Bruce Feldman, ESPN and the Growing Sports Entertainment Problem
by Adam Collyer on Jul 18, 2011 8:01 AM EDT
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Bruce Feldman has become a something of a minor celebrity over the past several days. Since American culture is obsessive over random people for seemingly no reason at all, this, in and of itself, shouldn't be surprising. Given that Feldman is a journalist, ostensibly someone who writes about the news and isn't seeking to become a story within it[1], Friday's turn of events is actually quite stunning.
Feldman, perhaps ESPN's most lauded college football reporter, was suspended indefinitely[2] on Friday for co-authoring a book with former Texas Tech head football coach and resident pirate scholar Mike Leach. A book that ESPN was aware of and gave approval for; you know, before they found out what was in it was damning to their "brand" and one of their prominent television personalities.
For the past four days, Feldman's brothers-in-arms have taken to Twitter and blogs on all corners of the Internet to take their swings at the ESPN piñata. As Kevin Powers noted Saturday on Slow States, "The Subsidiary of Disney got so Properly Owned here I'm struggling to fight off contrarianism."
In short, ESPN has been embarrassed. Still, this isn't likely to be problematic to them for more than a few more days. This is a story about a college football reporter that the vast majority of the viewing public has never heard of. The network will ignore it on-air, publish another insultingly simplistic press release, and move on. But we'd be remiss if we didn't take this opportunity to open a wider discussion about ESPN and their business model. SBNation's Spencer Hall has already sounded the alarm:
Feldman's suspension -- and this is purely guesswork -- came about out of the sheer incompetence and breakneck ignorance an organization as big as ESPN/Disney/Matsumoto Fishing Concern produces. By structure, ESPN as a whole owes nothing to journalism, or even the act of stating fact, an inherent tension between the "E" in their name and the news it presents. When the two come into conflict, the one attached to cable subscriptions and the pipeline of cash wins, and everything else is thrown into a snowbank of indifference.
Earlier this month, BSD covered Difference Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and Krzyzewski, an hour and a half long special that featured ESPN's Rece Davis holding court with two coaches who "do things the right way." Whether you enjoyed Difference Makers or thought it was a bit too schmaltzy and cliché is irrelevant here. What we know is that Difference Makers was aired for the same reason that every other program on the network is scheduled - to draw a large number of viewers in order to increase television ratings that generate ad revenue.
For a long time, I had no issue with ESPN's business strategy. While I'm not interested in seeing Skip Bayless on my television ever again, I realize that there's a market for all sorts of sports-related content. Some of the best opinion journalism anywhere exists on the ESPN family of networks. Skip Bayless is the exception and not the rule.
ESPN is primarily in the entertainment industry. That's not the problem. The problem is when ESPN's entertainment steps over the line and actually influences the athletic contests it covers. That's when you get comments like this:
Our legacy is that we were bigger than the score of the game. Did we want to win two championships? Yes, but we didn't. But tell me who won a championship 3 years ago. Tell me who won a championship 5 years ago. Tell me who was the starting lineup for the Carolina team that beat us.
If that were an isolated comment, it'd be easy to write off Jalen Rose as an immature kid. But it's not an isolated comment. In fact, that attitude had become pervasive throughout the sports world. During the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, Penn State beat Wisconsin 36-33 to advance to the semi-finals and assure themselves a place in the NCAA Tournament. Admittedly, the game was bowling shoe ugly. What may have been even uglier, however, was listening to Jay Bilas and other featured commentators opining that the NCAA Selection Committee should view the game as "a loss for both teams" because the style of play was too plodding and not "entertaining enough."
Or what about the curious case of Anderson Silva? Silva, the 36-year old UFC Middleweight Champion, had long been regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In April 2010, Silva successfully defended his title against Demian Maia. Sensing Maia was outclassed after two rounds, Silva slowed down the pace of the bout considerably in the latter rounds and held on for the five round decision. Silva dominated Maia from one side of the cage to the other. Instead of being heralded as the dominant champion he is, Silva was castigated by ESPN for "protecting himself" in a "disjointed effort" and failing to finish the fight. Never mind the fact that a beaten Maia was wildly throwing punches from his knees during the final round "in order to keep the fight interesting." Never mind that Silva is an athlete who puts himself at risk every time he steps on to the mat. No - Silva should getting clipped by a lucky strike in order to prove himself to the media. Even when he dominated a fight, somehow Silva's style choice put his stature as the best fighter in the world in question. At least, that's what ESPN seemed to believe. Even UFC President Dana White, horrified by the bad press surrounding the event, agreed:
"I'd rather have somebody say, 'Let's not buy the Anderson Silva fight tonight because he knocks people out in two minutes,' rather than, 'He runs around like a jackass for five rounds,'" White said.
