Why ESPN sucks

[starvenger 0]

YOU'RE FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRED

Careful. You may have to pay a yooge royalty to The Donald for that...

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I can't stand the commentating crew that does Sunday Night Football. They have to be the worst crew on tv, to the point where I would rather have the fake commentators from the ESPN video games on instead.

[Damaramu 0]

Oh god...he's starting already.

 

Shouldn't you wait until closer to the season to start this OU crap again?

I'm not starting OU crap. I'm starting a "This guy put absolutely no thought into this list" crap.

I mean College Football always has someone new come up to take the stage.

I mean in 2000 OU and FSU were the top 2 teams. Then in 2001 it was Nebrska(ok that isn't true but they were in the title game) and Miami. Then Miami and Ohio State in 2002. Then OU, LSU, and USC pretty much came out of nowhere this year.

College football changes so damn much I fully expect the National Title game to be something like Florida vs. Texas next season! It's to hard to predict. But if you're going to do it.....at least put some thought into it. I mean why is Missouri in the Top 25? Missouri's not a top 25 team. Missouri's a team that you face that gives you problems and could mess up your record. There one of those annoying teams that Top 10 teams hate facing.

 

And shouldn't you wait to start crap with me again? It's very unbecoming of a mod to follow me into every post where I so much as mention OU and start crap.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Not enough Kenny Mayne.

 

Too much name dropping. Stu Scott has mention he's boys with every player in the NBA. The only reason they let you hang around, is you kiss their asses.

[Damaramu 0]

And of course everyone's mentioned the Bonds thing. That really gets me.

 

Oh and how about this one? When they show a Sportscenter in the morning....it ends......and they start the same one! That's pretty annoying to.

 

Oh and I hate the Lakers just as much as the next guy. But I do find the ESPN "We like the Lakers! No wait we hate them! No we like them! No we hate them!" To be incredibley annoying.

The Lakers are on a winning streak "Go Lakers! They aren't the best ever for no reason!"

The Lakers lose a few. "Let's look at the fall of the Lakers! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

 

I mean come on. Figure out how you feel about the god damn team.

 

Or if they Lakers don't win ALL the time then there must be something wrong. Apparently they have to win every game for ESPN to consider them.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

I've got to pat myself on the back. This is my all time longest thread. (Counting this name and my former handle, undisputedjericho)

 

But come on, anymore Mike Greenberg haters?

[Guest Smues]

-Jim Rome - I don't know if Rome is Burning is even still on the air, I can only hope it's gone and dead.

 

-When an hour long Sportscenter hype something the whole hour (usually a top 10 plays type thing) that won't get played until the very end of the hour, and when the time finally comes they cut away to something live. I understand somethings they need to cut to, but if you hype something the whole fucking hour, SHOW IT.

 

-On a similar note, when the cut something short to show something pointless. The Barry Bonds dick-suck-a-thon has already been discussed, but they do it with other people too. Cutting the last 10 minutes of PTI to show KOBE WALKING INTO A COURT HOUSE (WOW!!!!) is not what I'd call must see TV.

[Damaramu 0]

Oh and the Top 10 Lists.

They should rename it "The Top 10 Best Looking Plays"

Because it's generally not the Top 10 best plays. It's just some yahoo getting a breakaway and performing some wild looking dunk.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I can't stand the commentating crew that does Sunday Night Football. They have to be the worst crew on tv, to the point where I would rather have the fake commentators from the ESPN video games on instead.

Don't get me started on them. Theisman is proof you can play a game your whole life and still not know the first thing about it.

[Slayer 0]

Jim Rome

I think you could make a whole new thread about why Jim Rome sucks

[Guest Jimbo]

You people wouldn't happen to be big fans of the "Best Damn Sports Show, Period", would you?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I can't stand that show either.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Stuart Scott.

Scott Van Pelt lifting his entire repertoire from Tenacious D.

The ESPN agendas against Pete Rose and Bob Knight.

Michael Wilbon is a racist punkass.

East Coast bias.

Tom Jackson is a bit of a whiny little bitch.

-=Mike

I never saw Tom Jackson as a whiny little bitch ... ever ... ever.

 

Shit, where do I begin with this bunch of little PC bitches? I like ATH, and when I'm not screaming at some of the stupid-ass comments made on PTI I actually like that show, but other than that everyone at ESPN can kiss my white ass (I like Jim Rome but I never see Rome is Burning so he's exempt, too).

