Anti - Tennessee Bias

Is ESPN biased against UT?

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#126
#126
there is no conspiracy against UT. cmon guys. UT hasnt changed coaches in year, and they havnt done anything amazing in years either. Florida and South Carolina got new coaches and people wanna hear about it. us excluded. its not a conspiracy its just timing. when UT wins the NC, it will be all us on the news and UF and SC will talk conspiracy
 
#127
#127
Personally I don't care if it a bias or not. They consistantly pick teams to win or lose based on A: HYPE or B: The Coach. How many years in a row did they pick the National Title Winners to be coached by either Paterno, Spurrier, Bowden, or Osbourne. Hey they got one right during those years. They did pick Nebraska the year Osbourne retired. My opinion Michigan was the real champ but NU got their share. The year they picked Penn we won it all. The year they picked FSU Oklahoma won it all. And the years they picked Spurrier Bowden won it all. Before that they pick the Hurricanes year after year. They won some and lost some. The Thugicanes of the 80's was hilarious. ESPN is a great channel I just think they should re evaluate how they rate teams. Like picking Texas #2 this year! What backs this pick up? How many years has Mack been trying? How many years with the best class? Chris Simms, Cedric Benson, Roy Williams, Ricky Williams, and the "best defense" every year. They won't get it this year either. I like ESPN for replays and scores. Their commentary and opinion are ridiculous at best usually.
 
#128
#128
"I like ESPN for replays and scores. Their commentary and opinion are ridiculous at best usually. "

EXACTLY!!!!!!
 
#129
#129
You've got excellent points all around there, shodges. But the question was whether or not ESPN had an agenda directly against the University of Tennessee, which I think is quite frankly a load of bull. They pimp the teams they pick to make it big so they can maintain credibility.
 
#130
#130
Originally posted by shodges119@May 6, 2005 2:29 PM
Personally I don't care if it a bias or not. They consistantly pick teams to win or lose based on A: HYPE or B: The Coach. How many years in a row did they pick the National Title Winners to be coached by either Paterno, Spurrier, Bowden, or Osbourne. Hey they got one right during those years. They did pick Nebraska the year Osbourne retired. My opinion Michigan was the real champ but NU got their share. The year they picked Penn we won it all. The year they picked FSU Oklahoma won it all. And the years they picked Spurrier Bowden won it all. Before that they pick the Hurricanes year after year. They won some and lost some. The Thugicanes of the 80's was hilarious. ESPN is a great channel I just think they should re evaluate how they rate teams. Like picking Texas #2 this year! What backs this pick up? How many years has Mack been trying? How many years with the best class? Chris Simms, Cedric Benson, Roy Williams, Ricky Williams, and the "best defense" every year. They won't get it this year either. I like ESPN for replays and scores. Their commentary and opinion are ridiculous at best usually.
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Texas' hype train will get de-railed on September 10th.
 
#131
#131
Even if Texas loses, unless it's a blow out, they will not take a big rankings hit. Ohio State is pretty uniformily recognized as a top team next year, and I think the Buckeyes are being underrated in the mix of that Clarrett mess.
 
#132
#132
I know, I intentionally left out whether I feel there is a direct bias against Tennessee because I feel there is not one. I feel there is more of a bias FOR other teams. They have a handful of teams they "overrate" and everyone else is just there. Unfortunately for ESPN the other teams are the heart and soul of the College game. What was more impressive? Miami's position or the fact that Louisville and Boise State continue to stake a claim in the BCS? In my opinion the schools that ESPN ignores are the real story. They are just now giving the Trojans props. After the LSU title they took so much crap for not givining USC any credit that when USC crushed OU in the National Title game they not act like NO ONE has a shot. There's USC and then everyone else. This has yet to be seen but it only took them three years to realize USC was that good. USC was that good two years ago when they didn't make the national title game due to one loss and CRUSHED ND, and their Bowl opponent. Again the POINT was there is not a bias against UT. There is just a significant bias for a select few.

