SEC Presidents Pass New Rules at Conference Meetings in Destin

Listen, there is a reason these players want to transfer.

I understand all the concerns about this decision, I was against the transfer rule in the beginning.

The more I think about it though, do you really want someone on the team who doesn’t want to be there? Anyone who is unhappy with their state in life is usually negative and affects those around them.

Give me players who want to compete and are ready to be the next man up, like the linebacker corp last season.

Those who who want to transfer will bring that same mentality and attitude to their new team.

As CNS said we now have free agency in the SEC, he is one of the few with NFL experience and the best talent evaluator in the business, so he will benefit from this system.
I’m sure he already has an analyst putting together a list of potential transfer candidates.

Let’s not forget the players will recruit for the team too. Need a DB? Get in touch with an old teammate and remind him how many former Alabama DBs are in the NFL. Tell him you have a chance to win a National Chanpionship while you are here too. LOL

When all is said and done Saban will be playing the rest of the SEC like a fiddle and there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I hope this doesn’t affect the time in which we graduate these men. I personally think the kids Saban recruits want to achieve and graduate sooner rather than later.

Even if our opponent has inside information, they still have to match our talent and coaching. Don’t think Malzan or Pruitt are there yet or will be ever.

Interestingly, this allows the possibility of recruiting within the rosters of other competing SEC schools. Should be better than a JUCO transfer. I don’t think this is what they intended.

KrAzY3 said:

Smith made it clear he was talking to a Georgia coach (Tucker) prior to trying to transfer there. Or does the release and the block that Alabama had in place not equate to the same thing?


It isn't a good rule though. I mean Saban explained it, it's a commitment and should have consequences. This just erodes that.

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With Smith the official line from him and GA is that they never spoke until Alabama granted him the graduate transfer. They did talk before the SEC allowed the intraconference transfer, but I don't think that is considered tampering. But we all know that he only wanted the transfer because the discussions started earlier. We just can't prove it.

As for the rule change being good or bad - I can see lots of arguments on both sides. It probably means that the rule is both good and bad.

CrimsonPaul said:

I'm sorry but this rule completely ignores the condition of allowing the new team to grill the transfer to glean any information on plays, personnel changes, etc. Any team should have the right to restrict transfers from going to any future opponent.

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This keeps being thrown around but I’m just reminded that CNS is 11-0 against his former assistants. Most of them have been around him way longer than any player has, and would know his playbook and tendencies a lot more extensively. I just don’t see it biting us that way, and in fact I see it more having the opposite effect if we get an Auburn transfer or something. I think CNS is like Belichick in that he can build a championship team with everybody’s trash before 90% of the league can build a championship team with the top recruits.

81usaf92 said:

This keeps being thrown around but I’m just reminded that CNS is 11-0 against his former assistants. Most of them have been around him way longer than any player has, and would know his playbook and tendencies a lot more extensively. I just don’t see it biting us that way

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I agree - SEC teams already have Alabama's play book and know your tendencies - especially the teams that you play every year. I think that it comes down to two things:

* It weakens Alabama to lose solid back-up players. Injuries happen, and quality depth is important.
* It strengthens your opponents. Not only is Alabama weaker, but these players might very well be starters for these schools. No team wants to see their opponents made stronger.

So, yes, schools have solid reasons to not want players to transfer to a team on their schedule, but it is because of the double whammy. If they were to transfer to a school not on your schedule you might still be weaker, but you would not have to face the team strengthened by the player who left.

• Artificial noise shall not be used from time center touches the ball [previously ‘took his place over ball’]

If I am ringing my cowbell and can't see what the center is doing …… My view is blocked, what then? This is another rule that will not EVER be enforced.

81usaf92 said:

This keeps being thrown around but I’m just reminded that CNS is 11-0 against his former assistants. Most of them have been around him way longer than any player has, and would know his playbook and tendencies a lot more extensively. I just don’t see it biting us that way, and in fact I see it more having the opposite effect if we get an Auburn transfer or something. I think CNS is like Belichick in that he can build a championship team with everybody’s trash before 90% of the league can build a championship team with the top recruits.

