Man in the Hat media

  The Southeastern Conference is set to become the first super conference in the NCAA, if a recent report from the Houston Chronicle   is to be believed. Brent Zwernaman   penned the exclusive report about the potential move of Big 12 heavyweights Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC. As expected with such reporting,  Oklahoma, Texas and the SEC peddled the usual public relations, political "we can neither confirm nor deny your report" line. Reports claim both schools are set to inform the Big 12 of intent to leave. This move would be a landmark move in NCAA football, but it leaves a multitude of questions. From a brand standpoint, it gives the SEC two more historical blue bloods, further expands the TV market into Texas and Oklahoma and adds two of the more profitable properties.  For the two schools, it is a smart business move for them to get in on the SEC profit sharing.  For the purists, this also reignites the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivarly.  But,...

The National Football League has seen a major free agent domino fall. Tom Brady, now formerly of the New England Patriots, has found his new team. A March 18 news confirmed the six-time Super Bowl champ will join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2020 season (assuming the Coronavirus allows for the season). This move adds to the excitment level growing in the Bay. A new, Hall of Fame level QB and new uniforms (that will look more like the Super Bowl winning team) all feels like a fresh start. CBS Sports writer John Breech penned a strong case of the positives of why Brady should go to Tampa, which you can read here. In short: lots of salary cap space, weapons at wide out and tight end, a coach looking to win now and a front office needing a face to put on the franchise that can sell merchandise without much effort. I'd add in Brady gives some stability to a position that has been mediocre at worst and inconsistent at best since, well, its inception in 1976. Yes, Vinn...

The Southeastern Conference is seeing a major upgrade in coaching this offseason, specifically in the Western division. On January 9 it was reported Mike Leach was leaving Washington State for Mississippi State, ending an eight-year run in Pullman with a 55-47 record. Factor in his work at Texas Tech and making that program relevant from 2000-2009, and leadership in Starkville made a great hire. Leach highlights a bevy of coaching moves, joining new Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin (another good hire) and Arkansas' Sam Pittman (a questionable hire). Pittman's hire does look a little better with the addition of Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator, and Auburn adding Chad Morris as its offensive coordinator. On paper the SEC West looks loaded with some strong offensive minds joining the two powerhouses of Alabama and LSU. It also came out that Washington State may not be looking too long, and rumors are Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain is the favorite there. Mc...

Nation, we have a Heisman winner. His name, Joe Burrow...or is it Burreaux? Burrow had a stellar season for the LSU football team. His 4,715 passing yards and nation-leading 48 passing touchdowns made him an easy favorite to win the Heisman trophy. In all honesty, the Heisman award is ridiculous. Not that it honors the nation's top player, no, those gentleman have earned the acclaim. It is merely a vessel to get ratings and eventually give the award to (usually) the quarterback of the best perceived team. In Burrow's defense, he likely is the best QB in the nation. At worst, he is top three and will likely be getting a sizable payday from the NFL in the upcoming draft. So, in honor of the pure jocularity of the award, here are the first, and likely last, annual Lake Report awards for top award-winners deserving of awards. The Brett Favre award Brett Favre is a Hall of Famer from his time with the Green Bay Packers. He was a true gunslinger who would fit in with toda...

It did not take South Carolina head football coach Will Muschamp long to find his new offensive coordinator. David Cloninger of the Charleston Post and Courier posted the break , officially, December 8. The hire is still pending Board of Trustee approval, which is expected to go through the coming Tuesday. After demoting wide receiver coach Bryan McClendon, and firing quarterbacks coach Dan Werner, Muschamp named former Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo to attempt to turn around an anemic offense, and coach quarterbacks. Bobo made his way to Carolina after negotiating his resignation from Colorado State, likely more for State's benefit to lessen the cost of Bobo's reported buyout of $5.5 million . That amount dropped to $3 million if Bobo was let go after December 31. LINK: Bobo headlines possibilities for new South Carolina offensive coordinator The moves also follows a pattern with Muschamp and looking at fellow Georgia alums. Muschamp and Bobo both played fo...

High school football is less than a week away from starting its official "Week 0" contest. And while the South Carolina High School League, with its sometimes baffling decision, hasn't yet released a playoff format for the newly aligned Class 3A division, they have made ruling on where 3A, along with both classes of division 4A, will have its state championship game. According to renowned reporter Jason Gilmer, the weekend of champions is relocating back to the Capital City. Here is his report . South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium As he said, last year's state championships for 3A and 4A were held at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium on the border of Pickens and Oconee counties. The SCHSL has, for once, made a smart decision. This is not a slight against Clemson: There stadium is similar in size to South Carolina's Williams-Brice. The problem, as I touched on in a column when it was announced Clemson was hosting the games, is logi...