Hey, New York Times, leave Arch Manning alone. This is family business.
Has the University of Texas’ starting quarterback underperformed? Obviously. But is he “college football’s first flop,” as Times asked yesterday? Is he now a “man synonymous with failure?”
Not really! He’s been … just okay! Reporter Will Leitch compared Manning to, among other things, Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign, Katy Perry’s recent album and the defunct streaming platform Quibi, strong language for what has been just a largely unremarkable start.
No, Manning hasn’t reached the great heights that were predicted for him before the season started, when commentators all but engraved his name on the Heisman, but the call is coming from inside the house, with the Times all but assuring readers of Manning’s domination.
Just days before UT’s season opener against Ohio State, which they lost 14-7, The New York Times speculated about the different ways Manning’s start could go: “Though Arch Manning never asked for this buildup, it’s a safe bet one of two things is going to happen here,” Ian O’Connor wrote. “1) He’s going to live up to the hype. 2) He’s going to exceed it.”
Of course, neither of those two outcomes came to pass.
A quick scan of Times’ sports arm, The Athletic, shows at least six stories from the summer alone centered around Manning. They interviewed his parents about how his football prowess was evident from an early age, his uncle Peyton Manning about the advantages he’ll bring to the field and Manning himself about attention, expectations and all the money he’s making.
Manning, for his part, tried to manage expectations, telling The Athletic prior to the season opener, “I’m not really sure how they get these opinions. I’ve only played what, two games? … Talk is cheap, I’ve gotta go prove it.”
Maybe it’s the fact that Manning didn’t ask for any of this that has brought all corners of the college football world to his defense, with many people accusing The New York Times of going too far.
“This tweet is a bigger failure than Arch Manning will ever be,” ESPN analyst Josh Pate posted in response to the Times article.
Texas fans naturally sprung to Manning’s defense and decried the Times’ change of tune, but support also came from more surprising places.
“I cover Oklahoma and know this is juuuuuuust a tad much. Yikes, NYT,” college sports correspondent Eddie Radosevich posted.
OU sports commentator Travis Davidson wrote, “This is so unfair. NYT reeks.”
It’s unlikely that this charity will extend through this weekend’s Red River Showdown, but it’s heartwarming to know that in these divided times, a few things can still bring Oklahoma and Texas fans together — like a common enemy.