Immediately following the fight, the latest in a string of disappointing performances from Silva that also includes ho-hum wins over Thales Leites and Patrick Cote, many began to question the champion's place on the list of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters. White refused to question Silva's talent, but he was honest about his concerns.
"As mad as I am right now, he's one of the most talented guys in the business," White said. "I don't know what I'm going to do to him right now. I don't know. I honestly don't know what to say. I'm so blown away and disgusted and saddened."
White's frustration was palpable throughout the press conference, and he'll have a challenge with future operations as Silva's performance further marred the reputation of a fighter that has the ability to entertain all fans - both casual and hardcore.
College football has the most complicated relationship of all with ESPN. The network is the dominant content provider for the sport and the postseason selections are literally made through a popularity contest. ESPN has some type of contract with every major conference, but some are more lucrative than others. It allows the SEC and the Big 12 to reap public relations benefits that aren't available to the Big Ten in the same way. Now, ESPN has a vested interest in Bowl Championship Series, which means that these kinds of arguments carry more weight than they used to:
You have said you are pro-BCS. Why?
Bill King: I am anti-NFL. I don't want college football to look like the NFL. College football doesn't need a bracketed format. The BCS makes for the best conversation, and I am unquestionable biased because it makes for good radio.
Bill King doesn't write or commentate for ESPN, but those arguments have been made by ESPN personalities and will continue to be made so long as the BCS "appears to have the full support of ESPN."
I won't quibble with ESPN's choice to base their business model on entertainment and not straight sports news. But as the nation's primary provider of sports-related content, doesn't ESPN bears some responsibility to be sure that its opinions don't effect the legitimacy of the actual contests themselves? Fundamentally, sports at the most elite levels are about winning. Athletes don't play sports to be entertaining. They play because they want to prove they are the best in the world at what they do. Once ESPN begins to influence the actual strategy involved in a competition, we're no longer discussing sport. We're discussing a phenomenon that Vince McMahon has so aptly described as "sports entertainment," akin to "Days of Our Lives" and "Jerry Springer." What then?
[1] Let's just assume for the purposes of this post that all professional journalists are actually just trying to be journalists and move on.
[2] Or given a "time out." Apparently, kindergarten teachers who enjoy making ridiculous semantic arguments run ESPN.
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While I agree with most everything you say, and I occasionally watch MMA, I don’t think I would ever use that tool Dana White to back up an argument. He’s always known to try and sell trash fights as being some type of classic, and he plays to media and fans a ton by trying to talk up the fighters that are popular and disparage those that are not.
While he’s done a lot to bring MMA closer to the mainstream I don’t think it will truly become considered a serious sport until he and his mouth piece puppet Joe Rogan aren’t involved anymore.
I had a few out of town trips for work, so I picked up (at ML's suggestion) "Those Guys Have All the Fun".
With that information as a background, here is my perspective.
I do think ESPN tries to seperate its journalistic and programming/production branches so that its journalists are free to investigate and report without too much concern for pissing off a partner. The problem, however, is that those efforts are almost entirely internal.
We, the view/reader/listener, do not necessarily have a good feel for which personalities are real actual reporters, and which are entertainers. Which shows/stories are just there to give the news, and which are for entertainment. I’m not insulting the consumer, part of the reason they are difficult to distinguish is that it seems ESPN makes very little effort to differentiate the two. In fact, they are so concerned with branding everything, that all programming looks the same whether it is intended as news or entertainment.
There are plenty of examples of reporting news and breaking stories that have/will hurt those partners. I think that is borne of some effort to maintain credibility and allow its real journalist to do their job.
All that said, they clearly forgot those boundaries and got it wrong in the case of Feldman.
