Wally Watch: July 29, 2009

Wally Watch: Where we read Wally Hall so you don't have to.

July 29, 2009: Guides cost a little, but they serve a purpose

Primary Theme: At long last, Wally breaks his deafening silence on the issue that is the talk of coffee shops, kitchen tables and barber shops nationwide: the possiblity that some schools may eliminate their football media guides.

Would Somebody Please Think about the Children Media and Donors? "[Eliminating the guides] would affect donors who make a certain minimum donation and receive a media guide, and it definitely would hurt the media who often find themselves looking up a fact on deadline."

This Passage Sounds Like It Was Lifted from a Fifth-Graders' Book Report: "The media guides are varied, unique and probably could be a little tighter. There is some, but not enough, recognition of academic progress and community service. There are many pictures of campus life, although that's not likely to change because it is a great recruiting tool."

Someone Has an Awful Lot of Time on His Hands (Or Was Just Really Desperate to Fill Out His Column): After bravely taking a stand in favor of media guides, Wally spends the last part of his column listing how many pictures of each SEC coach appear in his team's media guide. Oh - and he also breaks down how many SEC schools present the players' biographies before the coaches'. Gripping, gripping stuff.

Even in a Column on Media Guides, Tim Tebow Must be Praised: "Oh, and Florida had 19 well-deserved pictures of quarterback Tim Tebow."

Summary: Media guides may serve a purpose. This column, on the other hand, ...