schedule could be changing

[TigerBait3]

There’s a reason the SEC hasn’t released the league schedule for the 2010 season.

That’s because some games could be switching dates.


Charles Bloom, an SEC associate commissioner, said Thursday that the league is trying to provide some relief for Alabama so that the Crimson Tide won't have to play six of their eight conference games next season when the opponent is coming off a bye week.

As it stands now, Alabama’s final six SEC opponents during the 2010 season are scheduled to have bye weeks prior to facing the Crimson Tide.

Those six teams are South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.

Bloom said the entire schedule wouldn’t be torn up to accommodate Alabama, but that a more likelihood scenario was a handful of games moving so that the Crimson Tide wouldn’t have to play so many teams next season on the heels of byes.

“This is something that’s important to the entire league, because nobody wants to be in that same position a year or two from now,” Bloom said. “So we’re looking at a way to balance it out this year and for years to come. The difference is that it might be a little tweak this year with more widespread changes coming in future years.”

Blooms said the league hopes to have any changes finalized for the 2010 season prior to the spring meetings in Destin, Fla., in May.

chris low's blog

[Mike in Memphis]

If we had that situation, I would certainly want some relief.

But you know, since it is Bama and the rest of us have to put up with so many of the Bama fans crowing day in and day out, let's just give in and let then hang out for four months without having to play any games before their appearance to accept the BCS Trophy in the White House or maybe the Vatican would be more appropriate now that Nick is a Saint and has his own statue.

I mean, if you listen to some of the Bama fans who visit TF and that some of us work with, they are now the perennial NC and for eternity every other team in the country is going to do nothing but try to copy them.

[stevescookin]

I got no problem with that.

No one would want that to happen to them. Maybe we should apply for a week off in the West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida stretch...as long as the SEC is in a mood to accommodate Bama's request.

And maybe they should accommodate to all the other teams in the SEC by hiring real competent football officials while they're at it. .

[OkieTiger_KATT]

Originally Posted by stevescookin

And maybe they should accommodate to all the other teams in the SEC by hiring real competent football officials while they're at it. .

seeking miracles now?

[houtiger]

Didn't we play Fla. and Bama after their bye's last season?

I agree, 6 opponents after their bye is a bit much.

[DRC]

You know, Im a gump HATER extraordinaire and my initial thought is FUG EM. Let them deal with the schedule. They are the defending National Champ and everyone is going to be gunning for them anyway. It doesnt bother me if they get their schedule changed but I will be laughing if they get stuck with that crap. It does seem a little weird that over half their opponents get a bye week but its the way the cookie crumbles. Deal with it biotches.

[TheDude]

In a conference full of eternal unfairness, this is pretty high on the got-p****ed meter. I don't like them either but it's a bit much, no?

[TUSKtimes]

Originally Posted by DRC

You know, Im a gump HATER extraordinaire and my initial thought is FUG EM. Let them deal with the schedule. They are the defending National Champ and everyone is going to be gunning for them anyway. It doesnt bother me if they get their schedule changed but I will be laughing if they get stuck with that crap. It does seem a little weird that over half their opponents get a bye week but its the way the cookie crumbles. Deal with it biotches.

The last three years Bama has played 17 teams who have had Bye weeks to get ready for the Tide. LSU I believe was second with 5. I suppose it's a compliment that so many teams pick Bama to be at their best. Some are choosing Bama over their own rivals, unbelievable.

No one is thinking twice about Florida. History is a bummer, no one seems to forget the past. It's going to change soon, you know where the SEC office is?

[LaSalleAve]

Originally Posted by houtiger

Didn't we play Fla. and Bama after their bye's last season?

I agree, 6 opponents after their bye is a bit much.

Yes we did, so Bama should have to at least play UF and LSU coming off our bye weeks.

[LEGACY TIGER]

As much as I hate to admit it, this is only fair to Bama. They should have the same opportunities afforded them as everyone else. To have to play most of your conference schedule against opponents that have had 2 weeks to prepare for you is an unfair disadvantage to them. Also, by it getting fixed now it will prevent this from reoccurring to other teams in the future, which will help us and everyone else.

[RHans405]

Didn't they have a hand at making up their own schedule. I think much of the fault lands in their own yard.

[Deceks7]

They have a bye week before LSU so that would kinda be a wash. Bama's game before AU will be against Georgia State who will be fielding its first team (and taking TWO weeks off to get ready for the Tide). MSU will have played 9 straight weeks before getting a week off before Bama. After that many weeks you can't get too well with a week off.

Also should consider the only road games they have are early in the stretch before they get tired legs. Those games are against SC and UT. Bama get's a bye before they go on the road to LSU. After that they are at Home Sweet Home, where the bye week doesn't benefit the road team as much.

But that doesn't make as good as a story. But to be honest I would be thinking what the hay too.

[tirk]

i would need something to show me playing teams off a bye week is more difficult before i can conclude anything.

[Deceks7]

Originally Posted by tirk

i would need something to show me playing teams off a bye week is more difficult before i can conclude anything.

From what I saw on very little, can't really call it research, was that Home team and Home team coming off a bye was big and bigger.

[LaSalleAve]

why do they get a bye again before playing us. thats some bullchit right there.

[TUSKtimes]

Actually the reason LSU and Alabama have bye weeks before they play each other is because they know it's the biggest game in the west.

It simply isn't fair to have 6 sec teams on our schedule this year chose the Bama game over their rivals.

I don't worry about LSU, Bama also picked the same week. Besides ya'll are family.

[stevescookin]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyDie_4dOdU&feature=related[/media]

[stevescookin]

[TUSKtimes]

So it is true, Pets do resemble their owner.

[HalloweenRun]

Originally Posted by stevescookin

The funniest thing about this picture is that you don't need a freakin caption!!

[red55]

Well, I think scheduling issues like this one are just part of the game, like injuries, bad calls, and weather. A school only gets two byes and many of them are dictated by out-of-conference opponent's schedules and home-and-home arrangements. Few schools have the luxury of choosing more than one open date for strategic reasons and when they do it is natural to pick the major division opponent, especially if its a late season game.

You just have to expect for these things to even themselves out around the league. There is certainly no hint of conspiracy to make life difficult for Bama. If Bama is everything that Bamafans imagine then it should be no surprise to them that multiple opponents want time to prepare for them. That's just what comes from life in the fast lane.

If Bama can be accommodated without hurting any other schools, then that's fine--swap a game or two, as long as you do it for the next team in the same situation. But making a change that hurts an SEC school just to make it easier for another school is a load of crap . . . especially for the defending national champion, who ought to have more swagger than being peeved about this petty business.