COMMENTARY — Print media is dead, so the story goes.

But if that’s the case, why do all the football programs in the Southeastern Conference still publish these elaborate media guides every year?

I’m sure there’s more they could do with multimedia such as video clips and the like. And I’m pretty sure there’s a CD-ROM with all these guides in PDF files somewhere in my stuff.

But be that as it may, the schools all print these things, despite the fact that some are outdated before they get off the loading dock at the printer.

When we reporter types arrived to pick up credentials at SEC Media Days last week, we directed to pick up a cardboard box filled with 13 media guides (the conference publishes one as well). They were quite heavy.

I arrived at the same time as Gregg Dewalt, sports editor of The Times Daily in Florence. We looked at each other as if to say, “We’ve gotta carry this back to our car?”

We’d hate for the schools to spend all this money for nothing, so here’s a quick look at the Big Box O’ SEC Media Guides.

Alabama: The cover boys are quarterback Greg McElroy and wide receiver Julio Jones. Curiously missing: Running back Mark Ingram, who won a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. We don’t see him until pages six and seven. Hey, nothing against McElroy and Jones, but Ingram was chosen last year as — The Best College Football Player in All the Land. Geez, Louise!

Auburn: Big on photo collages, including one on the inside cover of former Tigers now playing in the pros. Light on the prose, big on history. Most interesting photo: the 1937 Bacardi Bowl against Villanova, played in Havana, Cuba to a 7-7 tie. What do you think are the chances of the NCAA letting a liquor company sponsor a bowl game these days?

Vanderbilt: Exhibit A for why media guides should be online or in an electronic form. Somebody moved pretty fast to make changes to the guide when Bobby Johnson abruptly resigned as head coach, and Robbie “Comedy Central” Caldwell took his place, only eight days before the guides were issued at Media Days. Notably missing: a list of Caldwell’s comedy gigs at the Grand Ole Opry, plus The Laff House in Clarksville, Tenn. and Harrah’s in Tunica, Miss.

Arkansas: Quarterback Ryan Mallett is on the cover, as he should be. But on page five, there’s ESPN Gameday’s Lee Corso wearing a Razorback mascot head. You just can’t escape The Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Florida: A freshman student in Print Design 101 could have created a better cover. Inside: Healthy servings of Tim Tebow, which we’ll probably be seeing for several more years. On the “Gator Nation” page: former Florida football greats Emmitt Smith and Carols Alvarez along with — wait for it — ESPN’s Erin Andrews. Say what?

Kentucky: Inside is a Q&A with Coach John Calipari. Hey, wait — basketball, right? Well, this is Kentucky, and I’m just kidding.

Tennessee: You’ll see plenty of new coach Derek Dooley, plus Vol quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Heath Shuler, the latter now a Congressman (D-NC). Almost nowhere to be found: Lane Kiffin. Thank goodness.

Ole Miss: “Welcome to the Rebeloution,” proclaims the inside cover. No mention of the controversial Rebel mascot, or possible replacements “Hotty” and “Toddy.”

LSU: Let’s see how many puns we can get in on Les Miles’ last name.

Mississippi State: Nothing special. Pretty much like the Bulldogs program as of late.

Georgia: Dense on information, light on fluff, the way the Good Lord intended.

South Carolina: As coach Steve Spurrier has said, not much to crow about.

Robert Carter is the sports editor of The North Jefferson News. His column appears each Saturday.