AL.com's SEC most influential top 25

[WAR-MATT 2]

Really no arguments with their list except for Mike Slive. What has this guy done?

AL.com

SEC's most influential: The Top 25

Posted by Birmingham News sports staff July 25, 2007 2:00 AM

1. Bear Bryant

Set the standard for college football success by winning 323 games and six national championships. Original bowl powerbroker is still revered by Alabama and college fans 25 years after his death.

2. Adolph Rupp

Put SEC basketball on the map. Created a dynasty with 876 wins, four national titles and 27 SEC titles as Kentucky's legendary coach.

3. Roy Kramer

Most powerful man in college athletics in the 1990s and father of BCS. Oversaw SEC's dynamic growth through its football championship game, expansion and television.

4. General Robert Neyland

Won four national championships and 83 percent of his football games as Tennessee coach. Ushered in era of building gigantic stadiums.

5. Steve Spurrier

Heisman Trophy winner revolutionized SEC offenses while winning big at Florida. Passing became more en vogue in grind-it-out SEC.

6. Pat Summitt

Most successful -- and wealthiest -- women's coach in history of college athletics. Has won seven NCAA basketball titles at Tennessee.

7. Vince Dooley

Successful Georgia football coach and athletics director for 41 years. Helped break NCAA stranglehold on football television rights.

8. Pete Maravich

NCAA's career leading scorer introduced basketball to many SEC fans. Capacity crowds saw the LSU star display a flamboyant style ahead of his time.

9. C.M. Newton

Social reformer in basketball as a coach and administrator at Alabama, Vandy and Kentucky. Hired the first black head basketball coaches at Kentucky.

10. Boyd McWhorter

SEC commissioner when agreement was made to send SEC football champ to Sugar Bowl. Reinstituted men's basketball tournament in 1979 after 27-year layoff.

11. Archie Manning

Ole Miss dual-threat quarterback and father of future SEC stars Peyton and Eli. Still a Southern folk hero.

12. John Vaught

Professional and college football teams still use his variations on offense. Success at Ole Miss credited as stabilizing factor in Mississippi during civil rights movement of 1960s.

13. Herschel Walker

The original blue-chip prospect defined the term "impact freshman." Freshman year at Georgia in 1980 showed talent can trump experience.

14. Bo Jackson

SEC's original Superman in 1980s. Charismatic football and baseball player who won Heisman Trophy. Became immediate marketing star after leaving Auburn.

15. Bernie Moore

Won SEC's first national title, in track at LSU in 1933. Longest-tenured SEC commissioner moved office to Birmingham from Jackson, Miss.

16. Ron Polk

Put SEC baseball on the map and turned sport into a revenue-maker with record crowds at Mississippi State. Antagonist of NCAA.

17. Condredge Holloway

First black quarterback in SEC, guiding Tennessee from 1972 to 1974. Opened up idea blacks could play football's most critical position.

18. Joe Dean Sr.

TV analyst made SEC hoops colorful with "string music." Also was All-SEC basketball player and 14-year athletics director at LSU.

19. Mike Slive

Current SEC commissioner trying to change conference's image as a rogue league. Biggest influence may come in future national playoff.

20. Babe McCarthy

Mississippi State basketball coach snuck team out to face integrated Loyola at 1963 NCAA Tournament. Defied his governor amid racist public pressure.

21. Harvey Schiller

Short tenure as SEC commissioner in late 1980s, but impactful. Had vision for marketing and future SEC expansion.

22. Frank Broyles

Called the Hogs to SEC and spread the gospel of SEC football nationally as broadcaster.

23. Skip Bertman

Won five national baseball championships at LSU. Energized other conference teams in 1990s to compete, creating annual SEC stops in Omaha.

24. Shug Jordan

Put modern Auburn football on the map as its coach with 1957 national title. Raised the stakes for football in the state of Alabama.

25. Jeremy Foley

Quick-trigger athletics director turned Florida into multi-sport dynasty admired nationally. Where will he rank by SEC's 100th year in 2032?

[one 2]

I would think that Dye would be on that list even it is was near the bottom and CTT is not too many years from joining. HE is a major player in influencing the direction of college football among coaches.

[quietfan 233]

Although Charles Barkley was probably more influential in the pros and now than while in college, I'm not sure that I wouldn't have to rank him ahead of some of these names--for his national impact, although perhaps not direct impact on the SEC alone..

Interestingly, if the list was about people with currently influence the SEC, the only non-living person I'd include from this list would be Bear Bryant. He still dominates all thinking in Tuscaloosa