BSD Wentworth
Co-Founding Partner
Chariman, Hiring Committee*
*Accepting Applications
ESPN
I haven’t been getting my news from ESPN for a long time. I think a bigger problem is that they have no real domestic competition. Hopefully, Comcast’s acquistion of NBC spurs that competition (To borrow from Bill Simmons – I just threw up in my mouth writing that sentence).
Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.
by Esteban d' Amur on Jul 18, 2011 9:51 AM EDT reply actions
I guess
I was a little disappointed in the direction you took the last bit because I think the BCS argument is one of the least substantial ones that should be questioned here. ESPN certainly didn’t shy away from criticizing the BCS last year (I remember Fowler ranting about it on the bowl selection show) and even if they went into full propaganda mode, the BCS has enough financial and legal protection to withstand just about anything at this point. ESPN gets a lot of hits on those online articles that say the BCS is garbage and I doubt they would give it up when the system they are paying for doesn’t really need or want, at least at this juncture, their help.
ESPN may seem dangerous because they constantly throw out opinion pieces and make glib comments on sports center, but it isn’t going to change the fact that they make their bones by covering games and upsetting the power structure would be fiscally irresponsible. Stop covering Big Ten football and you lose one of the largest college football fan bases to a competing network. As long as ESPN keeps throwing heaps of money at the sport commissioners and the fans are willing to endure the ridiculous commentary nothing is going to change. ESPN’s comments are nothing more than a footnote on their real function which is providing games. Silva is still the best fighter in the world, PSU and Wisconsin both got into the NCAA tournament, and the BCS schools turned record profits last year all despite the commentary of the sports media.
If anyone is an entertainer here it is the writers themselves. Their livelihood depends on their ability to generate viewers so they automatically do what any reasonable person would do and make the biggest scene possible. People aren’t going to look at the guy on the street corner discussing politics, but they will stare at the guy with the big sign that says we are all going to hell. Sports writers can’t actually change anything in the system (see the SI Dohrman article and the fact that Ohio State has still not been hit with failure to monitor or lack of institutional control charges) making their opinions about as significant as yours and mine. The guy who cuts the grass at Beaver Stadium is more important than the guys sitting in press row.
http://victorypolka.blogspot.com/
by KC_HAWKEYE on Jul 18, 2011 9:56 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Awesome, as always, from KCHawk
If anyone is an entertainer here it is the writers themselves. Their livelihood depends on their ability to generate viewers so they automatically do what any reasonable person would do and make the biggest scene possible.
This is super-astute, and also quite pertinent to our own little microcosm, BSD. I’d think Kevin & Chris would have some great insight on this (see Frank’s abridged history of their BSD blogging vis a vis ‘The Man’), and would love to see some of their opinions/commentary on the balance of SEO & Content in the blogging arena.
jtothetweet
"Hate doesn't give a damn about tactics or stategy. Hate cares only about hate." --rosswbhgp
The difference is money, of course. It always is.
Blatantly making crap up in the name of attracting more page views isn’t a sound strategy (really, any of Brian Cook’s meta stuff will serve as a better primer on this stuff). If we do a really bad job and turn this into the Bleacher Report by sacrificing good content in the name of SEO and boobs, (1) it won’t be any fun to write, (2) we’re not going to suddenly get a huge bonus check from SBN, and (3) SBN doesn’t want that garbage anyway.
I’m not an SEO expert in any way, but there are certainly ways to attract more readers while also maintaining integrity and quality. We’ll try.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
This brings up an interesting debate
On the role of blogging in news gathering. We hear over and over how blogs are not an effective source of news and I semi-agree with that. In terms of breaking news I think the outlets with trained reporters like ESPN do a better job. However, i would argue the quality of the analysis at SBN is far more insightful to the psyche of the fans than anything Pat Forde has ever written. Reporters are taught to try their damnedest not to be fans (as anyone who has shared the excruciating experience of sitting in a press box and not being able to cheer can attest to) so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are less effective than communicating with fans than other fans are.
This could become very relevant to SBN in the future as the sites grow and there is a stronger demand for access. Looking at bigger blogs like Arrowhead Pride, you can already see the bloggers becoming more and more like media members (this is not to disparage the brothers Thorman who do one hell of a job). So far it works but what will happen in the future as the community grows and access increases?
http://victorypolka.blogspot.com/
That's the advantage of being the largest sports outlet in the country.
