Sportcenter has become so weak it's hard even to figure out where to begin.
Disney/ABC/ESPN has become such a huge shill for the NBA that now in July we get possible trade rumors (based on precious little) for Laker stars on a daily basis. Sure Coach K was a true sports story but Sportcenter had three (3) segments on the possible comings and goings of just the Laker players in just one show, with "experts" just reiterating what they already said. It's July, show more baseball and other summer sports and less 'taking heads.' Oh and Kobe trial doings ... come back when the trial starts and actually report something ... until then ... I don't care.
Don't mind Top 10 highlights with some bells and whistles such as the 'woosh' sound of audio as if a car just blew by your head - but they do the 'woosh' now two times during each highlight. Piled higher and deeper ...
Too much idle chat or pitting one "expert" against another, often on an issue that should take two minutes to sum up and they drone on and on about it. Cut the chat and show more sports highlights. For example, the recent Yankee/Red Sox 13 inning game was a flat out terrific regular season gem where both teams were down to but a couple regular position players still on the bench and players having to play out of position and having to even change gloves and/or positions from at bat to at bat. Great opportunity to break the game down and 'show' what happened and why it was a great game. They didn't.
Could we get a better rotation of anchors? It may be different in your region but the Northeast gets a huge diet of Linda (no torso) Cohn. (Linda, while you're at it, cut down on the mascara a couple globs and save the "for the love of elevation" comments for your husband). I even know someone that knows her and she is suppose to be a very lovely person ... so the point is not really about her, it's about her over-exposure has made me sick of her. If they want a woman, why not put Suzie Kolber, Roben Roberts or someone else in the rotation. I mean, they have a bunch of people in expensive suits, surely some of them can be rotated in.
ESPN Sport Anchors are a polished lot. But they seem to be featuring more anchors that make glib comments without any emotion or noticeable passion for whatever they are saying. I never felt that way when a guy like Rich Eisen or Chris Berman were regular anchors. I felt like guys that loved the game were bringing me the sports.
Quake1028
07-07-04, 10:51 AM
SC has gone way downhill since Rich Eisen left :(.
Red Dog
07-07-04, 11:21 AM
I haven't watched SC in years.
chrisih8u
07-07-04, 11:24 AM
I only watch the specialty shows like Baseball Tonight or NFL Primetime. Sometimes I'll watch ESPN News.
Red Dog
07-07-04, 11:33 AM
Originally posted by chrisih8u
I only watch the specialty shows like Baseball Tonight or NFL Primetime.
Same here - I only watch the College Football and College Hoops highlight shows and NFL Primetime (the only place where I like Berman's schtick).
Daryl
07-07-04, 11:35 AM
Lately it's been horrid. The other day it was 22 minutes past the hour and they were STILL discussing the Lakers. On a day where NOTHING had happened with the Lakers. All just the same guesswork and speculation by their "experts" (the same experts who all predicted that the Lakers would easily roll through Detroit, BTW). The only problem is, the other sports shows on the other networks are even worse, since they are so desperately trying to BE SportsCenter.
LurkerDan
07-07-04, 12:11 PM
In their defense, they already have a daily show devoted to baseball, Baseball Tonight, so they are trying to keep SC from being totally baseball dominated at this time of year.
But SC has never been the same since we lost the Olberman/Patrick team.
El Scorcho
07-07-04, 12:15 PM
Thank you, ctyankee, you are off the Budweiser Hot Seat!
Patman
07-07-04, 12:24 PM
Well, if not for SC, it'd be all poker, all day. I'm convinced the P in ESPN now stands for Poker.
El Scorcho
07-07-04, 12:27 PM
I'm dying to see the No-Limit Go Fish tournament myself.
RJainMJ
07-07-04, 12:28 PM
I'm not trying to say Sportscenter hasn't gone downhill; it most definitely has. The comments after homeruns drive me nuts. But Patrick still does a great job (usually the 6 pm sportscenter). And right now, there's really not much going on in the sports world. The only thing to talk about is baseball, but if people watching sportscenter had only interest in baseball, they'd be watching baseball tonight. So maybe that is why they go overboard with the NBA stories. Let's see how Sportscenter does when the Olympics start.
