The 4 letter
by Chris The Greek on Jun 28, 2007 6:41 AM PDT
6 comments
A lot of people in the blog world have a problem with the way the WWL handles its sports stories.
A couple of things yesterday confirmed my growing disgust with them.
First, the NBA took the money to go ahead and extend their broadcasting contract with ESPN/ABC and TNT. While I have no problem with the TNT broadcast, ESPN leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, as a news network, they get free reign to create whatever stories they want, while at the same time blowing some things out of proportion. Anyone remember the Knicks, Nuggets fight last year? How many times did we see that clip re-run on SC?
Plus, if David Stern wants to clean up the league's image, working with a network that blows every little transgression by an athlete way out of proportion does not help. Imagine if the Pacman had been an NBA player instead of NFL? That (unfair) thug stereotype of the League would be getting shoved down even the most casual observers throat.
Second, I know its not breaking news that Greg Oden is a franchise center, and he could change the fate of a franchise, a la Tim Duncan. However, I like to sit and watch the draft, argue with my buddies, and legitimately think what Portland is going to do with all their post players now. I wanted to really believe that Kevin Durant could sneak in there.
It wont happen, though. The debate is over, because a full day before the draft the WWL is breaking news that Portland promised to take Oden.
I know it was probably not even close between the two, but what incentive to I have now to sit and watch the first two picks? None.
Ill leave on this note. A while back the guys at Deadspin broke a story about a high school football recruit who was planning on making his decision on college to his local station. ESPN offered the high school kid national air time if he would tell them early where he was going, just so they could "break" the story.
News coverage or News makers?
(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)
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Re: The 4 letter
As much as I loathe what Sportscenter has become, and as ridiculous as some of ESPN's reporters come off... it's still the clearinghouse for information. I could get my stats and news and rumors and analysis everywhere else... but ESPN puts it all together. That giant budget helps, you know?
The one thing I think can be taken away from the four-letter is their stranglehold on analysis, and I think the blogosphere specifically and the web in general are helping do that. Luckily for us basketball fans, the NBA side on ESPN.com seems to embrace that -- buying True Hoop, picking John Hollinger right out of the small time, giving Bill Simmons run of the ship.
It's not perfect -- they still employ useless Ric Bucher and Jim Gray, right? -- but it's not as bad as it always is said to be... in my opinion.
(Of course, I'll never forgive ESPN for what they did to Sportscenter. I used to watch the same taping three times as a kid... back then you could conceivably watch Sportscenter twice a day and be completely caught up as a general sports fan. Thanks to the ridiculous anchors, grating wizzbang widgets, and absurd running segments, I almost never tune in. Last night I tried to watch it (draft fever). I lasted 10 minutes. Couldn't stand it. I actually ended up with a headache a half-hour later, possibly caused by the damn Budweiser Hot Seat and John Buccigross. It's worse than unfortunate, it's a crime.)
by Ziller on Jun 28, 2007 7:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: The 4 letter
Luckily they are seeing others out there like you mentioned, so I can be on .com all day and still get sold analysis.
I still don't get the hot seat. If anyone has any insight on it, please let me know.
by Chris The Greek on Jun 28, 2007 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: The 4 letter
by section214 on Jun 28, 2007 8:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: The 4 letter
by Ziller on Jun 28, 2007 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: The 4 letter
by pookeyguru on Jun 28, 2007 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: The 4 letter
As was mentioned by 214 it seems like a life time since the big show with Keith and Dan with anchors would have a real opinion and would actually call out poor behaviour or play.
I rarely watch Sportscenter any more as I have less and less interest, when I see the new Die Hard movie will be sponsoring an episode of Sportscenter soon (if not already) with limited commercial interuption, I'm becoming more glad of that decision
Was it not Mark Shapiro who works for Dan Snyder at 6 flags these days that turned ESPN into MTV, ie a sports network that seems to care less about sports as time goes by.
Don't get me started on Stuart "I was talking with my boy _____ the other day" Scott
by Murf on Jun 28, 2007 11:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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