ESPN broadcasts the games and reports all of the scores. For that, I still use their service.
However, what news have they broken in the past decade? I forget where I read it, but I saw (and agreed with) someone’s comment that ESPN was suing Ohio State for the documents in question because they were tired of being continually scooped by Dan Wetzel and the Yahoo Warriors (seriously, if you see him on campus, run).
As for the blogs vs. ESPN thing, you’re dead on. But that’s because blogs tend to be a very targeted media source. We will cover Penn State sports to death here, and the majority of the regular readers can spout off the two-deep on any given day. But in Bristol, Penn State is an old coach and a QB controversey. They don’t NEED to do any further reporting, which leads many non-MSM people (READ: bloggers and commenters) to disagree with their reporting (well, maybe not disagree but wish for further analysis).
As for the rise of the blogger as a news source, I’m not sure when that will happen. Has any SBN blog ever broken anything? What about the bigger blogs elsewhere? And at what point does a blog stop being a blog and being a legit news source – when the writers are getting paid full wages? When they are breaking stories? For me, the fact that the lines are blurred is a win-win for the reader. We keep the readers informed with in-depth analysis (even if you don’t agree, you’ll likely see multiple sides to an issue) while ESPN provides me with a venue to see the NL Central standings AND the 2011 schedule for Notre Dame.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't know about blogs breaking anything,
but the Mets’ front office has been awfully inviting and cooperate with some of the bigger Mets blogs this season, granting interviews and conference calls. SBN’s own Mets blog, Amazin Avenue, has been on them.
I hope it’s a trend we see continue to grow; at the very least, it can make the teams seem like they care about the voice of the fan.
Teams are granting fantastic access.
One of our very own will be on the sidelines or in the press box at each game this fall, and I’ve heard of great things being granted to other bloggers (hell, just try and play “Where In The World Is Spencer Hall?” without being amazed at what he’s doing). But at the end of the day, we will almost certainly be a reactionary news source as opposed to a place where people go to find breaking news. And that’s OK, as people deserve a spot to congregate and discuss matter with people they can relate to (as opposed to the brutal ESPN comment threads).
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
That's REALLY exciting for BSD.
And I’m well aware of all the things that Spencer Hall’s been up to, I just figured these examples were the exception and not the rule. Not to say that it’s quite the “rule”, but it’s good to hear that there is better access than I thought.
And I wasn’t trying to say I expected blogs to be a place to go for breaking news, I was on board with your stance. Sorry if that came across the other way around.
I didn't think that you were saying that BSD is breaking news, and I'm not sure anyone does.
We (readers of blogs in general) know when to call a spade a spade. No one is coming to this blog to get straight-from-the-source news. Recruits aren’t calling me to make their announcement, and I don’t think anyone is calling Tim ready to commit to the T&F team (I think I’ve found my first new regime meme; sorry, Tim).
As for the access, it really is pretty special. But it also make good sense for teams of both professional and amateur sports to open their doors to bloggers. If the Penn State administration allows us to enter their booth or be on their sidelines, more likely than not we’re going to have good things to say about them. It’s win-win.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I can share a little insight on what we have planned here, at least.
I’ve been writing about PSU in various spots for a long time. I’ve never wanted any kind of actual access to anything. I think there was a point, long ago, when the life of a sportswriter seemed pretty fantastic. You go to games for free! You can ask the coach questions! How could that be unappealing, right? And the more I learned about what those guys do, the less appealing it became. I’ve never thought that sports should be treated in a clinical, sterile fashion. We’re fans. Anybody can write in an AP-ish style.
We collectively run into trouble when we say “Blogs are ______.” Blogs can be anything, they’re awesomely flexible creatures. They can be a source of straight news that you don’t get in other sources. They can be a fictional, racist Joe Paterno yelling “SECRETARY!” at the top of his lungs. And it’s up to that particular blog to decide what it’s about, then live up to that standard in an honest, consistent fashion.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
BSD as a news source
It is impossible to be a breaking news source that competes with organizations that are stronger and more nimble than this blog. Blogs (this one especially) are a great source of targeted insight, analysis, and in some-cases, classical journalism.
