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Kevin Scarbinsky | Special to AL.com

I'm a former sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and you're right. I'm not from around here, not originally. I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, but I've spent most of my adult life in Alabama. No better place to do what I do.

  • FILE - Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall (14), left, takes the snap from Auburn center Reese Dismukes (50) as the Auburn offense operates against Missouri on the SEC logo during the first half of Auburn's 59-42 win over Missouri in the SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, in Atlanta, Ga. Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 officials are expected to provide the final approval of a $2.8 billion plan that will settle antitrust claims and set the stage for college athletes to start sharing the billions of dollars flowing to their schools. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jason Getz, File)

    On second thought, the SEC shouldn’t want to be the NFL of college football

    Nebraska coach Matt Rhule gave the Big Ten an interesting label. It should be noted, however, that Rhule gets makes his living as a coach not an orator.

  • Auburn coach Hugh Freeze speaks during SEC Football Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel on July 18, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)

    Auburn football’s actions will speak louder than coach Hugh Freeze’s words

    What Freeze didn’t discuss, what he couldn’t say live on the SEC Network, is the biggest reason it’s a good time to be the Auburn football coach, the Auburn football team and the Auburn football program.

  • Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer, left, and former Alabama coach Nick Saban chat after appearing on the set of ESPN's SEC Now during the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

    Alabama may have the perfect coach in Kalen DeBoer and Nick Saban

    Let Saban own the room, make news every time he opines, demonstrate time and again that he’s completely at ease in his new full-time role as the most respected voice in college football. DeBoer, through his staffing, recruiting, game-planning and decision-making, will handle the business on the field in his quietly confident, already successful, non-dictatorial way.

  • South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler responds to questions during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days, Thursday, July 20, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

    Expansion and brisket are on the menu at SEC Media Days

    Hey, Southeastern Conference Media Days kicks off today in Dallas, the Football Capital of the Southwest, so polish your spurs and put your head on a swivel because anything is possible.

  • Georgia head coach Kirby Smart reacts on the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

    With Nick Saban gone, can any SEC coach slow down Kirby Smart?

    Smart and Georgia went back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. If not for Saban, his coaching father and personal white whale, Smart and Dawg Nation likely would have three-peated last season.

  • AUBURN, AL - March 12, 2024 - Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL.

Photo by Austin Perryman

    What precedent says about Auburn football’s prospects in Year 2 under Hugh Freeze

    If the modern history of the other major program is an apt indicator, Freeze’s time to return Auburn football to glory is now.

  • SEC signage at the Littlefield Fountain on the University of Texas campus Sunday during the school's SEC celebration. The Longhorns officially join the SEC on July 1

    Welcome to the SEC, Texas and Oklahoma. Enjoy the party while you can.

    The real Welcome to the SEC moments for Texas and Oklahoma won’t come for some time.

  • Jim Schlossnagle flashes a hook' em sign as he speaks at a news conference after he was introduced as the new NCAA college head baseball coach at Texas, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Austin, Texas. Schlossnagle left rival program Texas A&M. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

    Texas gets up to SEC speed in a hurry with the most dastardly hire in league history

    Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte has reached a level of evil genius unmatched in the SEC since Steve Spurrier doubled as Darth Visor at Florida. The more the Aggies take Jim Schlossnagle’s name in vain, the more the ‘Horns will embrace him, at least until they realize he’s not the second coming of Cliff Gustafson or Augie Garrido.

  • Birmingham A's player Reggie Jackson in 1967 signing an autograph for a boy in the stands at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. (Dave Battle, Birmingham News file)

    Reggie Jackson spoke hard truths at Rickwood, and his story is one we share

    Maybe you didn’t want to hear Reggie Jackson tell his truths about Birmingham during the MLB at Rickwood pregame. Imagine how much Jackson didn’t want to live it at 20 going on 21.

  • A group of Willie Mays Scholars visit a banner of their San Francisco Giants scholarship program's namesake as they tour historic civil rights-era locations in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

    Say hey! Tonight we are all Team Rickwood, the way it always should have been.

    Major League Baseball is here in part because Willie Mays roamed Rickwood. Greatness lived here. So did ignorance.

  • Tennessee's Blake Burke (25) drives in a run against Evansville during an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Scott Keller/The Daily Times via AP)

    Tennessee should win the College World Series, but will Hoover hangover stop Vols short?

    Since 2009, the SEC has won nine of the past 14 Division I baseball titles. Only two of those nine teams won the SEC Tournament before riding the alleged momentum to an NCAA title: LSU in 2009 and Vanderbilt in 2019.

  • UConn head coach Dan Hurley. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

    College sports will be fine with or without UConn’s Danny Hurley

    When are otherwise learned people going to learn? You can’t kill college sports.