He tries to be unbiased, but even Greg McElroy can no longer hide his fandom.
The University of Alabama alumnus has grown to be a mainstay in the college football broadcasting circuit. He helped the Crimson Tide to its first BCS National Championship under Nick Saban in 2009. As a former quarterback, his job for SEC Network via ESPN is to be unbiased — despite Tide fans going crazy over him not giving more attention to his Alma mater.
RELATED: Greg McElroy picks winner of Alabama QB competition
Alabama fans have had issues with McElroy’s professionalism, in terms of him being unbiased, but he is acknowledging that he’s far enough removed from the program that he can be a fan now. In a recent podcast from Saturday Down South, McElroy admits his Alabama fandom sways his mood while calling games. He said he gets disappointment when the Tide loses a matchup.
Greg McElroy realized something watching the Bama-Tennessee game this past year.
His Alabama fandom can be admittedly distracting when he’s calling another game: pic.twitter.com/dotNEZ6C62
— SDS Podcast (@TheSDSPod) August 17, 2023
“I have only watched two Alabama games while I’ve been on the air,” McElroy said.
“I watched Tennessee versus Alabama last year and LSU versus Alabama in 2019. I was calling Texas and Kansas State that and we’re calling the game and I had, and it was just very distracting. So if the game is not close or not competitive, I will keep it on. But from now on, like, Tess [Joe Tessitore] I couldn’t recover for like a half drive. Like, we were so flabbergasted that the kick went through the uprights. So I don’t think that is a good habit, and I’m probably going to avoid doing it moving forward. I’m too emotional now. I’m too far removed like I used to be able to treat it very business like. But now I’ve gotten to the point where when Alabama loses, I’ll never show it on the air. I am emotionally disappointed. I’ve moved to, like, totally removed from the school. But now I am a fan and I, hurt just like the rest of the fans that see their team come up short in a game or two every year.”
RELATED: Greg McElroy details why Ty Simpson is his pick to be starting QB for Alabama
McElroy has now grown to fandom.
He will do his best to keep a professionalism, but he shares the pain of Alabama falling short in matchups as we do.
Click here to follow the Bama Elite Podcast
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
