SEC Football Media – not as smart as we think we are

 We’d like to think we’re experts, but the facts say, That just ain’t necessarily so.

Media members who regularly (and irregularly) cover Southeastern Conference football have gathered in Birmingham for the annual rite known as Media Days.  Coaches and players take their turns before print, TV and radio journalists, as well as bloggers, to explain that everyone on their respective team is bigger, faster, stronger, and want it more than ever before.

Virtually every player will explain that chemistry is better this year, that “we’re more of a team.”  Even the players on the defending Alabama Crimson Tide squad will say that. Why? Because by virtue of the fact that they’ve been selected to attend this meeting, each player feels more ownership of his respective team, more like a leader.  Anyone who gets more meaningful playing time thinks chemistry is better because HE is happier.

Included in this three-day pageant is voting by the media on the pre-season All-SEC team, as well as predictions on which teams will win the East and West divisions, as well as the conference championship. You might think the people who are hip-deep in this beat might know a little something when it comes to forecasting the SEC team champion.

Not so fast, my friend.

Since the conference went to divisions in 1992, only four times have SEC media members correctly predicted which team would win the league.  Three times, the projected champ made the final game, only to lose.  Twice the team picked to win it all finished fifth in its respective division – Alabama in 2000, and Tennessee in 2005.

The votes will be tabulated by Thursday. 

HOW PREVIOUS MEDIA DAYS  VOTING HAS FARED

Here is a look at how the media voted at SEC Football Media Days dating back to 1992 and how the projected champions actually fared:

                                                How Projected 

                Projected            Champion                                           Eventual

Year       Champion           Fared                                                    Champion          

1992       Florida                  lost in SEC Champ. Game             Alabama

1993       Alabama              lost in SEC Champ. Game             Florida

1994       Florida                  Won SEC Championship Game

1995       Florida                  Won SEC Championship Game

1996       Tennessee          2nd in East                                          Florida

1997       Florida                  T2nd in East                                        Tennessee

1998       Florida                  2nd in East                                          Tennessee

1999       Tennessee          2nd in East                                          Alabama

2000       Alabama              T5th in West                                      Florida

2001       Florida                  2nd in East                                          LSU

2002       Tennessee          3rd in East                                           Georgia

2003       Auburn                 3rd in West                                         LSU

2004       Georgia                2nd in East                                          Auburn

2005       Tennessee          5th in East                                           Georgia

2006       Auburn                 T2nd in West                                     Florida

2007       LSU                         Won SEC Championship Game

2008       Florida                  Won SEC Championship Game

2009       Florida                  lost in SEC Champ. Game             Alabama

2010       Alabama              4th in West                                         Auburn

2011       Alabama              2nd in West                                        LSU