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The Spectacle Blog
BURBANK, Calif.
My late father — University of Alabama, Class of ‘50 — always
believed that sports writers were prejudiced against the Crimson
Tide. He would have spotted as evidence of such bias
the eagerness with which some commentators rushed to put an
asterisk after ‘Bama’s 37-21 BCS victory over Texas last night in
Pasadena.
Rather than celebrate the Crimson Tide’s victory, all the sports writers want to expend their prose praising the losers. Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game on his fifth play, and the ABC announcerrs broadcasting the game almost immediately began making “what if” excuses for Texas.
This morning, the Apotheosis of Colt McCoy was continued by dozens of columnists, including Pete Fiutak of Fox Sports:
[I]t’s going to be hard to ever think about this national title game without thinking about McCoy and how Texas was hamstrung.
This assertion bears strong resemblance to a malodorous substance excreted by the Texas mascot. Injuries are part of the game, which is why there are depth charts. The fact that true freshman Garrett Gilbert was No. 2 QB on the ‘Horns chart — and was manifestly unready to take over, failing to complete a pass until after halftime — is certainly relevant to the overall strength of the two teams.
Furthermore, the “tainted title” argument, also promoted by L.A. Daily News columnist Bob Keisser, treats McCoy’s game-ending injury as a complete fluke, a random incident. This denies credit to Alabama linebacker Marcel Dareus, whose hard hit put McCoy out of the game.
It was a clean hit — there was nothing dirty or illegal about it — and no one wants to see players injured. However, injuries are an inevitable consequence of hard-hitting defense, and the Tide’s defense hits harder than anyone else in college football, which is why they are indisputably the national champions.
Only after the game ended did Alabama reveal that their QB Greg McElroy played last night’s game while wearing special pads to protect two fractured ribs, injuries McElroy sustained in the SEC title game against Florida — but which neither he nor his coaches made public.
McElroy’s stoicism in playing with pain, Dareus’s hard-hitting effort, two touchdowns for Heisman winner Mark Ingram — all of the championship efforts by Crimson Tide players are dismissed by the sports writers as anomalous and incidental. Anti-‘Bama bias is as ubiquitous in sports media as liberalism is among the political press. Unlike politics, however, media bias in sports can’t affect the outcome on the field.
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Pingback| 1.8.10 @ 12:37PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Media Bias Taints Footb links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Al Adab| 1.8.10 @ 12:41PM
While i had a personal favorite in the game, hopefully not to the point of bias, I found the scenario as it played out to be sad for both.
Neither team was able, or needed to, perform at their best- or higher- level. It is sad for the players, the fans, and the BCS as well. We will never know what if... both had been challenged by the other's "finest hour".
Congrats to 'Bama for their sportsmanship and to Texas for their courage.
Big Java| 1.8.10 @ 12:56PM
Being a Texas Tech fan for a very long time, I certainly understand the media bias aspect (Coach Leach and ESPN tv for example).
Alabama WON period.
Congratulations to you, Crimson Tide.
Patrick Lee| 1.8.10 @ 1:01PM
I was born and raised in Alabama. I have been a Tide fan since the days of the "Big Bear". I have been living in Texas for 16 years and have discovered that these people are the biggest bunch of crybabies and sore losers ever. This morning I almost had to use foul language on one of their fans for some of the comments that they made, instead I showed my Alabama class and upbring and walked away. We are the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. Enough said! What position did Colt McCoy play on defense? We scored all but one TD on their superior defense. The media never liked us and probably never will. Oh yeah, Florida was supposed to beat us also.
Travis| 1.8.10 @ 4:54PM
Sounds to me like you're the one crying, even though your team won. For crying out loud, it's a stinking football game. I wanted Texas to win, but they didn't, so fine. Grats to the Tide. Those of you crying because writers are talking about something other than how great Bama was ought to take a chill and get a life. It was a good game to watch, and you won. Why on earth isn't that enough for you? You need some sports writer to gush over how great your team was to feel better? Please.
