ESPY Awards = Worst Voting System

[jaybird2001wi]

Aside from the Goodwill and charitable efforts associated with ESPNs ESPY awards, can someone tell me why this award show is taken so seriously? Yet the way the voting and Nomination process is set up, its a total joke.

The ESPYs will be airing later on ESPN, tape delay, and I took a glimpse of the winners. Clearly the voters should not vote at all. How on Earth did the 2009 Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year, Courtney Kupets, not win the award for Best Female College Athlete?

Kupets has accomplished far more than the winner Maya Moore. Has Moore ever won the bronze medal in multiple events in her sport? No. Has Moore ever been part of a National Championship team four years in a row? No. Can Maya Moore say she was an Olympic athlete, Individual All-Around Champion and four-time National title winner in their team sport? No. Maya Moore should not have won. Clearly Kupets should have won. If the voters chose to ignore the fact Kupets won the Best Female College Athlete with Tim Tebow as the Male Counterpart, a Heisman Trophy winner in football... then the voters are dimwitted.

Comparing and Nominating Athletes from different sports for ONE SOLE award is comparing apples to oranges. It can't be contested. Everyone knows the voters will always vote for Tiger Woods, always vote for Lance Armstrong, always vote for Brett Favre.

ESPN basically plays this award show off as if it is the Sports equivalent of the Emmy Awards. But in reality, it is just an excuse to invite all celebrities and have them show off on the red carpet and basically act like this show is a big deal.

How in the world can someone vote for "Best Play" in 2008? The names of these awards are so vague and broad. Why doesn't the Entertainment Industry create an Academy award for "Best Scene" in a movie and then proceed to nominate any scene involving Will Smith, Will Ferrell, etc. and then leave out the "lesser known" or the actors/actresses that do their best work in Independent films.

The ESPYs are ludicrous.

[dadofandrew]

I don't know of anyone who takes the ESPY's remotely seriously.

[JJHardy7]

I like the ESPY's and have no problem with it. I don't really care who 'wins'. I think it's all for a good cause and it's cool to get everyone together. Go look at Jimmy V's speech and after that the ESPY's can go on forever as far as I'm concerned. It's entertainment.

[JimH5]

To me, the ESPYs represent the point in which I stopped being interested in ESPN as a serious outlet. The self-indulgence and self-promotion of ESPN just became unbearable.

 

I like PTI and I like watching highlights and actual sporting events, but "the Budweiser hotseat", and ESPN-developed movies?

 

I long for the days of Charley Steiner.

[DHonks]

I didn't know the ESPY's still existed. Heck, I hardly know ESPN still exists. The MLB Network is for me

[UeckerAddict]

For me, it was when ESPN did that reoccurring "Who's NOW" segment that I bowed out. Debating who is the hottest (most Popular???) athlete of today is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing. And they did it with straight faces.

[JJHardy7]

For me, it was when ESPN did that reoccurring "Who's NOW" segment that I bowed out. Debating who is the hottest (most Popular???) athlete of today is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing. And they did it with straight faces.

I admit I watch ESPN for SportsCenter at night and listen to Mike and Mike in the morning. I enjoy it. The 'Who's Now' thing was lame, but I think it's expected. You simply have 'dead' times in sports. Right now is a prime example. I love baseball, but let's face it...football is easily the most popular out of the major sports. I have a lot of friends that don't care at all about baseball and for teams that are out of the race now it's lost interest. I think ESPN struggles to fill this time and of course some refer to the 'bias' ESPN has, but I've never felt that was true. You're going to target your product towards your major population. Milwaukee isn't the major population. The coasts are and so is Chicago. It has it's flaws no doubt, but there really isn't any competition out there.

Also, FWIW ESPN has really been marketing Braun in a variety of their shows. It's not like they don't discussion Milwaukee...there just usually isn't much to discuss that would be appealing for a national audience. Hopefully that continues to change.

[JoeHova]

There are a lot of contenders for "most monumental abomination that ESPN ever put on the air" but I'm partial to the horrific Steve Phillips faux hot-stove press conferences from a few years back. Viewers were treated to the vapid ramblings of a cretinous imbecile pretending to be interviewed by his colleagues about each team's imaginary personnel moves. It will be hard to top that odious spectacle, though I'm sure that ESPN's brain trust is hard at work trying to do so.

[UeckerAddict]

For me, it was when ESPN did that reoccurring "Who's NOW" segment that I bowed out. Debating who is the hottest (most Popular???) athlete of today is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing. And they did it with straight faces.

I admit I watch ESPN for SportsCenter at night and listen to Mike and Mike in the morning. I enjoy it. The 'Who's Now' thing was lame, but I think it's expected. You simply have 'dead' times in sports. Right now is a prime example. I love baseball, but let's face it...football is easily the most popular out of the major sports. I have a lot of friends that don't care at all about baseball and for teams that are out of the race now it's lost interest. I think ESPN struggles to fill this time and of course some refer to the 'bias' ESPN has, but I've never felt that was true. You're going to target your product towards your major population. Milwaukee isn't the major population. The coasts are and so is Chicago. It has it's flaws no doubt, but there really isn't any competition out there.

