Tag Archives: #ftmfs

ABS Coming to the SEC Baseball Tournament

Posted on by

Can you pat your head and rub your belly at the same time?

I mean, you don’t have to really rub your belly, but the results of this could be nauseating.

The Southeastern Conference will implement a challenge system for balls and strikes on an experimental basis for each game of the 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament, similar to the process implemented in Major League Baseball games this season.

The system will permit teams to challenge an umpire’s strike or ball call via an automated ball tracking system that monitors the exact location of each pitch, relative to the specific batter’s zone.

“The introduction of this challenge system at the SEC Tournament reflects our continued commitment to innovation,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “This addition represents a continued step forward for our game, aligns more closely with the professional level and supports the development of our student-athletes as they prepare for success at the next level.”

For the SEC Tournament, each team will have three challenges to start the game. If a challenge is successful, the team will retain the challenge. If the original call is confirmed, the team will lose the challenge.

Upon a challenge, the pitch location will be compared against the electronic strike zone. The result will then be displayed on the stadium videoboard and broadcast.

Honestly, I’m kind of against it. Daniel Jackson does a great job framing pitches and it helps our pitchers have a looser strike zone, as a result. Heck, I’m pretty sure we wont the series against Mississippi State on that benefit alone.

I wonder if it will make our pitchers tighter, or if you just let it loose and let the chips fall where they may?

“Innovation” says Sankey. I’m not sure I’d trust the guy who followed the Innovation of the B1G to move to a nine game conference schedule in football just to realize they cancelled all their OOC P4 games.

Dawgs Sweep at Foley: Misery Tigers Edition

Posted on by

The Diamond Dawgs had a somewhat close Friday night, followed by two consecutive run-rule games on Saturday and Sunday. And, they’re on the verge of making history.

Caden Aoki was solid again as a day 3 starter and the bats were very, very live this past weekend, too.

They even had a little fun after the game was over, adorning Phelps with candy, hats, and other accessories as he gave a post-game interview with the SEC Network crew.

No more midweek games, just two more series at home against LSU next weekend and at Auburn the next. Hold those Tigers, and break some records, Dawgs.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Today, in FTMFs

Posted on by

I have to say, I like this:

In all the recent fracas about the future voice of the Georgia Bulldogs, here’s a fun Thursday Throwback to a joyous time of beating the Gators when we didn’t expect to, complete with Larry Munson.

Enjoy.

76

Posted on by

Brendan Sorsby is already looking at the money line for CFP to follow suit. Not a matter of IF, but more like when.

Shorter:

The mechanics of the expansion in the men’s tournament would include eight additional at-large bids. What’s known now as the First Four — eight teams playing four games in Dayton, Ohio — would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites, one of which was expected to remain in Dayton.

So not too drastic of an expansion, but it would’ve allowed for Auburn, Champions of the NIT and likely West Virginia, who won the post-season College Basketball Crown, to have participated in the NCAA Tournament. While this would’ve quieted the Barners and Daddy Pearl’s griping about not getting it, it would’ve stolen the false sense of pride that Aubie could get from winning a lesser tournament, as it’s hard to see Auburn making the Final Four givn the product on the floor.

But, as we all know, that’s not the driving force behind this. Quite frankly, it’s more of that sweet, sweet green that college sports champions so much today.

Like oil barons, we keep drilling for more and more revenue until it’s all used up and barren.

Money, for the win.

WR, You?

Posted on by

Shhhh…

Were they all top-flight and lead successful, lucrative NFL careers…not all, but for all the talk about Georgia not being a good landing spot for receivers, it seems some of the numbers don’t lie.

I think we have a few more coming down the pipe, to be honest.

SEC Draft Picks: It Just Means Doing Less with More?

Posted on by

Well, we can’t get to the CFP Championship game or win out bowl seasons, but the SEC still leads the way in NFL Draft picks. During the 2026 Draft, every SEC team had at least one athlete picked during the Draft. No other conference had that distinction. Here’s some stats for context:

And while some of the pro-SEC pundits are beating their chests about leading in the final Draft picks, some interesting talking points are starting to arise:

Yes, the Big XII is horrendous, and there’s a point to be made there, somewhere. Honestly, though, this is more interesting to process:

There’s a reason why four of those teams now have new coaches, and the rest, well let’s just say we are all amazed that Bobby Hill continues to get credence as a quality football coach, Drink (and TAMU!) always seems to have some epic faceplant each year, and Alabama just gave a contract extension to the guy who shows up not once, but twice in this graphic, and the tale of the two losses can’t be more polar opposite – one to the eventual national champ, and the other to a team that lost to Florida in their annual rivalry and was one of the worst teams…in the ACC.