Focus on this and you will always be better than Adam Rittenberg and will forever hold down a corner of the internets.
let's go state
Thanks for the insight
Always cool to get a more inside perspective on things.
http://victorypolka.blogspot.com/
The difference between ESPN
and other big media outlets like CNN or NBC News is a matter of degree, not kind. ESPN is just more obviously about itself. Hell even BSD has become about BSD over the last few days.
None of this should surprise us. Such self-reflexivity was predicted 30 years ago by the great George W. S. Trow. Within the Context of No Context indeed.
"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway
Case and point
The ESPY’s, a truly despicable entry in self-congradulatory masturbation.
Carefully scheduled for the slowest sports night of the year.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
And huge supporter of the
Jimmy V Foundation. I hate awards shows, but this one at least carries along some useful baggage.
'Trivializing the "GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL TIME" for a bunch of ghetto tats must have made them pee in their man-diapers.' Mr. Rosewater
But how ingenious is that?
Sure it raises a ton of money, but you could film a live birth on ESPN and tell people that proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation and people would tune in. They’ve essentially philanthropically built up the event to where no one really realizes its a sports AWARD show anymore.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ingenious? I don't know about that.
It came about very organically. When a favorite ESPN peronality, Jim Valvano, was dying of cancer and dragged his very sick self up on stage to deliver one final message, and inspired them to endow a charity in his name to do great work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
You can say a lot of things about ESPN, but strategically linking that steaming turd of a show to a cause so it will be bulletproof is not one of them
BSD Wentworth
Co-Founding Partner
Chariman, Hiring Committee*
*Accepting Applications
by PSUinBOSSton on Jul 18, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
One of the greatest speeches ever, IMO.
But it may not have been strategic at the time; but 18 years later it’s hard to tell where the Jimmy V Telethon ends and the ESPYs begin. I’d much rather watch the telethon portion.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Agree with that.
If it completely morphes into a telethon, would even a single person complain?
BSD Wentworth
Co-Founding Partner
Chariman, Hiring Committee*
*Accepting Applications
by PSUinBOSSton on Jul 18, 2011 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
The other morning when Mike and Mike
were playing Jimmy V’s speech I was obligated to sit in my car and listen even though it made me late for a meeting.
'Trivializing the "GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL TIME" for a bunch of ghetto tats must have made them pee in their man-diapers.' Mr. Rosewater
My favorite part is when he calls out the guy that controls the "Wrap It Up" light.
Well, not my favorite. But you know what I mean.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I know, but I still like some
content chosen and deliverd to me. Probably why I have a bunch of DVD’s and BRD’s that I rarely watch, but when a movie I own and like comes on TV I find myself watching – even with the commerials, lower def and no 5.1 sound.
'Trivializing the "GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL TIME" for a bunch of ghetto tats must have made them pee in their man-diapers.' Mr. Rosewater
i agree
the amount of time i have watched any single dvd i own can’t be more than 5x and the average is probably <1. probably a result of just being too lazy to go through the dvd process and not feeling as obligated if i catch something on tv.
it was a bit of a snarky comment but i couldn’t help myself
let's go state
ESPN exists to make money
That is what happens in a capitalistic society. ESPN needs to find ways to increase ratings and continue to build its empire. They are not there to make sure they cover the things in a fair and equal manner, or even acknowledge the top performers in each sport.
It would be nice if this was not the case, but like I said they exist to make money, not provide fair and balanced sports coverage.
I gave up on ESPN a few years ago when they made an effort to switch to entertainment coverage ( I think the “Who’s In?” series officially did it for me). I will watch the games on ESPN but I don’t find any need to watch any of the talking head shows, or even SportsCenter for that matter.
by Jared Slanina on Jul 18, 2011 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This is where I am with ESPN
I’ll watch the games. I used to always watch game day and sports center but I never turn those on now. Their NFL show is horrid, college football shows seem to be Big 12 and SEC slobber fests. Other than the actual games, all games content, there isn’t much to get from ESPN. As the ratings fall for sports center and college game day I figure they will try to get more bombastic with their opinions to try and draw fans rather than giving what most fans want, straight up honest breakdowns of teams and conferences without the homerism. I still remember what turned me from watching the shows and that was the constant criticism of LJ during his amazing run in 02, like other players never get big stats against mediocre teams.
My grammer skills need improved.
