gattis

[Bama Bo 0]

Some of you have gotten so upset over the way Gattis voted. I've got a couple of questionsfor you.

If Gattis would have voted AU #1 would they have moved up in the polls?

If Gattis had voted AU #1 would they have played in the OB?

Even if AU had of been #1 in the AP, chances are they still would have been #3 in the BCS and would be going to the Sugar.

So, since the answer to both of the questions above is "NO", what is the big deal about where Gattis voted AU?

And for those of you bit#$#ng about him leaving OU and USC at 1 & 2 because they didn't lose, you need to be sayning the same thing about 95% of the other writers who voted USC & OU 1&2.

[cadillacattack 0]

1. Gattis' role as a Bama beat writer creates a perception about his ability to be objective. It's natural, he should've expected it long ago.

2. Gattis was offended that his objectivity was being questioned. It's natural, he should've expected it long ago.

3. Gattis was "forced" to reveal his reasons for voting the way he did.

4. Gattis did so in a highly unprofessional manner that further questions his credibility.

5. Gorham's attempt at an apology was a weak effort at damage control. So weak, in fact, that I did not feel compelled to reduce my company's spend-rate (by 60%) with them until after reading her response. We are not a large account by any means, but there are many angry people right now and I do not believe Gorham's response satisfies my concerns for limiting our firm's risk for potential loss. Yes, we are conservative.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Some of you have gotten so upset over the way Gattis voted. I've got a couple of questionsfor you.

If Gattis would have voted AU #1 would they have moved up in the polls?

If Gattis had voted AU #1 would they have played in the OB?

Even if AU had of been #1 in the AP, chances are they still would have been #3 in the BCS and would be going to the Sugar.

So, since the answer to both of the questions above is "NO", what is the big deal about where Gattis voted AU?

And for those of you bit#$#ng about him leaving OU and USC at 1 & 2 because they didn't lose, you need to be sayning the same thing about 95% of the other writers who voted USC & OU 1&2.

130752[/snapback]

Bo I totally agree with you that his vote did not determine the outcome. I for one told him that. I told him I was not trying to change his vote. I only asked him to give his rationale. His refusal to do so (until ordered) coupled with the fact he tried to hide his even being a voter is what got the turmoil going. None of the people I talked to said they questioned his rankings, just asked for his rationale. Do you think that is asking too much? Heck he could have made it fun by publishing his vote and rationale each week and asking for voter feedback/participation. As a sportswriter in a community like Huntsville where FB is of major interest, would you try to represent some consensus of your readers or just say "screw ya'll, I'm an expert and don't give a damn about your opinions. How would I vote, even today. I would vote for USC, OK and Auburn tied for first. I don't have overwheming, unarguable rationale to do otherwise. Just wish we could eliminate the human factor more and settle it on the field.

[Weagle98 119]

Some of you have gotten so upset over the way Gattis voted. I've got a couple of questionsfor you.

If Gattis would have voted AU #1 would they have moved up in the polls?

If Gattis had voted AU #1 would they have played in the OB?

130752[/snapback]

No, but I have heard media outlets and message board state that AU couldn't even convice their own state AP voters to vote for them.

[Tigermike 3,053]

Some of you have gotten so upset over the way Gattis voted. I've got a couple of questionsfor you.

If Gattis would have voted AU #1 would they have moved up in the polls?

If Gattis had voted AU #1 would they have played in the OB?

Even if AU had of been #1 in the AP, chances are they still would have been #3 in the BCS and would be going to the Sugar.

So, since the answer to both of the questions above is "NO", what is the big deal about where Gattis voted AU?

And for those of you bit#$#ng about him leaving OU and USC at 1 & 2 because they didn't lose, you need to be sayning the same thing about 95% of the other writers who voted USC & OU 1&2.

130752[/snapback]

Answer two questions Bo. (1) Knowing that Mr. Gattis is a lifelong Bama fan do you think he would have voted the way he did if Bama had been in the same situation that Auburn is? (2) Knowing that Mr. Gattis is the beat writer for Bama do you think he would have voted the same way if Bama had been in the same situation?

As for the other 95% of the voters, all I can say is if they are so closed minded and myopic that they can never change their minds about a "preseason poll", then they shouldn't be voting anyway.

[TigerinBham 1]

Bama BO he voted us #3 for one reason and you know it. He is a Bama fan. He is the ONLY sportswriter from the Top 3 states ( Al, Tx, and OK) not to vote his state team #1. He didn't even vote us #2. There is a jealously in the SEC that you don't see in other conferences. The SEC is full of backstabbers aka Fat Phil. If Bama was in the same boat and Phillip Marshall(AU beatwriter) had them #3 he would probably get 1000 vicious e-mails and you know it. This is PURE and simple an AU-UA thing.

