Was anyone else as appalled by this as I was?

[Walter Burns]

Got my SI today, and read the front-of-the-book essay by Orrin Hatch. He talks about how the time and situation is right for Congress to address the BCS. He talks about how it violates the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. He talks about how Utah and BYU (among others) got jobbed last year.
Nowhere in the story does it mention that Hatch is a U.S. Senator from Utah.
This seems like a rookie mistake to me ... or am I just making a mountain over a molehill?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I was thinking that too, while reading it. They should have mentioned his Utah connection. He obviously has a big stake in the schools receiving more money from the BCS.

And reading his essay, I found it somewhat ironic that he said that college football and the BCS was big business. Yet, he is advocating more work for the students to earn their scholarships (i.e. more games in a playoff) and didn't mention anything about the workers receiving any extra pay for their overtime.

 

[broadway joe]

Got my SI today, and read the front-of-the-book essay by Orrin Hatch. He talks about how the time and situation is right for Congress to address the BCS. He talks about how it violates the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. He talks about how Utah and BYU (among others) got jobbed last year.
Nowhere in the story does it mention that Hatch is a U.S. Senator from Utah.
This seems like a rookie mistake to me ... or am I just making a mountain over a molehill?

It certainly identifies him as a senator, both in the byline and at the end of the column. No idea why it doesn't identify the state he represents.

 

[Clerk Typist]

Also has Senate lowercase in the ID. I guess they assume everyone who knows where Hatch is from, and you know what they say about assuming.

 

[Sp0rtScribe]

It seems done with a purpose if they include everything but the state he represents. And to answer the question, yes, it is appalling.

 

[highlander]

What is appalling is that some schools have no success in football and still share in the BCS gravy train while good football teams in the Mountain West get the left over scraps and crumbs.

 

[da man]

What is appalling is that some schools have no success in football and still share in the BCS gravy train while good football teams in the Mountain West get the left over scraps and crumbs.

What's even more appalling is that anyone thinks the federal government should be involved in how college football determines a national champion.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

For God's sake, it's Orrin Hatch. They're not trying to hide where he's from. He's one of the most prominent members of the senate.

Jeez.

 

[I Digress]

That's not the point PC, nor it is what the others are saying. It's chapter and verse that in journalism that when a politician is mentioned, you identify him, his position, his party, his state. Period. It's not appalling because SI is trying to 'hide' anything. It is appalling they overlooked something that should never be overlooked. I'm willing to bet there are a number of SI readers who have no idea who the hell Hatch is because he doesn't, you know, throw a ball.

 

[sportsguydave]

I agree. SI should have gone the full monty and given Hatch the full monty as far as identifying him. Lazy journalism at best; trying to sneak a spitter past us at worst.

With two wars to fight, an economy in the tank, and a Supreme Court nominee to examine, there's NO time for the Senate to look at the BCS mess. Period. Out of the toy box, guys.

 

[Sneed]

What is appalling is that some schools have no success in football and still share in the BCS gravy train while good football teams in the Mountain West get the left over scraps and crumbs.

What's even more appalling is that anyone thinks the federal government should be involved in how college football determines a national champion.

End thread. (Or maybe start of a new one.)

 

[RickStain]

It's not really appalling, but definitely perplexing, that people think that what the college system does can be legitimately called a national championship.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

That's not the point PC, nor it is what the others are saying. It's chapter and verse that in journalism that when a politician is mentioned, you identify him, his position, his party, his state. Period. It's not appalling because SI is trying to 'hide' anything. It is appalling they overlooked something that should never be overlooked. I'm willing to bet there are a number of SI readers who have no idea who the hell Hatch is because he doesn't, you know, throw a ball.

Oh, I'm not defending SI not listing his state. That's sloppy. But there are at least two suggestions on this thread that it was done intentionally, presumably because of Utah's beef with the BCS. That, to me, is absurd.

 

[albert77]

That's not the point PC, nor it is what the others are saying. It's chapter and verse that in journalism that when a politician is mentioned, you identify him, his position, his party, his state. Period. It's not appalling because SI is trying to 'hide' anything. It is appalling they overlooked something that should never be overlooked. I'm willing to bet there are a number of SI readers who have no idea who the hell Hatch is because he doesn't, you know, throw a ball.