MrX
07-07-04, 12:32 PM
What about the 5 minute segment the other day about the email a Dook student sent Coach K:yack:
El Scorcho
07-07-04, 12:45 PM
And now, a Steve Berthiume highlight:
"Onto the 5th inning and Vladimir Guerrero at bat.. and.. Say Hello to mah lil' fren! Vladimir's 15th of the season, 2-0 Angels."
"Later in the game with David Eckstein at the plate and on a 0-2 count .. Say Hello to mah lil' fren! .. Eckstein with his 7th bunt hit of the season."
"Percival in to close the game out in the 9th and Say Hello to mah lil' fren! Pervical gets the K and the save and the Angels go onto win 4-2."
Quake1028
07-07-04, 12:48 PM
Dan Patrick is the biggest tool on tv right now.
the big train
07-07-04, 01:10 PM
Originally posted by Quake1028
Dan Patrick is the biggest tool on tv right now.
That, and it seems like the only reason he does Sportscenter is to promote his radio show.
RoyalTea
07-07-04, 01:17 PM
Originally posted by El Scorcho
And now, a Steve Berthiume highlight:
"Onto the 5th inning and Vladimir Guerrero at bat.. and.. Say Hello to mah lil' fren! Vladimir's 15th of the season, 2-0 Angels."
"Later in the game with David Eckstein at the plate and on a 0-2 count .. Say Hello to mah lil' fren! .. Eckstein with his 7th bunt hit of the season."
"Percival in to close the game out in the 9th and Say Hello to mah lil' fren! Pervical gets the K and the save and the Angels go onto win 4-2." YAHTZEE!!!
B.A.
07-07-04, 01:18 PM
It's been going downhill for years. They let the good talent leave or get rid of them all together - then replace them w/ even worse talent.
RoyalTea
07-07-04, 01:21 PM
remember when sportscenter used to be a half hour long? how did they manage to show more highlights than they do now in half the time?
El Scorcho
07-07-04, 01:36 PM
Although, I do miss Kenny Mayne doing highlights. He had some real off-the-wall deadpanned comments during highlights that was a nice change of pace.
"Bring me your finest meats and cheese!"
"Other than being castrated, things have gone quite well for Funny Cide."
B.A.
07-07-04, 01:56 PM
I used to love watching Kenny Mayne back in the day. He's ten million times better than some of the nitwits that they have on the air now.
shizawn
07-07-04, 02:17 PM
Originally posted by LurkerDan
But SC has never been the same since we lost the Olberman/Patrick team.
The last (only?) great duo.
Timber
07-07-04, 04:09 PM
Still watch it on Monday (Tuesday) morning durng Football season to see Robin Bakay.
lstorm
07-07-04, 04:14 PM
I miss Rich Eisen :(
Jericho
07-07-04, 07:23 PM
But, It's good being Rich
Quake1028
07-07-04, 08:19 PM
Originally posted by shizawn
The last (only?) great duo.
Rich Eisen/Stuart Scott was a great duo. Keep in mind this was years ago before Scott felt the need to throw every single catchphrase in as many highlights as possible even when they make no sense.
Lara Means
07-07-04, 09:16 PM
Dan Rydell and Casey McCall were easily the last great duo.
Y2K Falcon
07-07-04, 10:58 PM
Originally posted by Quake1028
Dan Patrick is the biggest tool on tv right now.
-ohbfrank-
http://www.ksly.com/timages/page/carson_daly.jpg
As much as I like PTI (yes, I know, not SC, but still)... The second story (yesterday? Monday?) was the Lakers, and then "5 Good Minutes" was also about the Lakers. :yack:
DJLinus
07-07-04, 11:51 PM
Originally posted by Patman
Well, if not for SC, it'd be all poker, all day. I'm convinced the P in ESPN now stands for Poker.
