OT - Some thoughts on the Emperor's New Clothes...errr, the Worldwide Leader

by Home Run Tony Cogan on Jul 1, 2008 9:24 AM EDT

1. Did anyone hear Ravech's ridiculous comment on Sunday after the Royals lost the second game to the Cards...that the Royals were "fading away". First, I didn't know that still being in last place (at the time) meant we're coming on, and second, I didn't know that losing two games in a row after winning 11 of 12 constituted fading away. Utterly ridiculous.

2. The absolutely farcical "ESPN Deportes" update during SportsCenter. "Hey, Boomer, here's a great idea. We'll put the word "sports", in Spanish, after the ESPN, hire a lady with an accent, have her talk about soccer for 15 seconds, and then throw it back to the studio. This will draw in ALL the international viewers and truly make us the worldwide leader". Pathetic.

3. Cross-promotion has reached a new (low?) high now that clips from the show on ABC, "Wipeout", are being shown on the top 10 plays.

Why is it that human nature compels us to keep going further and further until we make asses out of ourselves? ESPN used to be really really good, and now it's the TV equivalent of Muzak. Good for background noise, but nothing of substance. Kind of like what Kietzman's show has turned into on 810.

The sad thing is, there really aren't any good alternatives. Fox isn't that much better, although I find myself watching their show more instead of SportsCenter, mostly because my TV's tuned there after Royals games.

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i like ESPN Deportes updates...but i also like soccer

national media will never be great analysis…period. they just don’t know the teams, and you should suspect as much. if you really watch espn for royals news and information your kidding yourself, its a network for an overview of information, not details. this isnt new, this hasnt changed in the 30 years espn has been around (well, at least 15 cause thats how long ive watched it)

by ZeppelinDZ on Jul 1, 2008 9:59 AM EDT 0 recs

I wholeheartedly disagree...

I don’t think anyone watches ESPN for news on their local teams, the point was that it is pathetic how out of touch some of the people there are with sports. I also heard John Anderson call Kyle Lohse “Loshee” this morning, not as a nickname but as the pronunciation of his name. Does anyone who even casually follows baseball not know how to pronounce his name, much less people WHO’S FREAKING JOB it is to cover sports for a living? I guess is it unreasonable for them to know basically every team, the players, the correct pronunciation of their names, and a very basic idea of what’s going on with the team? I mean, I have another job, but I could probably tell you more about 2/3 of the teams than they could. Perhaps if they were less busy with “Who’s Now” they could have more time to research and study their actual jobs.

As far as the ESPN “Deportes” updates, what information is it that you get that you like? The other morning, she covered an MLS game, for goodness sake! I don’t care that they’re covering soccer, but then devote some real time to it.

And SportsCenter was much better at one time. Not to bag on the entire network, because I love Baseball Tonight, love Dickie V and the job they do covering college basketball, but man SportsCenter has almost become unwatchable.

One man with courage makes a majority - Andrew Jackson

by Home Run Tony Cogan on Jul 1, 2008 12:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Really?

Of all the things to dislike, you actually enjoy BBTN and Dick Vitale?

Not so much for me. I’ll watch any sporting event on ESPN, and for that I love the WWL because they show so many games (and I live for college bball and college fb games) and I will watch PTI and NFL Live. But other than that, I generally shy away from the WWL. SportsCenter is OK, but I rarely watch it, instead relying on the internets as my resource on athletic events.

But seriously, Dick Vitale is an absolutely horrible commentator. He is way too pro-ACC and pro-big namers; in 2007, when KU was ranked something like #8 in the country, Dickie V wrote that KU was his sleeper to win it all. As the #8 team in the country overall. A sleeper. That tells you everything you need to know about him. I bet he couldn’t name half of the teams in the CAA.

by rockchalk on Jul 1, 2008 4:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

BBTN is an embarrassment to sports, journalism, entertainment, and human expression

This is just my opinion. I could easily be wrong.

by NYRoyal on Jul 1, 2008 4:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

and our national innocence

"So whattya say, should we clean this place up?" - Tom Cruise

by DyeFan187 on Jul 1, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Why FSN's Baseball Report is much better.