Oh, I'm not defending SI not listing his state. That's sloppy. But there are at least two suggestions on this thread that it was done intentionally, presumably because of Utah's beef with the BCS. That, to me, is absurd.

I don't think it's absurd at all. It's entirely possible, maybe even likely, that we have some agenda-mongering by an influential sports media outlet.

And kudos to da man for being the first to suggest that this really isn't any of the government's business.

 

[highlander]

What is appalling is that some schools have no success in football and still share in the BCS gravy train while good football teams in the Mountain West get the left over scraps and crumbs.

What's even more appalling is that anyone thinks the federal government should be involved in how college football determines a national champion.

I totally agree it's not the government's business. But, I'd sure rather have them working on this than Cap and Trade or national health care.

 

[Shaggy]

The politicians aren't claiming to get involved in determining a national champion. They claim to be examining antitrust laws since teams like Utah and Boise State don't have a fair chance to compete.

Also at stake is hundreds of millions in BCS money. What isn't answered, however, is what solution will give Boise State the same benefit of the doubt as Ohio State. 8-team, 16-team, whatever, the big schools will get an edge. Ask basketball when Arizona is given a joke of a selection in the NCAA Tournament while a more deserving San Diego State goes to the NIT.

 

[Starman]

Orrin Hatch needs to bang the drums to get Utah and BYU into the Pac-10, which would solve all his problems.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

That's not the point PC, nor it is what the others are saying. It's chapter and verse that in journalism that when a politician is mentioned, you identify him, his position, his party, his state. Period. It's not appalling because SI is trying to 'hide' anything. It is appalling they overlooked something that should never be overlooked. I'm willing to bet there are a number of SI readers who have no idea who the hell Hatch is because he doesn't, you know, throw a ball.

Oh, I'm not defending SI not listing his state. That's sloppy. But there are at least two suggestions on this thread that it was done intentionally, presumably because of Utah's beef with the BCS. That, to me, is absurd.

I don't think it's absurd at all. It's entirely possible, maybe even likely, that we have some agenda-mongering by an influential sports media outlet.

And kudos to da man for being the first to suggest that this really isn't any of the government's business.

What the hell kind of agenda-mongering is that? It's Orrin Hatch. He's been a US Senator from Utah for 32 years. If the reader doesn't know who Orrin Hatch is, the reader is too ****ing dumb to be of any use in SI's "agenda."

 

[Mark2010]

Yes, SI goofed by not providing full identification.

Yes, Senator Hatch and his colleagues should be working on far more important matters than a college football playoff.

And, yes, I have far more pressing matters than either of the above to lose sleep over.

 

[albert77]

That's not the point PC, nor it is what the others are saying. It's chapter and verse that in journalism that when a politician is mentioned, you identify him, his position, his party, his state. Period. It's not appalling because SI is trying to 'hide' anything. It is appalling they overlooked something that should never be overlooked. I'm willing to bet there are a number of SI readers who have no idea who the hell Hatch is because he doesn't, you know, throw a ball.

Oh, I'm not defending SI not listing his state. That's sloppy. But there are at least two suggestions on this thread that it was done intentionally, presumably because of Utah's beef with the BCS. That, to me, is absurd.

I don't think it's absurd at all. It's entirely possible, maybe even likely, that we have some agenda-mongering by an influential sports media outlet.

And kudos to da man for being the first to suggest that this really isn't any of the government's business.

What the hell kind of agenda-mongering is that? It's Orrin Hatch. He's been a US Senator from Utah for 32 years. If the reader doesn't know who Orrin Hatch is, the reader is too ****ing dumb to be of any use in SI's "agenda."

I am absolutely amazed that you actually, seriously believe that the average reader of Sports Illustrated has the first clue who Orrin Hatch is or why he's schleping for the University of Utah to get a bigger piece of the BCS pie. The average Joe on the street barely knows who his own senators are, let alone those from another state.