Standing up for the SEC --- one more time ----- From the March 4, 2007 Memphis, TN Commercial Appeal --- http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/sports_columnists/article/0,1426,MCA_468_5393921,00.html Sports columnist and editor Ron Higgins (an LSU alum) writes in his regular weekend column as follows: “After Florida hammered Ohio State by 27 points in the BCS national championship football game and after the Southeastern Conference recently dominated the recruiting rankings, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany felt it necessary to defend his league. Delany reacted to a Chicago Sun-Times article that criticized the Big Ten for not having any school ranked in the nation's top 10 in recruiting. Delany, a one-time Nashville resident when he was commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, took a direct shot at the SEC in a blog he wrote on the league's Web site. He wrote: "I love speed and the SEC has great speed, especially on the defensive line, but there are appropriate balances when mixing academics and athletics. Each school, as well as each conference, simply must do what fits their mission regardless of what a recruiting service recommends. I wish we had six teams among the top 10 recruiting classes every year, but winning our way requires some discipline and restraint with the recruitment process. Not every athlete fits athletically, academically or socially at every university. Fortunately, we have been able to balance our athletic and academic mission so that we can compete successfully and keep faith with our academic standards. Let's see if the five- and 10-year trend lines hold or whether the recruiting services and talking heads are seeing a new day. We are quite proud of our history and tradition and remain optimistic about the future of Big Ten football." SEC commissioner Mike Slive hasn't fired back. But Mike, if you do, all you have to do is write two words: Maurice Clarett.”
