Know Your Enemy, Tuesday 8/21 8:48 a.m.

I said that it was in part because of speed, though I agree that it's very difficult to measure.  One common misconception is that the meme "SEC Speed" is referring to the skill guys--my sense is that speed among the skill positions is reletively similar among the conferences, it's the front seven on defense where I think there is a legitimate difference in the SEC.  Though I admit, I don't have much empirical support to back that up--it comes from coach's statements (outside of the SEC) and watching the games.

All that said, I think it's only a small element of why the SEC is the best conference right now, I think a lot of it has to do with coaching salaries, recruiting strategies, and better high school football in the south.  But all of those things, I think, lead to the SEC tending to have a front seven that can also run, and I think that tends to be on display in the games.

I feel like the "meme" started as a mythical advantage the SEC had because the offensive and 'star'-type players were faster than the rest of the country (primarily the slow BIG, yank yank).  Whether that was true for a period, I don't know; I beg to differ.  To me, now, and this is more or less agreeing with the above poster (LJ, ??), any speed difference that conference has or has advantage in is on the defensive side of the ball.  I think there may be a difference in the SEC defenses compared to the rest of the country.  Not even just in the front seven; the secondaries of those teams are ridiculous (see: LSU, 2011).  Those guys, in positions that are supposed to have fast players playing there, seem to be on a different level than most other secondaries across the country.

That all coming from someone who largely dismisses the whole meme of the SEC being straight up "faster".  I think it's over-used (as does everyone else on this board and North of the Mason-Dixon line) but lately it's hard to argue against the defenses some of the SEC teams have been putting out on the field.

But they could extend outward a bit and still be talking about Michigan athletics.  Why not talk about our opponents next season?  They could leverage the Scout contacts to get insider info. on practice reports around the B1G.  I'd love to hear that.  Sure BTN is doing it, mgoblog does it, Athlon/Steele, etc., but nobody's doing it on the ride in the morning.  And there are multiple outlets talking about the Tigers/Pistons/NBA as well. 

B1G recruiting, in depth discussions - something else I'd listen to as a daily segment.  Even nationally.  Basketball too.  I'm a lot more interested in those types of things (Michigan/college sports) than the other topics they've had recently.

I'm glad "The Fort" is back.  After Carty, Rosenberg, and Snyder lowered the bar for ethics in journalism, I agree a hundred percent with restricted media and public access.  

Coaches like to tell players that "nothing good happens after midnight," but they should probably add, "nothing good happens when you talk to a reporter unless a coach is present."

... that's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for digital me

/lets go and weeps uncontrollably