 

Also, FWIW ESPN has really been marketing Braun in a variety of their shows. It's not like they don't discussion Milwaukee...there just usually isn't much to discuss that would be appealing for a national audience. Hopefully that continues to change.

That's fine. They're a business and they want profits. But that doesn't mean I have to watch it. It's not even about what teams they cover (bias or whatever). It's that I like X's and O's and the history of sports. I don't care about who A-Rod's dating. I don't care about "who's now". I don't care about Lebron James' reaction after losing to the Magic. I don't care if Barry Bonds' mistress wants to write a book. I don't really care about Mike and Mike's half hour conversation about "whether it's okay for a man to cry if he gets stung by a bee."

 

9 out of 10 baseball fans can't tell you how arbitration works. I've never heard ESPN try to explain it. Why not? ESPN has become People Magazine for men. I do like their college football coverage, but in the summer the MLB network is well worth the money. They actually try to inform you about baseball. Instead of "Who's Now," how about you profile a different past Cy Young winner each day? Or twenty days of the top 20 rushers of a all time? If that would make the ratings drop and is therefore a "no-no" then ESPN and I have irreconcilable differences.

[Katuluu]

I don't know of anyone who takes the ESPY's remotely seriously.

I can think of one.

[PeaveyFury]

I can think of one.

 

Yeah, Kat's in the process of sending out the invitations to his annual ESPY party as we speak....

[brewdude15]

If I had to choose from between the ESPY's and the BCS........I'd take the BCS.

[Katuluu]

I can think of one.

 

Yeah, Kat's in the process of sending out the invitations to his annual ESPY party as we speak....

Bitter, party of one!

 

Maybe if you'd remembered to bring the guacamole last year you'd have gotten your invite this year! Because of you my condiments were severely lacking in depth and as a direct result the chips and salsa suffered from arm fatigue.

[JJHardy7]

ESPN has become People Magazine for men.

I find that to be a stretch and somewhat condescending. It's fine if you don't like it. Some of the points you bring up are really just exaggerating separate incidents. I've heard arbitration explained a few times on ESPN FWIW. In my opinion, they really don't cover who A-Rod is dating at all. I've never really seen that on ESPN or if something was said it was one line and they moved on. I personally find the morning SportsCenter's somewhat more old school ESPN with more sports covering and less 'stories'.

Mike and Mike are entertainment. There isn't always enough in sports to talk about...especially in the summer since baseball is not very popular among the average sports fan in certain parts of the country. You need 'filler' and I can totally understand why someone doesn't like their radio show. To each their own.

[FVBrewerFan]

The Jimmy V award was the only part worth watching this year. I got suckered into watching it because last year it was actually pretty entertaining- in my opinion at least. This year the comedy bits were not very funny. The actual "awards" mean nothing to me, I mean how can one "team of the year" win over any other team that won a championship? By definition, they're ALL the team of they year if they won a championship in their sport.

[pitchleague]

I am completely shocked that neither the Patriots, Yankees, or Red Sox were somehow made nominees as Team of the Year.

 

I used to watch the ESPY's every year. Then, about 5 years ago, we were on vacation when they were on. I haven't watched since.

[thebruce44]

Disney has destroyed a once enjoyable network through ruthless cross promotion and corporate selling out. In addition, I agree that they are becoming a People Magazine for men, because they think that is what sells. Personally, I think its the wrong way to go, as almost all of my friends prefer MLB network durring baseball season. That being said, they must be having some success because they seem to be getting worse and worse.

[UeckerAddict]

ESPN has become People Magazine for men.

I find that to be a stretch and somewhat condescending. It's fine if you don't like it. Some of the points you bring up are really just exaggerating separate incidents. I've heard arbitration explained a few times on ESPN FWIW. In my opinion, they really don't cover who A-Rod is dating at all. I've never really seen that on ESPN or if something was said it was one line and they moved on. I personally find the morning SportsCenter's somewhat more old school ESPN with more sports covering and less 'stories'.

Mike and Mike are entertainment. There isn't always enough in sports to talk about...especially in the summer since baseball is not very popular among the average sports fan in certain parts of the country. You need 'filler' and I can totally understand why someone doesn't like their radio show. To each their own.

I won't address the rest of your post because it's your opinion (though I don't quite get why people get offended and shout that something is "condescending" if they don't agree with it). However, I saw multiple times, reports on the tee-shirt A-Rod's wife wore to games and plenty of press on his relationship with Madonna. Heck, I also know that Derek Jeter has been dating Kate Hudson. Why do I know these things? ESPN.

[JJHardy7]

The Jimmy V award was the only part worth watching this year. I got suckered into watching it because last year it was actually pretty entertaining- in my opinion at least. This year the comedy bits were not very funny.