 

Oh, and Linda Cohn needs some tumors in her tits...

[Guest OctoberBlood]

You people wouldn't happen to be big fans of the "Best Damn Sports Show, Period", would you?

I watch it everynow and then. Not really for sports, but just something to watch. It's not bad.

[razazteca 0]

You people wouldn't happen to be big fans of the "Best Damn Sports Show, Period", would you?

I watch it everynow and then. Not really for sports, but just something to watch. It's not bad.

Jim Rose needs to be replaced by Max Kellerman.

[Sass 0]

East Coast bias.

[Red Baron 0]

You know what makes me sick on EPSN.

 

How pointless MLB free agency gets more attention than Hockey.

 

Keep showing that, and you'll never attract viewers.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

I can't stand the commentating crew that does Sunday Night Football. They have to be the worst crew on tv, to the point where I would rather have the fake commentators from the ESPN video games on instead.

Don't get me started on them. Theisman is proof you can play a game your whole life and still not know the first thing about it.

The thing with Theisman is... as long as he is talking about QBs and only QBs he seems slightly intelligent. But get him talking about ANY other part of the game and you might as well stick that disabled kid from Life Goes On in there. (wtf was his name?)

[Guest AllCanadian]

I enjoy watching the World Series of Poker myself, but the whole point is for ESPN to be their main SPORTS channel.

- As long as WSOP stays on ESPN or ESPN2, I'll be happy.

 

- I also loved Beg, Borrow and Deal. Hate on reality shows if you want, but this one was pretty sweet. Dream Job, not so much.

 

- The problem with hockey on ESPN was illustrated last night. The first period of Detroit/Nashville had the TSN feed, and the rest of the game was ESPN's guys. Well, I could notice the difference in quality. Seriously, you OWN part of TSN, make some use of it for a product you don't care too much for.

 

- Sports commentary shows. I miss watching Off The Record. PTI, Around The Horn et al all exist so that the sports journalists can get themselves over as part of the "I'm smarter than you" crowd. OTR has celebs (and pseudo-celebs) who may or may not have clue one about what's going on (see Walker, Jimmie) but are still entertaining to have on.

 

- TSN shows MMA. ESPN doesn't. 'Nuff said.

 

- Not enough Thea Andrews. Someone tell ABC to make her the new MNF sideline reporter.

TSN owns ESPN, except when it's Brier season =(

[RepoMan 0]

Hockey might get some decent rating if ESPN had the commen sense to do a little promotion. They has not been ONE segment about the NHL on Around the Horn or PTI the past two weeks. Totally none events like the release of the NFL schedual has gotten more air. I was really exicited yesterday when PTI had "playoffs" listed in the five good minutes spot. Not suprisingly, it was about the NBA playoffs that haven't even started yet. If you tell a general sports audience why they should care about the NHL playoffs (You've got bitter rivals Philly/ NJ and Toronto and Otttawa going at it, the 1 seed Wings are tied 2-2 with the 8 seed Nashville for starters) pepole might tune in. And if you decide to air filler crap like the Yankess on Trial when you could be showing NJ and Philley (teams in some the countrys largests markets) you just make sure the NHL is viewed as unimportant.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

That and Woody Paige got mocked for giving his 15 seconds to hype the NHL.

[Art Sandusky 0]

If I watched only ESPN, I'd hardly know NASCAR or any other motor sports existed.

 

At least they show drag racing on ESPN2.

 

Otherwise, no complaints other than the new Around the Horn host.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

-The New Sportscenter anchors. You couldn't find a bigger group of assholes on the planet.

 

 

- The kissing of the ass of certain players, such as Donovan McNabb during football. Yeah, I know the guy is good but he's not god's gift to football like ESPN tries to make him out to be.

This is probably the biggest gripe about ESPN and Sports Center

 

In the last ten years or so they have really structured their show more towards the athletes than the fans. Thats why they have all the nicknames and catch phrases, thats why they have highlights that generally have nothing to do with the game story, ect.

 

The audience they attract on SportsCenter is the players themselves. (think there is a reason for all their ads featuring various athletes watching SC?

 

Watch ESPN News for coverage geared towards the actual fan watching

 

It has really gotten so bad that the line between SportsCenter anchor and the athletes they cover is so blurred that there is no such thing as journalistic integrity with some of them (i.e. Stuart Scott)

 

That is what it boils down to, they are not broadcasting to the fans anymore, they are broadcasting to the athletes themselves.

