I hate ESPN

[jacksonianmarch]

slobbin all over the NFL draft and barely mentioning MLB. And the draft isnt for another 16 days!

[VA Sox Fan]

They've become the football network. Always leading w/ football, it's ridiculous!

[CrespoBlows]

It's only the most popular sport in the United States. :dunno:

[MANNYHOF24]

It's only the most popular sport in the United States. :dunno:

 

Exactly; It's the same reason they play so many Red Sox and Yankees games during the season. The put stuff on the air that people will watch.

[Peters34]

Good One

[example1]

Exactly; It's the same reason they play so many Red Sox and Yankees games during the season. The put stuff on the air that people will watch.

 

But some of their commentators make it sound like Football is popular and therefore it is a better sport. I'm thinking particularly of Colin Cowherd, but there are a number of others too. They rail on and on about how clean football is, and how concerned it is with its image and how baseball messed up with the steroid issue and is inferior partially because of it or because of the lack of parity. 7 WS winners in 7 years, a good wild card race every year, that seems pretty good to me.

 

Furthermore, does anyone doubt that the NFL--of all sports--is somehow clean on the steroid/HGH issue. I mean, we're taking about 270 lbs guys who run a 4.6 40yrd and whose job it is to try to rip people's heads off.

 

 

My take on it is that American Idol is the most popular show on television. Does that make it the best? We all know that America's Next Top Model--despite not having quite the ratings--is clearly the best show running.

 

Enough said.

 

The pacman Jones situation is PRAISED by people at ESPN because he got a year suspension. Seriously? I mean, all he did (this time) was get upset with a stripper. By which I mean grab her by the hair and smash her head to the ground to the point where he had to be restrained, because she did the 'rain dance' improperly. Once released by the bouncer he went across the room and AGAIN attacked the stripper. He was again restrained, but this time it was not before he yelled something along the lines of "I'm going to kill you" to the bartender. Later that night, lo and behold, the bartender ends up with a few bullets in him.

 

Yeah, a season is all this guy needs and we'll all keep bowing to the alter of the pristene NFL.

 

 

Here is a rap sheet look at all of Pacman’s brushes with the law since joining the NFL’s Tennessee Titans:

 

July 13, 2005- Arrested and charged with assault and felony vandalism after a nightclub altercation. This began Pacman Jones NFL rap sheet. He already had a lengthy one from high school and college.

 

September 5, 2005- Adam was invited to attend the Nashville Sports Council Kickoff Luncheon. Jones went off on a verbal tirade while being told to wait for his car after the event. He then refused to tip the valet service.

 

October 2005- State of West Virginia filed a petition stating that Jones had not been contacting his probation officer and that he had not reported his July 2005 arrest. The judge extended the probation for just 90 days.

 

March 23, 2006- Charged with marijuana possession in Fayetteville, Georgia. He went on to claim that he knew how to beat the NFL’s drug test.

 

August 25, 2006- Arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication after being ordered by the cops to leave a Murfreesboro night club several times. Jones claimed a woman stole his wallet. The woman claimed that Jones spat on her. The judge in the case gave Pacman six months probation and told him to stay away from the club.

 

October 26, 2006- Jones was issued a citation for misdemeanor assault after a female student from Tennessee State University claimed that Jones spit in her face at a Nashville night club.

 

 

:dunno: The NFL has more carefully crafted its 'image'? hmmm....

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Maybe it is the most popular sport, but it's the offseason......

[See Red]

ESPN is just showing what people want to see. Out of curiosity, how much do you guys complain when they cover a Yankees/Red Sox series in May like it's the World Series?

[jacksonianmarch]

ESPN is just showing what people want to see. Out of curiosity' date=' how much do you guys complain when they cover a Yankees/Red Sox series in May like it's the World Series?[/quote']

 

Depends on who wins.

[TGov]

Maybe it is the most popular sport' date=' but it's the offseason......[/quote']

 

That's right, and I don't see any baseball (except MAJOR transactions) news in the offseason...

 

I wish they would air more baseball games, cause I can't always see the Sox games, then I see like the Mets playing or something and I want to see it but they don't air s*** for baseball... I do get some Braves games, so that's pretty cool...

 

Tonight I had to work and I missed the game, but we have TVs in the restaurant I work at and I was getting some glasses and there was a TV so I stood there pretending to do something for about 5 mins while i watched Papelbon K Guerrero... I gotta say, my night turned around just from seeing that, haha...

