Moving the Arkansas-SC is often thrown around as a “solution”. Arkansas set up a schedule that was favorable to them, taking the bye after playing ‘Bama and Florida, so they could heal up for a streak of very important winnable games (that they really don’t have any leeway for losing) and then scheduling a non-con against UTEP late in the season. If the Ark-SC game is moved, that will give the Razorbacks a streak of 7 straight games against DI competition (6 SEC and TAMU) and stick their bye before UTEP. Considering part ’Bama’s complaint is that they have to deal with a 5-game streak, it’s pretty unfair to ask someone else to take on a 7-game streak. Surely you agree?

It may be plenty of time for the teams; I have no idea. Have you ever tried to get a room in Athens for a game? I just glanced at Expedia.com — booked solid for the Tennessee game weekend. I’m sure it’s similarly difficult in Tuscaloosa.

I hope they can work something out in Birmingham without too much of a disruption, but thousands tens of hundreds of thousands of people already have made plans. I wasn’t planning on going to Starkville this year, but I know lots of people who already made arrangements for a visit to Keeneland since the trip to Lexington finally falls at a suitable time, and there will be quite an uproar if that game gets moved outside the fall stakes.

I didn’t say Alabama wasn’t doing it without dignity, just that the fans in general (not calling any of you out specifically, so don’t make it personal) were doing it without dignity. Also, I was arguing that its not fair to other teams and their fans, not just that it is inconvenient.

Once the School and the League office sign off on a schedule and it is released to the public, its official. At that point, OOC teams have been booked and contracts signed, fans have made plans, Athletic departments book logistics for the team and all those that have to travel with the team, etc. Is Alabama willing to pay the cancellation fees for the charter flights and hotels that the other teams have to pay, I doubt it.

But the money isn’t even the major concern here, Alabama has a schedule problem, has brought to the attention of the league, the league as agreed to make sure that it doesn’t happen again, and that should be the end of it. Many of the league OOC games are historical rivals and happen at the same time every year. Its not that far fetched to think that if Alabama looked at the conference schedule and saw that so many teams had no SEC opponent before the game with Alabama, they should have voiced their concerns then. Now the schedule is set, so play it.

… that seems to be the unofficial line from Bama, that schedules are not official and all games are subject to change. OK, let’s grant that premise. Has the SEC ever changed its schedule less than six months before the season is to begin?

I’ve looked online and can’t find any reference to a schedule change similar to one being asked for, not to say it hasn’t happened. But I can’t remember it ever happening and I can’t find any reference to it. Maybe you can, I’d be curious to see if it ever has happened and if so why (I am exculding inseason changes like LSU’s hurricane seasons or 9/11). I did find a reference to the Big Ten moving a game from Friday to Saturday to protect high school football, but not a move to a new weekend.

I do think changing the schedule this late is an extraordinary remedy. It’s not impossible, but it certainly will create some logistical issues. And the question is whether its worth the trouble. I mean, the defending national champion having a schedule that’s too tough doesn’t seem like a compelling reason for such an extraordinary remedy.

And I was making clear that I wasn’t just promoting this because I don’t agree with changing the schedules. In other words, wanted to make sure I was being “fair” to Alabama. If you guys don’t want to respond, I don’t mind.

we played our schedule and fixed the problem by working the issue into the new schedules as they were created, not asking the rest of the league to change their schedule after the fact. That is the difference. I am sorry if you can’t see that.

… in the upper right hand of your keyboard. It will say “Delete” or “Del.” Ironically, it would have let you clear up that mistaken analogy before sending it out.

As far as how is it acting on behalf of all 12 teams: all 12 concurred that something should be done if possible. Is that a case of all of them then whispering to themselves “as long as it doesn’t affect me?” Possibly.

I’ve not heard a peep from any other coaches, players, ADs etc. The only response we’ve gotten was from the league, which acknowledged it was a problem, and from the other ADs, who, to a man, agreed with our position and the league.

Like I said, it’s the silly season, and efforts to correct this have been in the works since December.