 

That actually came into play during the NCAA tourney with the whole Billy Packer-St Joes fiasco.

 

Jaimer Nelson, actually said that he never seen Packer ever do a game, despite Packer being THE guy doing it for CBS for some 30 straight years now. But he probably knows Dick Vitale because all they watch is ESPN's coverage and CBS just drops in during the tournament. I'll cut him some slack because I doubt you are paying THAT much attention to the announcers unless you are by yourself or with only a handfull of people watching the final game or any game during the tourney.

 

But thats the fact, the audience ESPN cares the most about are the ones who play the sport more so than the actual fans of the sport

 

Steve

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

I've got to pat myself on the back. This is my all time longest thread. (Counting this name and my former handle, undisputedjericho)

 

But come on, anymore Mike Greenberg haters?

Should listen to his radio show!

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Is that sarcasm or what? I can't stand the mother fucker. Whenever a commercial of his is on, or if I wake up to his morning show, I frantically tear my headphones off my head and throw them across the room.

[Guest MikeSC]

The only thing that really hacks me off is the bias they have.

 

And it wouldn't be bad if the bias is constant. But they f'n hate something different every year! They seem to go after whatever is "hip".

And then these Top 100 lists they usually put on ESPN.com seem to have no actual factual or statistical backing. I mean.....why the fuck is Missouri's QB ranked #1 on there top 100 list!? I mean he was a nice runner but it's not like he set the world on fire or anything. Jeez. That Justin Vincent kid from LSU is a better football player than this guy.

And then they have some real morons writing on that ESPN.com website.

I mean look at the Top 5 Football teams for next season:

1)USC

2)LSU

3) Georgia

4)Oklahoma

5)Miami

Yeah and let's not forget that you originally had it go USC, LSU, OU. But for some reason he decided Georgia was better than an OU team that is virtually intact from last season. A team that went 12-2. And yeah you put a lot of thought into that one. You just put the same damn teams who finished 1,2, and 3 the same originally. Then you move Georgia up I guess so it didn't seem like you did that. And your reasoning sucks to.

*smacks forehead*

Oh dear God.

 

Dama --- Oklahoma is not God. There are better teams than them out there.

-=Mike

[Damaramu 0]

The only thing that really hacks me off is the bias they have.

 

And it wouldn't be bad if the bias is constant. But they f'n hate something different every year! They seem to go after whatever is "hip".

And then these Top 100 lists they usually put on ESPN.com seem to have no actual factual or statistical backing. I mean.....why the fuck is Missouri's QB ranked #1 on there top 100 list!? I mean he was a nice runner but it's not like he set the world on fire or anything. Jeez. That Justin Vincent kid from LSU is a better football player than this guy.

And then they have some real morons writing on that ESPN.com website.

I mean look at the Top 5 Football teams for next season:

1)USC

2)LSU

3) Georgia

4)Oklahoma

5)Miami

Yeah and let's not forget that you originally had it go USC, LSU, OU. But for some reason he decided Georgia was better than an OU team that is virtually intact from last season. A team that went 12-2. And yeah you put a lot of thought into that one. You just put the same damn teams who finished 1,2, and 3 the same originally. Then you move Georgia up I guess so it didn't seem like you did that. And your reasoning sucks to.

*smacks forehead*

Oh dear God.

 

Dama --- Oklahoma is not God. There are better teams than them out there.

-=Mike

Yes I fully realize that. Which was why I said they should be #3 going into next season. If I were to say they were god I would say that they would be #1 going into next season.

As a matter of fact I'm not expecting them to even be in the National Title game. I'm pulling for it but I think they get beat by KSU again. Since the game is in Manhattan and KSU now has a psychological edge.

So what was that about me thinking they're god again? Oh that's right. I don't.

 

And on top of all that I didn't even mention OU till the end. And that was my point that he didn't put any thought into his Top 25 because he had the same teams that finished 1,2, and 3 at 1,2, and 3 for next season. Then for some reason. And he doesn't even really give one he moves Georgia up to 3. So I figured that he didn't want to seem to obvious in the fact that he put no thought into it. It looks like he looked at the list and went "Hmm......better do some shuffling."