[AURainman 6]

Some of you have gotten so upset over the way Gattis voted. I've got a couple of questionsfor you.

If Gattis would have voted AU #1 would they have moved up in the polls?

If Gattis had voted AU #1 would they have played in the OB?

130752[/snapback]

No, but I have heard media outlets and message board state that AU couldn't even convice their own state AP voters to vote for them.

130773[/snapback]

Which severely undercuts our right to gripe. Gattis is an example of the problem, but not THE problem.

[Bama Bo 0]

I totaly agree with the fact that the paper should have known he was a voter, it's hard for me to believe that they didn't know. I can also understand him being p'od after receiving email after email questioning his intelligence and his ethics. The Editor was totally wrong by the way she wrote about him pubilicly, and by seemingly trying to influence his vote. Randy Kennedy (Mobile Reg.'s sports editor) said it best, it is not the paper's vote, it was Paul Gattis's vote.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I totaly agree with the fact that the paper should have known he was a voter, it's hard for me to believe that they didn't know. I can also understand him being p'od after receiving email after email questioning his intelligence and his ethics. The Editor was totally wrong by the way she wrote about him pubilicly, and by seemingly trying to influence his vote. Randy Kennedy (Mobile Reg.'s sports editor) said it best, it is not the paper's vote, it was Paul Gattis's vote.

130779[/snapback]

Bo....maybe hard for you to believe but Gattis himself told me they didn't know and that his vote had nothing to do with him working for the Times. I for one never questioned his intelligence or ethics. Hell I never even suggested to him his bama bisaes might be showing. Let me try once again.....all I asked was for him to give his rationale, i.e., thought process for the way he was voting. Is that unreasonable?

As for Ms. Gorham, I guess we will just have to disagree. I think it took a lot of guts on her part (something Gattis doesn't display) to make an apology to thousands of readers about something she agreed was wrong. I told her that this morning.

[Bama Bo 0]

In 1992, Alabama was in a similar situation, very few in the AP or the Coaches poll were voting Alabama 1 or 2, the only thing that got them moved into the #2 spot was Texas and I believe Washington losing during the last week or so of the season. And yes, I was upset, but not at any one individual, but at the system as a whole.

And as far as TigerMike's question. I'm not Gattis so I can't say whether he would have voted for Alabama or not. I would like to think he would, but not because he was an Alabama fan, but because he thought they deserved it.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

If the guy would have changed his vote to OU at #1 when it started becoming clear how the season was going to end, they yeah, I would think he was just trying to screw AU.  He picked OU #1 at the first of the year, and they didn't lose.  Get over it.

130644[/snapback]

I am over it. 21-13 is getting me over everything

[Bama Bo 0]

Bo....maybe hard for you to believe but Gattis himself told me they didn't know and that his vote had nothing to do with him working for the Times. I for one never questioned his intelligence or ethics. Hell I never even suggested to him his bama bisaes might be showing. Let me try once again.....all I asked was for him to give his rationale, i.e., thought process for the way he was voting. Is that unreasonable?

As for Ms. Gorham, I guess we will just have to disagree. I think it took a lot of guts on her part (something Gattis doesn't display) to make an apology to thousands of readers about something she agreed was wrong. I told her that this morning.

130787[/snapback]

I guess I phrased the hard to believe part wrong, because I wasn't actually saying I didn't believe you. The main reason it was hard for me to believe is that I would have thought that the AP would have told the editor that they had asked Gattis to vote.

The reason I disagree with Ms. Gorham's article is that since she ASKED him to write the article on why he voted the way he did, she should have read it before it was published, then she could have said "nope, it's not going to print like that, re-write it". That is her job after all.

[TigerinBham 1]

sorry the top 3 states are alabama, oklahoma, and california.

[Raven_tiger 5]

To disagree with man's logic, as I do, is one thing. To wish him to be fired because you disagree with him is completely idiotic and does not speak well of the AU nation when we sink that low. C'mon guys, disagree with him all you want, but don't go saying things that affects his family and job. That is ridiculous!

At least he has the guts to say what he thinks. I would rather be around a man like than somebody that will just pump you full of what you want to hear.

