The SEC was once headquartered in Jackson and moved to Birmingham over 30 years ago. This was during the period when Bama/Bear ruled the SEC in football which at the time was the only sport that mattered and the Bear could do just about anything he wanted. If you have been to Birmingham you will notice a slight Bama bias which many of us consider problematic to the SEC and its officiating. This is a legitimate concern for each member of the SEC which will continue as long as the SEC stays in Birmingham. This includes Alabama. Yes, they won the game Saturday and they probably would have won had the correct calls been made, but none of us, Bama fans included, will know for sure.
I agree,the old Bear cast a long shadow,even from the grave,someone needs to tell Refs He has been gone quite a while now. Think if the Champ. game was still played in Bama.
This conspiracy business is really getting a bit crazy. Where was the conspiracy the last 10 years when LSU and Florida were winning two crystal balls each and Bama stunk?? It was a bad call and I have no idea why the replay official in the booth didn't correct the call, but there is too much money to be lost for the SEC to be trying to predetermine outcomes of ball games and using the officials to make it happen. Doing stuff like that could destroy their entire business. I just don't see the upside to doing it. LSU winning that game doesn't hurt the SECs chances to have a BCS game participant. A one loss SEC Champion Florida, LSU, or Alabama is virtually assured of a spot in that game. heck, LSU made it two years ago with 2 losses. Now, officials "pulling a Tim Donaghy" wouldn't surprise me that much, but that's far different from the institutional conspiracy some on here are suggesting. Pay the refs a lot more money. It also wouldn't hurt if the crews weren't made up of SEC alumni in the game being played. For example, if the booth official was a Bama alum, that shouldn't happen. Just doesn't look good.
