I mentioned last week that CBS was not making any friends at LSU by choosing them with the "Six Day in Advance Rule" and moving their start time from 7:45pm to 3:30pm (even after waiting for ALA and ARK to finish playing). Well they invoked the rule again this week, and SEC fans are really starting to get ticked. LSU Fan and reader JP wrote in to vent.....

I would like to see another entry related to your "CBS Toys With SEC Fans" post last Friday or Saturday. I made the responses related to how LSU was angry about the decision. You have no idea how angry LSU fans were at CBS about the decision, because we feel like we were lied too. I know this because I am a lifelong LSU fan and LSU undergraduate. And I feel like your entry and supporting article expressed UGA's outrage as well.

Well, now it's time to review what CBS did this week. They pulled the "six day window" again because they didn't want to choose between Alabama/FSU and Florida/Auburn. So then, on Saturday, Alabama lost while Florida and Auburn both won. So what does CBS decide on Sunday? Of course! They go with Alabama/Florida State. This time, they leave Florida and Auburn hanging after they both do what they were supposed to do (while Alabama didn't).

And as an SEC partisan in general, I think it is offensive that CBS opted for a team barely hanging on to its Top 25 ranking playing out of conference against an UNRANKED team, instead of a big-time SEC in-conference showdown featuring the #3 team in the country. Yes, Auburn is down this year, but it should still be a good game (hell, they're better than Ole Miss). And it is also a revenge match (Auburn was the only team to beat Florida last year).

I am completely at a loss on this one. Again, why did they hold the option over Florida's head if they were going with Alabama, no matter if they won or lost?

Thanks for taking the time JP and we feel your frustration. I guess the only good news is that they only get two of these six day rules a season and they've used them both up. The regular cushion of 12 days will be in place the rest of the season, which still isn't a lot of time if you've made plans for something different.

CBS Toys With SEC Fans (Awful Announcing)

Update: LSU and Tulane are apparently unveiling some new gear and the proceeds go to Rebuilding New Orleans. Be sure to grab a shirt or two.

After this I promise there will be no more Vick posts, but I just wanted to share a couple of viewpoints that I found very interesting, one of which could be pretty controversial (if anyone took any stock in what Bayless spewed). Up first is a great breakdown of this morning's Sports Center by C-Mots at Mister Irrelevant. Read these stats and then take a few minutes to take them all in....I'll meet you on the other side....

* The show was 48 minutes without commercials, exactly 24 minutes and 45 seconds of which was devoted to Michael Vick.
* All or portions of Vick’s press conference from yesterday was shown five times. The terms of his plea agreement were shown four times.
* 18 different people shared an on-air opinion/thought on Vick (this obviously doesn’t count the anchors): Tom Jackson, Emmitt Smith, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Berman, Michael Wilbon, Hank Aaron, Jim Rome, Jim Fassel, Mike Tirico, Tony K, Jaws, Kelly Naqi, George Smith, Roger Cossack, Sal Paolantonio, Joe Horn, Chris Mortensen, and some random Falcons fan.
* 30.6% on ESPN.com voters believe Vick should get a lifetime suspension. Overreact much?
* Best Quote goes to Chris Berman: “To use a sports metaphor: If the ball has hit the turf, and it hit the turf on Monday, and it’s just starting to go up, and we hope it goes high, then we can be upbeat and optimistic about it.”
* Second Best Quote: Steve Levy going into the first commercial break after 12 non-stop minutes of Vick talk: “And yes, there’s even more Michael Vick ahead on SportsCenter.”

Wow. Talk about overkill. I just don't understand this line of thinking at all. It's just my opinion, but isn't everyone done with and past this whole issue? There's some ridiculous playoff races happening in Baseball, the Yankees got slaughtered last night, and College Football is starting in two days. It just amazes me that they're pressing on with this thing.

The second item today comes from an email sent to me yesterday. I missed 1st Take (as I normally do), but I think this reader submission is a perfect synopsis. Skip Bayless has been the same for years, but I'm with the reader and think this is waaaay over the top.....

I start the day with Mike and Mike (listen to TV) and more than a few times stayed with ESPN until Skip Bonehead started spewing his uninformed and racist opinions. I've heard him criticize black athletes for celebrating and other on/off field acts that he never mentions about white athletes - or if he does it's with a "boys will be boys" spin. Today topped it all. His comments offended me as much as the Imus comments did and I think he should suffer the same fate.

My blood pressure is at about a billion because I'm still listening to ESPNs coverage - waiting for the Arthur Blank news conference - and I'm listening to the two Stews making intelligent, logical, informed comments while Skip Bonehead continues with his thinly veiled racist crap. Check out the tapes if you're not watching/listening. Sometimes I just wonder how people get their jobs and keep them. (E-bleeping-gads! Now he's pretending to support Vick by slamming Upshaw - he never misses an opportunity to slap the black folks!! If I listen to much more, my ears will start bleeding!)

-SR

FYI - I'm a lily-white grandmother from MA, now retired in NH. Was a peace activist in the 60s and haven't lost my sense of what's inherently wrong. This guy - Skip Bonehead - qualifies for Olbermann's Worst Person in the World award today.

Way to skew my demographic SR....just kidding. I'm glad people from all backgrounds can contribute to the site. A good rant is healthy for everyone, and I too have noticed this from Bayless over the years. It just amazes me that with as much criticism that ESPN takes on certain people that they never even think of getting rid of them.

I also really thought the Nation had moved past the Race Card regarding most issues, but the Vick Case and the Imus Incident showed that's certainly not the case.

SportsCenter: One Part Vick, One Part Every Other Sporting Topic on Earth (Mister Irrelevant)