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A (possibly fake?) high school apparently duped its way into playing on ESPN
Dave Weigel RetweetedThis is a completely wild story and it's worth noting that there appears to be no human named named Sycamore who was a bishop, which is, yanno, how these schools are usually named.
Link to tweet
HOME > NEWS
11 HOURS AGO
A (possibly fake?) high school apparently duped its way into playing on ESPN
An "online-only prep school" found its way on ESPN's air Sunday... after playing on Friday.
ZACH BARNETT
The ESPN family of networks were jam-packed with high school football this weekend, the first of the 2021 campaign and the first real season in two years. The weekend was concluded Sunday with the grand finale -- the Hall of Fame Classic at Canton's Hall of Fame Stadium, pitting defending national champion IMG Academy against.... a high school that doesn't really exist?
ESPN seemed just as confused as the rest of us, and said so as its announcers vamped their way through a game that was not at all the one they thought they were getting.
For starters, Bishop Sycamore, claiming to be from Columbus, Ohio, went 0-6 last season, the program's second in existence. IMG pummeled Sycamore by a score of 56-6. But nevertheless, Sycamore got in Sunday's showcase game because, according to ESPN, the school acquired a number of FBS prospects to its roster.
Except, as Anish Shroff and Tom Luginbill explain here, that turned out not to be true.
"Bishop Sycamore told us they had a number of Division I prospects on their roster," Shroff said. "To be frank, a lot of that we could not verify."
{snip}
11 HOURS AGO
A (possibly fake?) high school apparently duped its way into playing on ESPN
An "online-only prep school" found its way on ESPN's air Sunday... after playing on Friday.
ZACH BARNETT
The ESPN family of networks were jam-packed with high school football this weekend, the first of the 2021 campaign and the first real season in two years. The weekend was concluded Sunday with the grand finale -- the Hall of Fame Classic at Canton's Hall of Fame Stadium, pitting defending national champion IMG Academy against.... a high school that doesn't really exist?
ESPN seemed just as confused as the rest of us, and said so as its announcers vamped their way through a game that was not at all the one they thought they were getting.
For starters, Bishop Sycamore, claiming to be from Columbus, Ohio, went 0-6 last season, the program's second in existence. IMG pummeled Sycamore by a score of 56-6. But nevertheless, Sycamore got in Sunday's showcase game because, according to ESPN, the school acquired a number of FBS prospects to its roster.
Except, as Anish Shroff and Tom Luginbill explain here, that turned out not to be true.
"Bishop Sycamore told us they had a number of Division I prospects on their roster," Shroff said. "To be frank, a lot of that we could not verify."
Sorry. They had no business being in that game today. None. I feel bad for the kids. Player health and safety was at risk today. It was uncomfortable for anyone who watched.
Link to tweet
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