Why all the animosity towards ESPN?

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I don't mind listening to Cowherd every once in a while, but I hate it when he rips on other sports and just talks about football. I'd rather listen to Cowherd any day over Sparky from WSSP.

 

PTI is actually one of my favorite shows on TV. I don't even care if Kornheiser and Wilbon's opinions are scripted. It's a good way to catch the day's top stories in 30 minutes with an educated opinion on them.

 

I don't even watch Sportscenter anymore. I'd rather watch ESPNNews where they actually have some substance.

 

Overall, ESPN is great because it's a great source of information for me, but it does have it's flaws.

[dvoiss]

The reqason i don't like ESPN is because they have almost become a prody of themselves. They hype themselves as the center of the sports universe and then put on crap like PTI and Around the horn where sports writers are allowed to feed their egos by being allowed to believe they are actually "national experts". They have createrd a stable of such people(Kornheiser, Wilbon, Steve Smith, Lupicka etc...). They have become more about entertainment than actual sports coverage. It is really sad because they began as a good concept and got caught up in their own hype.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

They have become more about entertainment than actual sports coverage.

What's wrong with that? Is it bad to be entertaining? If you want actual sports coverage then sign up for ESPNNews.

 

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

[apirk]

ESPN Blows

 

Nothing but a bunch of horrible catch phrases and people yelling at you. If you take it as purely entertainment and realize that a lot of people are just saying what they say for ratings, well then I can see why someone might like it.

 

If you dislike ESPN or want to know why a lot of people dislike ESPN read God Save the Fan, or just read it if you are a sports fan it is a great entertaining book.

[dvoiss]

They have become more about entertainment than actual sports coverage.

What's wrong with that? Is it bad to be entertaining? If you want actual sports coverage then sign up for ESPNNews.

There's nothing wrong with that except that is not what they are supposed to be about IMO. If it works for you than that's fine. I guess they just haven't lived up to what I hoped they wuold become. That's all. I'm just disappointed.

[JimH5]

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

 

I fall into that 90 percent. I don't watch ESPN all the time, but I do watch it. Part of the problem is they're so big that they have pushed nearly everyone else out of the market. There really isn't any other television network that provides their sports coverage. I'm just disappointed in the quality of the coverage. I read ESPN.com, along with MLB.com and SI.com and some others--to find baseball news. I don't have to sit through 45 minutes of NFL offseason stuff before I get a baseball highlight.

 

I watch the network, but I don't enjoy the network--and I watch it because they have a virtually monopoly on sports.

 

They're never going to appeal to everyone. It was funny to read dvoiss's comments about not liking the sportswriters who are on air. For me, that's the only group that I really do like. Gammons, Kurkjian, Olney, Bob Ryan, Kornheiser & Wilbon. . .good stuff. But I dislike Lupica, Woody Paige, Mariotti, Steven A. Smith and Skip Bayliss, too, so. . .it's just a matter of personal taste.

 

What I dislike most is the analyst-athlete who adds nothing to a broadcast. If he's not giving insider stuff, then why is he sitting in the seat? BBTN has too many of those guys who just say stuff like "Wow, he really got a hold of that one." That's valueless.

[packfan79]

I don't like Espn because they try and shove the god awful unwatchable NBA down my throat, the east coast bias and of course Steven A Smith yelling at the camera...

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I don't like Espn because they try and shove the god awful unwatchable NBA down my throat

Maybe that's why I like ESPN. I love the NBA.

[bucks2281]

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

 

I'm in that 90% too. Where else am I going to get my nightly sports fix? I'm flipping back and forth between SC and FSN Final Score, and I prefer. Frankly, the picture is crisper on ESPN and the commentary, though often devoid of intelligence, is more interesting. And, yes, I do read ESPN.com. I hate that I have to pay for their good content, but they do have some interesting stuff.

 

Sportscenter is not even close to their worst show. Here are some of the reasons I have animosity towards ESPN:

 

-First Take in the AM is hard to watch. They pretend to be a Today show for the sports world.

-Why is Skip Bayless still on the payroll?

-Disney ruined the NBA on TV. I miss the days when the league wasn't on ESPN. It seemed like a bigger deal back then.

-MNF has become a joke. They don't need a celebrity guest, or 2 sideline reporters. Watch a game on NBC or CBS. No frills, just the game. It is so much enjoyable to watch.

-Around the Horn. Why does Reali get to decide who makes the best points?

