Are you sick of ESPN's coverage?

Richelieu

Richelieu

Fly Eagles Fly
The other night I was watching the Sixers-Celtics series on ESPN, when I yelled out at the television, "STOP IT! That was 30 years ago!"

What I saw, of course, was another clip of the Sixers and Celtics from 1982. As much as I like classic NBA games and as much as I liked the Sixers back then, that game had no bearing whatsoever on this year's game.

This isn't the NFL, which is a team-based league. Rivalries in the NFL are based upon teams, not individuals (with the exception of Patriots-Colts, which was founded on Brady vs. Manning). In the NBA, though, the rivalries are based upon the individuals on the teams. Boston-Philly in the 1980s was great because of Bird vs. Erving, Parish vs. Dawkins/Jones (and later Moses Malone), McHale vs. Bobby Jones, etc. Those players drove the rivalry. It was an intense one that lasted six years or so, but meant nothing for essentially 20 years.

The Celtics and the Sixers do not have a rivalry right now. Just because the two franchises met in the playoffs many times over a 50 year period doesn't mean that a rivalry always exists. Yet ESPN continues to push that concept. It's not the first time they have done that. In 2008 they kept reminding us of all the times the Celtics and Lakers had met in the Finals, even though it hadn't happened since 1987.

That's just part of the irritating coverage of ESPN. Anyone else fed up with them and wish the Finals could be on TNT?
 
 
I have no problem with seeing the history, but don't act like it means anything. What I don't like is jump to conclusion based on one game. I think have had the Heat the best team ever and all but gone twice. They over analyze everything, but that is not just ESPN.
 
joesports said:
I have no problem with seeing the history, but don't act like it means anything. What I don't like is jump to conclusion based on one game. I think have had the Heat the best team ever and all but gone twice. They over analyze everything, but that is not just ESPN.
Click to expand...
Ugh. The "panic meter." Irritating. When Indiana was up 2-1 there were people saying Miami was done.

I don't mind seeing the history either, but ESPN likes to tie it in with statistics. They will put up a graphic telling us the all-time record of the 76ers vs. the Celtics in the playoffs for each game played, but that information means nothing today.
 
ESPN the "monolith" that it is completely blows with the wind. Whomever is hot, whichever team wins, and is prediction middle-age crazy.

Also, I really do turn off the sound of the broadcasters often and just watch the game. Especially on all the interviews.
 
Hurri-Comet said:
ESPN the "monolith" that it is completely blows with the wind. Whomever is hot, whichever team wins, and is prediction middle-age crazy.

Also, I really do turn off the sound of the broadcasters often and just watch the game. Especially on all the interviews.
Click to expand...
I'm with you there. I can't stand Mike Breen, and Jeff Van Gundy is a bit annoying in the two-person team. Hubie Brown has some good observations, but he utters the words "shoots a high percentage" far too often. Mark Jones and Chris Mullin are the only ones I can tolerate for an entire game.

The studio stuff is unwatchable, and the interviews are stupid. When I DVR a TNT game, I actually watch some of the halftime and post-game coverage. With ESPN, I watch only the game.
 
I never watch the halftime show (except when they have the lottery) ... I don't need to have someone tell me what I just saw. Well that is not completely true, occasionally I watch to laugh at Barkley.

The extremes are what gets me, if they think someone is good, they will blow him on the simplest plays. If you lose, no matter how close, they rip you apart for everything, when in reality if you had made just one play, you would have won. They are so over reactionary to the moment. One day your they greatest team ever, the next you are done, finished.
 
bearcatfan said:
Shaq is awful. I liked it a lot better with C-Web.
Click to expand...

Yep, TNT is still far and away better than ESPN, but Shaq has hurt TNT. I do like Jeff Van Gundy, but other than that him, I don't like any of the ESPN crew. The studio crew is beyond awful. Wilbon talking like he is a huge NBA guy is comical.
 
Backyard Champ said:
Yep, TNT is still far and away better than ESPN, but Shaq has hurt TNT. I do like Jeff Van Gundy, but other than that him, I don't like any of the ESPN crew. The studio crew is beyond awful. Wilbon talking like he is a huge NBA guy is comical.
Click to expand...
I think Wilbon has the best insight of that ESPN crew. He has covered the NBA for decades, going back to the ABA years. He knows the game and has good insights. More importantly, he can articulate his insights.
 
TNT is wayyyyyy better. As far as the rivalries go, I agree. Doubt I'll hate the Celtics after big 3 + rondo are gone. Won't hate the Heat as much one th bg 3 there are gone. Will always hate their "fans" though, if they have any left.
 
Each of the last 3 days on Sportscenter they have reported that Mark Sanchez invited Tim Tebow to the "Jets West" camp, a mini-camp that he invites all skill position players to every year. They consider that to be a story.

Down with the mothership.
 
Charles Barkley, John Kruk, and Barry Melrose need to have an evening show and talk sports... That I would watch.

If I had to rank the worst people on ESPN
1) Mark Schlereth because its just obvious hes a goon
2) Colin Cowherd because he contradicts himself daily and thinks hes god
3) Adam Shefter I cant even explain how much he sucks
4) Michael Smith because another person who thinks only his opinion matters
5) Bonus- Jim Rome isnt on ESPN anymore, but my god... thats it... my god

Best
1) Scott Van Pelt
2) Mike Golic
3) John Kruk
4) Barry Melrose
5) Skip Bayless, yes Skip Bayless
 
bearcatfan said:
Each of the last 3 days on Sportscenter they have reported that Mark Sanchez invited Tim Tebow to the "Jets West" camp, a mini-camp that he invites all skill position players to every year. They consider that to be a story.

Down with the mothership.
Click to expand...

Up with the mothership!
 
TroyTrojan05 said:
Charles Barkley, John Kruk, and Barry Melrose need to have an evening show and talk sports... That I would watch.

If I had to rank the worst people on ESPN
1) Mark Schlereth because its just obvious hes a goon2) Colin Cowherd because he contradicts himself daily and thinks hes god
3) Adam Shefter I cant even explain how much he sucks
4) Michael Smith because another person who thinks only his opinion matters
5) Bonus- Jim Rome isnt on ESPN anymore, but my god... thats it... my god

Best
1) Scott Van Pelt
2) Mike Golic
3) John Kruk
4) Barry Melrose
5) Skip Bayless, yes Skip Bayless
Click to expand...

By far the worst. I can't stand him.
 
TroyTrojan05 said:
Charles Barkley, John Kruk, and Barry Melrose need to have an evening show and talk sports... That I would watch.

If I had to rank the worst people on ESPN
1) Mark Schlereth because its just obvious hes a goon
2) Colin Cowherd because he contradicts himself daily and thinks hes god
3) Adam Shefter I cant even explain how much he sucks
4) Michael Smith because another person who thinks only his opinion matters
5) Bonus- Jim Rome isnt on ESPN anymore, but my god... thats it... my god

Best
1) Scott Van Pelt
2) Mike Golic
3) John Kruk
4) Barry Melrose
5) Skip Bayless, yes Skip Bayless
Click to expand...

Schefter is one of the best on ESPN IMO. I actually agree with the rest of your list other than him and Skip Bayless obviously, though I do have some respect for Skip since he gets to go on TV and get paid to do what I do on here, which is troll senselessly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top