Shane Beamer certainly embraced the SEC Media Days experience in Hoover this week.
South Carolina's first year head coach told a story to a large room of reporters about his wife once worked the annual preseason media gathering when she was a member of the Mississippi State Sports Information Department. It was the future Mrs. Beamer's job to bring the microphone to the reporters who would then ask their questions of the various head coaches.
But no amount of quality sound bites from Beamer will keep the SEC media contingent from putting the Gamecocks in the bottom half of the Eastern Division. When the preseason media poll is unveiled, Carolina will likely not be picked to finish higher than fifth and it could be sixth if the media contingent believes Tennessee has a higher upside in 2021.
Beamer understands that while preseason polls don't determine anything, it does provide a window in the thinking of those who cover SEC football. He adds that the best way to silence any critics is to do the unexpected.