I'm right there with you.
I’ve officially gone to referring to ESPN as the Evil Four Letter (stole that from some of the FSR Personalities I listen to). ‘The Decision’ basically made me really hate them. That and becoming more of just entertainment instead of covering sports. The 30 for 30 series was pretty good, but all of the other crap they keep trying to shovel down everyones throat is just a waste.
The only time I’ll watch is come College Football season and it is because they have some of the better talent and coverage.
Their baseball coverage IMO is crap. Its just a love fest for the Phils, Sawx, and Yankees. Ever since the MLBNetwork started up that’s the only place I’ll go for baseball news, highlights, etc. They aren’t afraid to call anyone out, and give a true opinion. Also they have probably the best talent when it comes to covering baseball (see Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, HR, the list goes on).
It’s been said before but ESPN has grown into an uncontrollable monster that will just care about cash. I’m still waiting for the day when The Ocho is on the dial.
/Rant and Soap Box
yeah
Sportscenter has been completely removed from my TV viewing at this point. Partially due to the fact that I dont have a sport I like in season, and partially because any relevant news to the sporting world that has come out, I have already heard or read about in some form or fashion. And ESPN won’t be expanding on it in any relevant way to give me more info I haven’t already gathered, so theres really no point in watching. Plus, as mentioned, all the other crap they throw up there like the Coors 6 pack or whatever are just dumb. I’d much rather watch reruns of Scrubs instead.
I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
I used to love GameDay
But now it’s just like the rest. As far as actual football coverage, they stick to a few main sticking points, which mostly revolve around ZOMG SEC! The game analysis that made it a great show is no longer around.
I will turn it on for the last few minutes just to watch Corso put on the mascot head. That just never gets old to me.
by Jared Slanina on Jul 18, 2011 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Me too.
Last season I found that I can DVR both GameDay and the B1G’s version then go for a run. When I get back I can watch both shows via fastforwarding stories I don’t care about (mostly SEC crap on ESPN) before the 11am (noon) game starts. That is not a good thing.
by Carfino'sWay on Jul 18, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
it doesn't matter
they don’t care if you watch anything other than the games, pretty much no one does.
there is no value there – it is all within the live games
let's go state
I watch Gameday
and enjoy it to an extent. I think it has to do with the fact that I love college football as a whole almost as much as I love Penn State, so I enjoy watching things about other schools I may not get to see all the time (though I could do without them trying to talk with the SEC’s balls in their mouth all the time). Some people just care about Penn State or the B1G more, so Gameday isn’t for them.
Also I live in ACC country and dont get the B1G Network. So theres that too.
I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
I started watching the B1G pregame and postgame shows regularly last year
Not great but getting better. I would like to watch a decent college football show but ESPN just sticks too much hype and homerism in their package anymore. You really can’t get reliable info from their content anymore.
My grammer skills need improved.
B1G...
the pre and post game shows are growing on me as well. I’d like talent upgrades at the analyst level – Coach D and Howard G. don’t do much for me.
Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.
by Esteban d' Amur on Jul 18, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
It's such a mixed bag over there.
They do a very good job with their actual game coverage, I think. But the entire operation is such a self-contained cash machine that they don’t really know or care what hardcore fans want, because those aren’t the eyeballs they’re trying to capture anymore.
This Feldman thing, from the initial suspension to the “oh, hey, that wasn’t a suspension!” backtracking, just shows how needlessly out of touch Bristol can be. Anything that disrupts the constant filling of the trough is met with a clumsy, corporate response.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
What we lose track of
Is that Sports Center is not for we, the hardcore fan. They know we will read the blogs and sites we like and get the information that way. Sports Center, the bickering over ZOMG PEYTON MANNING IS BETTER THAN TOM BRADY, and all things of the ilk are catered toward the casual fans.
Exactly.
Those of us who can remember the early days of ESPN, back when all they could afford to broadcast was Intercollegiate Hacky Sack and slow-pitch softball, recall how groundbreaking the whole operation was. The highlight shows like SportsCenter were highlight shows. With highlights! Now we get five or six plays from each game, if we’re lucky, because there needs to be room for the Budweiser Hot Seat so that some warmed-over former player can answer benign questions for 90 seconds.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh the Glory Days
When it was all about the games and the highlights. Not just 3 clips then getting some washed up former player to break down why everything happened, what should have happened, what he would have done, blah blah blah.