[TheKilo]

But some of their commentators make it sound like Football is popular and therefore it is a better sport. I'm thinking particularly of Colin Cowherd' date=' but there are a number of others too. They rail on and on about how clean football is, and how concerned it is with its image and how baseball messed up with the steroid issue and is inferior partially because of it or because of the lack of parity. 7 WS winners in 7 years, a good wild card race every year, that seems pretty good to me.[/quote']

 

This may be so, but with the way the money is spread out amongst all of the teams, every team is a move or two away from the playoffs every year. Teams like the Pirates and Royals have absolutely no shot, especially in comparison to the big market teams. But in football, every team basically has a shot to win.

 

Furthermore, does anyone doubt that the NFL--of all sports--is somehow clean on the steroid/HGH issue. I mean, we're taking about 270 lbs guys who run a 4.6 40yrd and whose job it is to try to rip people's heads off.

 

This is a valid point, but I feel you're comparing a full on contact sport to a game like baseball. Seems to be comparing apples to oranges here, but it doesn't excuse the HGH usage.

 

My take on it is that American Idol is the most popular show on television. Does that make it the best? We all know that America's Next Top Model--despite not having quite the ratings--is clearly the best show running.

 

Enough said.

 

My girlfriend watched ANTM. Therefore, this argument is rendered moot.

 

The pacman Jones situation is PRAISED by people at ESPN because he got a year suspension. Seriously? I mean, all he did (this time) was get upset with a stripper. By which I mean grab her by the hair and smash her head to the ground to the point where he had to be restrained, because she did the 'rain dance' improperly. Once released by the bouncer he went across the room and AGAIN attacked the stripper. He was again restrained, but this time it was not before he yelled something along the lines of "I'm going to kill you" to the bartender. Later that night, lo and behold, the bartender ends up with a few bullets in him.

 

Yeah, a season is all this guy needs and we'll all keep bowing to the alter of the pristene NFL.

 

Were you at this particular stripclub? Do you absolutely know all of the goings on or are you just going by what news outlets (Like ESPN shockingly) are telling you?

 

I'm not saying the dude's innocent, but until he is convicted of something you need to be careful saying what he has ALLEGEDLY done.

 

Plus, I'm sure we could find plenty of instances in which MLB players have crossed the line. Wil Cordero anybody? At least the woman he decided to assault was HIS WIFE.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Say what you want about ESPN, but a great reason why professional sports are as popular as they are today is in large part from ESPN.

[example1]

This may be so, but with the way the money is spread out amongst all of the teams, every team is a move or two away from the playoffs every year. Teams like the Pirates and Royals have absolutely no shot, especially in comparison to the big market teams. But in football, every team basically has a shot to win.

 

By "win" you mean lose in the first round of the playoffs. There are a few players who carry their teams, a few teams that are very well constructed, and then a bunch of teams with holes that have no shot. I agree there is more equality in the NFL (it is constructed in such a way to promote that) but the plight of the Royals is as much the fault of their owner as it is the rules of baseball.

 

This is a valid point, but I feel you're comparing a full on contact sport to a game like baseball. Seems to be comparing apples to oranges here, but it doesn't excuse the HGH usage.

 

You feel I'm comparing a full-on contact sport to a game like baseball? I AM comparing a full-on contact sport to the game of baseball. So what? That justifies using HGH? If the problem with baseball was the kids were going to start using steroids to get to that next step, then you better believe the same is true in football crazy places like Texas and Florida for highschoolers, where the entire town comes out to watch a high school football game.

 

Were you at this particular stripclub? Do you absolutely know all of the goings on or are you just going by what news outlets (Like ESPN shockingly) are telling you?

I'm not saying the dude's innocent, but until he is convicted of something you need to be careful saying what he has ALLEGEDLY done.

 

No, I wasn't. I have read reports and listened to an interview with the owner of the strip club, who--as far as I can tell--has no reason to lie about it. Especially given that Jones was in the process of dropping $81,000 that night. A man was shot, PacMan and his crew fought with him and apparently threatened him. 'Nuff said.

 

Plus, I'm sure we could find plenty of instances in which MLB players have crossed the line. Wil Cordero anybody? At least the woman he decided to assault was HIS WIFE.

 

Yes, we could. Uggie Urbina comes to mind as well. And baseball has an 'imperfect' record at this point. It is 'tarnished' (insofar as it is seen as imperfect). Meanwhile, the NFL is promoted as the greatest league the world has ever seen.

