ESPN--The Albatross on sport

[Chief Dick]

Hearing all the talk about how ESPN may have had an influence on the National Anthem the other night got me thinking. For me personally, ESPN has turned into the evil empire of sports. Their tentacles are reaching into areas of sports that are getting alarming.

 

1. National Anthem. If they indeed had an influence on not playing the NA the other night, it makes me downright sick to my stomach.

 

2. Influence on young athletes. Now you see players looking for their 'Sportscenter" moment. And the constant barrage of highlight reels and entourages and the glorification of athletes has created this culture of the ME FIRST athlete. Maybe it's always been like this, but it seems to be getting more prevalent.

 

3. Coverage of NY/New England sports ad nauseam. I understand the whole issue of demographics, but it really has turned me off to even watching ESPN/Sportscenter anymore. Enough already. The thing that made ESPN great was their coverage of all sports. And all teams. And in depth coverage of all teams. Not any more.

 

4. Usage of the sports ticker/graphics/MTV mentality. I'm getting so tired of all the extra BS that now permeates our sports airwaves. Whatever happened to showing the game. I suppose it's the way the young demographic can be attracted these days, but this mentality is permeating every type of broadcast.

 

I'm sure there are more as I think of them, but a few to get me started. Any thoughts?

 

Edit to add: And now ESPN has a lot of power and influence on how, when, and where our sports will be broadcast. Almost a Wal-Mart effect on the economies of sport, but in a different way. They pay big money and expect certain things.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Chief Dick

[isleseeya]

Hearing all the talk about how ESPN may have had an influence on the National Anthem the other night got me thinking. For me personally, ESPN has turned into the evil empire of sports. Their tentacles are reaching into areas of sports that are getting alarming.

 

1. National Anthem. If they indeed had an influence on not playing the NA the other night, it makes me downright sick to my stomach.

 

2. Influence on young athletes. Now you see players looking for their 'Sportscenter" moment. And the constant barrage of highlight reels and entourages and the glorification of athletes has created this culture of the ME FIRST athlete. Maybe it's always been like this, but it seems to be getting more prevalent.

 

3. Coverage of NY/New England sports ad nauseam. I understand the whole issue of demographics, but it really has turned me off to even watching ESPN/Sportscenter anymore. Enough already. The thing that made ESPN great was their coverage of all sports. And all teams. And in depth coverage of all teams. Not any more.

 

4. Usage of the sports ticker/graphics/MTV mentality. I'm getting so tired of all the extra BS that now permeates our sports airwaves. Whatever happened to showing the game. I suppose it's the way the young demographic can be attracted these days, but this mentality is permeating every type of broadcast.

 

I'm sure there are more as I think of them, but a few to get me started. Any thoughts?

 

did not look at this way but after reading your post , your comments and pts carry alot of weight ...well said CD

[Dr. Love]

The ABC tie-ins are bad, too. Does anyone really think that Dancing with the Stars "highlights" would be shown on any other sports channel?

[dmarc117]

espy or heisman

[Chief Dick]

The ABC tie-ins are bad, too. Does anyone really think that Dancing with the Stars "highlights" would be shown on any other sports channel?

 

Forgot about that one. Agree.

[dmarc117]

The ABC tie-ins are bad, too. Does anyone really think that Dancing with the Stars "highlights" would be shown on any other sports channel?

 

 

if auto racing is a sport, than so is dancing!!!!!

[Donutrun Jellies]

if auto racing is a sport, than so is dancing!!!!!

Throw them -- and the Speling bee -- OUT!!!!!

[Big John]

Throw them -- and the Speling bee -- OUT!!!!!

Or poker.

 

They are using the "E" for "entertainment" more frequently now, where it was almost always the "S" for "sports" before.

[SheikYerbuti]

Skip Bayless, Dan Lebatard, Woody Paige and Steven A. Smith have made ESPN practically unwatchable. Each of them make me want to put a brick through the screen.

[Ursa Majoris]

Skip Bayless, Dan Lebatard, Woody Paige and Steven A. Smith have made ESPN practically unwatchable. Each of them make me want to put a brick through the screen.

Word. My ESPN viewing consists of MNF and......well, that's it.

 

CDs comparison to MTV was right on the money. Shallow, loud and stupid.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Word. My ESPN viewing consists of MNF and......well, that's it.

 

CDs comparison to MTV was right on the money. Shallow, loud and stupid.

i was thinken more like fox

[TimC]

I used to watch ESPN all the time. It was always on. Now, I maybe watch the first half of MNF with the mute button on.

 

I did watch the WSOP poker though....but even that was done very poorly. It had more glitz and production value, but no meat.

 

But for all the reasons you pointed out, I don't watch it hardly at all anymore.

[Skilly]

I dunno. I put on Sportscenter in the morning before work, catch up on the scores and highlights, and then I'm off to work. It still serves its purpose of recapping all the sports news going on.

 

What pisses me off is when they skimp on the scores and highlights and go for these 1/2 hour long introspectives on whatever is the hot topic of the week, ie Mike Vick, or my personal favorite "steroids in baseball." Honestly, how much more news can possibly come out about steroids in baseball? Yet every time there is some new tidbit of information, they cram it down our throats like the OJ trial. Makes me sick and bored to tears at the same time.

[Chief Dick]

What pisses me off is when they skimp on the scores and highlights and go for these 1/2 hour long introspectives on whatever is the hot topic of the week, ie Mike Vick, or my personal favorite "steroids in baseball." Honestly, how much more news can possibly come out about steroids in baseball? Yet every time there is some new tidbit of information, they cram it down our throats like the OJ trial. Makes me sick and bored to tears at the same time.