I read the article and it did not make me as mad as it seemed to have some of my other AU brothers. However, I also think it was low of his editor to print what she did. Gattis is not a columnist and was either asked by the sports editor or the editor herself to write the column. It then must got through one of them for proofreading. If they did not proofread it, then what kind of editors are they. Either way, the fault lies with the editors also for allowing it to run. It just makes that editor look silly by condemning the writer style. How would you guys like to work for somebody that would leave you hanging out to dry like that? Of course, there is probably quite a few of us that have been the scapegoat for our bosses before.

130743[/snapback]

Good post.

[AUesquire 1]

Like Bo, the system is my main focus. As long as there's voting, there will be extreme bias and I doubt they screen the ones they give votes to so they can insure they will all be fair and completely objective. It's just not going to happen. The coaches aren't any more fair than this guy in their voting either. However, we don't get to see how they vote and we can't write nasty e-mails and letters to them hoping they lose their jobs when they don't vote like we think they should.

Don't "Tweak" the system...TRASH IT!!! Let em' settle it on the field and take the bias out of it. PERIOD.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I'm a little confused. Some of you seem to be implying that no one should have been concerned with Gattis's rationale and attitude and just ignored it. Don't subscribers have a right, and even responsibility, to give feedback to a newspaper? Does your paper not have a "letters to the Editor" section? I think some of you "speaketh about that which you knoweth little abot the facts"

[chinook 0]

this is a ridiculous tread. please shut it down!

[AUesquire 1]

Proud, you have every right to speak your mind and voice your pleasure or displeasure with your local paper and the way they do things. I've certainly had a few "Conversations" with the paragon of journalistic virtue in my area as well from time to time. Sorry if I don't have the same passion as you about your local paper or this writer. You handled it, good for you.

Again, I blame the system that allows for this type of trash to go on. And I certainly have a huge problem with wishing the loss of a job on someone who stepped on some toes with a poorly thought out and poorly written response.

[aunavy 0]

Proud:

I get it. I emailed Ms. Gorham yesterday with my civil comments. Basically I appreciated her position but that Mr. Gattis needed to apologize to the Auburn nation for his insensitive and arrogant column. I said it would be poetic justice and might teach a bit of humility if he was reassigned as the AUBURN beat writer.

[Brooks1083 0]

I don't really agree with how he voted. But I do agree with him on one point...that OU is one of the best two teams in the nation. Since apparently the factor determining who should be the top two is who they've beaten. I mean honestly, can anyone tell me what the heck USC has done this year? Two signature wins over Cal (who i'll add almost lost to southern miss) and Va Tech (ok, i'll give them this one, but I dont even know if Va Tech had it all together then). USC made it to this year's national championship last year when they got left out. Preseason polls are a bunch of junk, that should be clear in the fact that Auburn started off at like 17 or whatever and makes it up to number 3. Anyway, that's really all I got, I've just been feeling the need to post that for a little while.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

It's not that Gattis' vote swung the end result one way or the other by itself. It's just that we feel like the voters overall really gave us the shaft this year. But it's one thing when a writer far away from the Southeast puts OU and USC ahead of us because they are more familiar with those teams and don't understand the intensity of SEC games. But when a guy in your own state, who knows how tough the SEC is year in, year out votes you number three, then can't give one coherent reason why except that he had the others #1 and #2 and they didn't lose? That ticks me off a little bit. Plus, when other AP voters look and see that the home state writer has us #3, that probably does carry a little weight with them when they are on the fence about us. They figure he's as close as anyone to us and if he hasn't seen enough to put us in the top two, then neither have they.

Bama Bo, I'd love to see what your thoughts on a controversy like this would be if it was Alabama trying to squeeze in the BCS title game and Jay Tate, the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser, did this to Bama? Even if it didn't affect the outcome by his one vote alone, would it not smell fishy to you? Would it bother you that perhaps his being the home state writer and not voting your team higher potentially tipped the scales for other voters who knew less about Bama that year? I think it would.

[Argo 8]

Bama Bo, I'd love to see what your thoughts on a controversy like this would be if it was Alabama trying to squeeze in the BCS title game and Jay Tate, the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser, did this to Bama? 

130816[/snapback]

I'm not Bama Bo, but I'm going to answer this anyways. If Jay Tate had been voting OU #1 and USC#2 ALL YEAR, then I don't see why any bama fan should expect him to change his opinion to help the in-state team. And if it was the other way around, you guys would completely agree with him sticking to his opinion.

Would it bother you that perhaps his being the home state writer and not voting your team higher potentially tipped the scales for other voters who knew less about Bama that year?