The ‘interviews,’ the Hot Seat, and the Coors Light Six Pack of questions really, really get annoying.
Exactly.
" When you cross that Blue Line, you are mine...Across the Blue Line, it's all football. " " And what you need to do in your life is paint Blue Lines everywhere. " - Joe Paterno 2009
...
"...it smells like...victory..." Col. Kilgore
"Rambler can't have any power" ... He would be a tyrannical wielder of the the banhammer if he did. We couldn’t have: "Oh, you don’t like Iowa – banned." "You don’t like old country guys – banned" "You don’t like corn – banned" or "You’re a dirty rotten southern traitor – banned." It would be pure chaos." - Paige
by BlueWhiteLife on Jul 18, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Soccer and Hockey
ESPN does a great job with their coverage of EPL games on Saturday mornings and they were fantastic with the last World Cup and pretty good with the Women’s World Cup. FoxSoccer could learn a thing or two and they cover the sport globally 24/7.
ESPN basically ignores hockey, which seems to be based more the falling out between it and the NHL in the 90s. That isn’t right. NHL hockey deserves more attention than ESPN gives it.
Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.
by Esteban d' Amur on Jul 18, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
It wasn't...
the Budweiser Hot Seat or the Coors Light Six Pack of Questions????
Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.
by Esteban d' Amur on Jul 18, 2011 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Eh, espn generally is terrible, especially their website
But E:60 & the 30 for 30 series are good works of journalism. They’re somewhat sparce, but I like those
"We're going to do all we can to get this team right, to go after that national championship" - Devon Still
by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Jul 18, 2011 11:03 AM EDT reply actions
OTL ain't too bad, either.
But it tends to over-play some stories to make them feel bigger than they are. And I wish they’d stop hammering on the “gays in sports” beat for a while. It seems like every time I catch the show, there’s a new panel talking about it.
This is not to say I don't think it's an issue worth discussing,
but at some point it stops becoming about raising awareness and support through journalism and about digging up repeated storylines and beating them to death.
You can't consider ESPN journalists
To do so will just make you angry at them. This might come across as preachy but this argument requires a good understanding of what makes ESPN the most money and why…
Their value and focus is on providing best in class live event production with a breadth of events that no one can match.
Their priority is providing clean environments to broadcast these live events. They make the channel a must have for all cable operators and allows them to charge subscriber rates that are much higher than any other channel ($4+/subscriber in addition to requiring they all pay another $1+/subscriber for 2, news, U, classic). This is despite the fact that they usually rank in the lower half of the top10 cable channels on a avg viewers/day basis.
These subscriber fees are the most consistent form of income and the guaranteed reach is a big draw for leagues that can’t get on network TV on a weekly basis (read: NFL). The premium advertising rates charged for cable sports are a cherry on top for what is easily the most profitable cable network out there.
If you understand why they are so reliant on live sports (which are immune to DVR or piracy and lack the incendiary content of news networks) then you can understand why they are so focused on a clean environment. This doesn’t include individual teams, players, or schools as they aren’t the content owners – this is limited solely to factions like the BCS and NFL.
Guaranteeing a clean environment explains a lot of why they are so quick to punish anyone who does anything questionable – both personally (steve phillips or sean salsbury) or professionally (bruce feldman, rush limbaugh, or “Playmakers”)
The reality is, is that no one really watches NFL Live, Baseball Tonight or even sports-center and even fewer people watch things like e:60 or OTL. There is no financial incentive for them to make an honest attempt at classic journalism. These programs serve to provide some level of credibility to the channel but not as much as the live sports provide credibility for these shows. They also provide inventory for them to run the same commercials over and over and allow them to hit the guarantees they have made to advertisers.
Continue to rip espn b/c they deserve it. They are blatantly guilty of self promotion and promotion of teams and events that they have interest in. However, they are also excellent at producing live events and pretty good (although getting circumvented) when it comes to breaking big news.
Classic journalism and tactical insights are found in much better quality and quantity from outfits like this one or Y! Sports or really any of the large number of sports outlets that don’t have financial tie-ins with leagues/entities.