 
#133
#133
Originally posted by milohimself@May 6, 2005 7:42 PM
Even if Texas loses, unless it's a blow out, they will not take a big rankings hit. Ohio State is pretty uniformily recognized as a top team next year, and I think the Buckeyes are being underrated in the mix of that Clarrett mess.
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They won't take a hit standing wise, but Vince Young needs a great game to keep that hype train rolling, if Texas does faulter(which I'm sure they will) then Young won't have that Heisman hopeful train around him anymore.

He needs to have 2 great games, at OSU and vs. Oklahoma, if he fails then by bye Heisman chances.
 
#134
#134
I believe one of the main overlooked reasons Peyton didn't get the Heisman was because they didn't want to give it to an SEC QB two years in a row. Anyway, who cares about the damn thing. It's just a political thing anyway. If you look at the list of winners over the years and then glance at the No 1 draft picks, or for that matter, their success in the NFL, you will see the best player in college rarely, if ever, gets the Heisman.
As far as the ESPN against UT conspiracy theory, I think its a figment of our imagination. They have to report anything they can get on any of the top 10 teams in the country. And, that includes UT, whether we are ranked there at the time or not. With as many fans as we have, just the mention of UT gets all of us to watch, along with the rest of the SEC, and many others around the country. Its called attracting an audience.
As far as the OSU-Texas thing, it doesn't matter who or who doesn't go undefeated, but rather how they go undefeated, how their competition does, where they are ranked to start the season, and whether a team backs out of their schedule they can't replace with a good enough team. Just ask Auburn if you don't think so.
 
#135
#135
Originally posted by DrVol1@May 9, 2005 8:26 PM
As far as the OSU-Texas thing, it doesn't matter who or who doesn't go undefeated, but rather how they go undefeated, how their competition does, where they are ranked to start the season, and whether a team backs out of their schedule they can't replace with a good enough team. Just ask Auburn if you don't think so.
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There are how many hundred teams in DI football, and the best Auburn could do is a bottom of the barrell DIAA team...

*back on topic*

I think this whole thing against ESPN is kinda stupid anyways. Yes, Peyton got screwed out of the Heisman. But it's not like the committee is gonna retroactively award the trophy to Manning, so let it go.
 
#136
#136
I think their bias against UT and a few other schools and their infatuation with a few are as clear as crystal and I feel it is rather lame not to see it.

So I suppose there are a wide variety of opinions on this topic.

And that is why we come to places such as this; to discuss them.

One last parting shot: Not every conspiracy is a theory.
 
#138
#138
Most post spring top 10 predictions I have seen have UT ranked 2 or 3 for next year so I found ESPN's interesting.

Top 10 And More, April Edition
Ivan Maisel Pat Forde Bob Davie M. Gottfried Mark May
1. USC USC USC USC USC
2. Texas Michigan Texas Ohio State Texas
3. Michigan Texas Virginia Tech Texas LSU
4. Iowa Tennessee Tennessee Florida Iowa
5. Florida Iowa Ohio State Miami Miami
6. Virginia Tech Oklahoma Oklahoma FSU Michigan
7. Auburn Ohio State Michigan LSU Oklahoma
8. Miami Florida Miami Michigan Florida
9. Oklahoma Miami FSU Virginia Tech Virginia Tech
10. Tennessee Louisville Florida Oklahoma Tennessee


The 2 #4 rankings are realistic, but 2 10's and Gottfried does not even have them a top ten team?
 
#139
#139
Originally posted by holdemvol@May 10, 2005 3:19 PM
Most post spring top 10 predictions I have seen have UT ranked 2 or 3 for next year so I found ESPN's interesting.

Top 10 And More, April Edition
Ivan Maisel Pat Forde Bob Davie M. Gottfried Mark May
1. USC USC USC USC USC
2. Texas Michigan Texas Ohio State Texas
3. Michigan Texas Virginia Tech Texas LSU
4. Iowa Tennessee Tennessee Florida Iowa
5. Florida Iowa Ohio State Miami Miami
6. Virginia Tech Oklahoma Oklahoma FSU Michigan
7. Auburn Ohio State Michigan LSU Oklahoma
8. Miami Florida Miami Michigan Florida
9. Oklahoma Miami FSU Virginia Tech Virginia Tech
10. Tennessee Louisville Florida Oklahoma Tennessee


The 2 #4 rankings are realistic, but 2 10's and Gottfried does not even have them a top ten team?
Click to expand...

collegefootballnews.com-#2
Sports Illustrated-#3
cbssportsline.com-#3
football.com-#3

Biased or not, ESPN does not give this team the same respectmost others are.
 
