Sports

SEC weighs media options

• With the television contract up, Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Silve is considering a myriad of options, including an SEC network.

Paul Dehner Jr.

HOOVER, Ala. — Football fans in the South may want to contact their local television provider.

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive announced Wednesday the conference could soon follow in the footsteps of others and produce its own network.

Slive said that is one of the options as the conference's current television contract expires at the end of the academic year.

"Over the past two years the conference has been considering its television and multimedia options which include the possibility of an SEC Channel and the possibility of the more traditional granting of rights," he said.

Of late, both the Big Ten Conference and Mountain West Conference, as well as the National Football League, have decided to create their own networks for airing athletics.

"We've had the advantage of watching … as they tackle a variety of issues," Slive said.

The commissioner believes the SEC will come to a decision by this fall, giving a year to implement it.

He said the conference is weighing criteria such as enhancing the SEC brand, providing a window for academic programming, maximizing multimedia distribution and increasing revenue.

"We have been gratified with the level of interest in the SEC shown by television and multimedia distributors," Slive said.

BULLDOGS YELL

With shaggy hair flopping over his eyes and a suit coat hanging a size too big for his skinny frame, Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Wesley Carroll sat perfectly cast into the roll of the youngest player at SEC Media Days.

Last season, Carroll was thrust onto the scene in a mop-up role as a third-stringer at MSU and eventually seized role of starting quarterback as a freshman.

Traditionally, seniors accompany the head coach to these events. So why bring this wide-eyed sophomore?

"Because he knows how to win and he is the leader of our offense," Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said. "You know, I didn't read in the handbook where you had to have senior."

Croom cracked a smile after the comment, much as the media savvy coach did throughout his 15 minute State of the Bulldogs address.

And he has plenty to smile about.

Mississippi State took a major stride last season, earning wins over Auburn, Kentucky and Alabama – while each was ranked in the Top 25.

Instead of trying to make a mark this year, the Bulldogs will be attempting to build on success.

Upon joining Mississippi State three years ago, the idea of a conference championship appeared a distant dream.

On Wednesday, Croom saw it is an ever-closer reality.

"At the end, we may not be good enough," he said. "But that's what we're trying to do."

He certainly doesn't need to tell his quarterback that anything can happen.

He's living the knowledge it can.

"I'd be lying if I told you a year ago I thought I'd be here," Carroll said. "I didn't expect everything to happen so fast. Only 13, 14 months ago, I was in high school."

GRAND OLD BOBBY

Upon hearing a reporter point out Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson was now the longest tenured coach in the history of Commodores football, Johnson broke out from behind the podium and gave an extended clap.

Amid the laughter from the media, he leaned back into the microphone.

"They said we couldn't do it," he said.

Johnson is now in his seventh season with Vanderbilt, surpassing George McIntire. Vandy went 5-7 last season and left out of the bowl picture. They lost the final four games of the regular season.

"I knew it was going to be a long project," Johnson said. "I think we made a lot of strides since we've been there. I didn't have a set time that I though I would be there."

QUOTIENT QUOTABLES

When Croom was asked about players finding themselves in trouble more often these days, the 53-year-old attributed the increased attention in multimedia. From there, it got a little hazy…"But what happens now because of the Internet – all of these different kind of tubes we have on the Internet, all of that stuff, I don't totally understand it all," he said with a wide smile.

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