SEC Network Launches: Millions of Southerners Won't Leave Home Til January

As many of you know to us who live in the Southeastern U.S, College Football is a fairly big deal. It's truly a year around sport and anywhere from Texas to South Carolina, you'll find a ton of people who don't now how to converse about anything other that football.

And Thursday evening with great fanfare in some places and zero fanfare in others, ESPN launched their SEC TV Network.

The "Network" will deliver non-stop SEC sports to hungry masses clamoring for all things gymnastics.

Here's your opening segment:



And yes, they'll have a few football games.

Heck, they even have their own "Gameday" crew. And it will be really interesting to see what happens on the day the big "College Gameday" crew shows up at the same place the "SEC" crew does.

Admittedly we got some laughs based on the Social Media posts of some of our friends lauding the launch quite possibly without knowing they'll have an endless run of Paul Finebaum quotes and smiling Tim Tebow as the faces of their so-called network. And perhaps not realizing that the better SEC games will still appear on CBS or on ESPN the Mothership. But that's another story for another day.

And for the rest of you who are not quite so enthused or don't talk SEC football 24/7, 365 days a year just remember when your cable or satellite bill goes up at the end of the year, you can thank your friends on "The Network". And never forget our friends at the 4-letter also are the creators of the incredibly popular Longhorn Network.

If you are wondering about the stellar-ific programming, look no further than this SEC feature on stadium renovations:

Auburn Tree Poisoner Updyke To Be Released Monday

Updyke's Booking Photo

((ht: al.com))

So, he's apparently done his jail time, but the crime is one that can't be taken back.

Harvey Updyke, the man convicted of poisoning the gigantic oak trees at Toomers Corner, an Auburn tradition, will be released from jail on Monday. He had initially pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful damage of an animal or crop facility as part of a plea agreement with county prosecutors.

Updyke has spent the remainder of his 6-month jail sentence in prison at the Lee County jail. The jail sentence was part of a 3-year split sentence. He'll also be on supervised probation for the next 5-years. His supervision will probably be transferred to Louisiana where he is living with family.

Read the full story from AL.com RIGHT HERE

You'll recall Updyke apparently poisoned the trees sometime after the 2010 Iron Bowl and then called Paul Finebaum's radio show and admitted to it.


It took some time for the case to come to trial, but he was finally sentenced on March 2013 of this year after cutting a plea deal with prosecutors.

Words cannot describe the outrage of Auburn alumni and in this case, the entire state of Alabama. As part of his probation, Updyke will not be allowed even remotely near the Auburn campus, he can't attend any sporting event, can't talk with the media, and has a 7PM curfew.

The HQ thinks two or three of the parameters will broken within a year of his release. And Lee County (AL) prosecutors are still trying to figure out the whole million-dollar restitution thing...

Reports: ESPN Mass Layoffs: "To Meet Profit Margins"

ESPN Should Fire This Guy Instead

((ht: deadspin.com))

God bless corporate america. The only place in the world where it's not enough to make money, you have to increase your profit margin each year...or you are considered a failure.

And we wonder why the rich get richer...

Anyway.....

Deadspin and other outlets report ESPN, your Entertainment and Sports Programming leader is taking a  deep ax to personnel today. And while not confirming numbers, it's believed to be in the 100's for a company of 7,000.

This on the heels of signing Paul Finebaum, beginning and laying out cash for the SEC Network and securing the rights to the U.S Tennis Open for 50% more than previous rights holder CBS was paying for it.

Oh, and did we add they aer about to debut a new $125 million new set?

ESPN did confirm layoffs to Deadspin, the report RIGHT HERE

And no, right wing friends, it's not about the number of layoffs being minimal. Companies aren't obligated to keep what they consider a bloated staff, no, we get that and yeah, it is their right.

The issue we have with this is good people being sent to the unemployment line while the CEO's and Executive's line their pockets with BONUS money for meeting a "Profit Margin".

We are often critical of the 4-Letter and we believe its with good reason. They've managed to swallow up the rights to almost every major sport and have convinced a uniformed majority of the public that they are IT when it comes to Sports Journalism.

They aren't. This is a Network that sold their souls to people like Skip Bayless and endless alienated many viewers with non-stop coverage of Tim Tebow. This is a network that values what they call debate and what the rest of us in the TV business calls trolling.

And they still roll on. And the executives will still get their bonuses for meeting budget.

Paul Finebaum Resurfaces at ESPN

((ht: onlinewsj.com))

So, the voice of the common Alabamian in football has a new home.

And no, it's lot on the local airways in Birmingham.

The guy who a few years ago, we didn't know who he was, is now going big time. Yes, that's right, Paul Finebaum will now be an ESPN personality.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Finebaum will take his show to Charlotte, North Carolina where he'll host a show on ESPN radio.

In addition, his deal provides him 100 TV appearances on the network and his radio show appearing as a Video Simulcast on the SEC Network.

Guess that answers one question about the SEC Network's programming.

Read more from the Wall Street Journal RIGHT HERE

Yes, we confess, some 3-years ago, we had no earthly idea who Finebaum was after stumbling upon a story where he claimed Georgia coach Mark Richt would be imminently fired. By the way, it never happened.

For those unfamiliar, Finebaum plays very hard and well to the SEC and in particular Alabama football fans sometimes irrational and aggravating, non-stop obsession with everything football.

And that is who ESPN is trying to target.

We can't say we'll tune into Finebaum's show, we still consider him a bit of a blowhard who randomly floats rumors, but then again, that's what plays these days.paul f

DEVELOPING: Updyke Takes Plea Deal

((HT: WSFA-TV))

A month before the Auburn University spring game and the last time that the community will be able to roll Toomer's Oaks before their removal, Harvey Updyke has taken a plea deal in the poisoning of the trees with Spike 80-DF.

As a result, Updyke will be sentenced to three years in jail- entering a plea of guilty to Criminal Damage to an Agriculture Facility, a class C felony, but he should remain in jail for a period at least six months.

After his release, Updyke will be under supervised probation for five years, he will be required to stick to a 7PM curfew, and he can't attend any college sporting event. He is also banned from going to anything "Auburn"- not that they would let him into anything in the first place...

He is also under a media gag order...
And that will be interesting as to whether or not he'll stick to that one...

Restitution costs have not yet been determined, Lee County (AL) District Attorney Robbie Treese said at a press conference. But he added that whatever the cost is, it will be doubled under the Alabama Farm Animal, Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act.

Kinda like an anti-trust case...

"We have a significant number of violent felonies awaiting trial in Lee County," DA Treese said, "and I could not in good conscience justify financing a three week trial merely to arrive at no better a resolution."

Here's the phone call that started it all...
((HT: PFRN))


Here's the latest from Montgomery...
((HT: WSFA-TV))
WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

More when we know more...

PAWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! Your Contract's Not Renewed...

((HT: Trussville Tribune Newspaper))

Paul Finebaum and his number two of operations, Ryan Haney, let their contracts expire at midnight and people will not be able to hear his show for further notice.

The Paul Finebaum Radio Network is now, supposedly, weighing its options...

Stay with Sirius/XM, go to Birmingham competitor 97.3TheZone, ESPN, or some combination therein. Finebaum had been with WJOX since 2007 and has been courted by The Zone for over a year...

Most folks in the national Paul Finebaum era know his show for this revelation...
((HT: youtube/PFRN))


More when we know more...