#142
#142
We've already heard your opinion, at least you could address what I had said in my post.

Anyways, I believe there is a certain faction at ESPN that is anti-UT, but for the most part all they care about is the money. I believe it is a "news" organizations responsibility to report the news not to make the story themselves a-la-Bensol whatever her name was. However UT makes them money so I'm sure they weren't disappointed nothing ever came of it.

Also try to remember the main reason you cable rates increase is because of ESPN's leverage. With such a highly rated channel (and more coming!) they will raise the rates higher.
 
#143
#143
We rail against news outlets for being too conservative or too liberal. Why would we do any less than rail against a sports outlet which openly campaigned for Heisman voters to choose Woodson? Anyone who claims they did not do this is either delusional, or just weren't paying attention.

Before the injustice they heaped upon Peyton, I agree there was no bias, but this is what transpired:

1. The year Peyton was declared the favorite for the Heisman there were no real threats to unseat him. It was obvious from the very first game that He was by and far the best college player, and possibly the best QB of all time. But this didn't make for anything inspiring to talk about since he had been all but anointed as winner since the pre-season. So, enter ESPN's desire to stir things up and create controversy, thus increasing ratings. They began showing unlimited clips of Woodson highlights. Slowly they began moving his name up the list of favorites until it was feasible to begin promoting him as THE favorite. It worked. Their ratings went up on Saturday's and Woodson suddenly became the underdog. Everyone loves the little-engine-that-could candidate.

2. The Tennessee fans, and a wide host from other parts of the country, were shocked. However, it was the Vol fans that inundated them with angry emails.

3. They never got over it. From their shots about 'trailer-park frenzy' to the obvious swipe with the pig and the rednecks, they began a subliminal campaign to get back at all the angry UT fans.

The evidence is clear. It happened as I've described it.

Now, are they going to stop showing UT games? Are you crazy? And how does their desire to televise games prove they aren't biased? There's no way any bias is going to keep any network from reporting and televising games of a perennial power like Tennessee. There's no way they're going to stop reporting on a power like the Vols. This in no way indicates that there is not bias in the ranks of the ESPN analysts. Just look at the rankings of two of their guys' pre-season ranks. I've not seen anyone rank us lower than 5 and they have two guys rank us 10.

They constantly take pot-shots at Phil. Their reporting on us is about 70/30 negative to positive.

These men who received all of those angry emails about Peyton and the highly stereotypical 'pig' promo are human. When humans get ticked, they often retaliate. That's what they've been doing now for years.

If you're going to deny it, refute it with evidence similar to what I've provided.
 
#144
#144
I will disagree w/ you on the pig commercial. I thought it was funny and I'm glad they put UT in one of their spots.

I just don't think ESPN realized what they were creating w/ the Woodson thing. I don't believe that anyone there honestly thought he was the best player, they just needed a story. What they did was perhaps the greatest injustice ever done to UT football. It is right up there w/ Majors losing to Hornung. After it was done there was no taking it back, but ESPN just twisted the knife with the trailer-park comment. They should have stepped back and found a way to soften the blow for UT fans.
 
#145
#145
Originally posted by utvolpj@May 11, 2005 1:17 PM
I will disagree w/ you on the pig commercial.  I thought it was funny and I'm glad they put UT in one of their spots.

I just don't think ESPN realized what they were creating w/ the Woodson thing.  I don't believe that anyone there honestly thought he was the best player, they just needed a story.  What they did was perhaps the greatest injustice ever done to UT football.  It is right up there w/ Majors losing to Hornung.  After it was done there was no taking it back, but ESPN just twisted the knife with the trailer-park comment.  They should have stepped back and found a way to soften the blow for UT fans.
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Thus became the stuff conspiracies are bred from.

