As a child growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta and raised by parents who went to the University of Florida, I have been around SEC sports, especially football, all my life. From birth until high school graduation, I received a basic education from ESPN and CBS on how the SEC absolutely dominates Saturday programming in the fall. As a college student who attended Auburn, AKA “The Loveliest Village on the Plains,” I received a more thorough education on what it’s like to be immersed in football tailgates and first-class rowdy gameday atmospheres. Since I graduated from college in the spring of 2020, I knew there were more opportunities to garner SEC football education, but I was unaware of when it would happen due to the worldwide pandemic that ravaged not only our nation, but the world as a whole. When I received word that I would be attending my first ever SEC Media Days, I knew that I had been accepted into the graduate program of the conference that would allow me to be in the presence of some of the greatest minds across college football.
Once I arrived on the premises of the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, and more specifically, the Wynfrey Hotel, I knew that I was going to be in for a thrilling experience that included interviewing some of the biggest personalities in the SEC. Watching SEC Media Days on TV was one thing, but being able to sit in on press conferences mere feet away from some of the most eclectic coaches in the nation was something that I was ecstatic about. I felt official wearing my media credential and sitting in the appropriately titled “Radio Row” which housed various radio stations stretched across the length of the hallway of the Wynfrey Hotel. On the second floor was where the media magic happened in terms of the press conferences and side electronic media sessions, so taking that escalator up there felt like ascending into the upper echelon of SEC media professionals.
To officially start SEC Media Days, Commissioner Greg Sankey stood at the podium overlooking many eager media members as if he was the opening lecturer of the class. He spoke and brought up how things have changed over the past year in terms of the pandemic impacting the normalcy of college football. One recurring theme was Sankey bringing up the classic Bob Dylan song “The Times They Are A Changin” in reference to how life has been altered in every way this past year, from the pandemic to social justice stepping out to the forefront of media coverage everywhere. After Sankey spoke, Florida head coach Dan Mullen came up to the front, where he is always a must watch guy not only for what he says, but also what Jordan’s he is going to wear with his suit. It was fascinating to be in the same room with all the media members and listen in on what questions they were going to ask, from the more serious matters concerning the teams to the lighthearted topics. I enjoyed absorbing all this information and felt as if I had a cheat sheet to use on a later test if I was ever interrogated with questions about what coaches said.
Throughout the week, I listened in on press conferences from Ed Orgeron, with his Cajun friendly grumble of an accent that is sometimes not decipherable, to Nick Saban, who believe it or not, can crack a joke or two with the media, to Auburn’s new head coach Bryan Harsin. Harsin, the former Boise State head coach, always seemed as if he had a militaristic spirit about him that commanded respect from everyone, and I could tell from his press conference that he is a man who is willing to go into as much detail on answers as possible. That militaristic vibe was felt even more when he sat down at our SportsCall table to be interviewed, in which he initially had an intense look about him that reminded me of those strict professors that you don’t ever want to provoke. Overall, the interviews as a whole were really intriguing and it felt euphoric to be able to personally ask questions to people such as former Aints (I mean Saints) and Panthers safety Roman Harper and former Alabama and NFL quarterback Greg McElroy, players I grew up watching on Saturdays and Sundays. They were like the professors who had a whole different career then decided to go into teaching and offer another perspective on subjects that you might not have bothered to think about before.
Last but not least, it was a whole different experience to be at SEC Media Days with the SportsCall team, who are not only co-workers to me, but also like the brothers I never had. This was my first ever road trip with JJ Jackson, Ryan Lavoie, Brooks Childress, and Trovon Reed, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into for this four-day period in Hoover. We shared plenty of laughs and had some topical discussions mixed in as well, just like how when you’re with friends outside of class. I indulged in some great food and great times, including staying in a VRBO rental home that we inhabited from Sunday night until Thursday morning. I was truly blessed to be able to work with them during SEC Media Days and learn from them on how to become a better media personality, whether it be from conducting interviews to making sure to diligently take notes during press conferences.
After departing from SEC Media Days and returning to Auburn, I had felt as if I took a semesterly class that was jam packed with content spanning four days. My notetaking allowed me to really delve into topics that will be discussed throughout the upcoming weeks on SportsCall, and I even got to experience a breaking news scenario when talks of Big 12 powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma expressing their desires to join the SEC sprung out of nowhere and created a media storm that Commissioner Sankey had to weather. It was a rewarding experience to be in the same space as some of the biggest personalities across college football, such as Paul Finebaum and Joe Tessitore, and see their more relaxed and casual side while being interviewed. My knowledge has expanded and allowed me to get even more pumped for the 2021 college football season.
With that being said, I can say I’m a proud graduate of the 2021 SEC Media Days program!
