By LARRY VAUGHT

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive can’t openly root for any league coach to have more success than anyone else.

However, he’s not shy about admitting he is a fan of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks not only for the success the coach has brought to the Wildcats but also for the way he runs his program.

Slive discussed his feelings about Brooks and the hiring of John Calipari at the SEC Media Days here.

Question: What do you think of Rich Brooks?

Slive: “I have known Rich maybe longer than anyone else that I have known in the SEC. Rich and I were together in the Pac-10 when he was at Oregon. I hate to count the years, but I think it is over 20 years that we have known each other.

“I was delighted when he came to the SEC. I know he kind of got off to a rough start. People weren’t sure about him. He has done an extraordinary job and he is an absolute pleasure to have in the SEC. We have really enjoyed the renewal of our friendship and what he has done to elevate that program is really extraordinary.”

Question: His success with three straight winning seasons, including bowl wins, really isn’t a surprise to you, is it?

Slive: “It is not a surprise. He not only has done a great job at Kentucky as a respected senior statesman amongst the coaches, but he has been great to work with from a conference standpoint and understanding what we try to do. He has made recommendations in certain areas to me that we have in fact followed for the betterment of all our programs. It’s not just what he has done at Kentucky, but he has made a significant contribution to the SEC during his time at Kentucky and I am not sure most people recognize that.”

Question: Do you wish all coaches had control of their programs off the field like he does?

Slive: “When I was speaking to the coaches in Destin, Fla. (about off-field problems SEC teams had had), I was not speaking to Rich. He takes a lot of pride in his overall program. I am glad you asked because I am glad to have a chance to publicly say what I have felt for a long time about Rich. He’s really a classy guy who does things the right way.”

Question: Why has Rich Brooks lasted so long in this business when other coaches seem to burn out?

Slive: “He is a good coach. He is a very good coach. He knows and understands football and the game. He understands administration. It is a trite phrase, but he is the full package.”

Question: What impact do you think having John Calipari in the SEC might have?

Slive:  “He has a record of significant success in his career. I think Kentucky wisely acknowledged that success by bringing John on board.“

Question: Will the new SEC TV package with ESPN help Kentucky?

Slive: “Basketball is probably the biggest winner in our packages. We thought basketball was underexposed in prior years and we made a concerted effort to focus on basketball, both men and women. I think you will see this year that we will have so much more national exposure. When we did our extended over the air syndication package we said if you wanted to have our football, you had to have our basketball. I heard John Calipari say he thought the more exposure the SEC got, the better it would be for him. That is right. The success of anyone of us is the success of all of us. I think that is another way of saying John is absolutely right about that.”