On Academics and Southern Logic Fails

While the soap opera that is conference realignment continues, WVU would appear to be in position to move up significantly, improving The University’s position in the football world and securing itself when everything shakes out as far as TV contracts, a college play-off, etc. WVU fans everywhere should trust Oliver Luck, a smart, aggressive businessman who isn’t going to sit around,wait too long to make a move, then end up locked in a ”rivalry” with the University of Ohio.

Word around the Twitters and Internets last weekend had WVU sending papers officially applying to the SEC. It would appear that while the SEC didn’t say no, they need Baylor to stop conference-blocking Texas A & M  before they start adding teams.  I have faith that this will all sort itself out soon and WVU will be the 14th member of the SEC.

The most surprising thing about all the conference talk had nothing to do with the what’s going on in the boardrooms between the various commissioners and AD’s. The most surprising thing was the overall dismissive attitude by the SEC fans and commentators toward WVU. While the on-field merits can at least be debated, although I would argue that we can compete right away,  SEC fans have been hiding behind the thinly veiled excuse of ”academics” as the reason WVU should not be #14. Excuse me? I must’ve forgot that it’s as hard to get into Ole Miss as it is Harvard. I also forgot that academics meant anything in college football. Oh, that’s right, they don’t mean anything. If academics mattered to major college football, Vanderbilt would have a trophy case for something besides debate team championships, math olympics, and a bronzed version of Jay Cutler’s p—y.

Now, I’m not saying WVU is some great academic powerhouse, I mean, they did take me after I had spent the previous 3 years making The Chris Farley E! True Hollywood Story look like an uplifting tale of survival. Like most colleges, they will accept anyone in-state with the minimum test scores and a check.  Is it too easy to get into college in America? Well yes, but that’s another conversation for another day on another blog. The SEC’s fans and supporters (and thats what most mainstream college journalists are, athletic supporters) are using the ”academics” argument to deflect from the fact that a small school in a small state has been somewhere between ”competitive” and ”beating the f— out of them” every time WVU has taken the field with an SEC school. If academics mattered Mississippi State and whatever school Houston Nutt is coaching this week would be playing in the f—ing Sun Belt.

The easiest way to feel like you’ve won an argument is by deflecting the argument and attacking your opponents’ weaknesses. Those  who say WVU doesn’t belong in the SEC due to academics are blind to the weakness of their own institutions. Those who say that WVU’s fan base is too wild should remember that an Alabama fan tried to destroy a Auburn tradition because Cam Newton might’ve gotten paid.  Finally, those who say WVU will not be able to compete on the field should familiarize themselves with John Brantley’s work, the offensive stylings of Houston Nutt, or just watch this video and try to stop shaking long enough to accept the inevitable. See you at SEC Media Days.