What the crap is Pat Forde talking about?

[AUHansel 0]

We don't need Les Miles lipping off to know the truth: The Southeastern Conference is better than the Pacific-10 in football.

This year and most years.

The LSU coach appealed to his base in early July by taking shots at USC's league. This is what Miles reportedly said at a speaking engagement in New Orleans:

"I would like nothing better than to play USC for the title. I can tell you this: They have a much easier road to travel. They're going to play real knock-down, drag-outs with UCLA and Washington, Cal-Berkeley, Stanford -- some real juggernauts -- and they're going to end up, it would be my guess, in some position so if they win a game or two, that they'll end up in the title [game].

"I would like that path for us. I think the SEC provides much stiffer competition."

When I attended Pac-10 media days later that month, those comments were as popular as Bud Selig at a Bonds family picnic.

"Come check us out," said UCLA defensive end Bruce Davis, sticking up for the league as a whole. "Watch a game or two. Ask teams how they feel after they play us. They think we're out here on surfboards, playing at the beach."

It was Miles who came across dumber than Jeff Spicoli. Impugning UCLA and Cal, for one thing, is simply ignorant. Ignoring the fact that USC has trampled the last four SEC teams it has faced by a combined total of 119 points is worse.

But there is an element of truth to Miles' barbs, no matter how bungled. The SEC is the winner of this cybertournament and is the preeminent conference in college football. Specific to this debate vis-à-vis the Pac-10, it is tougher in the middle and lower tiers.

USC begins the season as the No. 1 team and deserves it, and the Trojans have some decent backup from UCLA, Cal and Oregon. But the overall pecking order tilts toward the SEC. If you were to steal an idea from college basketball and play an SEC/Pac-10 challenge this year, the boys from Dixie would win seven of 10 (matching their 10 best against the full membership from the West Coast).

The reason is simple: The SEC has to be better than the Pac-10. It's nonnegotiable.

The quality of life in the South is dependent upon good college football. Local economies, race relations and collective psychological health all would suffer without it. Sweet tea would not be as sweet. Fried chicken would not be as crispy. Country songs would be even sadder.

If SEC football were mediocre, the South might as well be back in Reconstruction.

On the West Coast, good college football is no more important to the commonweal than comfortable sandals and affordable microbrewed beer. It's a nice perk, but it falls far below vital.

At least 10 SEC schools are crazily committed to football success. In the Pac-10, USC might be it. A few others care, but they stop well short of obsession.

That's why the SEC averaged 75,706 fans per home game last year and the Pac-10 averaged 56,314. That's why Alabama shoved 92,000 people into its stadium for the spring football game. That's why SEC media days last three days and the Pac-10's session lasts five hours.

The difference in passion can be summed up in two walks I took from press box to field level at the end of two games, one year and 3,000 miles apart.

Oct. 9, 2004: No. 1 USC 23, No. 7 California 17, in Los Angeles. A great game that went down to the final play, with massive stakes. It would be the only game the Bears would lose in the regular season -- ultimately costing them a shot at the national title and their first BCS bowl appearance. It was the Trojans' narrowest escape on their way to pulverizing Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl and winning the national championship.

While hustling to the field afterward at Memorial Coliseum, I brushed past dozens of Cal fans on their way out. Some looked upset, but some were smiling and remarking what a great game it had been. On the collective disappointment meter, they registered about a 4 -- roughly the same as if they'd gone to the movies and found out the show they wanted to see was sold out. You got the feeling that by the time they walked through the blissful SoCal sun to their cars, they'd pretty well put it behind them.

Nov. 12, 2005: No. 15 Auburn 31, No. 9 Georgia 30, in Athens, Ga. Another great game that went down to the final play, with slightly smaller stakes. The loss prevented the Bulldogs from clinching the SEC Eastern Division (although they would win it later on).

While hustling down between the hedges, I noticed that most Georgia fans were still in their seats. Devastated. When I caught up with the Auburn players prancing off the field, they were dodging projectiles from the stands.

On paper, Georgia fans didn't lose nearly as much that day as California fans had lost the year before. But they lost a whole lot more in their guts.

And that's why the SEC is the king of college football. Because the alternative is too traumatic for the South to handle.

Pat Forde is a national columnist for ESPN.com. He can be reached at ESPN4D@aol.com.

Kind of condescending. I think some of it is probably true but look at the polls. SEC has twice as many in the coaches poll (6) than the Pac 10 (3).

[Justin5 20]

that article is the clearest definition of a 'back-handed compliment' as I have seen in a while.

[DCWarEagle 0]

Might be condescing and if there are any compliments in there, they are decidedly backhanded, but I think he is probably right. We (the South) do care more than anywhere else. Midwest is probably second, but they care a lot more about the NFL than we do.

[BamaGrad03 0]

I didn't appreciate that article at all. I'm so sick of non southerners saying WE are the ones who are closed minded and ignorant...yet they are the ones who constantly stereotype us.

[AUwingsfan 1]

I didn't appreciate that article at all. I'm so sick of non southerners saying WE are the ones who are closed minded and ignorant...yet they are the ones who constantly stereotype us.

I believe you just hit the nail on the head! I wish people would actually come check out the South and see what it's all about instead of judging by stereotypes. It seems as if some people feel the South is like a 3rd world country.....sure some places don't have much money....but it isn't like we don't have paved roads and we all are married to our sisters.....oh well....some people will never change....

[TigerOne 1,472]

I didn't appreciate that article at all. I'm so sick of non southerners saying WE are the ones who are closed minded and ignorant...yet they are the ones who constantly stereotype us.