I didn't think it was that funny either. I thought Timberlake was pretty hilarious last year.

I am completely shocked that neither the Patriots, Yankees, or Red Sox were somehow made nominees as Team of the Year.

Kind of hard to do if you don't win a championship.

I won't address the rest of your post because it's your opinion (though I don't quite get why people get offended and shout that something is "condescending" if they don't agree with it). However, I saw multiple times, reports on the tee-shirt A-Rod's wife wore to games and plenty of press on his relationship with Madonna. Heck, I also know that Derek Jeter has been dating Kate Hudson. Why do I know these things? ESPN.

I just don't see it as being true IMO. If you watch something for an hour and 30 seconds is on something related to whatever you're talking about...what's the big deal? For whatever reason, some people here (and I'm sure in general) seem to get bent out of shape/upset at ESPN for a few segments that aren't about small market teams and focus on stars on major markets....what's wrong with that? I guess I don't focus on the things I don't like about ESPN as much as I do focus on the things I do like. It's not like they sit and gossip for an hour about who is dating who, but some posts in this thread would lead you to believe that. It's just not true....at all. Again, if you tune into Mike and Mike in the morning 'Greenie' must be one of the biggest national media guys that is in Braun's fan club. He loves the guy, hasn't talked about who he's dating, etc...is that hard to handle for Brewers fans?

IMO calling ESPN or something a man's people magazine is condescending. It's so far from the truth. Who cares if they make comments here and there about a superstar's personal life. I honestly don't recall much of that at all, but again I try not to focus on things I don't care about.

[topper09er]

Sportscenter is unbearable to watch, for every hour you get about 15 mins commercials, 20 mins of "analysis" by former players and hosts who have no idea what they are talking about that just state increadibly obvious things, 20 mins of off the field crap like how TO and Tony Romo get along or what does guy said on his twitter page, and about 5 minutes of actual in game highlights. If a brewer game has say 8 runs scored between the 2 teams, all you will see if some meaningless homerun and the last play of the game and they show the stats for the 4 most popular players. If the Yankees beat the Red Sox 1-2, you will see how every run was scored plus like 5 other important plays.

 

ESPN knows they have a monopoly on men, all men (who like sports and those that really dont but pretend to so they can talk about sports at work) watch sportscenter no matter what, sure FSN has a show but Sportscenter has cemented itself as the "cool" show to watch so that you can say you are a sports fan. Therefore, ESPN does not try to market to the men who like sports anymore because they will watch ESPN no matter what, so now what they try to do is severely reduce the actual sports content and significantly increase the off the field crap that people who dont really like sports care more about. Now they have a watered down show which is full of crap I dont care about and very little highlitghts. There are times, in say April, when you have a full slate of MLB, NBA and NHL games and you dont even see highlitghts from all the games in a full hour sportscenter. I cant take it anymore and I agree the "who's now" really did it for me. Unfortunetly, ESPN has a monopoly over me since I dont have MLB network so I still watch baseball tonight.

[UeckerAddict]

Amen Topper. You said what I wanted to say, but much more eloquently.

[JJHardy7]

Sportscenter is unbearable to watch, for every hour you get about 15 mins commercials

Isn't that about the average for every hour on television? I respect your opinion. I just don't have big issues with ESPN that some here seem to have. If I watch the first ten minutes or so, I usually get all the news I need. I guess I just don't mind the things some here are complaining about. Baseball will never get the coverage that NFL does just because NFL >>> MLB in terms of a fan base. I know this can be frustrating, but ESPN plays to casual fans and it's not for extreme fans. There's a much greater population of casual sports fan than die hard baseball fans. I honestly don't know what people expect...every show catered to their individual wants?

Again, the 'Who's Now' stuff sucks, but it's filler. Maybe they figure more people would rather debate that than see highlights of baseball games? I don't know, but I'm assuming there's some reason for it.

[bucks2281]

They continue to cut paychecks for Skip Bayliss, and the rest of the dolts on that insufferable "First Take" morning show. I was watching "Sports Nation" at Buffalo Wild Wings today, and I believe one of the poll questions asked viewers for their favorite pet. Plus, ESPN Classic is a shell of its former self. If you want to watch reruns from the World Series of Poker, World's Strongest Man, and the PBA Tour, that's your network. They never play old NFL highlights or MLB/NBA/NCAA classic games like they used to. They've also butchered Monday Night Football and their coverage of the NBA pales in comparison to Turner's and NBC's. Plus, the picture quality of the events they air on ABC flat-out sucks.

 

It sounds like they're bidding for the 2016 Olympics. IMO, that could be a very bad thing.

[pitchleague]

I am completely shocked that neither the Patriots, Yankees, or Red Sox were somehow made nominees as Team of the Year.

Kind of hard to do if you don't win a championship.

I guess I should have put that statement in blue. I assumed that everyone knew it was sarcasm without having to change the text color. My bad.