Reply from Phil Steele

A message sent to Phil yesterday

Phil,
I've followed your publications, analysis, predictions, and website for several years now, and often enjoy your appearances on the Bill King radio show. You are extremely knowledgeable on the subject of college football. Taking all of this into consideration, you must be some embarrassed by your "analysis" of The Game of the Century.
Nine (9) BUTS used in your game description. Was this a Freudian slip that occured due to your personal butthurt? For a stat guy such as yourself, I would think the fact that Alabama ran 17 plays from inside the LSU 30 yard line, netting -12 yards, would somehow make mention.
Do you think Alabama's FG attempts might have fared better if they had been from 19 and 25 yards, and not from Birmingham? Alabama inside the Red Zone only once for 3 plays netting negative yardage doesn't garner a mention, either. Did Maze underthrow the receiver as much as he had to change trajectory due to the defender's rush? And are you really faulting a WR for his only pass of the season as an excuse for defeat? Is this what separates Alabama from LSU and the rest of college football? Coach Saban referred to the LSU INT in his post game press conference as "losing a battle for the ball". Yet, you are AMAZED by the INT call? I admit that I was amazed it was called as such IN ALABAMA.
How is it that you manage to mention every break that went against Alabama, but couldn't find any reason to bring up LSU's misfortune? At least Alabama's turnovers were balls thrown in the vicinity in single coverage. Jarrett Lee gift wrapped both turnovers into double coverage on consecutive passes. If Jordan Jefferson plays the whole game, the score could very well have been 17-6, the opposite of your prediction. Russell Shepard sits down on a reception he could have walked backwards into the end zone, and you see the resulting FG as the consequence of a defensive holding call. REALLY? LSU's winning FG comes after not only positive yards, but a TD called back for an unnecessary step out of bounds. You were quick to point out Alabama's early lead in yardage, but what happened from that point on, when it mattered most.
In conclusion, I first became aware of your publication a few years back, when I was told that you had selected the PAC-10 conference teams in 8 of your top 10 toughest schedules. Of course, that didn't really pan out. But, since then, Ive found your opinion worth reading. I think it's because you've accepted that there's the SEC, and then the rest of college football. Your analysis of The Game of the Century is by far not your proudest moment, Phil. You should really try to stay more objective, it hurts your credibility, and is very unbecoming, IMHO.

Yours truly,
Wahoocs

This is the reply I got today, for those who might be interested.

Appreciate the email.

Besides, being the assistant editor here, I am also in charge of the SEC and
chart every play of every single SEC game and between you and me I did think
his analysis was one-sided....but let me tell you why that was the case.

While Phil is not a fan of anyone school, he does root for his picks in the
magazine and his favorite team every year is the team he picks to win the
national title which this year was Alabama. While this year he roots for
Alabama each and every week last year while everyone picked Alabama #1, he
did not think they would repeat as champs and did not root for them. Phil
has no allegiances to anyone school each and every year, I can assure you of
that.

This is straight from Phil's Mouth:

First let me congratulate LSU on their win on the road at Alabama. If I were
an AP Voter (I'm not) I would clearly have LSU as my #1 team on my ballot
and I do have them projected to go to the national title game now. Also
yesterday I was wearing a Purple shirt with an LSU tie on at work in support
of the Tiger's performance last week.

Thanks

Brandon M. Pertner
Assistant Editor
Phil Steele Publications
Cleveland, Ohio


This is my first internet message ever sent to a writer or the like concerning their comments.

ETA: I thought it might be worth it to add his original analysis in here.

Tough loss for Alabama to LSU. Bama’s first possession got to the LSU27 but they missed a 44 yd FG. Bama’s 2nd poss got to the LSU23 but they lost 10 yds then missed a 50 yd FG. Bama got to the LSU24 but they lost 7 yds and brought in their short kicker to attempt a 49 yd’r but it was blk’d. Bama got to the LSU17 but settled for a 34 yd FG to lead 3-0. At this point Bama had a 181-55 yd edge but only led 3-0 and LSU, thanks to an offsides on 3&1 and a defensive holding on an incomplete pass on 3&4, would get a 19 yd FG on the final play of the half to tie it. LSU was int’d and ret’d to their 4 but a penalty brought it back to the 35 and Bama settled for a 46 yd FG, 6-3. LSU got a 33 yd IR to the UA15 setting up a 2 yd “drive” for a 30 yd FG to tie (14:13 4Q). Richardson ripped off a 24 yd run to the LSU28 and Bama had a great call. Maze, out of the shotgun, threw deep and the TE caught the ball, came down on his back with it at the 1 yd line but the LSU DB wrestled the ball away from him and amazingly it was ruled an int and LSU got off a 73 yd punt with 9:00 left but neither crossed the 50 and the game went to OT. In OT Bama took a sk and missed their FOURTH FG of the game, a 52 yd’r and LSU got a 25 yd FG for the win.