JWG| 1.9.10 @ 10:00PM
But Travis, you don't understand! For the vast majority of Alabama fans, Crimson Tide Football IS life! It's far more than a football game when your whole self image for the next year is based on how well Bama performs on the football field. Sad, but true!
Bammer Rammer| 1.16.10 @ 11:24AM
The reason the media doesn't appreciate Bama is because they don't appreciate "Smash Mouth Football". Hitting hard is not nice! If they would just play fair and dazzle us with stunning offense. But no, Bama wants to believe they win National Championships with great defense and that bad old "smash mouth" stuff. They're just so mean! And that pile of NC trophies is so hard to see over too! And now they've got that heisman thingy. Really! At least one of those 100+ yard backs should have been taken out of the game after the Texas team went down for the count on one hit by those "smash mouthers". It's just not fair! The NCAA should get off of poor USC with their brilliant offense and investigate why those bad ole Bama boys like to hit so hard. It worked before. Get 'em NCAA. We can't afford to let Bama rule the college football world again. They will you know!!!!!!
Chris B| 1.8.10 @ 1:01PM
Injuries are part of football. Funny how the media consensus before the game was that 'Bama would win despite McCoy, has morphed into 'Bama won due to McCoy's absence. Texas had it's eggs in one basket. It's worked before. Take Vince Young out of the '05 and '06 Rose Bowls and what happens? I'm a Wolverine. I remember. Clearly.
Kyle Smith | 1.8.10 @ 1:01PM
I'm glad the game had a little excitement and that the freshman from Texas did as good as he did. It could have been a huge, boring blowout. As it turned out, Bama played just a little better than they had to. I think if McCoy would've stayed in, it would have been a closer game, but Bama would have been at 100% intensity the entire game. Bama beat Florida to get to the championship, and when it comes down to it; they were the best team all year, and they are the Champions my friend.
JP| 1.8.10 @ 1:09PM
What is it now, 4 titles in a row for the SEC conference, and something like titles in the last 10 years? Why not have the SEC title game as the BCS championship? Congrats Bama.
RRWINGER| 1.8.10 @ 1:09PM
I absolutely agree with your observation of bias in sports media. However being a Texas native and having watched many U.T., A&M, and Tech games over the years, I can tell you Bama is not the only college team to be the target of such biased analysis. Play by play and color commentators alike routinely cheerlead for the Notre Dames, Penn States, Michigans, U.S.C.s et al when playing any Texas team. They are shameless! Alabama won the national championship! Texas lost! Bama was the best team on the field last night...period. ROLL TIDE!!!
Jill| 1.8.10 @ 1:09PM
The whiners are the low-class bama fans. This column illustrates it well. You went all-out to buy a sleazeball coach who teaches his players to lay dirty hits, like the one on McCoy. The replays clearly showed that Dareus lowered his head and speared his helmet into McCoy's throwing shoulder.
This "victory" will always have an asterisk next to it in the minds of most viewers. And no, I'm not a Texas fan. I went to a Division III school. But I am a football fan, and what went down last night was sickening to watch. And what's going down today with the bama fans whining and demanding "respect" is even more sickening.
Jeff| 1.15.10 @ 3:48PM
Really a dirty hit Jill, maybe you need to learn about football. LOL ROLL TIDE!
Sean| 1.8.10 @ 1:19PM
This is kind of like when Utah beat Alabama last year. All those excuses pop up for losing.
Red Phillips | 1.8.10 @ 1:42PM
The bias against Alabama is a product of elitist media bias against the South.
Laura| 1.9.10 @ 1:12PM
What a joke!
Anyone who thinks there's media bias against the SEC must be smoking something VERY strong.