[Manny Goes Boom]

But in football' date=' every team basically has a shot to win.[/quote']

 

Almost true Kilo...The Cardinals NEVER have a shot to win. At least with the Bidwells as the owners.

[See Red]

Pac-Man Jones has never been convicted... of anything. Certainly not this strip club incident. So the the NFL giving him a year long suspension is a significant step towards keeping this type of behavior out of their league. And it certainly should be applauded coming from a second year commissioner.

 

Like I said earlier, ESPN doesn't have much of a choice -- they, like any other television network -- have to show what people want to see most. The NFL is the most popular league, it's the best run league (by FAR over the MLB), and it's the most profitable league. When you have as many big names being released and signed as the NFL does have in any given off-season, it's big news.

[TheKilo]

By "win" you mean lose in the first round of the playoffs. There are a few players who carry their teams' date=' a few teams that are very well constructed, and then a bunch of teams with holes that have no shot. I agree there is more equality in the NFL (it is constructed in such a way to promote that) but the plight of the Royals is as much the fault of their owner as it is the rules of baseball.[/quote']

 

Is it though? The Red Sox and Yankees each have their own television station. The revenues from that can certainly go towards fielding championship quality teams, could they not?

 

I agree that maybe the ownership is an issue, but like MGB said ownership and the personnel department are the main hindrances to competing in the NFL. You're kidding yourself if you don't think money is more of an issue in the MLB than NFL.

 

 

You feel I'm comparing a full-on contact sport to a game like baseball? I AM comparing a full-on contact sport to the game of baseball. So what? That justifies using HGH? If the problem with baseball was the kids were going to start using steroids to get to that next step, then you better believe the same is true in football crazy places like Texas and Florida for highschoolers, where the entire town comes out to watch a high school football game.

 

If you read my post, it basically said that I cannot excuse the usage of HGH in football. However, in a sport where you have 270 lb guys running 4.6 40's and basically trying to rip your head off, it seems that if you had to make a choice about which sport HGH usage makes the most sense in it would be football.

 

Again, it does not excuse the usage. But maybe there's a reason for it...to try to get healthy and compete at such a high level ASAP.

 

If you get the chance, read the article in the last edition of ESPN the Magazine, the one with Phil Mickelson on the cover entitled "Why We Look the Other Way" by Chuck Klostermann. interesting read to say the least.

 

 

 

No, I wasn't. I have read reports and listened to an interview with the owner of the strip club, who--as far as I can tell--has no reason to lie about it. Especially given that Jones was in the process of dropping $81,000 that night. A man was shot, PacMan and his crew fought with him and apparently threatened him. 'Nuff said.

 

Why hasn't PacMan been convicted then? Seems like a fairly open and shut case judging from what you're saying.

 

 

 

Yes, we could. Uggie Urbina comes to mind as well. And baseball has an 'imperfect' record at this point. It is 'tarnished' (insofar as it is seen as imperfect). Meanwhile, the NFL is promoted as the greatest league the world has ever seen.

 

It's the most popular. I mean, other than NASCAR, don't they have the most viewers of all the sports?

 

Pac-Man Jones has never been convicted... of anything. Certainly not this strip club incident. So the the NFL giving him a year long suspension is a significant step towards keeping this type of behavior out of their league. And it certainly should be applauded coming from a second year commissioner.

 

Like I said earlier, ESPN doesn't have much of a choice -- they, like any other television network -- have to show what people want to see most. The NFL is the most popular league, it's the best run league (by FAR over the MLB), and it's the most profitable league. When you have as many big names being released and signed as the NFL does have in any given off-season, it's big news.

 

Agreed.

[example1]

I agree that maybe the ownership is an issue' date=' but like MGB said ownership and the personnel department are the main hindrances to competing in the NFL. You're kidding yourself if you don't think money is more of an issue in the MLB than NFL. [/quote']

 

I don't disagree.

 

If you read my post, it basically said that I cannot excuse the usage of HGH in football. However, in a sport where you have 270 lb guys running 4.6 40's and basically trying to rip your head off, it seems that if you had to make a choice about which sport HGH usage makes the most sense in it would be football.

 

Tell that to Drs who want to keep QBs from getting multiple concussions. I don't think it necessarily makes sense in any sport, and I think that it makes the LEAST amount of sense given the safety issues involved.