As EE posted yesterday about the quality of draft picks in the later rounds, the distinction of “most draft picks” may be losing some luster when those who used to declare can just remain in college and continue to make millions. I don’t think that’s what’s happening the Big XII, but it stands to reason that having draftable players versus a team that’s retaining college players at an extended rate through NIL may shift this SEC “point of pride” from “look what me do” to “what are we actually doing with it when we have it”, as it should.

Oh, and to add icing to the cake, Vanderbilt actually felt it necessary to provide some hype to this festering ass carbuncle rather than choosing to have it lanced and treated with broad spectrum antibiotics:

Just another Monday in the growing saga called “what the hell happened to the sport I love?”

There is no Joy in Gainesville

Posted on by

Holy crap this is a telling insight.

On one hand, it says that Indiana had players that might’ve aged out of the NFL. On the other, and funnier hand, is that Florida and Sun Belt Billy really sucked that bad.

I’ll chuckle at either one, but it’s not a stat to be proud of at Florida.

The Mount Shushmore of Coaches

Posted on by

Yesterday, I posed to you all a question about who should fill out the final spots on an SEC Mount Rushmore of Coaches. Seems like many of you agreed with Spurrier and Dooley/Smart, with Smart taking a fourth spot when his career is done (fingers crossed).

So, as a Friday exercise, let’s test the inverse…who are the most overrated coaches of all time who belong on a Mount Shushmore of Coaches. For context, here’s this:

That’s a fair question, but you have to consider the coach. You also have to consider the assistant coaches on staff, considered by many some of the best brains in the business.

My Candidates:

Ryan Day:

James Franklin:

Frank Beamer:

Rich Rodriguez:

To Day’s credit, he won a National Championship, albeit in the expansion era that required an easy backdoor into it and he won against Notre Dame, the perennial “we don’t belong here” team of the century.

Other overrated candidates:

  • Brian Kelly
  • Gus Malzahan
  • Corch Ervin Meyers
  • Mario Cristobal
  • Kalen Deboer
  • Jim Harbaugh, although there needs to be a Mount Shushmore of Frauds, he’d be the main pick
  • Chip Kelly
  • Steve Sarkisian
  • Josh Bobby Hill Hype-ul
  • Lincoln Riley

What’re your thoughts. Who are your top 4 overblown coaches?

Thursday Thought Provoker: SEC Coaching Mount Rushmore

Posted on by

In my never ending quest to find off-season fodder for conversation, I came across this:

The question boils down to what criteria you’d use. For perspective, as you dwell it, here’s some things to consider:

Winning Percentage (minimum of 10 seasons)

  • Saban – .849
  • Smart – .848
  • Frank Thomas (ALA) – .806
  • Bryant – .797
  • Neyland – .780

Wins (minimum of 10 seasons, again)

  • Bryant – 292 (33 seasons)
  • Saban – 254 (22 seasons)
  • Spurrier – 208 (23 seasons)
  • Dooley – 201 (25 seasons)
  • Vaught – 190 (25 seasons)

Bowl Wins

  • Saban – 19
  • Bryant – 15
  • Spurrier – 11
  • Vaught – 10
  • Richt and Smart – 9 (T) Note: Dooley had 8, though we need to consider the proliferation of bowl opportunities that existed in the later years

Conference Championships

  • Bryant – 13
  • Saban – 11
  • Vaught – 7
  • Spurrier and Dooley – 6
  • Butts – 4

To the best of my ability, I think that’s right. That’s a lot of stats and data, so you might go with numbers or you might go with feelings.

I would give a nod to Dooley, and while Kirby has had double the success with National Titles, it was a different conference in Dooley’s age and I’ve long held the unpopular opinion that Smart has enjoyed a space of time where Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn have been wretched, and Tech hasn’t been much better in his ten years with the program. I said it’s unpopular, but it’s also true. I love Smart and I love our golden times, but I wonder what happens when these programs correct themselves (note: here’s hoping they never do, fuck ’em) and wonder if Richt would’ve had the success in his days if the SEC East was as terrible as it has become prior to conference expansion (as well as our traditional old West foes).

I’d give a nod to Dooley for a face on the SEC Coaching Mount Rushmore, and a possible fourth, as much as it pains me to say it, to Spurrier, though Vaught has some impressive stats and, hell, he was at Mississippi.

What say you? Who are the four best SEC coaches of all time?

Your G-Day Game Reminder that Auburn Sucks: Adding a Fuzzy Carpet Covering to Grandma’s Toilet Seat Cover

Posted on by

How do you turn a shit house into an outhouse? Easy. Just add some layers and fancy decorations and call it what you will. But it’s still just Jordan-Hare.

Another reminder that today’s your cheapest day to sit and enjoy football in the greatest stadium in the most glorious college town on earth. Get out and touch grass, Refugees.

Go Dawgs.