SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey invokes Bob Dylan to praise league’s policies

Despite that power, Sankey was mostly anonymous over the previous decade, often watching from the back of the room at SEC Media Days while Slive publicly discussed the leagues challenges.

Noting that “the times, they are a-changing”, Sankey spoke to assembled reporters in a ballroom of The Hyatt Regency Birmingham on Monday. Each SEC team will have a cancer awareness game during September to honor Slive, according to Sankey.

“Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen and keep your eyes wide open”, said Sankey, quoting one of Dylan’s most famous songs.

Greg Sankey is first up at the main podium, as the league’s commissioner who took over for Mike Slive on June 1, will deliver his inaugural state of the SEC address beginning around 11:30 a.m.

One other note dropped by Sankey was the latest update in the short history of the SEC Network.

“The times, they are changing, and the times will continue to change as we move forward, ” Sankey said. While it’s hard to imagine that happening this year, expect players like LSU’s Leonard Fournette, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs to garner a crowd during their appearances.

We will have live updates right here throughout Sankey’s speech, as well as for the questions and answer that follow it. The SEC, too, has had its share of player behavior problems.

“Clearly, coaches have a responsibility for the young people on their rosters”, Sankey said.

Tennessee moving back toward the top of the ladder in the league and being able to think about competing for the East title means you get to pay a little more attention to the rest of the heavyweights this time around.

Sankey acknowledged that his first address as commissioner was “a bit of a moment for me”.

Now, Sankey is the man front and center. SEC Media Days is here as a reminder that we don’t have much longer to wait before the season starts.