Nobody will celebrate harder when the Royals make the playoffs!!

by juano on Jul 1, 2008 5:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

+1

It actually is. I can’t explain why FOX actually does something right, because it goes against everything I believe in, but they do have a good highlight show.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 2, 2008 10:40 AM EDT up 0 recs

Seems like they have

The production value of a a high school announcement show. The content is pretty good though.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 2, 2008 11:07 AM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah,

it’s clearly low budget compared to BBTN, but FSN Final Score actually shows highlights of all the games as opposed to just the Cubs, Cardinals, Sox, Yanks, and Mets.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 2, 2008 11:14 AM EDT up 0 recs

BBTN

is all of those things, and incredibly fun for me as a result. I can yell at me TV for an hour straight if Steve Wotsisface, Orestes Destrade, and Steve Phillips are on.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 2, 2008 10:41 AM EDT up 0 recs

Is there more than one internet?

Seriously, I like BBTN probably because they focus solely on baseball and get into some (relatively) serious analysis. And Dickie V, I know a lot of people hate him because he’s over the top, and yes I’ll grant you that he’s pro-ACC, but with him it’s genuine. I do feel like he knows BB inside and out. I guess his personality is infectious, unlike Billy (Fudge) Packer who is just as pro-ACC but comes off as vindictive.

One man with courage makes a majority - Andrew Jackson

by Home Run Tony Cogan on Jul 1, 2008 11:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

deportes updates do seem pointless

"So whattya say, should we clean this place up?" - Tom Cruise

by DyeFan187 on Jul 1, 2008 5:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

I actually like SportsCenter

Because I am constantly worried about the state of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter’s relationship.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 1, 2008 10:09 AM EDT 0 recs

Personally...

I like the constant updates on the Patriots and SpyGate. Enough already! They cheated, got caught and were penalized. Move on. They aren’t the first team to get caught bending the rules and won’t be the last.

by Rhody Royals on Jul 1, 2008 11:19 AM EDT up 0 recs

I hate sports center

As a kid, it was the Greatest show ever. Highlights pretty much wall to wall with one or two side stories all wrapped up neatly in 30 minutes. Now its an hour alot of times with tons of side stories.

What really makes me mad is the fucking “whats up next” bullshit. Half of the show is saying what highlight they will show next and it makes me want to throw things at my TV. I just got back and watched my first US sports center in 5 months this morning and it has gotten even worse. I think they showed 4 highlights, the same wimbledon cut away 3 times, 5 or 6 side off the court things, and showed what is next on the right hand corner maybe 10 times…no joke. Just painful, no wonder PTI and Around the Horn now draw better ratings than sports center.

At least Wally Joyner's not on the team....

by tcon125 on Jul 1, 2008 12:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Good call with the side stories

If it adds to what’s going on, keep it…but it shouldn’t be the main attraction.

by Bornin85 on Jul 1, 2008 1:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

i used to watch it 4-5 times/day when i was 9, 10, 11 years old...

now im 22 and have probably watched it 4 times in the last 4 years…its a joke now.

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 1, 2008 1:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Back before the internet

It was the only way to get sports scores and highlights. Now, they’re pretty much relegated to manufactured debate and THE COORS LIGHT COLD FILTERED SPOTLIGHT.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 1, 2008 1:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Exactly.

I used to have to watch SC to see all the highlights.

Now, I can just check out espn.com (ironic, I know), blogs and other outlets for the same (or, usually, better) information quicker, without being force-fed the East Coast Bias.

by rockchalk on Jul 1, 2008 4:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

I like it when they pair

Buccigross and Van Pelt, but for whatever reason they don’t seem so keen on letting those two work together. And I miss Kenny Mayne actually being allowed on set.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 2, 2008 10:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

I sometimes think they just don't even

allow Kenny on CAMPUS half the time.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jul 2, 2008 3:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sad but true

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 3, 2008 9:55 AM EDT up 0 recs

+1.

Kenny Mayne, back when ESPN was enjoyable.

by rockchalk on Jul 2, 2008 6:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

+1.

I used to love SportsCenter, although I’m younger than most and I’m talking late 90’s SC.

It had some side stories, and has been an hour long for as long as I remember, but I used to wake up every Saturday morning and watch the show, which was run consecutively, at least three or four times, to the point where I knew exactly what the host was going to say.

Now, not so much.

by rockchalk on Jul 1, 2008 4:20 PM EDT up 0 recs