-Naturally, they hype what they show on their networks. Lots of emphasis on the NBA and the women's tournament. You hear very, very little about the NCAA Women's Tournament outside of ESPN. Literally no NHL analysis.

 

On the other hand, PTI is a wonderful show and I really enjoy watching SC on Sunday nights during the NFL season. Berman is annoying, but ESPN does a great job with NFL highlights.

[bucks2281]

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

 

I'm in that 90% too. Where else am I going to get my nightly sports fix? I'm flipping back and forth between SC and FSN Final Score, and I prefer. Frankly, the picture is crisper on ESPN and the commentary, though often devoid of intelligence, is more interesting. And, yes, I do read ESPN.com. I hate that I have to pay for their good content, but they do have some interesting stuff.

 

Sportscenter is not even close to their worst show. Here are some of the reasons I have animosity towards ESPN:

 

-First Take in the AM is hard to watch. They pretend to be a Today show for the sports world.

-Why is Skip Bayless still on the payroll?

-Disney ruined the NBA on TV. I miss the days when the league wasn't on ESPN. It seemed like a bigger deal back then.

-MNF has become a joke. They don't need a celebrity guest, or 2 sideline reporters. Watch a game on NBC or CBS. No frills, just the game. It is so much enjoyable to watch.

-Around the Horn. Why does Reali get to decide who makes the best points?

-Naturally, they hype what they show on their networks. Lots of emphasis on the NBA and the women's tournament. You hear very, very little about the NCAA Women's Tournament outside of ESPN. Literally no NHL analysis.

 

On the other hand, PTI is a wonderful show and I really enjoy watching SC on Sunday nights during the NFL season. Berman is annoying, but ESPN does a great job with NFL highlights.

[bucks2281]

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

 

I'm in that 90% too. Where else am I going to get my nightly sports fix? I'm flipping back and forth between SC and FSN Final Score, and I prefer. Frankly, the picture is crisper on ESPN and the commentary, though often devoid of intelligence, is more interesting. And, yes, I do read ESPN.com. I hate that I have to pay for their good content, but they do have some interesting stuff.

 

Sportscenter is not even close to their worst show. Here are some of the reasons I have animosity towards ESPN:

 

-First Take in the AM is hard to watch. They pretend to be a Today show for the sports world.

-Why is Skip Bayless still on the payroll?

-Disney ruined the NBA on TV. I miss the days when the league wasn't on ESPN. It seemed like a bigger deal back then.

-MNF has become a joke. They don't need a celebrity guest, or 2 sideline reporters. Watch a game on NBC or CBS. No frills, just the game. It is so much enjoyable to watch.

-Around the Horn. Why does Reali get to decide who makes the best points?

-Naturally, they hype what they show on their networks. Lots of emphasis on the NBA and the women's tournament. You hear very, very little about the NCAA Women's Tournament outside of ESPN. Literally no NHL analysis.

 

On the other hand, PTI is a wonderful show and I really enjoy watching SC on Sunday nights during the NFL season. Berman is annoying, but ESPN does a great job with NFL highlights.

[bucks2281]

I bet 90% of the people who has posted negatively about ESPN on bf.net watch ESPN and read espn.com all the time. So whatever ESPN is doing is working because you're all still watching.

I'm in that 90% too. Where else am I going to get my nightly sports fix? I'm flipping back and forth between SC and FSN Final Score, and I prefer. Frankly, the picture is crisper on ESPN and the commentary, though often devoid of intelligence, is more interesting. And, yes, I do read ESPN.com. I hate that I have to pay for their good content, but they do have some interesting stuff.

Sportscenter is not even close to their worst show. Here are some of the reasons I have animosity towards ESPN:

-First Take in the AM is hard to watch. They pretend to be a Today show for the sports world.
-Why is Skip Bayless still on the payroll?
-Disney ruined the NBA on TV. I miss the days when the league wasn't on ESPN. It seemed like a bigger deal back then.
-MNF has become a joke. They don't need a celebrity guest, or 2 sideline reporters. Watch a game on NBC or CBS. No frills, just the game. It is so much enjoyable to watch.
-Around the Horn. Why does Reali get to decide who makes the best points?
-Naturally, they hype what they show on their networks. Lots of emphasis on the NBA and the women's tournament. You hear very, very little about the NCAA Women's Tournament outside of ESPN. Literally no NHL analysis.

On the other hand, PTI is a wonderful show and I really enjoy watching SC on Sunday nights during the NFL season. Berman is annoying, but ESPN does a great job with NFL highlights.