Upon further review

Sometimes we in the media get a bad rap from the public. And sometimes, the bad rap is deserved.

Here is an example.

An Associated Press story out of Alabama on Monday carried this paragraph.

"Now, Alabama is preparing for the home finale against Louisiana-Monroe (4-6) from the Sun Belt Conference. Then it's on to the Iron Bowl and trying to snap a five-year losing streak to rival Auburn - and maybe avoid a repeat trip to Shreveport, La., by landing a better bowl invitation.''

Of course if the writer has bothered to ask anyone at the Independence Bowl, he would have known Nick Saban has a better chance of being elected governor of Louisiana than coaching in the I-Bowl this year.

That's because the I-Bowl DOESN'T WANT ALABAMA THIS YEAR.

Yes, the I-Bowl had representatives at Alabama's game with Mississippi State. That's because they were there to WATCH MISSISSIPPI STATE.

I-Bowl chairman Joe Darwin has been candid and forthcoming about the bowl's plans all season. Those plans at no point in the last two weeks have included Alabama.

For the record, the pool has pretty much been narrowed down to State and Arkansas.

The I-Bowl, like most bowls, doesn't like repeat teams. They seem to be more open to Oklahoma State on the Big 12 side, but that's in part because of proximity and a track record of traveling well to Shreveport.

Alabama will be bowling somewhere this December, but it won't be in Shreveport.