the case), it will hurt them as their already weak non-conference schedules will become even weaker.
Pretty awesome! Wisconsin UCLA anybody?!?
Yes! Would love to take a trip to Madison for that game. LSU, Georgia, and Auburn too. They all have great appeal for me.
Me too! Madison is awesome, great music scene, craft brews, all the good stuff!
yes but the problem with this is there are only so many non conference games per season. sounds fun to go to Georgia for a game, but that's going to happen every 20 years.
That's why you go when you have the chance! A once in a lifetime experience. I have seen the Bruins at Miami (ugh), at Alabama, at Tennessee, at Texas, and at Nebraska. All were great trips and all--with the exception of Miami--were Bruin wins.
That's an easy answer:
https://youtu.be/EIyixC9NsLI
Ok the guy that made that was clearly high on mushrooms!
Great article, Cristina!
I have to wait until 2029?!? Darn it! Hopefully P12 network will get more widely distributed, it’s not even an option on my YouTube TV lineup…
Cristina, you know your sports!!! Love it.
Welcome, Cristina!
Thanks so much!
Love the dig at Finebaum. He deserves it.
A Tennessee grad and SEC sycophant, his first words on the then-potential Alliance were to start to complement the PAC-12 about being a successful conference, seemingly catch himself, and correct himself by substituting the ACC, as if he could not bring himself to say something nice about the PAC-12. It was all an act, of course, showing that the guy will never skip a chance to drag the PAC-12.
It’s a fact that most sports journalists only recognize the SEC. Personally I don’t think it’s any better or worse than any Power Five.
Perfectly stated!
FSPN. It's just more part of their whole BS MO. They have become so biased and agenda driven that it's not a reliable source for anything other than basic stats and results. Witness that the "World Wide Leader" regularly didn't report NHL scores on Sports Center last season since they had no TV partnership with the league and therefore nothing to personally gain. Now that they have inked a big TV contract with the NHL, they suddenly are promoting various high profile stars (but not actual hockey). It's a joke. The Athletic is millions of miles ahead of BSPN for sports analysis and journalism.
I mean to be honest, what is there nice to say about the Pac 12? That we used to be a basketball powerhouse? That we used to be a football power? The gap between the SEC and Pac 12 is ENORMOUS. Face it, the Pac 12 sucks. Nobody has been good in football for some time. Occasionally Oregon or USC makes some noise. Stanford used to be ok. But the days of having 5 or 6 good teams every season are over. Cal and UCLA haven't been good in like a decade. In basketball, UCLA occasionally makes some noise. But beyond that, what does the conference have to offer? Championships in the irrelevant sports? Please. I really hope this new commish has a lot more up his sleeve. He better get a MASSIVE tv contract. But this "alliance" isn't going to cut it. Pretty soon the difference between playing in the SEC vs. any other conference will be like Power 5 v. any other conference 10 years ago, or maybe even D1 or D2. Recruits will talk about how many SEC offers they have like they used to talk about how many Power 5 or D1 offers they got.
No sport is irrelevant for the majority of Bruin fans. Sorry that you fell that way.
And, although I agree that the PAC-12 has not been nationally relevant in some time, why does Finebaum have to go out of his way to be a complete ass about it? Instead of reporting the facts, he goes out of his way to say, and I am paraphrasing because I can no longer find the clip, " . . . and why would a powerful conference like the PAC, . . . er . . . um, . . . I mean the ACC agree to join the Alliance?" Does he think he is being funny? It is garbage reporting. How do you think SEC folks would feel if a FOX pundit, say, Joel Klatt, said something like "student athletes at Alabama, wait . . . ha, ha, ha, did I just say that? Academics and Alabama, hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Finebaum is a partisan hack helping to destroy what little semblance of parity that college football has left and no Bruin should be defending him.
And the reason why the SEC / PAC-12 gap is enormous is because ESPN and the SEC got into bed years ago. Everything is skewed by the preseason rankings. An SEC team can go 4-4 in conference, 4-0 (all games at home) against FCS schools, and go to a New Year's Day bowl while also being in the top 25. The justification is that the team was ranked, say, #20, at the beginning of the season and won four straight against cream puffs, rising to, say, #12. Then a loss the loss to #8 Auburn doesn't hurt but for a spot or two, nor does the loss to #1 Alabama, and so on and so on. It happens EVERY. SINGLE. SEASON. in the SEC. The system is rigged and college football, frankly, is broken with the same five schools in the mix to be "champion" every year.
Great response! I'll be uploading Part 2 of my initial post tomorrow. SEC is a one-trick gridiron pony with the media lifting all "SEC boats" through the success of one program.
Welcome, Cristina! Thank you in advance for joining the awesome writing crew here! I'm looking forward to writing many long winded and often tangential comments to your articles in the months ahead.
not sure i understand the point of this all that much. Better than nothing I guess? Seems like just a mutual pact with all Pac 12, Big 10, and ACC schools that the non conference schedules are guaranteed to have some tough games from now on? I have a feeling it's going to be 1 or 2 gams per year. I'm sure the SEC is shaking in its boots.
Anything that pokes a thumb in the SEC's eye is fine by me. They couldn't give two shits about the PAC-12 or anyone else outside of their cabal and need to be taken down a few pegs. If the Alliance results in a situation where those three conferences do not schedule SEC schools (much too early to see if that will be the case), it will hurt them as their already weak non-conference schedules will become even weaker.