[Guest MikeSC]

Hockey might get some decent rating if ESPN had the commen sense to do a little promotion. They has not been ONE segment about the NHL on Around the Horn or PTI the past two weeks. Totally none events like the release of the NFL schedual has gotten more air. I was really exicited yesterday when PTI had "playoffs" listed in the five good minutes spot. Not suprisingly, it was about the NBA playoffs that haven't even started yet. If you tell a general sports audience why they should care about the NHL playoffs (You've got bitter rivals Philly/ NJ and Toronto and Otttawa going at it, the 1 seed Wings are tied 2-2 with the 8 seed Nashville for starters) pepole might tune in. And if you decide to air filler crap like the Yankess on Trial when you could be showing NJ and Philley (teams in some the countrys largests markets) you just make sure the NHL is viewed as unimportant.

Small problem --- nobody CARES about hockey. ESPN's ratings for the NHL show that. ESPN is nothing if not ratings whores and, like it or not, the NHL doesn't come close to delivering the numbers.

 

Heck, I'm thrilled that they stopped showing high school basketball. I was worried that they'd continue and try to manufacture another LeBron.

 

And, fully agree with the usual litany, plus a few:

 

1) ESPN is WAY too interested in getting their catch phrases over. You'd think Vince Russo was a writer.

 

2) They do kiss the butts of certain athletes WAY too often. Warren Sapp gets WAY more air time than his mediocre play warrants. And Donovan always has been a decent, at best, QB. Philly doesn't win because of him --- never did. They just rallied around him big-time because Rush called them on their unfair treatment of Donovan. And Stuart Scott --- I watched you when you were a mediocre reporter for an Orlando TV station. You weren't trying to pull off the "street" schtick you're pulling off now (BTW, as a journalist, NO PERSON YOU COVER SHOULD BE YOUR "BOY" OR YOUR "DOG", get it?).

 

Heck, why doesn't ESPN just hire Ahmad Rashad and use him --- since Stuart is ripping off his schtick so liberally.

 

I swear, ESPN --- YOU'RE NOT THE WWE. STOP TRYING TO GIVE ALL OF YOUR "PERSONALITIES" GIMMICKS!

 

3) They always gripe that basketball players can't shoot anymore --- ignoring that they went a long way in developing that little problem. And Greg Anthony's claim that the death of scoring in the NBA is due to good defense is so comical that I wanted to slap him through the TV.

 

4) I like Bonds. I really do. I don't feel the need to blow him as ESPN apparently does. Platonic love is fine and dandy, ESPN.

 

5) Their attempts at drama and "reality TV" have been borderline embarrassing. Stop trying. You're extremely bad at it.

 

6) Dick Vitale --- will somebody muzzle the guy? Seriously, it's gotten REAL old. Teams are great because they have great talent, not great coaches. Stick Coach K at Baylor and see how close they come to the national title.

 

7) They stopped doing their "Behind the Scenes" ads --- for a while, the best reason to watch the network.

 

8) Berman needs to get fired. Desperately.

 

9) Cold Pizza --- again, who on God's earth is this show for? Men don't want to watch it. Women don't turn to ESPN for that type of programming. And, good God, you have one of your "anchors" whose only claim to fame is being on friggin' "Road Rules".

 

10) While I'm not a big NASCAR fan, ESPN basic ignoring of it is a little baffling.

 

11) Stop griping that "mid-majors" don't have a chance at winning the national title in football. I've not seen one that could compete with a truly good major program.

 

12) Behind the Lines --- great for an "every so often" show --- not so great for a daily show.

 

13) I've never seen Tom Jackson as a competent broadcaster or compelling personality ever. Ever.

 

14) I like Peter Gammons --- but he is a BIT of a BoSox homer.

-=Miker

[Guest MikeSC]

The only thing that really hacks me off is the bias they have.

 

And it wouldn't be bad if the bias is constant. But they f'n hate something different every year! They seem to go after whatever is "hip".

And then these Top 100 lists they usually put on ESPN.com seem to have no actual factual or statistical backing. I mean.....why the fuck is Missouri's QB ranked #1 on there top 100 list!? I mean he was a nice runner but it's not like he set the world on fire or anything. Jeez. That Justin Vincent kid from LSU is a better football player than this guy.

And then they have some real morons writing on that ESPN.com website.

I mean look at the Top 5 Football teams for next season:

1)USC

2)LSU

3) Georgia

4)Oklahoma

5)Miami

Yeah and let's not forget that you originally had it go USC, LSU, OU. But for some reason he decided Georgia was better than an OU team that is virtually intact from last season. A team that went 12-2. And yeah you put a lot of thought into that one. You just put the same damn teams who finished 1,2, and 3 the same originally. Then you move Georgia up I guess so it didn't seem like you did that. And your reasoning sucks to.

