The 2009 SEC Football Season: In the Rear-View Mirror

Tim Tebow's heralded swan song, Urban Meyer's Brett Favre-like disappearing and reappearing act, movie star Nick Saban (The Blind Side) and the re-emergence of the University of Alabama as a perennial conference power, the irascible, near pimp-like presence of the undeniably brash and dubious, Lane Kiffin, and the continued doubting of the enigmatic, 51-13 (9-3) Les Miles, were just a smattering of the vivid story lines comprising the 2009 season drama of the nation's toughest football conference.

The SEC marched furiously into bowl season with a record ten of 12 teams in postseason play, with its biggest matchup of course being the rosy BCS National Championship in Pasadena, California between the Crimson Tide of Alabama, its most recent champion, and the Longhorns of the University of Texas--a game containing as many interesting matchups as its ubiquitous, storied hype.

In this exclusive piece for TigerDroppings.com, the SEC Football Fanatic Internet equivalent of crack to a junkie lab rat, we'll take a discerning look at all things SEC as we make our ambient holiday trek into the heart of the college football bowl season and beyond. We'll comment on the remaining big SEC bowl game matchups and take a hard look at LSU and the ultra-competitive SEC West for 2010.

Urban Meyer's Strange Behavior

Everyone questioned my earlier indication of Meyer's strange sideline behavior with quarterback Tim Tebow-you know-when he blew him butterfly kisses on his facemask. Regardless of intent, the taped public show of affection was in the least extremely strange behavior for a college football coach. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a subtle harbinger of even weirder happenings.

With his most recent publicity stunt reminiscent of the 1980's ingenious disaster of New Coca-Cola, Meyer has rekindled the vexing concern that he may indeed have health issues--and that they could be more mental than physical. Nevertheless, there are those who contend he's simply petrified of a future at the helm of Florida sans Tebow. Time will tell, but one can only wonder how Coach Urban Meyer and his image will fare when the haloed quarterback with a cape is no longer wearing orange and blue. My guess as he'll appear even more human than he has this past week.

Alabama's Championship Run

The University of Alabama and its unforgiving fan base has waited patiently for January 7, 2010. They have suffered humiliation, loss and utter defeat at the hands of several uninspiring, incompetent coaches leading to their current savior, the revered one, Nick Saban. They, like their early twentieth century counterparts-have an opportunity to bring home pride to the land of Dixie, where old times are not forgotten…like when Alabama Football almost always won and Auburn fans were second best and well knew their rightful place in the state pecking order. Those were the good ole' days in the State of Alabama. Nick Saban, like an old tattered, cherished photograph, has brought them back to those wonderful, Halcyon days of the Bear, when Alabama was feared, Auburn was defeated and all was right in the world of Alabama Football. Glory be to God, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! Roll Tide Roll! It is what it is.

Southeastern Conference Refereeing Problem More Apparent Than Ever

Unfortunately, Alabama's resurgence has happened against the ugly backdrop of what is widely considered to be the worst officiating in decades, as technological innovations like high-definition digital recording devices, YouTube.com, social networking sites like Facebook and email have greatly impacted mainstream multimedia communication and resulting public perception. In short, video evidence now irrefutably supports larger, more insidious conspiracy theories that contend there is a clandestine network of conference officials in Birmingham, political lackeys with Alabama degrees and referees working assiduously behind the scenes to affect an on-field advantage for the Crimson Tide.

It is rumored that these befuddling agents of Crimson have ties to the University of Alabama's notorious "Machine" that rules campus and even bastions of state politics. However, no newspaper or media outlet has ever produced such a story, meaning that it is all hearsay. It is quite laughable, really, as Auburn is just as bit as competitive as Alabama, and has nearly as many alumni and fans throughout the same state system. It would be difficult to believe that Alabama would have a monopoly on official corruption within the conference, although Nick Saban did vociferously defend their salary and apparent stress levels in a recent press conference.

Despite rampant, vocal criticism of obvious officiating problems from the regional and national media, and the paying fans, the conference office did nothing since a series of highly dubious game outcomes this season to improve its waning perception of integrity. The silence is still deafening, especially as Alabama prepares to play for an all-important national championship.

Lane Kiffin: The SEC's Bad Boy Will Only Get Worse

If Lane Kiffin manages to win consistently at Tennessee, his behavior will deteriorate. If he slips and the Vols begin to falter, his behavior will deteriorate. Kiffin seems like a time bomb ready to blow at any minute. Pugnacious and brash seem to be his descriptive traveling companions--ones that override his ability to effectively lead. I don't know if Kiffin and his dad are going to be able to do it in Knoxville. In so many ways they are a huge departure from the Tennessee tradition I remember. I don't know if that will ever be under Kiffin squared.

Miles Mania: Getting Used to a Winner in Baton Rouge

Despite winning more games in five years than his fabled predecessor, Miles is still seen as the idiotic clock manager with a penchant for the wickedly bizarre spoken word. Forget the BCS National Championship, a 51-13 LSU record and a spotless 4-0 bowl game stint. He doesn't eat Little Debbies or star in motion picture films as the Oklahoma State Head Football Coach. In Baton Rouge 9-3 in the nation's toughest conference will only get you to Disney World and Orlando, Florida. For the insatiable LSU Football fan, only Pasadena would suffice. Everything else-like Ole Miss's season, in the end, would be a letdown.

Much of what has happened to Miles in terms of perception is that he has done an exceptionally poor job of clock management. Also, he followed a legend, which is probably the largest contributing factor to his seeming unpopularity.

Miles deserves criticism for the clock and he needs to improve on this important aspect of his coaching repertoire. In terms of following a legend, however, Miles can do nothing about it. He can only continue to try to tenaciously recruit and to win football games, which in a league rife with coaching competitiveness, will require constant innovation.

To his credit Miles has repeatedly demonstrated his ability and open willingness to change. This is the type of managerial behavior that was absent during Gerry Dinardo's embattled coaching tenure. Gerry stuck by Lou "Complete Linebacking" Tepper and it cost him his job. Gerry was too loyal to his pal, Tepper, it turned out.

While I hardly believe that Crowton is anywhere within the dark realm of coaching weakness in which Tepper regularly operated, I do believe he is somewhat compromised. Crowton appears to have lost his luster. This past season his play calling was as glaringly predictable as it was bad. The incorrigible practice of stopping the cadence for everyone to do their best Meerkat Manor impression, was painful to watch as the season progressed and the offense floundered almost predictab