Southern Rising

Charlie Graves Richards English III-2 9 November 2011

Graves1 Charlie Graves Richards English III- 2 Complete ominance !hesis- !he rise in dominance o" the Southeastern Con"erence over the past #$ %ears is evident not onl% in the success o" the pla%ers& coaches and teams& but also the sustained in"luence the game has had on the culture and 'a% o" li"e "or its "ans throughout its histor%( I( )rie" *istor% o" SEC +( !eams 1( original 1# teams 2( present 12 II( Success o" pla%ers compared to another con"erence( +( Number o" *eisman 'inners 1( # o" last $ 2( ,ast 2 'ere "rom the SEC and the ne-t is predicted to be "rom the SEC as 'ell( )( Number o" pla%ers to go to pla% pro"essional "ootball( 1( 2.(9/ o" pla%ers dra"ted come "rom SEC 2( 1.(9/ o" all pla%ers are "rom SEC #( Starters in N0,

Graves 2 III( Coaches in SEC +( Earl% SEC coaches )( Success o" modern coaches( 1( # o" last 11 coaches to 'in coach o" the %ear have been "rom the SEC 2more than an% other con"erence3(

I4(

ominance o" SEC compared to other con"erences +( Number o" national championships in last #$ %ears 1( 12 National championships )( Record against other con"erences C( SEC holds the most National Championships since the )CS began(

4(

!he SEC in"luence on "ans( +( 0ootball is a 'a% o" li"e( 1( 0ans ma5e their calendars )( Si6e o" stadiums( C( Rivalries ( Intervie'

Graves# Charlie Graves Richards English III-2 9 November 2011 Southern Rising College "ootball is more than a game7 it is a 'a% o" li"e& even a religion to some( No'here is this more evident than in the success o" the Southeastern Con"erence 'hich is currentl% made up o" t'elve teams( Governorships and other elections have been decided on the basis o" allegiance to a certain team( Generations o" "amilies have lived their lives closel% connected to the college teams the% support( !he rise in dominance o" the Southeastern

Con"erence over the past thirt%-"ive %ears is evident not onl% in the success o" the pla%ers& coaches and teams& but also the sustained in"luence the game has had on the culture and 'a% o" li"e "or its "ans throughout its histor%( !he roots o" the Southeastern Con"erence date bac5 to the late 1800s ( In the midst o" the Great epression in 19#2& the Southeastern Con"erence 'as o""iciall% "ormed( Its original

members 'ere +labama& +uburn& 0lorida& Georgia& Georgia !ech& 9entuc5%& ,S:& ;ississippi State& <le ;iss& Se'anne& !ennessee& !ulane& and 4anderbilt( uring its histor% the SEC lost

three teams& Georgia !ech& Se'anne and !ulane( In 1991& +r5ansas and South Carolina =oined the con"erence( Cl%de )olton in his boo5& :n"orgettable a%s in Southern 0ootball& tal5s about

the personal lives o" some o" the earliest pla%ers( ;an% 'ere called into service during their

pla%ing %ears( *e spea5s o" the sadness that some never came bac5 "rom 'ar such as >alter Ruar5 and George ?oschner o" the 19@2 Georgia team 213(

Graves @ !he SEC has had its share o" great pla%ers "rom the ver% beginning( !he% have had eleven *eisman 'inners 'hich included 0ran5 Sin5'ich o" Georgia in 19@2& ?at Sullivan 219123 and )o Aac5son 2198$3 o" +uburn and Cam Ne'ton last %ear in 2010( !hese pla%ers along 'ith man% others such as +rchie ;anning o" <ld ;iss and his son ?e%ton ;anning o" !ennesee became household names( >hile the )ig !en boasts the most 'inners 'ith si-teen& the SEC has demonstrated its rising dominance 'ith three o" the last "ive *eisman 'inners& !im !ebo' in 2001& ;ar5 Ingram in 2009 and Cam Ne'ton in 2010 223( +ll three are presentl% starting in the N0,( In "act the Southeastern Con"erence has the highest average number o" pla%ers at 2.(./ to go pro each %ear than an% other con"erence 2#3( Aonathan 0inne%& the sports'riter "or !he ail%