Realist| 1.8.10 @ 1:44PM
the title is tainted, cause those Bama kids were all roided up- heck, Ingrams head is 5 times too big for his body
Paul Zummo| 1.8.10 @ 1:57PM
Hey Jill: want some cheese with that whine?
mt| 1.8.10 @ 2:14PM
As a 'Horn fan I agree that the better team won last night, congrats. All credit to a good team and program. But, I think some credit should be made for the 19 year old freshman quarterback for UT who threw a couple of nice touchdown passes on the best defense in the country and had a couple of others dropped.
JT| 1.10.10 @ 1:45AM
"Better team"? Are you a moron? Texas was KILLING Alabama before McCoy was injured. Texas very nearly beat 'bama with a ture-freshman quarterback. (Down only 3 points, WITH the ball, with 3 minutes left.) If McCoy hadn't been knocked out by an illegal spear, ETxas would have CRUSHED 'bama. Saban knew it, and that's why he wasn't happy when he got doused with Gatorade at the end ofthe game . Texas was clearly the superior team, but a cheap shot ruined the game for millions of sports fans.
Albert A. Turner| 1.8.10 @ 2:30PM
Please, Mr. McCain, as a non-Bammer living here in Birmingham, Al. I must laugh laugh out loud about your "media bias" comment.
The local print, tv and radio media here in Birmingham have been in bed with the Bammers FOREVER and have hidden scandals and other malfeasance perpetrated by your Criminal Tiders. Bias?? How dare you Bammers even complain about the media?
Grow up, man. And I didn't graduate from Auburn, by the way because I know that will be your retort.
notaBamafan| 1.8.10 @ 7:49PM
he's obviously not talking about the LOCAL media, duh
Albert A. Turner| 1.9.10 @ 8:36AM
Oh, how silly of me. I forgot that it's ok for "some" forms of media to be openly biased and lie. How stupid of me that I didn't recognize this. Thanks for correcting me.
Paul| 1.8.10 @ 2:31PM
Texas fans can "what if" all they want about last night...as long as they honestly admit they only got into this game because they barely escaped against an OU team without Sam Bradford. What comes around goes around. Congrats to the Tide.
sore winners are scum| 1.8.10 @ 2:57PM
Just because 57 did not get flagged for spearing does not mean that he did not lead with his helmet and deliberately attempt to knock out McCoy, it just means that the big least refs did not see it. Bama wins and then you whine about the discussion about the hit and what might have been. Media Bias my Democrat! It's just the general discussion that happens after every game. OBAMITE PLEASE! Show some class, dude, like Colt did after the game. Media Bias my Democrat! It's just the general discussion that happens after every game. You make Bama fans look bad with your pathetic antics. Oh and congrats to Saban, he managed by hook or by crook to do something that "the bear" never accomplished at Bama.
Tatum| 1.8.10 @ 2:58PM
Congratulations to Alabama on their win last night.
Unfortunately, because of Colt's injury, we'll never know who was the better team.
Flee| 1.8.10 @ 3:04PM
I didn't have a horse in this race but, I thought Texas didn't deserve to be there because of their second try at winning the Big 12 title game. Talk about having the fix in with the conference. Injuries are part of the game and having sufficient depth and experience are the mark of great teams. I don't perceive a strong bias against the South other than in a political sense. They are on national TV every week and produce copious amounts of talent for the League. Why the hell would any media commentator want to be biased against their gravy train? When you look at the situation as an uninterested observer, you don't see a dirty play hurting the QB. Every team has had their chance over the years to gripe about this or that shafting by polls or whatever. It's natural with competition and massive $ involved. Be happy for the champs and look forward to your team's next opportunity to succeed.
Rodney| 1.8.10 @ 4:31PM
My asterisk is that Texas has won a national championship...
...on a last second drive, with Vince Young's legs ( a once in a generation athelete at the quarterback position) against a team they were phisically superior to in all phases of the game excepting USC's offensive line and Matt Leinart. Theow in that Texas was playing against a very mediocre defense and the win seems just a little less spectacular. With all these advantages they still only managed to squeak it out. I told Texas fans that the post Vince Young era would send them back to being Oklahoma's whipping boy. Texas fans did not like it but that is exactly what happened.