I hate espn in a lot of ways as well, in the context of this debate though – it is important to understand their corporate priorities.
let's go state
by 424E. on Jul 18, 2011 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I guess all I really want
is for ESPN to be clear about what they’re providing, which they don’t do. I’ve never been one to rail about bias against teams, ect., and frankly I don’t think ESPN has any agenda other than wanting teams with the biggest fan bases involved when all other things are equal. And that’s fine.
What I don’t like is the idea that they can have their cake too. They can say they love the BCS because it’s better radio, or that TCU doesn’t deserve it because Auburn brings more eyeballs, or that The Pirate was an out of control monster, but don’t turn around and pretend to be the authoritative and objective news bearer. That’s all.
by Kevin Powers on Jul 18, 2011 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
What's the new green?
I see 3 recs and no green.
'Trivializing the "GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL TIME" for a bunch of ghetto tats must have made them pee in their man-diapers.' Mr. Rosewater
The new green is 5.
Changed it this morning, just because.
by Chris Grovich on Jul 18, 2011 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Bold move.
@EpicTripod
BSD
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Jul 18, 2011 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions
SYCOPHANT!
Ya know they murdered Mike
And tried to blame it on JoePa
He turned the power to the have-nots
And then came the SHOT!
by ReadingRambler on Jul 18, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
YOU SON OF A BITCH.
WorldBFat is 29, single, and only sweats two things: perfecting his sound and South East Asia.
by WorldBFat on Jul 18, 2011 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
I was going to
post some long diatribe expressing my dislike for the new threshold to make a comment green, but I don’t think all the words in the world would have summed it up quite as nicely as the 5 you chose.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Jul 18, 2011 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
What about fanposts?
Didn’t they used to be five? Are they now four?
jtothetweet
"Hate doesn't give a damn about tactics or stategy. Hate cares only about hate." --rosswbhgp
This is why we all hate your guts, you self-admitted douchebag.
Ya know they murdered Mike
And tried to blame it on JoePa
He turned the power to the have-nots
And then came the SHOT!
by ReadingRambler on Jul 18, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's just Rambler.
He lives to be contrary, I wouldn’t take it personally (unless there’s a history here, of which I’m not aware).
This is BSD, the crazy stirs itself.
by Paige2PSU on Jul 19, 2011 1:31 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oh, really?
If I was contrary, would I have posted here for these last few years at this den of delusional kool-aid drinkers?
Scratch where it itches.
by ReadingRambler on Jul 19, 2011 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions
My ESPN viewing has waned for a very different
reason.
My wife is a huge TV sports hater. I trade peace on PSU Football Saturdays for a dearth of sports watching the other 353 days of the year. I usually wake up a little bit early everyday so I can squeeze in a little SportsCenter action to catch up on all the previous day’s action that I missed out on, but invariably she sidles into the room and clicks over to a real news outlet – NBC’s Today Show.
I even keep BSD a secret. God help us all if she finds this place. I fear for all your lives just by writing this. OH GOD, did you hear something – gotta go……..
'Trivializing the "GREATEST RIVALRY OF ALL TIME" for a bunch of ghetto tats must have made them pee in their man-diapers.' Mr. Rosewater
by rahpsu92 on Jul 18, 2011 12:46 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
my wife just thinks we all should get a life.
My grammer skills need improved.
by BMAN13 on Jul 18, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Oh yeah and MrsPharmer.......
sits in the basement in her housecoat and slippers and reads something called the “EfMePumps” Diaries. Don’t even ask, I’m afraid to know. She’s as tough as any government agent or agency I’ve ever dealt with and I’ll just leave it at that.
"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God." The Government is like the Mob, you can check out, but never leave.
by DerryPharmer on Jul 18, 2011 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
How do all of these sports-hating women get guys
When there are plenty of us jewels out there who are just waiting to drink good beer and talk sports with you guys? Hmmm, maybe that’s part of my problem. If I meet a guy and he’s not into sports, I write him off immediately. Y’all don’t do that with women. Epiphany!!!!
This is BSD, the crazy stirs itself.
by Paige2PSU on Jul 19, 2011 1:38 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yikes.
I guess I knew what I was getting into with Mike. My mom warned me I’d be a sports widow. I never could understand why, when we were dating, Mike would want to watch Sportscenter THREE TIMES IN A ROW.
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