Gary Danielson rarely talks about it, but it isn’t for the reasons you think.
The SEC on CBS analyst, who will be on the call of Saturday’s Iron Bowl at 2:30 p.m. between Alabama and Auburn, is well aware of the backlash he receives from college football games.
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The venom directed at Danielson is as much a part of college football these days as marching bands and top 25 polls. Every week, there seems to be some Internet post on the topic.
On Friday, Danielson, who joined me on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, opened up on the topic he says he rarely talks about.
“I don’t like to read it, but I’m well aware of it,” Danielson said with a laugh. “I don’t like to talk about it much. I don’t like to address it. I really don’t because I don’t like to complain and get into the explaining game.
“It’s their right. That’s what they do as fans. That’s what makes it fun, but I don’t like to deal with it.”
The reason is simple: He said he doesn’t want fans’ opinions to impact – consciously or not – what he sees and how he calls it.
“If they don’t like it, great,” he said. “If they like it, great.”
No one is a bigger critic of Danielson’s work than Danielson himself. That’s right. He watches his broadcast after the fact.
“I grade myself,” he explained. “I go, ‘Holy crap,’ what did you say that for? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.’ But it is three hours of live TV, and we all do some dumb stuff. So, you live with it and move on.”
It’s that fan reaction, he said, that separates the SEC from college football across the country.
“The intensity and passion of fans – you know, it’s been directed at me – really makes this fun,” he said. “You can do games in the Pac-12. Nobody will complain about anything you say. Nobody cares.
“When I came here, I knew exactly what I was doing. I could’ve stayed in the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12. Helicopter in for the game, then helicopter out and everyone loves you.
“I miss the intensity of playing. This is the closest thing to it. It really means a lot. When you make a mistake around here, you get called out. That’s the fun part of it.”
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
