The Commish and ESPN speak

We have arrived at Media Days. It's cold in here.

It's time for The Commish to speak.

YE OLDE COMMISSIONER MIKE SLIVE

• He says: "We could be in a time that will be considered The Golden Age of the SEC."
  
  
• He's noting the league's five national championships. That's Auburn swimming and diving, Florida football, LSU baseball, Georgia gymnastics and ... another one. Can't remember now.
  
  
• One hundred fifty-nine SEC athletes won 51 medals in the Olympics. "If the SEC was a nation, we would have finished fourth in the medal count."
  
  
• Fall games brought in 6.7 million fans last season. Led the nation again.
  
  
• Spring games brought in 450,000 total.
  
  
• League had 37 players drafted in April.
  
  
• "That's the end of the brag pack for the moment."
  
  
• "There is no safe harbor from the economic recession. We're fortunate that the league entered into its new television package when it did."
  
  
• "There is no safe harbor from the technological revolution. We worked hard to retain the conference's digital rights. We are about to launch the SEC Digital Network."
  
  
• He said they're upgrading the SEC's website and lots of that stuff.
  
  
• "Secondary fractions ... are not new to the conference or the NCAA. In the SEC, secondary violations are reported to the conference office. We then review them. Every report is sent to the NCAA for a final review."
  
  
• He acknowledged that some coaches assess situations with a risk-reward approach.
  
  
• "Anytime they commit a secondary violation, they put themselves, the program, the conference and the prospect at risk."
  
  
• "The SEC will be the most widely distributed conference in the nation this year."
  
  
• He's rambling about the television deals.
  
  
  JOHN WILDHACK of ESPN
  
  
• He's reviewing all the stuff I posted yesterday ... ESPN's regional distribution plans for the Saturday morning games.
  
  
• The ESPNU games will be televised in HD, though you may not see them in HD because of your provider's limitations. (I know ESPNU is not in HD on Dish Network.)
  
  
• "No games will go untelevised."
  
  
• They're going to create the "SEC Academic Network" ... using ESPN360 technology, they'll launch a site that promotes academic endeavors. (Seriously?)
  
  
• They're showing a video promoting the ESPN/SEC partnership. The montage included a shot of Tommy Tuberville's mug. How long ago this video was produced?
  
  THAT'S A WRAP. Next up: Robert "Bob" Petrino