HOOVER, Ala. — Greg Sankey spent almost 30 minutes on Monday lauding the Southeastern Conference's athletes, coaches -- even professors -- about their commitment to improving the world around them.
The SEC Commissioner spent the next 10 minutes fielding questions about high profile transgressions involving SEC athletes and programs.
The NCAA investigation underway at Ole Miss, the recent Title IX settlement for the University of Tennessee, and the internet infamy of Mississippi State signee Jeffrey Simmons (and the school's reaction) have all provided negative fodder in the 24-hour news cycle. And it provided stark counterpoint to Sankey's reasons-for-optimism state-of-the-conference remarks.
Not that Sankey was all sunshine and rainbows. The Commissioner initiated his time at the podium by acknowledging the tragedies that have dogged the nation in Dallas, Minnesota, Baton Rouge and others.
"The sadness from the past few days remains on all of our minds, and it's appropriate to make that observation up front as it remains in our hearts as well," Sankey said. "This is one of those times in our nation where we weep, we mourn, for those families and cities who have experienced loss."
Sankey followed that with the thoughts of Nelson Mandela that, "sports has the power to change the world." And he enumerated plenty of conference players that are doing their best tp make a positive difference.
As an entity, however, the SEC seems rather to be following the bent of the news than leading it.
Does the SEC have an image problem? One journalist asked the Commissioner:
"I don't think that attaches properly to the entire conference. The body of work of this conference far outweighs those problems, yet we are attentive to those realities," Sankey responded. "We understand when the issues arise, we need to be even more attentive, be that on campus or as a collective group."
In the post-Baylor climate of collegiate sports -- and in the current climate at-large -- that should be the baseline. But Sankey stopped short of announcing any sweeping changes or initiatives designed to further the conference's social bent.
"I know that we will have continuing conversations around those issues. I won't predict outcomes," he said. "And we'll see if that leads to a statement, first from this conference, and if we collectively should say things. I think that might be the next step."
Those conversations and the change that may result have not come quickly or loudly enough for many -- both in the general public and in the media. And yet there were plenty on hand Monday more worried about the state of their team's third string cornerback battle than the overall public image of a sports conference.
In fact, the throngs of jersey-clad fans waiting pen-in-hand in the lobby of Hoover's Wynfrey Hotel made it clear that the SEC is still built on scoreboard success and decades of traditions. And those remain an inexorable pull no matter how many negative headlines or questions created.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/7/421507/opinion-sec-aware-of-issues-but-in-no-hurry-to-lead-off-the-field-changes