Day after day, hour after hour, the SEC media days practically droned on.

While it was worth being there -- almost everyone is starved for some football news -- it became a bit tedious, and part of that may be that the SEC changed the format. Instead of cramming 14 coaches, 42 players and other speakers into three days, it did it over four days.

Mostly, though, it was because the SEC doesn't have a superstar this season.

It is a coach's league where a $6 million per year contract has become less than surprising, and that particular coach, Alabama's Nick Saban, brings in more than 10 times his salary in paraphernalia sales, donations and ticket sales. So it's hard to argue that he is overpaid to teach kids to block and tackle.

However, there was no Johnny Football to spice up the week. No Tim Tebow. Not even a Darren McFadden.

The closest thing to a rock star player was going to be Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, who led the Tigers to the BCS Championship Game last year, but he was sidelined after being busted for possession of pot, but not enough to even warrant a ticket.

So he'll probably play in the season opener against Arkansas. Besides, the only media really interested in that are the ones who cover Arkansas or Auburn.

The most newsworthy thing of the week was that the SEC stands to make $50 million for the college football playoffs compared to the $25 million it made from the old BCS.

There was some speculation as to how much schools will make from the new SEC Network, but that will be predicated on how many subscribers want the SEC Network and how much they eventually are willing to pay. For now, it is all speculation.

What we were mostly left with was listening to the coaches, and here is one person's idea of how they rated in their news conferences:

1. STEVE SPURRIER The South Carolina coach is always witty, always funny and always entertaining. There are no sacred cows with him, especially not Saban.

2. DEREK MASON The new Vanderbilt coach was enthusiastic and energetic, and he declared that Vandy is ready to compete for the SEC championship now. Remember, he's a rookie head coach.

3. BRET BIELEMA Arkansas' coach has only one speed -- all-out -- but he mostly avoided the trap questions about defensive injuries that he lobbied hard about last year to combat the no-huddle offenses.

4. WILL MUSCHAMP Florida's coach took all the blame for last year's 4-8 record.

5. LES MILES LSU's coach might have gotten even more consideration after saying he and his wife and three kids -- or all six of them, as Miles told reporters -- spent their vacation in Austin, Texas, where their fourth child attends college. The man must love Mexican food.

6. DAN MULLEN Mississippi State's coach was more optimistic and animated than any of his first five appearances at media days.

7. GARY PINKEL Missouri's head coach bit hard on the hurry-up no-huddle causing defensive injuries. Only Bielema cares anymore, but the hopes for some sizzle died with Bielema.

8. BUTCH JONES Tennessee's energetic coach is the king of the cliche.

9. HUGH FREEZE Ole Miss' coach tried to get out from under the fans' expectations, something that isn't new at Ole Miss.

10. MARK RICHT Georgia's coach is never flamboyant, just sincere and honest.

11 . KEVIN SUMLIN Texas A&M's coach did not want to talk about Johnny Manziel. He didn't want to last year, either.

12. GUS MALZAHN Auburn's overnight success was incredibly cautious. He'll never be bulletin board material.

13. NICK SABAN Alabama's wealthy coach talked almost as much about his wife and new grandchild as he did the Crimson Tide's upcoming season.

14. MARK STOOPS Kentucky's second-year coach seemed stoic at best.

Sports on 07/20/2014