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YAHTZI!!!

Just read my signature quote. That's what makes Alabama "Alabama"

CNS and the University will win more than lose on this issue. I'm not concerned.

RTR!!!

Is Mississippi State's exemption from the artificial noise rule still in place? When first passed, they were given an exemption for cowbells because of the tradition. That, and they didn't have enough fans at games then to make a difference I guess.

I heard someone say this over the weekend and pretty much agree with it. Alabama will lose the most players to this rule than any other program in the SEC but they will be mostly role players (i.e. Maurice Smith, Brandon Kennedy) who will contribute but not make a big impact on their new team. However, the players that come to Alabama via this rule, will be major contributors on championship teams..

IMO, there is the potential for this to be a problem for Alabama because of the loss of very good backups who may be eventual starters, e.g., Kennedy. No one has as many of these as Alabama. CNS is clever, but there could be a limit.

But I think the there are more subtle issues to which CNS is referring and they may affect kids at any place. There are numerous kids who consider transferring a school when things don't go their way (one reason why the Tua "misgiving" issue didn't bother me, it happens all of the time). But because of the previous rules to discourage it they were much less likely. Now it may be much easier to "quit" because of the rules and because the stigma has been mostly removed. Coaches may be more likely to coach "scared" not wanting to offend "important" players. Who knows what else? None of this may come to pass or all and more - we will see. But I think this is what CNS is more concerned about. Authority can certainly be abused, but it is still a very important concept in human endeavor.

KrAzY3 said:

Smith made it clear he was talking to a Georgia coach (Tucker) prior to trying to transfer there. Or does the release and the block that Alabama had in place not equate to the same thing?


It isn't a good rule though. I mean Saban explained it, it's a commitment and should have consequences. This just erodes that.

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I get where you are coming from. I even agree to an extent. But how many of us really knew what we wanted to do or made the best decisions when we were 17? I doubt many at all can claim that to be true of themselves. Always try to keep in mind that these are kids we are talking about here. Kids with the potential for a very bright future that, if they should fail to realize that potential, could result in a bleak future instead. We can argue all day about whether that bleakness is a result of them failing to take advantage of the other opportunity(free college education) in front of them or not. But in the end, that doesn't matter. We all should want each and every kid in the next generation to be as successful as possible, athlete or not, regardless of where they went to school. Why try to thwart that because some 16 year old kid believed he was the next Deion Sanders and took the scholarship to a football factory that didn't offer a degree in the one thing that might have gotten his interest? There are all sorts of good reasons for kids to want to transfer. At the end of the day, it is their choice. I do think there needs to be some scholarship restriction for them though. Or a payback to the school that they are transferring from. Though I am not sure how that would work.

BamaInBham said:

IMO, there is the potential for this to be a problem for Alabama because of the loss of very good backups who may be eventual starters, e.g., Kennedy. No one has as many of these as Alabama. CNS is clever, but there could be a limit.

But I think the there are more subtle issues to which CNS is referring and they may affect kids at any place. There are numerous kids who consider transferring a school when things don't go their way (one reason why the Tua "misgiving" issue didn't bother me, it happens all of the time). But because of the previous rules to discourage it they were much less likely. Now it may be much easier to "quit" because of the rules and because the stigma has been mostly removed. Coaches may be more likely to coach "scared" not wanting to offend "important" players. Who knows what else? None of this may come to pass or all and more - we will see. But I think this is what CNS is more concerned about. Authority can certainly be abused, but it is still a very important concept in human endeavor.

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But this is talking about graduate transfers not regular transfers.

B1GTide said:

• Artificial noise shall not be used from time center touches the ball [previously ‘took his place over ball’]

This one has been on the books for decades and is ignored by every program.

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Except Mississippi State lol

TIDE-HSV said:

Beat me to it. If these guys are still backups after graduation, they're likely always going to be backups...

