SEC Roundtable Number 1

We have an SEC Roundtable this week, and my answers to the questions are posted below.  The full roundup should be up at Garnet and Black Attack next week.  Post your answers in the comments and let me know what you think.

1. Pretend for a minute that Vanderbilt wasn’t 2-0, then answer this question: What has been the most surprising thing in the SEC so far this season?

On the positive side, it has to be the domination of Bama over Clemson.  Clemson reacts to big games like most people react to a tracheotomy, but the Tide was no kind nurse.  More like Dr. Giggles.  Bama had to be improved, what with awesomecoach and all, but that sort of a beating was a surprise to me.

On the negative side, it has to be the performance of the Arkansas Razorbacks, who far from looking like the well-oiled machines of the Petrino-Louisville years, needed two comebacks to avoid starting the season 0-2.  They barely beat ULM.  The cupboard was empty when he got there, but not that empty.  That’s pretty disappointing.

2. Conference action has either just begun for most teams, or will Sept. 20. (The exception is Kentucky, which I believe plays I-AA teams until mid-November.) From what you’ve seen so far, how will your team fare in your division? If it’s not going to win, which team will?
I still think LSU should be the favorite to win the division.  Most of the experts picked Auburn, whose Spread Eagle offense has looked more like the Aubent Over offense so far.  The biggest factor here is, of course, schedule, and LSU has to go to Auburn, where it hasn’t one since the Empire ruled the galaxy.  But at this point, I think LSU has fewer questions than the other teams.  Of course, now we have to look out for Bama, and overlooking Ole Miss would also be a mistake.  So I think LSU is the favorite, but not by much.

3. Which SEC player that few of us are paying attention to is poised to have a breakout season? Try to choose someone not on your team.

I know this is already a cliche this year, but I think Jevan Snead is going to have a really good year.  His talents and improvisational ability fit right in with the lack of offensive creativity and mad-scientistness that Houston Nutt brings to a team.  I always fear the Nutt (last year a good example of why) and the Nutt plus a dangerous quarterback is a frightening combination.

4. Both Arkansas and LSU have had games delayed because of hurricanes. If you could choose a game on your team’s current schedule to get postponed because of inclement weather, which game would you choose and why?

Probably I would choose to postpone the game against South Carolina.  Besides it being the definition of ‘trap game’ it is a road game against an SEC opponent.  It comes between trips to Gainesville and hosting Georgia, and I have a feeling the Tigers are going to need that week to get healed up and recover from what will surely be a war in the Swamp and get ready to face the Dawgs, which will be another war.

5. So, the Large Haldron Collider hasn’t destroyed the Earth — so far, anyway. But had the world ended Wednesday morning, which SEC game would you have most regretted missing? Assuming, of course, you had been around to regret it. (Head…hurts…)

If I was around to regret missing something because the earth had been destroyed by the Large Haldron Collider, I think the game I would be most upset about missing is the LSU-Florida game.  Anyone who remembers last year’s game remembers what an up-and-down, incredibly physical battle it was that ended with Tebow crying and both teams physically and mentally exhausted.  This year, that circus moves to the Swamp and I am sure that Urb, Tebow, et. al will be looking for revenge, making this game all the more physical and nasty.

Second place – Cocktail Party for the same reason.  Huge revenge game with national title implications.  Oh, and the drama of how the Gators will respond to last year’s widely replayed touchdown celebration.

Third place – Bama at LSU – Saban’s return to Baton Rouge.  I am sure the Tiger faithful will greet him kindly and respectfully as long as you understand that having your bus rocked and JD bottles hurled at you is kindness and respect.