ESPN’s coverage of the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas on Friday night time included the airing of a prayer on the sphere earlier than the sport.
The prayer was learn by former chair of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Affiliation, Fred McClure, instantly after a second of silence to acknowledge those that have been killed by the continued California wildfires and the lethal terrorist assault in New Orleans on Jan. 1 that killed 14 harmless folks.
“Loving father, we search your blessings at the moment for all these gathered right here and particularly for these on the sphere as we come collectively to rejoice the 89th Cotton Bowl Traditional, we elevate up the younger males representing the Ohio State Buckeyes and the the Texas Longhorns. Maintain them protected from harm and hurt. Instill inside them a deep respect for each other, and reward them or their perseverance,” McClure mentioned.
“We’re grateful for the liberty and the privilege that we now have on this nation to compete and join via sports activities. But we’re conscious of those that are unable to take part as a result of violence, poverty or discrimination. Lord, stir our hearts to tear down these boundaries by striving to offer our greatest, treating others with dignity and respect, and reflecting your grace and kindness in all that we do. Now obtain all of your glory, your energy and your honor endlessly, amen!”
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Ohio State Buckeyes working again TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a landing on a 75-yard landing catch and run in opposition to Texas Longhorns within the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Traditional through the School Soccer Playoff semifinal sport at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA Right this moment Community through Imagn Photos)
Ohio State went on to beat Texas 28-14 to advance to the nationwide championship sport in opposition to Notre Dame.
ESPN’s airing of the pre-game prayer comes after per week of immense backlash for the community’s choice to not air the nationwide anthem forward of the Sugar Bowl sport in New Orleans, which was postponed from Jan. 1 to Jan. 2 after the New Orleans assault.
The backlash prompted the community to air the Sugar Bowl’s nationwide anthem later within the week throughout a Thursday version of “SportsCenter.” Nonetheless, many followers thought-about the community’s gesture too late at that time. The community additionally made certain to air the nationwide anthem forward of Thursday’s Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame.
Texas Longhorns working again Jaydon Blue (23) celebrates with offensive lineman Jake Majors (65) after a landing catch through the third quarter of the School Soccer Playoff semifinal in opposition to the Ohio State Buckeyes within the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Photos (Jerome Miron-Imagn Photos)
ESPN wasn’t the one firm to immediate fierce backlash for the presentation of the Sugar Bowl, both.
Allstate CEO Tom Wilson ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media with a video assertion addressing the terror attack in New Orleans simply forward of the Sugar Bowl, of which Allstate is the official company sponsor. Within the video, Wilson steered People have an “dependancy to divisiveness” and should “settle for folks’s imperfections and variations.”
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Normal view of the stadium previous to the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Texas Longhorns School Soccer Playoff Semifinal on the Cotton Bowl Traditional on January 10, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (William Purnell/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)
“Our prayers went to victims and their households. We additionally should be stronger collectively by overcoming an dependancy to divisiveness and negativity. Be part of Allstate working in native communities all throughout America to amplify the optimistic, improve belief and settle for folks’s imperfections and variations. Collectively we win,” Wilson says within the video.
Many followers insisted they’d be canceling their Allstate insurance policy after the video aired.
Allstate later deleted the video from its social media accounts.
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