Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

[silkysmooth]

We often think of the SEC rigging games for power teams to win, but the story that has unfolded this morning trumps even that.

Yes, the Tide rolled to a 12-0 record and slaughtered Florida again in the SEC title game. They sit at #2 in the nation and will probably go on to smoke overmatched Wisconsin for a second national title. Yes, we know, they are overrated in game on the default rosters.

But what happened to me just now probably trumps all of that. I was nearing the end of the regular season as Purdue when I realized the Heisman hype had escaped my attention because I was focusing on getting through my first season. I check the rankings and see that Mark Ingram has put up another pretty solid season for the undefeated Tide. Upon further inspection, I notice that Ingram lacks a single rush of over 20 yards. I see a few players ahead of him and think that in no conceivable way would such mediocrity be rewarded. Ingram was persistent and consistent, if anything unspectacular carrying the load for an Alabama team. Oh wait he wasn't carrying the load, as Greg McElroy threw 35 TD passes.

Anywho, I simulate to bowl season when I am promptly greeted by the Heisman Trophy presentation. In the first position I see Jake Locker. He has 1408 total points. Ingram is in second with 1381 point. Ingram does have an edge in first place votes, however. The game, seeing an Alabama player so close to glory, decides to declare Mark Ingram the winner, in a gut wrenching fashion that reminds me very much of Florida in the 2000 Presidential Election. Can we get a recount? Can anyone mend Jake Locker's broken heart? What a cruel twist of fate.

Examining the situation further, the game in some respects thinks Locker has won the Heisman and declares him so in the ESPN section of my dynasty. It mentions Washington's 11-1 record and that Locker has lead them to the Rose Bowl. When I go inside to check the top 5, it still shows Mark Ingram, with a long rush on the season of a pedestrian 16 yards, as the winner.

So I come to you, great people of Operation Sports, to help me decide who the real winner should be. Relevant stats are as follows:

Jake Locker - 3838 passing yards, 36 TD to 12 INT; 720 rushing yards, 6 TD. Team is 11-1, Pac-10 Champions, ranked #6, playing in the Rose Bowl

Mark Ingram - 1409 rushing yards, 4.9 YPC, 13 TDs; 45 receptions, 512 yards, 8 TDs

[browntowntiger]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

your right. probably the first installment of this series where the developer just blatantly caters to one university and really doesent bother to keep it a secret. Im amazed i still play this game seeing as how its all bama this and bama that in dynasties and i have to look at that half queer on the main menu screen.

[Bamafan3723]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

your right. probably the first installment of this series where the developer just blatantly caters to one university and really doesent bother to keep it a secret. Im amazed i still play this game seeing as how its all bama this and bama that in dynasties and i have to look at that half queer on the main menu screen.

Another one of these threads? It's a game people. Heck, there can't be that much favoritism seeing how they didn't get the colors of our uniforms right.

[trobinson97]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

Great thread, would read again.


"Half queer"? What does that mean LSU fan?

@OP, make Locker the Heisman winner if that's in your power. Obviously it's the option that would make you feel better.

[georgiafan]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

You make it sound like Ingram did nothing he had just just under 2,000 total yards and 22 TD's. While leading his team to back to back undeafted seasons and national titles.

[bamajeff]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

We often think of the SEC rigging games for power teams to win, but the story that has unfolded this morning trumps even that.

Yes, the Tide rolled to a 12-0 record and slaughtered Florida again in the SEC title game. They sit at #2 in the nation and will probably go on to smoke overmatched Wisconsin for a second national title. Yes, we know, they are overrated in game on the default rosters.

But what happened to me just now probably trumps all of that. I was nearing the end of the regular season as Purdue when I realized the Heisman hype had escaped my attention because I was focusing on getting through my first season. I check the rankings and see that Mark Ingram has put up another pretty solid season for the undefeated Tide. Upon further inspection, I notice that Ingram lacks a single rush of over 20 yards. I see a few players ahead of him and think that in no conceivable way would such mediocrity be rewarded. Ingram was persistent and consistent, if anything unspectacular carrying the load for an Alabama team. Oh wait he wasn't carrying the load, as Greg McElroy threw 35 TD passes.

