The Southeastern Conference has reportedly taken action to potentially expel LSU from the conference entirely. But while many fans are intrigued by the prospect of one of America’s biggest college brands being left out in the cold, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is not impressed – and he’s daring the SEC to try.
On Wednesday’s edition of First Take, with Paul Finebaum as one of the guests, Smith dismissed the idea that the SEC would kick LSU out of the conference. He also dismissed the idea that LSU would in any way be hurt by being kicked out of the conference since every other conference in the country would be eager to bring them into the fold.
“LSU, you want to throw them out the SEC? Go ahead and do it. Watch. They ain’t gonna lose. They’ll be just fine, especially in the age of Lane Kiffin…SEC, sit your (expletive) down,” Smith said.
Finebaum disagreed with Smith to an extent, pointing out that LSU’s expulsion might have less to do with the ramifications for the Tigers and more to about the SEC sending a message to its other members and the rest of college football.
“The SEC can survive and will survive without LSU… this is about the future of college sports right here and the commissioner and 15 other presidents are sending a message,” Finebaum said.
The Future of LSU in the SEC
Finebaum may not see the SEC’s actions as mere “saber rattling,” but most other people do. Even going past the legal ramifications of expelling LSU from the conference under these circumstances, the financials would be a nightmare for the conference.
And with LSU having already finalized its roster to exclude the several NFL players that it tried to bring back, it really seems like it would be a moot point now.
Will the SEC move forward with trying to truly expel LSU from the conference?