I wonder if the what if reporters singing Colt McCoy's praises noticed that Texas was only able to mount a comeback while Mark Ingraham was out of the game. When he returned Alabama shut the door on any hope Texas had of winning the game. So play it all over without any injuries and Alabama still wins.
Moe| 1.8.10 @ 4:40PM
As a Longhorn fan I was disappointed the Horns lost; however, Mr. McCain's assessment is correct. Gilbert was not prepped to play very well, and the coaches played it too conservatively in the first half. That coupled with the on field mistakes doomed the Horns. They played well in the 2d half, but not enough to overcome the Tides defense. Hats off to Saban, McElroy and the rest of the Tides for a great game. They worked and played hard and earned the title resoundingly. Like all fans all I can say is wait til next year, the Horns will be back.
Rodney| 1.8.10 @ 4:52PM
Does anyone notice the pro SEC bias? The best conference in America? With only 3 teams managing to be ranked all year? The 2008 bowl season had the PAC-10 going 6-0, who knew that? A couple of years back Conference USA had the best out of conference record you never would have known it.
Utah deserved at least a share of the national title in 2008. They handled Alabama in a very convincing fashion and went out of conference and played BCS conference teams, while a one loss Florida rode away with the title, playing Hawaii and Citadel in the process...
The NCAA formula for national champions is to have 8 conference games a title game, win a bowl viola: National Champions. The SEC has perfected it and this perverse system produces weak opponents in the title game, see Ohio State. This system produces such out of conference opponents as Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Citadel, and La Tech.
I do give the Crimson Tide credit for playing Virginia Tech this year but that is this year...
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.8.10 @ 5:19PM
Mr McCain hopefully has read my earlier comments.
Its a little difficult though to see him rubbing salt in a wound.
I would have liked to enjoyed the game with both teams at full strength.
Yep.
Alabama won it fair and square.....
...but touchy touchy touchy! heh!
Angel| 1.9.10 @ 9:06PM
That young Colt McCoy is a fine young man, Old Texican; could be Governor of your great state someday. Talk about grace under pressure!
McCoy's parents must be special folks to have raised such a great kid.
I pointed Colt out to my son as someone well worth emulating--they grow some real good stock in Texas. You should be proud.
Pingback| 1.8.10 @ 5:35PM
The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Media Bias Taints Football … | TVPhoneMedia.com links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Julie | 1.8.10 @ 6:59PM
Injuries happen, it's part of the game. I hated to see McCoy get hurt but he did and that's that. The hit looked fine to me, I have watched the replay several times and while I'm no football injury expert, I can see. I read a funny comment about it today: "I guess instead of tackling McCoy, Alabama should have politely tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to fall down" (poster DaddyO at Lucianne).
By the way, most sports pundits picked Alabama to win, presumably assuming McCoy would be playing. Now some are attempting to taint the victory with "what ifs". Sheesh.
It was a great game, two great teams and one had to lose. As a Bama fan, I'm really happy it was us.
Julie | 1.8.10 @ 7:00PM
Speaking of Sheesh. I'm really happy it Wasn't us!
Richard Baker| 1.8.10 @ 7:16PM
Travis:
I don't have a dog in this fight but if it's just a "stinking football game" then why do you care?
jane| 1.8.10 @ 7:41PM
Rodney? Have you really been watching football or are you just popping off? Your 4:31 post is embarrassing. Your comment about UT's victory over USC is moronic. Secondly, UT has beaten OU the last 2 times they've played. Third, the Horns stopped Ingram when he came back in the second half. Alabama remained scoreless in the second half until Gilbert fumbled the ball deep in Alabama territory with 2 to 3 minutes left in the game - well after Ingram had returned. With UT behind 3 points at that moment we knew it was game over. So Ingram was not a big factor in the second half. This takes nothing away from Alabama's excellence or how great Ingram is. Stop "hating on" UT.
