your Friday links: the SEC beckons

As I type this, we're toggling Ole Miss-South Carolina with the season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy," which is either the best or the worst chick drama on television (and I can't figure out which one). There's definitely an awful lot of crying. This much I know.
(I'm almost certain I'm talking about the TV show.)

[EDIT: I'm finishing this on Friday morning, after the game has already been decided, and Ole Miss has already very publicly fallen from grace. I've said it all along, but I'll say it again: this, Reb fans, is what you got when you signed up for the Houston Nutt bandwagon. Week-to-week, he's the most erratic football coach I've ever seen. And last night he and his staff were brutal (repeat: BRUTAL), with the microcosmic moment coming on the final fourth-down play, a fourth-and-12 — the Rebs called timeout (their last) to set up the play, then had to take ANOTHER five-yard penalty because they came out of the huddle with 12 people. That's embarrassing, frankly.]

Anyway, I owe you guys some links because it's a Friday and that's what we do here. Before we get to those, here's a ubiquitous video of Nick Saban pandering to ESPN.



I like to think he took a shower immediately following that shoot.

— RBR spent this week discussing things with the other side: here's the boys' interview with Razorback Expats; and here's their interview in return.
— Individual features: al.com sits down with Mt. Cody (a treacherous proposition); and Chris Low talks about the maturation of Marcel Dareus. Also, Brent at 8Box discusses Ryan Mallett, Arkansas QB.
— Speaking of that, Tidesports takes a look at 'Bama's running game, which is, obviously, the bellcow for the team. One wrinkle for Saturday: there's rain in the forecast, which may not help us as much as you'd think — it's harder for the DBs to cut on a dime if the surface is sloppy. But we'll see.
— Prior to the 2005 season, I wrote a column proclaiming Alabama's need to defend its home turf if it wanted to return to the ranks of college football's elite. Apparently this has become a theme in Tuscaloosa.
— That first blockbuster signing class of the Saban era, the one that inspired the fan base to start wearing hilariously dumb t-shirts ... those guys, it turns out, are as good as advertised. And that's quite a statement to make less than two years into their time in Tuscaloosa.

— Random other assorted items: Mr. CFB makes his Friday forecast; and Ron Higgins says the SEC should provide more blockbuster matchups for its fans.