Why aren't AU fans sending emails and demanding to know why ALL the other voters aren't placing AU first? Why just pick on this guy? He's not the only one who has had OU and USC and #1 and #2 all year, but I'm willing to bet he's the only one who was MADE to show why he voted the way he did ALL YEAR.

[gabe_96 0]

Exactly Titan...the guy is voting in a biase dmanner agianst Auburn...that is the opinion of some of us...and we have every right in a free market to let gattis's boss know that we aren't going to support their paper because the guy is voting in a unethical way in our opinion...nobody is sending the guy to jail, he is free to vote for bamma number one and leave auburn unranked in every poll but if he doesn't back it up with some logic I hope he does get fired.

if he doesn't like my natural gas forecast he is free to lobby my employer to get me fired(good luck)...if he hadn't been doing such a incompetant job as a football analyst his boss would laugh at us about firing him, but since he is clearly incompetant and voting as a bama homer she is dragging his name through the mud in public. tough crap for gattis.....I have a feeling this is going to be one more story in the next auburn alabama rivalry book....this is why aub/bama is the fiercest rivalry in the country....

[TitanTiger 20,510]

If Jay Tate had been voting OU #1 and USC#2 ALL YEAR, then I don't see why any bama fan should expect him to change his opinion to help the in-state team.  And if it was the other way around, you guys would completely agree with him sticking to his opinion. 

You may not personally see why, but don't try to act like the question wouldn't come up or that Bama fans wouldn't be livid. I think what I and a lot of Auburn fans are mad about is not just that he didn't change it on his final poll, but that as the season progressed, he never saw fit to change it: not after OU struggled with A&M and OSU. Not after USC scraped by Stanford, Oregon State and UCLA. Not after noticing that the SEC has more ranked teams than any other conference. Etc. Etc. Etc. I didn't expect him to change it on the last ballot, I'm just surprised that it nothing Auburn did managed to sway him.

But even more than that, after a lot of Auburn fans asked him for a rationale (even opinions have rationales behind them), instead of responding with something halfway intelligent and reasoned, he just went off. I'm sure he got some nasty emails, but I'm quite sure he got some polite ones simply asking for some kind of explanation as to why a guy who covers the SEC and lives in this state and knows what football is like down here couldn't bring himself to put Auburn at #1 or #2.

So, in summary, most Auburn fans' beef with Gattis is:

1. Holding to the stupid, unwritten rule that if you rank someone high in the preseason, they must lose to be dropped.

2. Being a pompous ass about it when questioned as to what his voting rationale was.

Why aren't AU fans sending emails and demanding to know why ALL the other voters aren't placing AU first?  Why just pick on this guy?  He's not the only one who has had OU and USC and #1 and #2 all year, but I'm willing to bet he's the only one who was MADE to show why he voted the way he did ALL YEAR.

130825[/snapback]

Probably a lot of factors. One, it doesn't necessarily surprise us to see some regional bias. If a writer on the West Coast puts USC #1 or an OK or TX writer has OU #1 or #2, it's probably because they are most familiar with the team from their region. We'd just expect that an sportswriter worth his salt that covers the SEC could see that what Auburn did this year was deserving at least of a #2 ranking if not higher. That he's the Bama beat writer doesn't help matters.

And while Gattis might be the only one whose editor told him to write and explain his vote, I'll bet he wasn't the only voter questioned about his vote by local fans of a particular school. I'd also be willing to bet he's not the only writer to reply to emails or phone calls and give some sort of line of reasoning as to why he ranked them the way he did. He might, however, have been the only one to completely show his ass in doing so.

[Bama Bo 0]

Bama Bo, I'd love to see what your thoughts on a controversy like this would be if it was Alabama trying to squeeze in the BCS title game and Jay Tate, the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser, did this to Bama?  Even if it didn't affect the outcome by his one vote alone, would it not smell fishy to you?  Would it bother you that perhaps his being the home state writer and not voting your team higher potentially tipped the scales for other voters who knew less about Bama that year?  I think it would.

130816[/snapback]

You picked a good one to ask me about in Jay G. Tate! I've lived in or around Montgomery all my life (heck, when I was younger I thought it was the only newspaper in the state). I've been reading Jay Tate for a long time and I can almost garauntee he would ot vote Alabama #1 even if they hadn't lost a game in 3 years. He is a true Bama hater. The Montgonery Advertiser is almost as Auburn slanted as the Tuscaloosa News is Alabama slanted. Which is understandable since Montgomery is so close to Auburn and the majority of the football fans in Monkeytown are AU fans.

You do have a possibly valid point in out of the area writers seeing someone from AU's own state not voting for them and it influencing them.