At Big Ten and ACC media days this week, the SEC has been a regular subject of conversation. It's a sign of the league's strength and influence

Cedric Golden is a general sports columnist who has covered everything from Texas' 2005 national championship win over Southern California, Super Bowls, Final Fours, College World Series and prizefights in Las Vegas. He is also the host of the On Second Thought, Longhorn Confidential and Longhorns Unfiltered podcasts.

The conference's annual summer event has concluded, but talking season will continue for a just a little bit longer.