 

Again, it does not excuse the usage. But maybe there's a reason for it...to try to get healthy and compete at such a high level ASAP.

 

Do steroids and HGH make you healthier? I hadn't heard that before. It sounds like you are excusing the usage, although you say it isn't intended to. You agree with the ends but perhaps question the means. But you're happy with the ends and maybe not willing to fight against particular means to those ends.

 

If you get the chance, read the article in the last edition of ESPN the Magazine, the one with Phil Mickelson on the cover entitled "Why We Look the Other Way" by Chuck Klostermann. interesting read to say the least.

 

I've read it. I understand why we look the other way, but people are quick to point to the 'flaws' of baseball and call it a steroid scandal in that sport, but then come up with philosophically complex justifications once it is realized that the sport that is currently America's darling is experiencing the same problem. I think that a lot of people who criticize baseball are people with short attention spans who can't be bothered to sit through an entire baseball game. I don't fault them for that, but it is a reflection of our society in general: if action isn't happening every second in the news or sports or reality television it isn't worth watching.

 

Why hasn't PacMan been convicted then? Seems like a fairly open and shut case judging from what you're saying.

 

Who cares? The fact that the NFL said "one more infraction in the next year and you're out" backs up my case more than yours. Why would they bounce him at ALL if he wasn't implicated in something?

 

Go ahead and defend PacMan Jones.

 

It's the most popular. I mean, other than NASCAR, don't they have the most viewers of all the sports?

 

Yup. I think it is easier to get high viewership when there is only one game a week per team. In order to see your team you better watch on Sunday. Baseball has 6 games a week (if not 7). I would say the nearly 3 million people who attended Red Sox games last year indicates that it is not an unpopular sport. I'd be willing to bet that if football played 162 games a year it would lose its luster a little bit in terms of people flocking to games and packing stadiums.

 

This is all far afield from the ESPN discussion and really just started with me venting. I like football as a sport, but I don't agree that ESPN needs to show an hour and a half of NFL live followed by an hour long schedule-release show during primetime, in April, on a night when there are other things to be shown--ratings be damned (I'm not so stupid as to say ESPN should, or will ever shirk the ratings completely). Of course, I would complain that they're showing 9-Ball championships too.

[TheKilo]

I don't disagree.

 

 

 

Tell that to Drs who want to keep QBs from getting multiple concussions. I don't think it necessarily makes sense in any sport, and I think that it makes the LEAST amount of sense given the safety issues involved.

 

What QBs have been implicated in any HGH scandal? I'll give you Todd Sauerbrun because [i don't know what the f*** he was thinking. But for the most part, hasn't it been linemen and linebackers using this stuff?

 

 

Do steroids and HGH make you healthier? I hadn't heard that before.

 

You didn't know steroids and HGH helped recovery time from injuries?

 

It sounds like you are excusing the usage, although you say it isn't intended to. You agree with the ends but perhaps question the means. But you're happy with the ends and maybe not willing to fight against particular means to those ends.

 

I'm not. Steroids and HGH should not be used in any sport. But where does the usage of them make the most sense, especially in terms of the contact nature of the sports?

 

 

I've read it. I understand why we look the other way, but people are quick to point to the 'flaws' of baseball and call it a steroid scandal in that sport, but then come up with philosophically complex justifications once it is realized that the sport that is currently America's darling is experiencing the same problem. I think that a lot of people who criticize baseball are people with short attention spans who can't be bothered to sit through an entire baseball game. I don't fault them for that, but it is a reflection of our society in general: if action isn't happening every second in the news or sports or reality television it isn't worth watching.

 

I can't really disagree with that, but I think the amount of fans following the game shows which game is "America's Darling", don't you? You don't have to agree with it, but it's the way the world is.

 

 

 

Who cares? The fact that the NFL said "one more infraction in the next year and you're out" backs up my case more than yours. Why would they bounce him at ALL if he wasn't implicated in something?

 

Go ahead and defend PacMan Jones.

 

I'm not defending PacMan Jones. I'm defending his league.

 

Also, I think it's very dangerous to convict someone in the court of public opinion without sufficient evidence. Ask the Duke lacrosse players if they think the same thing.

 

 

 

Yup. I think it is easier to get high viewership when there is only one game a week per team. In order to see your team you better watch on Sunday. Baseball has 6 games a week (if not 7). I would say the nearly 3 million people who watched Red Sox games last year indicates that it is not an unpopular sport.

