âSEC on CBSâ Gary Danielson on criticism, final year: â”I want people to say, âWe miss CBS. These guys suckââ
Gary Danielson estimates he has seen roughly 250 SEC games in his CBS career.
The “SEC on CBS” analyst enters his final year affiliated with the league before the network tackles Big Ten football.
The SEC’s television deal with CBS expires after this season, and the SEC’s new deal with ABC/ESPN will begin in 2024.
Danielson, who joined “McElroy and Cubelic In the Morning” on WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham, reflected on his run of SEC games Tuesday during SEC media days and the criticism that seems to follow him from week to week.
“College football is a game of opinion, they don’t like you saying bad stuff about their teams,” Danielson said. “I guess that’s No. 1. The emergence of Twitter, I feel bad not for me, I played NFL quarterback. I can handle that. I feel bad for our crew. Our crew is dynamic, from all over the country. Our crew, and cameramen and tape men, and director, the same people that put on the Masters, they’re the top of the line.
“I hate being the … I’ve got the mic. I’m the center, and I’m the voice of it. A lot of it’s directed at me. We put out a great product, great pride in what we’re covering. We understand what the SEC, college football means to this footprint of the Southeast. It’s a way of life.”
Danielson did point out, however, as bad as social media reaction is to the weekly broadcasts, he hasn’t had a single bad interaction with an SEC fan in the years he has broadcasted games.
“I have been treated with respect for 17 years,” Danielson said. “I have never had an incident in the SEC. The stereotype of the SEC fan, yeah, they are rabid. That’s what makes it go. People meet me, and they kid me. Good. No one has ever been out of line with me. It’s a great fan base, and that’s the strength of this conference.”
Danielson shared he talked to Greg Sankey and told the SEC commissioner, “we’re going to kick butt again this year. I want people to say, ‘We miss CBS. These guys suck.’”
Check out the full interview on Spotify.
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.