This just in from Associated Press Sports Editor president Gerry Ahern regarding Jason Whitlock’s charge the writing contest is biased against minority columnists:

“The Associated Press Sports Editors contest has long been recognized as one of the premier honors for sports journalists. Our contest goes to great lengths to ensure the integrity of the judging. Bylines and newspaper affiliations are redacted from the entries. Any judge that sees an entry from their news organization or from their market recuses themselves from judging that entry or discussion of it.”