Do I believe they all got together and had a 'let's get UT meeting?' No, I don't believe it's that blatant. I do believe that it is quite clear that in their own subliminal way they enjoy sticking it to UT ever since that period with Peyton.

You don't have to look any further than their website today. SC has had the same amount of arrests this calendar year as we have. Their's were for far more serious offenses, grand larceny, drugs, while our offenses have been for fighting.

Yet, they have a glowingly favorable article about Spurrier and SC today, while they still have an article up from April 19 that says, "Fulmer must take control" or something close to that. They also have a negative about our academic rating. You'd think we were the only team with a poor rating.

We're just the only team they chose to point out on their front page.

This is what a prosecuting attorney would call EVIDENCE.

It's been stacking up for years.

As for the pig commercial; it wouldn't have bothered me had it not come so closely on the heels of the tariler park comments. If there had been no blatantly ugly remarks such as that, then the pig thing could have been viewed as fun. With the trailer park thing being so fresh, the university took offense as did coach Fulmer and a lot of fans who were still smarting from the Manning theft.
 
#146
#146
ESPN did what they had to do to get ratings....so what? Peyton got screwed and I think everyone knows it. ESPN always tries to boost their ratings by trying to make sure the Heisman is watched thus interested in.

But this connection between Peyton and the pig commercial is a joke.

UT is a powerhouse program with a Southern-Sterotype put on it due to its culture and state location.....therefore a pig and such is a joke that 99% of the country will laugh at knowing our program.
 
#147
#147
Originally posted by U-T@May 11, 2005 4:39 PM
ESPN did what they had to do to get ratings....so what? Peyton got screwed and I think everyone knows it. ESPN always tries to boost their ratings by trying to make sure the Heisman is watched thus interested in.

But this connection between Peyton and the pig commercial is a joke.

UT is a powerhouse program with a Southern-Sterotype put on it due to its culture and state location.....therefore a pig and such is a joke that 99% of the country will laugh at knowing our program.
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I guess, having come up hard, I'm a little more sensitive to things that make fun of poor working class persons. The stereotype of Tennesseans sleeping with their cousins, going barefoot, and eating collards and sow's belly doesn't play too well with the thousands of Tennesseans my age and older who can remember what it's like to be raised poor and have to work hard to rise above it.

My personal feelings are that the ESPN guys really enjoyed sticking it to the UT fans. It sort of reinforced their 'trailer park frenzy' sentiment.
 
#148
#148
There is no anti Tennessee bias at ESPN. How many years in a row have they predicted Tennessee to win it all in Womens Basketball? They list TN as one of the most dominant Athletics Departments in the nation. Track Nation al Titles, Womens BB Titles, Football Titles. I feel that they are just like some of our fans. The more others predict us to win the worse I feel about the season. We do our best when its us against the world or Rebuilding years. Maybe ESPN has just picked up on the trend.

Hodges
 
#149
#149
Originally posted by shodges119@May 12, 2005 10:34 AM
There is no anti Tennessee bias at ESPN.  How many years in a row have they predicted Tennessee to win it all in Womens Basketball?  They list TN as one of the most dominant Athletics Departments in the nation.  Track Nation al Titles,  Womens BB Titles,  Football Titles.  I feel that they are just like some of our fans.  The more others predict us to win the worse I feel about the season.  We do our best when its us against the world or Rebuilding years.  Maybe ESPN has just picked up on the trend.

Hodges
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Wow! They predict the Lady Vols to win National Championships? Wow!

Sorry for the sarcasm, but come on, does that really prove they're good journalists?

Half the people in America will pick us to win it all every year.

May be that you guys who oppose this theory are right. But 73% of the folks who voted in this poll believe they have at least some grudge against us.
 
#150
#150
Originally posted by milohimself@May 10, 2005 10:46 PM
Quit deluding yourselves. ESPN has no anti-Tennessee bias.
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73% of the fans on here would think he's not the one being deluded.
 
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