The S(issy)EC

 Somewhere out there, Directional Hyphen Tech just drew a huge sigh of relief. The bank is still open.

Which is to say, the Directionals and Whatsamatta U.'s of the college football world will still get their full complement of guarantee football games against the mighty SEC, and that means women's field hockey is safe. Or wrestling, or tennis, or any other (quote) non-revenue (unquote) sport starvin' for a budget.

Getting bashed for cash against the Power 5s, see, is how the Directionals keep those programs afloat, or at the very least helps enormously. It's why my alma mater, Ball State, is playing Kentucky and Georgia back-to-back this fall. They may need a shovel to scoop up the remains, but the athletic department will appreciate the sacrifice.

Appreciated, also, is the SEC's lily-livered-ness. Because that's what will keep those games on the schedule.

The SEC this week thought about expanding the conference schedule to nine games, and then chickened out. They'll stick with eight even though the conference has grown to 16 schools, preserving most traditional rivalries and also the empty calories.

Heaven forbid Nick Saban go without Florida Alphabet or When In Rome (Ga.) Polytechnical. The breathers matter, too, after all.

You can re-christen the SEC the S(issy)EC for that, if you like, and you wouldn't be wrong. But if you look at it from a Ball State's viewpoint, you're grateful for the wimp-out.

Thanks, guys. Now let's get this slaughter started.