Jul 17, 2014; Hoover, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talks to the media during the SEC football media days at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit:
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
SEC sports has had its share of unique figures over the years, but these top 10 figures have had a lasting impact on how the world sees the nation’s top conference, and not always for the best.
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As SEC fans will tell you, the hate of the conference has more to do with it success than anything else, but the conference does have it share of what some perceive as villains. Coaches who are not only successful at what they do, but a bit on the arrogant side when it comes to dealing with the media or even fans.
Current and former players who you love to hate either because of their abilities on the field or because of how the media seemly pushes their agenda and over hyped their popularity. Even members of the media are seen as villains sometimes because of their perceived bias toward the conference.
Over the years, the conference has had it share of interesting personalities that shape the way the SEC is seen by the rest of the college football and basketball world. Most of those personalities have been very positive for the image of the conference.
Figures like Archie Manning, Joe Namath, even former SEC commissioner Mike Slive, all have had a positive impact on the image of the SEC. Before Slive was made commissioner of the league, the SEC had a bad boy image of a bunch of cheaters who would do anything to win, but Slive changed that.
For the most part, most of the teams have stayed out of NCAA trouble and because of it, the league has grown and is considered the best conference in the country; and that’s why they are hated.
You can’t be as successful as the SEC has been over the years and not have a little hate thrown your way, but these 10 figures or in some cases villains, are why the SEC is on the top of everyone’s hate list.
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