Anywho, I simulate to bowl season when I am promptly greeted by the Heisman Trophy presentation. In the first position I see Jake Locker. He has 1408 total points. Ingram is in second with 1381 point. Ingram does have an edge in first place votes, however. The game, seeing an Alabama player so close to glory, decides to declare Mark Ingram the winner, in a gut wrenching fashion that reminds me very much of Florida in the 2000 Presidential Election. Can we get a recount? Can anyone mend Jake Locker's broken heart? What a cruel twist of fate.

Examining the situation further, the game in some respects thinks Locker has won the Heisman and declares him so in the ESPN section of my dynasty. It mentions Washington's 11-1 record and that Locker has lead them to the Rose Bowl. When I go inside to check the top 5, it still shows Mark Ingram, with a long rush on the season of a pedestrian 16 yards, as the winner.

So I come to you, great people of Operation Sports, to help me decide who the real winner should be. Relevant stats are as follows:

Jake Locker - 3838 passing yards, 36 TD to 12 INT; 720 rushing yards, 6 TD. Team is 11-1, Pac-10 Champions, ranked #6, playing in the Rose Bowl

Mark Ingram - 1409 rushing yards, 4.9 YPC, 13 TDs; 45 receptions, 512 yards, 8 TDs

It's a video game. Stop taking it so seriously! Ingram had another Heisman type season for me in the first year of my dynasty. Yet he wasn't even a finalist.

[Husker88Chief]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

Jake Locker - 3838 passing yards, 36 TD to 12 INT; 720 rushing yards, 6 TD. Team is 11-1, Pac-10 Champions, ranked #6, playing in the Rose Bowl

Mark Ingram - 1409 rushing yards, 4.9 YPC, 13 TDs; 45 receptions, 512 yards, 8 TDs

That one loss was to Nebraska

In order to decide I've gotta see other HB stats. If he's the top HB in that year that can hold a lot more power in the Heisman voting.

[NDIrish98]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

you forgot to add a "Don't Care" option underneath "Locker" and "Ingram". i choose that one. :wink:

[Pogo27]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

1,408 yards, 4.9 yards per carry, and 13 touchdowns... without a single rush over 16 yards? Actually far more impressive than you seem to think it is...

Consider this... one 80 yard rush and 15 zero yard rushes. That makes for 16 carries, probably a touchdown, and a 5 yards per carry total.

But if your longest rush is 16 yards and you have a 4.9 ypc average, you can know he was virtually never stopped behind the line of scrimmage, and he was gaining yards for his team on basically every single touch.

[silkysmooth]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

For those of you who couldn't tell, my original post and the whole Alabama favoritism thing was very tongue in cheek. I personally don't care if EA rated them too high because my dynasty team won't be competing for a title until all their overrated players are gone. I simply used that as a premise to tell the story of this rather interesting situation I stumbled upon.

Sorry if I offended any Tide fans in the process. It was merely meant to add humor to an already outrageous situation.

[NoDakHusker]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

In the first year of my dynasty, Ingram came in second...not a close second, mind you, Taylor Potts won by a landslide.
I don't remember the number of votes, I just remember there being a huge discrepancy between 1st and 2nd. Just saying lol.

However, I am getting sick of seeing Alabama destroying everyone in their path in my dynasty...ah well, that's just how it goes.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

In the first year of my dynasty, Bama was #1 all year long, but lost to 7-5 Georgia in the SEC Championship game, lol. Somehow, two BIG 10 teams then ended up playing in the National Championship because they were ranked 2 and 3 going into conference title week.

[SuperNoVa27]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

Is Bama really that bad I only played them once and Ingram didn't get over 50 Yards

[Dbene66]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

i thought it was funny silky .....even as a bama fan.
i agree bama is a lil ridiculous on the game. the dumb things is making first time starters all americans like Dre Kirkpatrick. he is very talented but has not done anything on the field yet.
how are our uniforms wrong?
and BTW im confused if the game had locker first why are you saying they awarded Ingram?

[alifeincomplete]

Re: Alabama favoritism doesn't just end with the rosters

As a Huskies user, I can sympathize. Sorta. The game, in my two separate dynasties, is bias towards the Tide's overrated rosters, but I don't care about that as much as I do the bizarre bias towards Case Keenum. :-P Keenum has won the Heisman in both of my two dynasties, edging out Locker for unexplained reasons. *shrug*