Iowa State’s heart has been broken. Tasting the Sweet 16 spoiled us and then let us down.

ISU’s men’s basketball team faced off against UCLA last Thursday, in one of the best-played and most exciting games the Cyclones have ever played.

Although people shuffled around campus Friday morning after Thursday night’s late game, most would agree that the Cyclones had a good showing. They also made UCLA nervous. Our Cyclones’ first half was also unexpected to the CBS sports announcers, Tim Ryan and Al McGuire.

Although ISU’s loss to UCLA was disheartening, what irked me more was Ryan and McGuire’s sportscast style. As a journalist, I understand that, despite my preferences, I am not supposed to play favorites. I know that sports journalism is a bit different from political reporting, my mainstay, but ethics should ring true throughout journalism — including the sports arena.

Sports reporters at basketball games and other sporting events are instructed not to cheer for a team. That goes the same for the Daily’s sports department’s reports on our own ISU Cyclones.

Although Ryan and McGuire weren’t jumping up and cheering for UCLA, they might as well have been.

Sports draw in a variety of analysts who predict what players will be strong, as well as the weaknesses of the team. We hear about the shooting percentages for the players, their record and other statistics.

The “at-the-half” reports thrive on this information, but McGuire and Ryan let their judgment seeping through the statistics to the actual game play announcing.

McGuire and Ryan unquestionably wanted UCLA to win. This is their first downfall. They supported the Bruins as “sunshine” fans, and didn’t realize that it was the Cyclones that were shining on that court in the Alamodome with our nifty gold uniforms.

They were so explicitly in favor of UCLA that one of them was even wearing a blue and yellow-striped tie, the colors of the Bruins. It’s fine if the two wanted UCLA to win, but they didn’t need to directly and indirectly support the Californians with every comment. Bias is their second downfall.

The Cyclones played an outstanding first half. UCLA couldn’t shut down Dedric Willoughby’s threes or Kenny Pratt under the basket. Cato and Pratt were marvelous with rebounds under the basket.

The big man knocked down some UCLA shots like the ball was a mosquito ready to bite him. With virtually no turnovers or fouls, the momentum was on the Cyclones’ side, but McGuire and Ryan weren’t.

During the first half, their only mention of the Cyclones’ magnificent play was the good job Pratt was doing. And several times, they said that UCLA couldn’t let Dedric keep making his shots. There was no support for the team.

Also, Ryan and McGuire weren’t focusing on the sloppy game the Bruins were having. Poor play didn’t shine through their comments until the Cyclones were having a tough time in the second half.

When UCLA responded to their 16-point deficit by making a 10-0 run against ISU in the second half, McGuire and Ryan talked as if the world had experienced rebirth from the Cyclone lead.

It was as if the turn-around in the game was a godsend.

As UCLA came back into the game, the Cyclones were turning over the ball more and fouling more. This prompted McGuire and Ryan to point out all the failings in every Cyclone player — something they didn’t do the first half when the Bruins were playing poorly.

Objectivity should be the mainstay of sports announcing, especially at the NCAA level. Sportscasters should remember that fans from both teams are watching the game.

Iowa may not be a state known for it’s glamour, but the Cyclones shouldn’t be discounted because they are glamorous players with a heck of a lot of talent.

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Erin Payne is a junior in journalism and mass communication and political science from Rock Rapids.