Ray Glier

ATLANTA - Urban Meyer turned down lordly Notre Dame for Florida. Les Miles, we think, has turned down Michigan for LSU.

Mark Richt did not want to return to Florida State to replace Bobby Bowden, preferring instead to stay at Georgia. Rich Brooks, once a head coach and defensive coordinator in the NFL, likes it just fine at Kentucky.

Nick Saban hustled himself away from the Miami Dolphins to Alabama. Steve Spurrier escaped the NFL and, as soon as there was an appropriate opening, beat feet to the Southeastern Conference.

Any day now we will read about Joe Pa making discrete inquiries to see if Spurrier has had enough at South Carolina.

Spotted a trend yet? The SEC has more barons than a feudal castle. Four coaches — Meyer, Spurrier, Saban, Phillip Fulmer — have won a national title and a fifth, Tommy Tuberville, sure looked like he had a title team three years ago at Auburn.

And here now comes Bobby Petrino.

Arkansas, by itself, lacks sufficient allure. But Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference has some pull, enough pull for Petrino to walk away from millions of dollars in Atlanta.

Petrino was a terrible communicator and a significant number of the Falcons did not like him. He was also a bold-faced liar who couldn't handle the NFL and he quit. But he is also supposed to be a pretty fair football coach and he couldn’t resist the lure of the SEC ... and it’s money. His $3 million a year salary at Arkansas is a nice sum considering he failed miserably in Atlanta.

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We’ve all seen the movies with the guy on the deserted island waving frantically at a passing plane to swoop in and rescue him. That was Petrino in Atlanta. He was coaching a dreadful team and was begging for a life preserver.

He didn’t want to go just anywhere. He could have faked it for another year in Atlanta and then bolted. But then the SEC, wearing Hog red, came calling and he jumped.

Petrino couldn’t handle the sassy NFL players and his reputation was getting soiled with each embarrassing Falcons' loss. I can bet with certainty they are hoisting champagne glasses in a players' house near the Falcons HQ celebrating his departure, but Petrino is just as gratified to be gone and in the SEC.

It’s where he wanted to be all along. While pledging allegiance to Louisville four years ago he talked with Auburn and almost had that job before somebody’s conscience got in the way of the deal.

Finally, Petrino is in the SEC, which is the next best thing to the NFL.

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In the SEC, the boosters’ pockets are deep, the check books wide open, the talent plentiful. Games are all over the television and the throngs of fans will crown you king … with a few wins.

Just look at the SEC's cache. It is so well thought of that two losses — that’s you LSU — can still get one of its teams in the national championship game.

Personally, I think Arkansas has a lot going for it besides being in the SEC. The facilities, thanks to Frank Broyles, who is a spectacular salesman and fundraiser, are very good. Razorback Stadium (72,000) is recently renovated and glistening.

There is a shining indoor practice facility and a spacious weight room. Arkansas has fully joined the facilities arms race and it might get even more new toys with Broyles out as athletic director and full-time into fund-raising.

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I think the three ACC coaches who turned down the Hogs, Tommy Bowden, Jim Grobe, and Butch Davis (allegedly), knew how good they had it in that basketball league and wanted no part of the SEC. It is a slugfest, pure big boy football. Petrino and his coldness seem to fit right in.

I don’t want to be too dramatic (but let me try) by saying that the BCS national championship game is a big deal for every league not named “SEC.”

Ohio State needs to win.

The SEC is standing in front of the mirror admiring itself, not to mention raking in millions of dollars with its over-emphasis on football. It is getting the biggest recruiting hauls and the best seats at the table. The balance of power is starting to lean a little too much to the south and it’s not a cycle. The Buckeyes better show up and make a statement.

I wanted to write here that Skip Bertman, the LSU athletic director, might be wise not to get too smug with reporters from Michigan when they call about Miles asking if he has heard the rumors his coach might leave. I thought I might tell Skip to sleep with one eye open while he is still the LSU AD because his coach might slip out the back door.

Nah. The SEC has trumped Michigan and Notre Dame and the NFL. Miles and the other barons are right where they want to be. In the seat of power in college football.

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