Part 5/13:
The conversation turns to the impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rules, with the speaker asserting that it originally helped SEC programs cheat undetected for years. He references “The Price” by Armen Contan, which details how booster-driven payoffs were commonplace in the South. Now that NIL regulations are formalized, the playing field has leveled, making the region’s historically dominant advantage less significant.
He humorously criticizes Saban and Alabama’s past cheating, arguing that with everyone now paying players legally, the SEC’s previous “edge” has vanished. The regional difference in resources and boosters is less pronounced, especially as the Big Ten and other conferences increase their financial investments in programs like Michigan and Ohio State.