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True. But who says backups will be the only ones transferring? Always possible we could see would-be starters transferring for any number of reasons as well. Maybe they are a RB in a pass-heavy team and want more carries to build a good highlight reel to get drafted or something along that line as well. Again, I am not taking a stand against the rule. I am just trying to think of it from each side of the argument.

RedWave said:

True. But who says backups will be the only ones transferring? Always possible we could see would-be starters transferring for any number of reasons as well. Maybe they are a RB in a pass-heavy team and want more carries to build a good highlight reel to get drafted or something along that line as well. Again, I am not taking a stand against the rule. I am just trying to think of it from each side of the argument.

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3-4 years is enough to know if/how much you are going to play.

B1GTide said:

I really hate "slippery slope" arguments. If this is a good rule, it is a good rule. If it is not, it is not.

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"Slippery Slope" arguments are generally SOUND arguments. It's human nature and it's evident in MANY facets of human life. I won't go into specifics outside of sports because it will hurt feelings and violate board rules.

Suffice to say - Consider, for example, that every "Playoff" in every major sport in America (that's been around for more than 5-6 years) has increased in size since it began. - Even MLB. Why? Money. the NZAA Men's basketball tournament started with EIGHT teams, and the "promise" that it would never be used to diminish the primacy of Conference Titles.
Last time I checked, they argue every year that 64 or 65 or whatever is NOT enough.....

This transfer rule will be the same thing.
Next, it will be athletes in the Plus side of "Progress toward Degree" metrics.
Then it will be athletes "In good academic standing",
Then it will be anyone.

A Linebacker or DB gets benched for cutting classes? Buh-Bye!
Basketball player thinks he's not getting enough minutes? See Ya!
Baseball player doesn't get along with the batting coach? Hasta la Vista, Baby!

Successful programs in EVERY Sport will abuse, err.... I mean "Utilize" the daylights out of this - and I expect Alabama to be no exception. Make no mistake - If Kirby Smart proposed this rule, he's ALREADY got a list of players at Alabama and other SEC schools that will suddenly realize (for no particular reason, OF COURSE) they want to transfer to UGa......

I'd be shocked if Coach Saban doesn't already have Analysts working on a list. And I sure HOPE Johnson, Bohanan, Waters, Duckworth, etc. are working on their lists too!!!

B1GTide said:

• Artificial noise shall not be used from time center touches the ball [previously ‘took his place over ball’]

This one has been on the books for decades and is ignored by every program.

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It’s a lost cause. MSU isn’t going to stop until there are thorough bag and cavity checks.

Technically there is ( or was) a rule that the crowd can’t be too loud. I’ve only heard an opposing team try to enforce it once, and it didn’t go over too well.

RedWave said:

I get where you are coming from. I even agree to an extent. But how many of us really knew what we wanted to do or made the best decisions when we were 17? I doubt many at all can claim that to be true of themselves. Always try to keep in mind that these are kids we are talking about here. Kids with the potential for a very bright future that, if they should fail to realize that potential, could result in a bleak future instead. We can argue all day about whether that bleakness is a result of them failing to take advantage of the other opportunity(free college education) in front of them or not. But in the end, that doesn't matter. We all should want each and every kid in the next generation to be as successful as possible, athlete or not, regardless of where they went to school. Why try to thwart that because some 16 year old kid believed he was the next Deion Sanders and took the scholarship to a football factory that didn't offer a degree in the one thing that might have gotten his interest? There are all sorts of good reasons for kids to want to transfer. At the end of the day, it is their choice. I do think there needs to be some scholarship restriction for them though. Or a payback to the school that they are transferring from. Though I am not sure how that would work.

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FWIW, I'm ALL FOR letting athletes Transfer. I agree there are many legitimate reasons to do do, and many times it's a good thing for the individual.

I just don't see the great "Crime" in asking them to sit one year before transferring WITHIN the Conference.