Reveille& sa%s& B perhaps CSoutheastern Con"erenceD is not an appropriate name "or the nationDs Southern "ootball po'erhouseE2@3( *e sa%s this 'hile re"erring to the 1.(9/ o" the leagues starters coming "rom the SEC as opposed to the closest ne-t percentage& 10(2/ coming "rom the )ig !en( 0inne% also states& B!he SEC also leads other con"erences in the number o" starters at certain positions( !he con"erence boasts the most starting Fuarterbac5& de"ensive lineman&

cornerbac5s and strong sa"eties and is tied "or the highest number o" running bac5sE2$3( >hile these pla%ers e-hibit great athletic abilit%& the success o" these pla%ers e-empli"ies the caliber o" the coaches in the SEC( In Rites o" +utumn& !he Stor% o" College 0ootball b% Richard >hittingham& he spea5s o" Binnovators and motivatorsE 'hen he re"ers to the gameDs greatest coaches through the late

1990s 2.3( Some o" the earlier SEC coaches he "eatures are Glenn S( B?opE >arner o" Georgia& Shug Aordan o" +uburn and )ear )r%ant o" +labama ( !hese coaches 'ere not onl% great but

Graves$ legends( !he love "or these coaches spread "rom the teams throughout the homes and

communities that surrounded the schools 'here the% coached( )um ?hillips said& B)r%ant 'on because he coached people& not "ootballE 213( !he Fualit% o" SEC coaches has continued into the 21st centur% 'ith such men as :rban ;e%er o" 0lorida& Nic5 Saban o" +labama& ,es ;iles o" ,S: and Gene Chi6i5 o" +uburn( )et'een these "our coaches in the last seven %ears& the% have 'on three Coach o" the Gear a'ards& "ive national championships and have had three *eisman 'inners( !he success o" SEC coaches and pla%ers is evident in the e-traordinar% teams produced b% this con"erence( !he debate on 'hich "ootball con"erence is the most dominant is on-going and has been "orever( Since the "ounding o" the SEC in 19#2& teams have en=o%ed tremendous success( !he SEC has 'on a total o" seventeen national championships since 19$1 'hen +uburn 'on( *o'ever& there is clear evidence to support the claim that the SEC is no' on top( <n +ugust 2@& 2010& +nd% Staples& a 'riter "or Sports Illustrated stated& B!here is no debateHSEC is still the best in the landE 283( !he statistics o" the past thirt%-"ive %ears prove this statement to be true( 0or e-ample& in the last thirt%-"ive %ears the SEC have 'on t'elve national championships( !he closest contender is the +tlantic Coast Con"erence 'ith nine 293( Since 1998 'hen the )o'l Championship Series 2)CS3 'as "ounded& seven o" the National Champions have been "rom the SEC 2103( uring the present 2011-2012 season& the SEC holds si- out o" the top t'ent%-"ive

)CS standings 'ith ,S: and +labama being I1 J I2 be"ore the% pla% each other in the

con"erence( !he success o" the Southeastern Con"erence is evident even be%ond these statistics in the si6e o" their stadiums& the support o" their "ans and the great rivalries

Graves. In the SEC& "ootball has been said to be more o" a religion than a sport "or man% o" its "ans( 0amilies decide their holida% plans& 'edding plans and 'ee5-end plans around games( +s a result the gro'th o" "ans has s5%-roc5eted and it has made e-pansions to the stadiums a necessit%( 0or e-ample& the +labama stadium has doubled in si6e to no' hold 101&000 people( !he !ennessee 4olunteers have the largest stadium in the SEC 'ith 110&000 capacit% and the second largest in the nations behind the B)ig *ouseE& at the :niversit% o" ;ichigan( uring