*smacks forehead*

Oh dear God.

 

Dama --- Oklahoma is not God. There are better teams than them out there.

-=Mike

Yes I fully realize that. Which was why I said they should be #3 going into next season. If I were to say they were god I would say that they would be #1 going into next season.

As a matter of fact I'm not expecting them to even be in the National Title game. I'm pulling for it but I think they get beat by KSU again. Since the game is in Manhattan and KSU now has a psychological edge.

So what was that about me thinking they're god again? Oh that's right. I don't.

 

And on top of all that I didn't even mention OU till the end. And that was my point that he didn't put any thought into his Top 25 because he had the same teams that finished 1,2, and 3 at 1,2, and 3 for next season. Then for some reason. And he doesn't even really give one he moves Georgia up to 3. So I figured that he didn't want to seem to obvious in the fact that he put no thought into it. It looks like he looked at the list and went "Hmm......better do some shuffling."

Did you ever watch Georgia play? They were damned good last year. Extremely so. Should they ever get over that Florida hurdle and they'll be national title contenders on a consistent basis. It's not like LSU dominated them.

 

ESPN isn't saying that OU is bad. Heck, any top 10 team has a decent shot at the national title. But Georgia has been on the doorstep for a few seasons now.

-=Mike

[Damaramu 0]

The only thing that really hacks me off is the bias they have.

 

And it wouldn't be bad if the bias is constant. But they f'n hate something different every year! They seem to go after whatever is "hip".

And then these Top 100 lists they usually put on ESPN.com seem to have no actual factual or statistical backing. I mean.....why the fuck is Missouri's QB ranked #1 on there top 100 list!? I mean he was a nice runner but it's not like he set the world on fire or anything. Jeez. That Justin Vincent kid from LSU is a better football player than this guy.

And then they have some real morons writing on that ESPN.com website.

I mean look at the Top 5 Football teams for next season:

1)USC

2)LSU

3) Georgia

4)Oklahoma

5)Miami

Yeah and let's not forget that you originally had it go USC, LSU, OU. But for some reason he decided Georgia was better than an OU team that is virtually intact from last season. A team that went 12-2. And yeah you put a lot of thought into that one. You just put the same damn teams who finished 1,2, and 3 the same originally. Then you move Georgia up I guess so it didn't seem like you did that. And your reasoning sucks to.

*smacks forehead*

Oh dear God.

 

Dama --- Oklahoma is not God. There are better teams than them out there.

-=Mike

Yes I fully realize that. Which was why I said they should be #3 going into next season. If I were to say they were god I would say that they would be #1 going into next season.

As a matter of fact I'm not expecting them to even be in the National Title game. I'm pulling for it but I think they get beat by KSU again. Since the game is in Manhattan and KSU now has a psychological edge.

So what was that about me thinking they're god again? Oh that's right. I don't.

 

And on top of all that I didn't even mention OU till the end. And that was my point that he didn't put any thought into his Top 25 because he had the same teams that finished 1,2, and 3 at 1,2, and 3 for next season. Then for some reason. And he doesn't even really give one he moves Georgia up to 3. So I figured that he didn't want to seem to obvious in the fact that he put no thought into it. It looks like he looked at the list and went "Hmm......better do some shuffling."

Did you ever watch Georgia play? They were damned good last year. Extremely so. Should they ever get over that Florida hurdle and they'll be national title contenders on a consistent basis. It's not like LSU dominated them.

 

ESPN isn't saying that OU is bad. Heck, any top 10 team has a decent shot at the national title. But Georgia has been on the doorstep for a few seasons now.

-=Mike

I'm not saying that they're saying OU is bad. Hell #4 out of 117 is still pretty damn good.

I'm just saying that I don't think he put any thought into his Top 25 list.

Oh and speaking of OU. I think KSU is there only challenge next season as it is. It's not like the rest of the Big XII is really that good. Well Oregon could cause them some trouble. But KSU is damn good.

Texas is alright but they suck against OU.

Heck an OU/LSU rematch in the Sugar Bowl would rock all next season.

I still expect the National Title game to be something unexpected. Georgia vs. Texas. With Georgia going undefeated and Texas pulling the 2001 Nebraska deal to further drive a stake into the wriggling corpse of the BCS.

You heard it here first.

Oh and the final score of that game......umm........Georgia 100 and something and Texas nothing.....because Texas sucks.