SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is trolling the Pac-12 and other Power Five conferences
The Big Ten and Big 12 have just expanded in ways which shatter notions of geographical balance and regional identity. The Big Ten adding Oregon and Washington destroys the map, as does the Big 12’s addition of the Arizona schools to a conference which has West Virginia and Iowa State as members.
While geography becomes less relevant in shaping the conferences, one conference has not expanded beyond its natural footprint. The Southeastern Conference has a membership group which — with the possible sole exception of Texas A&M (being near Houston in what might technically be the Southwest instead of the Southeast) — is truly southern in terms of geography. It’s true that Kentucky to Florida is a relatively long commute, but those two states are both still part of the South. The northern part of the SEC is still Southern in character.
It’s a point of pride in the SEC, as are the national championships the conference keeps winning in college football. When a conference sees the geography-changing moves occurring all around it — and when it sees the ACC considering Stanford and Cal — it is going to have a good chuckle.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey wanted everyone to know how stable and strong the SEC is earlier this week, sending a not-so-subtle message to the Big Ten, the Big 12, the ACC, and the Pac-12, as they all try to rearrange themselves in ways which make no coherent geographical sense.
It’s a way for the SEC to remind everyone who’s boss.
See how everyone reacted to Sankey’s comments on social media:
CLICK, CLACK
"We don’t need to be in four time zones to generate interest," SEC commish Greg Sankey says on Finebaum.
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) August 8, 2023
BOOM
Shots fired https://t.co/DZHNBwol7b
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) August 8, 2023
AND GEORGIA
When you have Alabama it moves the needle https://t.co/NlbqiuCw8x
— GTUCK (@tucker_garrett1) August 8, 2023
MIC DROP
Let ‘em know Greg! https://t.co/XbxUjLCVTg
— 2020 NBA Champ (@_nupeX6_) August 9, 2023
ROASTED
savage https://t.co/IHiUz40udl
— Jonesyful (@Jonesyful) August 8, 2023
SEC FANS LOVE THIS
https://t.co/FITq3KFV2g pic.twitter.com/EdFEMELxft
— 🇺🇸 Just My Opinion 🇺🇸 (@JustMyOpinions4) August 8, 2023
THE AUDIENCE IS SUPPORTIVE
Loooooooool https://t.co/IvriRZe8k4
— DARSH (@UnlimitedDarsh) August 8, 2023
BIG TEN AND BIG 12 SHOULDN'T CARE
Enormous amount of shade thrown at the Big Ten Conference by the SEC Commissioner. The Big Ten should respond by grabbing Missouri. And they should also grab Kansas from the Big XII while they are at it for basketball programming. https://t.co/pyu9gKIMXj
— Billy Coby (@123herecomesbc) August 8, 2023
DEFINITELY
Is this a drop 🎤 from Sankey? Geez. https://t.co/c7y93HZJWT
— Garrett Kee (@GKee23) August 9, 2023
SIMPLE
N other words 👀damn y’all https://t.co/JRUwf22yzy
— Jerome from B'ham 🥋 (@JeromeFromBham) August 8, 2023
ARIZONA SCHOOLS ARE ON PACIFIC TIME HALF THE YEAR, THOUGH
His point is pretty obvious but allow me to be pedantic: Just did a quick look at a time zone map and the B1G will be in three time zones, as will the B12. B1G skips any MT teams and the B12 doesn't actually have any on PT, funnily enough. https://t.co/Dt4OsMGzh9
— Andrew E. Graham 🫡 (@AndrewEdGraham) August 8, 2023
BIG FLEX
Such a flex, and 100% right. https://t.co/9vbXBPkdV7
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) August 8, 2023
HA!
All SEC fans watching B1G football at 10:00 PM EST https://t.co/ffCKgY2L81
— Hass (@hass54) August 9, 2023
TALK THE TALK
😳.. Talk your ish, Commish https://t.co/YpNaRagZGF
— Willie D (@IamWilliamDavis) August 9, 2023
IT'S TRUE
Preach Greg preach. Every conference is trying to keep with the #SEC https://t.co/3Y5GSoE1C4
— Randy L Jackson (@RandyLJackson2) August 9, 2023
SEC MUSCLE
“We don’t need to be in four time zones to generate interest on the west coast.” — Greg Sankey on @finebaum pic.twitter.com/VovrNVpXTe
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) August 8, 2023
IS IT SANKEY'S FAULT?
Maybe the Big Ten and Big 12 wouldn’t have had to do that had you not destroyed the balance of college athletics, sparky. https://t.co/1uOGsl7ubj
— Quinn Douglas (@Quinn_Douglas_) August 8, 2023
POWER BROKER
Hahaha Sankey is something, man. https://t.co/PsVMFs32YB
— A Friend of the Program (@TheFOTP) August 8, 2023
PREMIUM
This that Grade A chimney smoke right here. https://t.co/DzqvsjkAAx
— Kevin Batiste (@KBatisteJr) August 8, 2023
MORE ONE-LINERS
IT. JUST. MEANS. MORE. https://t.co/QJeZPgq69K
— Trey (@TreySko_) August 8, 2023
AND THE BIG 12 TOO
Shots fired at B1G lol https://t.co/5i80cjaNLp
— D0ugBr0wn (@Br0wnD0ug) August 8, 2023