I believe you just hit the nail on the head! I wish people would actually come check out the South and see what it's all about instead of judging by stereotypes. It seems as if some people feel the South is like a 3rd world country.....sure some places don't have much money....but it isn't like we don't have paved roads and we all are married to our sisters.....oh well....some people will never change....

when they come here they don't leave

[cehuff21 0]

Ignoring the fact that USC has trampled the last four SEC teams it has faced by a combined total of 119 points is worse.

I'm sick of hearing this. I mean come on out of these 119 points, 89 of them come against a year when Arkansas was horrible and a the year they were decent didn't even have D-Mac. In 03 another of these 23 points came against a lets face it guys not so good AU squad. Nothing like we are now anyways. And the only year they play a legit SEC team (Auburn) they only won by a touchdown? I mean come on this is the biggest bullPChamp stat ever. I'm so sick of it. I mean yeah if we played middle tier PAC-10 teams we'd probably outscore them by around 100 points too. Play today's Auburn (I mean they dodged us in 04 and they know we aren't the same as we were then) or play LSU Tennessee, Georgia or Florida and we saw what happened to Ohio State. Hell even play Bama their defense is good enough to hold it close with USC.

I can't stand this stat and it really bothers me they try to use it. And besides no one down here doubting USC is good we are just saying the rest of the conference is s***. If they had to play good teams every week like we do they would not be going undefeated or with 1 loss every year. Hell I mean come on just last year they lost to 2 unranked teams. I sware these guys have no common sense.

Sorry we don't give our players houses to come play for us... Oh yeah hmmm whatever happened to that scandal??? It was pretty much proven that it happened and the NCAA did nothing.

2006

Arkansas 14, USC 50

2005

Arkansas 17, USC 70

2003

Auburn 0, USC 23

2002

Auburn 17, USC 24

[saniflush 0]

when they come here they don't leave

I am with you on this one. I am willing to trade having to deal with their stupidity in writing for not having to deal with their stupidity personally!

[BamaGrad03 0]

You know what's sad? The MEDIA that constantly sees itself as fighting this crusade for the downtrodden, always thinks its cute when these little prejudiced anti-southern remarks are made.

[saniflush 0]

You know what's sad? The MEDIA that constantly sees itself as fighting this crusade for the downtrodden, always thinks its cute when these little prejudiced anti-southern remarks are made.

You are correct about that. Very two faced to say the least. It is how most people have been raised. It is easy to hate the South. There have been some really bad images connected to the South but as most everyone here knows, they are no worse than things that have happened elsewhere. We are just an easier target. We have done it to ourselves by not standing up and telling people they were wrong in their perceptions of us.

[otterinbham 0]

Here's what I wrote to Mr. Forde:

I loyally read your column. But I must take exception to some wording in your most recent opus. I quote:

"The quality of life in the South is dependent upon good college football. Local economies, race relations and collective psychological health all would suffer without it. Sweet tea would not be as sweet. Fried chicken would not be as crispy. Country songs would be even sadder.

If SEC football were mediocre, the South might as well be back in Reconstruction."

Had you just suffered through an In The Heat of the Night marathon? Was Mississippi Burning playing on AMC in the background? Contrary to what you seem to suggest, the South is not a grim place to live.

Actually, the South a pretty great place with plenty activities that don't involve fishin', huntin', church burnin', or outrunnin' Revenuers. And our fine region is not filled to the rafters with stump-necked, gap-toothed, knuckle-dragging, polyester-wearing, cousin-kissing, NASCAR-watching, book-burning, biscuit-eating backwoods lackwits who just stepped out of the cast of Hee Haw.

While we're awfully passionate about our football, it is not our only shot at self-esteem. I'm sure you probably didn't mean it that way. And if our teams lose, we die a little. Isn't that what college football all about? But there are plenty of others things in the South to keep our minds occupied in the off-season.

Gotta go now. My 'possum stew is about to boil over.

[bigsixfive 341]

Here's what I wrote to Mr. Forde:

I loyally read your column. But I must take exception to some wording in your most recent opus. I quote:

"The quality of life in the South is dependent upon good college football. Local economies, race relations and collective psychological health all would suffer without it. Sweet tea would not be as sweet. Fried chicken would not be as crispy. Country songs would be even sadder.

If SEC football were mediocre, the South might as well be back in Reconstruction."

Had you just suffered through an In The Heat of the Night marathon? Was Mississippi Burning playing on AMC in the background? Contrary to what you seem to suggest, the South is not a grim place to live.

Actually, the South a pretty great place with plenty activities that don't involve fishin', huntin', church burnin', or outrunnin' Revenuers. And our fine region is not filled to the rafters with stump-necked, gap-toothed, knuckle-dragging, polyester-wearing, cousin-kissing, NASCAR-watching, book-burning, biscuit-eating backwoods lackwits who just stepped out of the cast of Hee Haw.

While we're awfully passionate about our football, it is not our only shot at self-esteem. I'm sure you probably didn't mean it that way. And if our teams lose, we die a little. Isn't that what college football all about? But there are plenty of others things in the South to keep our minds occupied in the off-season.

Gotta go now. My 'possum stew is about to boil over.

Let them think that. If word gets out about how great the south is, the "progressives" will start moving in and ruin it. I already saw 2 kids with mohawks on campus today, we don't need any more of that stuff. Anytime a foreigner asks if the south is like Deliverance, just get put a serious look on and say, "Yeah, actually it is."

[jdub5793 0]

Some of that made sense. Some. I used to enjoy reading his articles. He seemed to hype the SEC more than most, but those comments shed a bit of light on his actual knowledge of the south. What an idiot. Race relations? Are you kidding me. Economic status? Wow. It's fans like ours who allow this guy to have a job sitting around talking about football all day. Our passion fuels his paycheck. Maybe he should shut his mouth, at least until he learns a little more.