Rodney| 1.9.10 @ 4:42PM
My comment about UT's win is moronic? How so? What was it about my comments that were moronic, or untrue?
Texas was the #3 offense that year. USC the #48 defense. Yes #48. And yet Texas won by 3 on Vince Youngs legs. Minus Vince Young what would Texas have done? They barely outscored a team whos defense was mediocre, as the #3 offense in the country.
UT is still the stepchild. UT beat a Bradford less Oklahoma by 3 points. UT even beat 'em last year and still lost the Big 12 title. Even beating Oklahoma you lose... Stepchild...
Ingram sealed the deal for Alabama. Texas came back while Ingram was out of the game! Did you not notice this the score change from 6-24 to 21-24 while Ingram was out of the game? Ingram was out for half of the second half. He in the middle of the third and did not come back until there were 6 minutes left in the game. With 6 minutes left Mark Ingram, an ailing Mark Ingram, owned 4 of those last 6 minutes. His leadership and experience was crucial (he did not need to score points.) Alabama turned to Ingram for that reason.
I'm sure Texas will have another stellar year playing such out of conference powerhouses as Wyoming, Rice, Florida Atlantic, and UCLA.
jane| 1.8.10 @ 7:46PM
R. S. McCain, what are you smoking? You really maintain that the media favored Texas over Alabama?? What a joke. All we have heard all year is how superior SEC is. You conveniently forgot to mention that Gilbert brought UT to within 3 points with 2 to 3 minutes left. Texas had the ball and had made a first down. The game was a lot closer than you indicate.
R. Alex | 1.8.10 @ 8:57PM
Who knows if Texas would have won with McCoy. I think the reason for the media's about-face (from saying that Alabama is going to win to saying the the Longhorns would have won were it not for the injury) is because Texas was dominating the game on defense up until they lost the momentum partially attributable to Gilbert (but also attributable to OC Greg Davis's stupidity).
That being said, this is not particularly good evidence of how unbelievably awesome Alabama and the SEC is. Their offense produced fewer yards that did Texas's despite the latter playing with a quarterback who was tossing the ball in high school last year.
Insofar as this game and this season is concerned, Alabama won and they are the national champions. It doesn't matter if they got lucky with McCoy's injury. Calls for asterisks are stupid. Alabama played the game they were put into and they won it cleanly.
Landy| 1.8.10 @ 10:12PM
2009 National Champs Alabama*
*Alabama defeated Texas 37-21 when Texas's starting quarterback, Colt McCoy, was injured in the 1st quarter and did not return. It was apparently the first known game-time injury which caused a player to miss a game.
Works for me! (But there sure are going to be a lot of games with asterisks beside the winner's name.)
Stark Raving Mad | 1.9.10 @ 12:48AM
What a display of poor form and lack of sportsmanship. Whiney. Illogical. Paranoid. Roll Nuthouse.
AND. It was a crappy game plain and simple. If I'd won that game, I'd have a bad taste in my mouth, too.
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Derek Leaberry| 1.11.10 @ 9:36AM
It's hard to believe that a member of the League of the South like Mr. McCain would get this upset over a football game played mostly between young men who don't belong in an institution of higher learning.
Treadway| 1.11.10 @ 10:44PM
You're an asshole, Derek. Probably a hopelessly unpopular geek with the ladies, too.
Envy is NOT becoming, loser.
Ronnie| 1.15.10 @ 8:05PM
You are dead on that there is bias against Bama. This Bama fan has seen it most of my life and plenty lately. For instance, take Colin Cowherd from ESPN. Not only does he despise, Saban; he despises the University, the team, the fans, the citizens of Alabama and the State. Unfortunately, I can't get my hands on him when he spews off at the mouth but one day... one day... There are others who are envious, jeolous or just plain ignorant about Bama football. They are all idiots and are pathetic haters and losers.
Jeremiah| 1.16.10 @ 1:32AM
Oh, please! Everyone knows the Eastern Media are in the tank for the SEC. It makes us throw up!!