Two U.S. Senators Are In A Feud Over College Football

Mitch McConnell is a Republican U.S. senator from Kentucky. Joe Manchin is a Democratic senator who represents West Virginia. That the two men don't always see eye to eye is not news. That they're barely on speaking terms because of their respective alma maters is.

McConnell went to the University of Louisville, Manchin to West Virginia University. A few months back, the two schools were involved in a tug-of-war over which one would be bolting the Big East for the Big 12. West Virginia ultimately won the Big 12's affection, but not without overcoming what Manchin publicly called "inappropriate or unethical" lobbying by McConnell on Louisville's behalf:

The two senators hadn't spoken at the time, but McConnell had been reaching out to Big 12 university officials for weeks, talking highly of Louisville's bid. Manchin was outraged, going on a media tour blistering the GOP leader, speaking on local radio and TV to national outlets like MSNBC.

In a statement at the time, Manchin said there should be an investigation if there was any unethical conduct by McConnell "to interfere with a decision that the Big 12 had already made" - the comment that Manchin said repeatedly and that still irks McConnell to this day.

Accusations of impropriety, hollow calls for investigations, the harboring of grudges among the rich and powerful. Just imagine if the two senators represented schools from the SEC.

Mitch McConnell still mad at Manchin for Big 12 gambit [Politico]