Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner embraces democratic socialism at a Bernie Sanders rally, condemning U.S. support for Israel and Sen. Collins.

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – As SEC meetings get underway inside the Hilton SanDestin resort on the beaches of Florida, the question remains on how divided the conference is on moving further into expansion in the future.

Obviously, that’s one of the biggest questions pertaining to the overall future of college athletics, with the NCAA Tournament recently making the move to expand its field.

Judging by the comments made by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, it’s clear that they will not be rushing to a decision, even if outside pressure rises from opposing conferences.

But, the most intriguing part of the current situation presiding over the SEC is how many schools are actually on the same page about the economic structure that athletic directors and presidents are currently festering over.

In reality, the SEC needs to get its own house in order. If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that while things might look good on the outside, the house can be in a perceived disarray without the headlines that could be created.

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While the Big Ten is currently holding the perceived power, it’s almost as if the SEC is playing second-fiddle in the two-piece band. For that, there are certain housekeeping issues that need to be put back in place.

Now, let’s not act as if Greg Sankey cares that Lane Kiffin has created a firestorm in Baton Rouge ever since accepting the LSU job before Ole Miss took a snap in the College Football Playoff.

Now, the conference, with a nudge from Ole Miss officials, is discussing whether to issue a public reprimand against Kiffin for his comments made in a Vanity Fair piece that did not sit well in Oxford. The Tigers’ head coach essentially said that there were parents worried about sending their kids to Ole Miss because of past racial issues.

No, I don’t think the SEC will do anything, at least not publicly. But,

Or what about the Texas head coach? Steve Sarkisian has essentially become one of the hottest quote-machines within the conference, taking aim at Ole Miss in recent weeks. You know, because it’s perceived to be easy to take shots at the Rebels right now after the departure of Kiffin, stacked on top of the allegations of tampering that the NCAA is currently investigating.

Throw in the College Sports Commission looking into alleged NIL deals in Oxford, and it’s no wonder why head coach Pete Golding is taking on multiple outside forces.

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But, when you really get down to the nuts and bolts of inner workings within the SEC, most of it comes down to what is the perceived best path forward for a conference that holds a majority of the power with their colleagues in the Big Ten.

We could argue until we’re blue in the face over the topic of expansion. Heck, we’re already doing that on a daily basis thanks to social media and the never-ending negotiations that will continue being hot-button issues for fans.

But, as for bringing 16-team discussions to the table, the notion that it was the SEC who started this conversation was not lost on Greg Sankey, who was asked about Tony Petitti mentioning that a 16-team format would not be discussed at Big Ten meetings.

“I was surprised, because they brought 16 teams to the table last year. All those 16-team ideas, they weren’t ours,” Greg Sankey said on Monday night.

The sentiment from those athletic directors and presidents who OutKick has spoken with in recent weeks is a divided one, but not in a hostile way. Some see it as the smart move to create revenue within a conference that is making almost double what their counterparts in the ACC are making with year-end payouts.

“I get why coaches want expansion. I never said that we were opposed to 24 teams, I’ve told my colleagues that”

When asked if leaders within SEC would agree on 12 teams being a viable route moving forward if they cannot come to an agreement on expansion, Sankey did not mince his words.

“It varies, I don’t think we’d have a unanimous vote on the number”

But, to act as though the financial burden is not being felt within the SEC would be shortsighted, given the current race to spend for a playoff berth.

Overall, in the grand scheme of things regarding expansion that would include potential elimination of a conference title game, the commissioner knows it comes down to finances.

“We have contracts, so we’re pretty committed … We have contracts”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey received pushback Monday over a social media post remembering George Floyd, whose Memorial Day death six years ago triggered nationwide protests and riots, as well as calls to defund law enforcement agencies.

“Today, we remember George Floyd, who was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer six years ago,” Frey wrote on X. “That moment changed our city forever.”

In subsequent posts, Frey wrote that the death of Floyd forced the city to “confront painful truths about race, policing, inequity, and trust — and demanded hard conversations and accountability. Since Floyd’s murder, our city has been challenged not just to say we’ve changed, but to prove it.”

“We are committed to honoring this place both as a memorial with global significance and as a neighborhood where people live, work, gather, and heal,” Frey added.

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Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression after being pinned to the ground by officers outside a convenience store where he allegedly tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Four police officers, including Derek Chauvin, were sentenced to prison over Floyd’s death. Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground with his knee on his neck for around nine minutes.

Frey’s post immediately received criticism given that Monday was also Memorial Day.

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“Newsflash: Today is Memorial Day, not George Floyd Day. Show our fallen heroes and their families some freaking respect,” wrote State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla. “You’re a complete disgrace to America, @MayorFrey.”

Others noted that Floyd’s death triggered destructive riots across the country where stores and buildings were looted and burned.

“It changed your city, state and my country for the worse. Rioters on your side killed people and did billions in economic damage. And for what? Defunding police policies that have led to more people being killed,” reporter Andy Ngo replied to Frey.

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While the official autopsy ruled the death a homicide caused by police restraint, the medical examiner’s report also noted that the amount of fentanyl in Floyd’s system and his recent use of methamphetamine were contributing factors.

“At first I thought this had to be a parody,” Tomi Lahren wrote on X. “I thought no way this fruity ass mayor was possibly honoring George Floyd on Memorial Day… But here it is.”

“Today we remember the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. Not drug addicts who overdosed,” Townhall.com columnist Dustin Grage wrote.

In a separate post, Frey honored veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, saying: “We owe them — and the families who carry their memory forward — our deepest gratitude.”