 

Agree with this as well. It's a lot like how MTV doesn't show "music" anymore.

 

And in all honesty, the MTV mentality is to blame, because they are the ones who started this whole mess in the first place. I guess it's safe to call ESPN the MTV of sports.

[major-tom]

Good post CD especially #2 and the way espn has influenced the attitudes of young athletes. One positive though is when I want to listen to some sports radio in the afternoon there is no more suffering through the Dan Patrick show.

[Cameltosis]

Agree with this as well. It's a lot like how MTV doesn't show "music" anymore.

 

And in all honesty, the MTV mentality is to blame, because they are the ones who started this whole mess in the first place. I guess it's safe to call ESPN the MTV of sports.

 

This is right on the money, good post CD. Dont they even have an old VJ or a guy from MTV News doing the "emotional stories" now? I cant remember his name but I think he started on MTV.

[darin3]

This is right on the money, good post CD. Dont they even have an old VJ or a guy from MTV News doing the "emotional stories" now? I cant remember his name but I think he started on MTV.

Chris Connelly, and you're correct.

 

But the carry-overs don't stop there. Sal Masakela also got his start on MTV and is now ESPN's go-to-guy for the X Games.

 

And in general, CD, I certainly agree with your points. I work from home and have ESPN on ALL DAY. For the most part, though, it's merely background noise, with me looking up every now and then to catch a highlight, etc. I rather enjoy some of the "shows" like Around the Horn.

[dmarc117]

around the horn

[darin3]

around the horn

Doesn't surprise me that a stick-in-the-mud like you wouldn't enjoy this show.

[The Misfit]

I think the absolute worst thing Disney has done to sports is exactly why I don't hang around football innernets boards much any more -- they've turned sports into a morality play. Or, more accurately, they have shifted the focus from team play and the game itself to celebrity news -- and America loves nothing more than hearing about celebrities getting into trouble.

 

I never hear anyone say to me any more, "Hey, did you see that play last night?" Instead, it's "What do you think of the Sean Taylor murder?" or "How about that Mike VIck?" or "Do you think the Patriots are a bunch of cheaters?' Hour upon hour upon hour of every rumor, every little malfeasance, every little thing that can be tied to the celebrity culture is done so, and done to death.

 

You're some kind of freak now if you dare say something like, "I only care about what happens on the field." That used to be the normal fan opinion. It's like the game, any game, is a secondary concern to reporting on celebrities and who they are dating and what kind of trouble they have gotten into. There are no sports journalists any more -- they are social critics and moral pundits, endlessly melodramatic and overimportant on issues that hardly any of them have any basis to discuss outside of having "attitude." Just listen to Jay Mariotti or Jim Rome or Mitch Albom -- they are the self-appointed moral guardians of our collective conscious, except the issues they espouse are as meaningless as Jerry Springer's "minute" with which he ends each show.

 

We're seeing the end of an era, and it makes me sad. Soon, school children will be required to keep fantasy football teams, which they will discuss as a substitue for current events, right after the Paris Hilton sociology course and right before the "Let's stand around and do nothing so we don't offend anyone" recess period.

[godtomsatan]

The solution to the ESPN issue is to not watch it. Works for me.

[Cameltosis]

The solution to the ESPN issue is to not watch it. Works for me.

 

The only problem with this is there is no substitute that I am aware of. I mean, am I supposed to watch the news before I go to work? I hope not.

[Ursa Majoris]

I think the absolute worst thing Disney has done to sports is exactly why I don't hang around football innernets boards much any more -- they've turned sports into a morality play. Or, more accurately, they have shifted the focus from team play and the game itself to celebrity news -- and America loves nothing more than hearing about celebrities getting into trouble.

 

I never hear anyone say to me any more, "Hey, did you see that play last night?" Instead, it's "What do you think of the Sean Taylor murder?" or "How about that Mike VIck?" or "Do you think the Patriots are a bunch of cheaters?' Hour upon hour upon hour of every rumor, every little malfeasance, every little thing that can be tied to the celebrity culture is done so, and done to death.

 

You're some kind of freak now if you dare say something like, "I only care about what happens on the field." That used to be the normal fan opinion. It's like the game, any game, is a secondary concern to reporting on celebrities and who they are dating and what kind of trouble they have gotten into. There are no sports journalists any more -- they are social critics and moral pundits, endlessly melodramatic and overimportant on issues that hardly any of them have any basis to discuss outside of having "attitude." Just listen to Jay Mariotti or Jim Rome or Mitch Albom -- they are the self-appointed moral guardians of our collective conscious, except the issues they espouse are as meaningless as Jerry Springer's "minute" with which he ends each show.

 

We're seeing the end of an era, and it makes me sad. Soon, school children will be required to keep fantasy football teams, which they will discuss as a substitue for current events, right after the Paris Hilton sociology course and right before the "Let's stand around and do nothing so we don't offend anyone" recess period.

Brilliant.

[godtomsatan]

The only problem with this is there is no substitute that I am aware of. I mean, am I supposed to watch the news before I go to work? I hope not.

 

The internet usually works.

[Chavez]

The only problem with this is there is no substitute that I am aware of. I mean, am I supposed to watch the news before I go to work? I hope not.

ESPN News is all the info, roughly 1% of the fluff and/or shenanigans.