 

You're not saying anything I can't disagree with. Baseball is a popular sport. Football is the more popular sport.

 

This is all far afield from the ESPN discussion and really just started with me venting. I like football as a sport, but I don't agree that ESPN needs to show an hour and a half of NFL live followed by an hour long schedule-release show during primetime on a night when there are other things to be shown. Of course, I would complain that they're showing 9-Ball championships too.

 

Fair enough, but they're going to broadcast what (a) gets them the most viewers and ( gets them the most money. Football does both.

[example1]

What QBs have been implicated in any HGH scandal? I'll give you Todd Sauerbrun because [i don't know what the f*** he was thinking. But for the most part, hasn't it been linemen and linebackers using this stuff?

 

It's not that QBs have been implicated in HGH scandals. It's that they are getting pummeled by the very 270lbs 4.6/40 guys we're talking about. It is inhuman to be that big and that fast. Announcers talk about how atheletes in the past were inferior by pointing to these guys and I just see no reason to think they are clean.

 

You didn't know steroids and HGH helped recovery time from injuries?

 

Of course they help recover from injuries. They also cause injuries. It goes both ways. Painkillers help you 'recover' from injuries too (Brett Favre comes to mind). The long term effects of steroids are clear and deadly. The long term effects of HGH are not so clear, but the book "Game of Shadows" doesn't make it sound good. Long story short, we're encouraging people (at least implicitly) to put competition in sport above their long term health. It's not a good setup, ESPECIALLY in a sport that already includes tremendous physical requirements and poses physical challenges (not to go all 'Double Dare' on you ).

 

I'm not. Steroids and HGH should not be used in any sport. But where does the usage of them make the most sense, especially in terms of the contact nature of the sports?

 

I just don't get this arguement. I understand it from a physical recovery point of view. But it is like you are assuming that these guys just HAVE to play football. There is no choice. The game must go on and it is impossible to find guys who will both stay clean and not use. You're saying "well, using steroids is better than not having football" when in the past we've been able to have both.

 

I can't really disagree with that, but I think the amount of fans following the game shows which game is "America's Darling", don't you? You don't have to agree with it, but it's the way the world is.

 

No argument here. Just like American Idol is the most popular show on TV and Bush is our president. It doesn't make it the best but it obviously is the facts.

 

I'm not defending PacMan Jones. I'm defending his league.

 

The NFL doesn't need your defense. Like you said, it is the most popular league and has plenty of people cementing that fact. The very fact that they spent an hour talking about next year's NFL schedule on ESPN is enough to know that the NFL will be fine with or without your defense (or my criticism, for that matter).

 

Also, I think it's very dangerous to convict someone in the court of public opinion without sufficient evidence. Ask the Duke lacrosse players if they think the same thing.

 

If the main culprets in the Duke Lacrosse case had 20 previous investigations and charges into abuse, assault and such crimes I would have no problem with Duke kicking them out, regardless of their guilt in this particular case. We put so many things aside for our atheletes, essentially making them demigods, I just don't respect that aspect of current professional sports and think we, as fans, could demand more than simply 'not being convicted'.

 

Would you agree that, although he hasn't been convicted of anything, PacMan needs to get his act together? This is a man who has been on parole a few times and who continually gets let off because he is an athelete. If he were a school teacher or college professor or any other 'normal' profession he would have been judged a 'bad seed' a long time ago.

[BruinsFan]

They've become the football network. Always leading w/ football' date=' it's ridiculous![/quote']

 

Yea, and they still have this show "The Blitz" in which they talk about football alot.

[ORS]

Is it though? The Red Sox and Yankees each have their own television station. The revenues from that can certainly go towards fielding championship quality teams' date=' could they not?[/quote']

I think the Royals have their own network too, but I could be wrong. I seem to remember something about Royals TV Network when catching their broadcast on MLB.TV.

 

This actually got me thinking about the current state of revenue sharing and the launch of the MLB network. It seems pretty obvious the MLB, in the footsteps of the NFL, is trying to eventually broadcast all of their own games. The way the Yankees, Sox, et al have shielded money from revenue sharing is through the pricing their network pays to the team for broadcast rights. But, what if the MLB usurped that and did the broadcast themselves? The amount of money throw into the revenue sharing pool would be more complete, and I think it could lead to greater parity in the future. I would imagine a push for a salary cap wouldn't be too far behind if it gets to that point. It will be interesting to watch.