"ootball seasons there are hundreds o" thousands o" "ans that go to support their alma mater and "avorite teams in the SEC( !here are "amilies that have season tic5ets that are passed do'n "rom generation to generation 'hile sharing incredible stories o" ho' much the "ans in the SEC ta5e their "ootball seriousl%( ic5 Graves& a 1980 graduate "rom +uburn :niversit% said that elections "or Governors have been decided because o" the schools that the% attended( 0or e-ample& B0ob Aames 'as

elected Governor because he had in his campaign that he pla%ed "ootball at +uburn( !he reason he 'as elected 'as because the t'o prior Governors had attended +labama(E In the state o" +labama the legislature passed legislation that the color o" the license plates 'ould alternate bet'een red and 'hite and orange and blue( Graves spo5e o" the unbelievable stor% o" ;ic5e% aniels 'ho sat out o" pee'ee "ootball "or one %ear because he re"used to 'ear the +labama colors( In ic5Ds "amil% ever%bod% 'ent to +uburn e-cept "or his older brother udle% 'ho

decided to go to +labama because )ear )r%ant 'as there and all his "riends 'ere going to

+labama( !he "amil% =o5es that the% deported him to Ital% because he 'ent to +labama( Graves also tal5ed about the atmosphere o" SEC "ootball games( *e said& BSEC "ootball is organi6ed Graves1 chaos and dea"ening(E 0or %ears the +labama-+uburn game 'as pla%ed at ,egion 0ield in )irmingham( 0ans 'ould be in the stadium three hours earl% in order to %ell their chants across the stadium to the opposing "ans( Graves sa%s that 'hen this game le"t )irmingham the econom% 'as severel% a""ected 2113( !his rivalr% bet'een +labama and +uburn has been going on since the beginning( It has turned ugl% sometimes even last %ear 'hen an +labama "an poisoned the trees at the "amous !oomerDs Corner in +uburn( *o'ever& in +pril 'hen the tornadoes

devastated !uscaloosa the rivalr% did not seem as important( !here 'ere people "rom all over 'ho 'ent to help including the +uburn "ootball team( In "act& "ootball alumni "rom both schools pla%ed a game to raise mone% "or the victims( It is de"initel% evident that SEC "ootball impacts the lives o" man% people( In conclusion& baseball ma%be +mericaDs "avorite pastime but SEC "ootball dominates the hearts and minds o" its "ans( *( )o%d ;c>orter& the Commissioner o" the SEC in the 1910Ds 'rote in the 0ore'ord o" Cl%de )oltonDs boo5& B*is Unforgettable Days In Southern Football re"lects his reali6ation that the intense enthusiasm "or the game is based on the 'arm& human drama that emerges 'henever and 'herever man competesE 2123( !he Southeastern Con"erence 'ith all its great pla%ers& coaches& teams and "ans practice their religion 'ee5l% in their cathedrals that are their stadiums( It is an a'esome e-perience(

Graves8 )ibliograph% )olton& Cl%de( Unforgettable Days in Southern Football. *untsville& +labamaK !he Strode ?ublishers& 191@( )CS Champions- ,ist o" National Champions( !ic5etCit%( 2011( !ic5etCit%& INC( http://www.ticketcity.com/bowl-game-tickets/bcs-national-championship-tickets/bcschampions.html. Collage "ootball national champions( College "ootball poll( 1 +ug( 2010( :niversit% o" ?hoeni-( 8 Aan( 2010( www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html. 0inne%& Aonathan( SEC leads other con"erences in N0, starters( C)S College Sports(1@ Sept( 2001( C)S( 1@ Sept( 2001( http://www.cstv.com/sports/mfootbl/uwire/09140 aa!.html( ?ersonal Intervie'& Graves& ic5( 1980 graduate o" +uburn :niversit%& 8 Nov( 2011 SEC Rant( tigerdroppings(com( 1 Nov& 2011( tiger"roppings.com/rant/p/# $9%&$$/''(-recor"-for-all-)*(-teams-against-teamsfrom-other-+()-(onfrences-since-199#.asp,. Staples& +nd%( INSI E C<,,EGE 0<<!)+,,( SI(com( 2@+ug( 2010. Sports Illustrated( 2@ +ug( 2010 http://sportsillustrate".cnn.com/#010/writers/an"y_staples/0-/#$/sec"ominance/in"e,.html >ill%& <ne E%ed( !he In"ernoK NC++ Con"erences and the N0,( 22 +pr& 2010( !hebullgator(com( 22 +pr& 2010( ;SN( http://www.thebullgator.com/#010/04/infernoncaa-conferences-an"-nfl-"raft.html

>hittingham& Richard( Rites of Autumn The Story of College Football( Ne' Gor5K NG& 2001(

Graves9 End Notes 213 )olton& Cl%de( Unforgettable Days in Southern Football. *untsville& +labamaK !heStrode ?ublishers& 191@( 2page #0 o" boo53 223 http://www.heisman.com/in"e,.php/heisman.inners

2#3 >ill%& <ne E%ed( !he In"ernoK NC++ Con"erences and the N0,( 22 +pr& 2010( !hebullgator(com( 22 +pr& 2010( ;SN( http://www.thebullgator.com/#010/04/inferno-ncaaconferences-an"-nfl-"raft.html 2@3 0inne%& Aonathan( SEC leads other con"erences in N0, starters( C)S College Sports(1@ Sept( 2001( C)S( 1@ Sept( 2001( http://www.cstv.com/sports/mfootbl/uwire/09140 aa!.html( 2page 1 o" notes3 2$3 0inne%& Aonathan( SEC leads other con"erences in N0, starters( C)S College Sports(1@ Sept( 2001( C)S( 1@ Sept( 2001( http://www.cstv.com/sports/mfootbl/uwire/09140 aa!.html( 2page 1 o" notes3 2.3 >hittingham& Richard( Rites of Autumn The Story of College Football( Ne' Gor5K NG& 2001(2page $0- 8# o" boo53 213 >hittingham& Richard( Rites of Autumn The Story of College Football( Ne' Gor5K NG& 2001( 2page 12 o" boo53 283 Staples& +nd%( INSI E C<,,EGE 0<<!)+,,( SI(com( 2@+ug( 2010. Sports Illustrated( 2@ +ug( 2010 http://sportsillustrate".cnn.com/#010/writers/an"y_staples/0-/#$/sec-"ominance/in"e,.html 2page 1 o" notes3 293 Collage "ootball national champions( College "ootball poll( 1 +ug( 2010( :niversit% o" ?hoeni-( 8 Aan( 2010( www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html 2103 )CS Champions- ,ist o" National Champions( !ic5etCit%( 2011( !ic5etCit%& INC( http://www.ticketcity.com/bowl-game-tickets/bcs-national-championship-tickets/bcschampions.html. 2113 ?ersonal Intervie'& Graves& ic5( 1980 graduate o" +uburn :niversit%& 8 Nov( 2011( 2page 2 o" notes3

2123 )olton& Cl%de( Unforgettable Days in Southern Football. *untsville& +labamaK !he Strode ?ublishers& 191@(2 0ore'ord in boo53 2123

SEC leads other conferences in NFL starters

By Jonathan Finney The Daily Reveille September 1 ! "##$ Baton Ro%&e! L' (CST) *+,-RE. ++ Perhaps "Southeastern Conference" is not an appropriate name for the nation's Southern football powerhouse. The SEC also leads other conferences in the number of starters at certain positions. The conference boasts the most starting quarterbacks, defensi e linemen, cornerbacks and strong safeties and is tied for the highest number of starting running backs.

Andy Staples>INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL

More ColumnsEmail Andy Staples

There s no de!ate "" SEC #oot!all is still the !est in the land
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/08/23/secdominance/index.html#ix 1d!ow"#w$