I'm not knocking the show because it's enjoyable, but why's it on ESPN? What's next - spelling bees?
Originally posted by Lara Means
Dan Rydell and Casey McCall were easily the last great duo.
:lol:
Da Thrilla
07-07-04, 11:53 PM
I don't like the new space-station type set, but SportsCenter will always be SportsCenter to me.
Josh H
07-08-04, 12:56 PM
I still watch it. I don't like the new set, but I'd rather get all my highlights and scores in one show, than have to watch seperate shows for each sport.
That said, I more often just watch ESPN News for a half hour in the evening to get caught up.
kantonburg
07-08-04, 09:58 PM
Granted this is the worst time of year for sports. NBA is over, training camp hasn't started. We are mid-season in mlb so the races really haven't started. So stories really have to be drummed up.
I'll still love my SC though!
New fav. HR lingo: "He's got 99 problems but that pitch ain't one!"
Silkk_34
07-09-04, 03:00 AM
I miss the days when they had Patrick, Olberman, & Kilborn.
I don't like Kilborn on the Late show, but loved the SC days.
Judge Smails
07-09-04, 03:22 PM
They showed highlights of a NBA summer league game last night. Who the **** cares about summer league?
Josh H
07-09-04, 03:24 PM
Originally posted by Judge Smails
They showed highlights of a NBA summer league game last night. Who the **** cares about summer league?
Slow time of year for sports with no NBA, NHL, NFL or college hoops or football.
Roto
07-09-04, 03:36 PM
Originally posted by Silkk_34
I miss the days when they had Patrick, Olberman, & Kilborn.
I don't like Kilborn on the Late show, but loved the SC days.
Splash! Kilborn was one of my favorites too. Too bad he's such a smarmy prick in real life and The Late Late Show or whatever it's called.
nchhabra
07-09-04, 05:21 PM
Just another example of the downhill trend of SC imho:
This is quoted from the July 12-19 Sports Illustrated Under Review Section
"...but the 6 pm SportsCenter is squeezing more and more showbiz into what was once a fairly traditional news program....And last week the network announced that from July 28 through July 30 SportsCenter will include in-studio performances from Kid Rock, Alannis Morissette and others."
spankyj
07-09-04, 05:28 PM
I agree that SC has really gone down the tubes.
If I had NFL network, I'd have no reason to even watch SC ever.
And while I used to stand Stuart Scott - his recent "ghetto emergence" makes me want to strangle him...
Lee Harvey Oswald
07-11-04, 09:28 AM
I have officially giving up on SC. Between all the Laker crap, Will Ferrell, Stu Scott, The "Say hello to my little frien/a glove save and beauty...a glove save and a beauty" guy, Steven A Smith, NBA Summer league highlights, fact or fiction, 4 downs, 6 pack of ?'s, the Budweiser hotseat, Hear Say, what ever lame game they come up with next, Chris Berman's top ten, anchors using the word glove for love in every highlight, etc. I just can't watch anymore. At least Linda Cohn did dump her "master batter" catch phrase.
To keep up with my sports I now go online or watch:
Baseball Tonight
Football - Theres enough local programming to keep up with my Bears. Go online to keep up with the rest of the NFL. I can't stand to watch NFL Primetime: Berman, Stu, Jackson, whoever the 4th loudmouth is.
Hockey - Now they dumped NHL 2 Night I have no choice but to go online. Its not like SC ever covered the NHL anyway.
NASCAR - No love from SC either. But Fox Sport Net has a nightly show & I now get Speedvision.
This sportcenter short has been brought to you by Craftsman Lawnmowers.
das Monkey
07-11-04, 11:27 AM
This show's been terrible for so long that I didn't really pay attention to this thread (or the show), but I stumbled across it a few times this week, and holy carp ... you're right about the NBA bullshit. That's all they talked about for the first 20 minutes of the show ... and it's July. WTF. If you want to lead off with a Shaq or Kobe story, fine, but I don't need to know how well Keith Van Horn slept last night or what Dan Dickau had for breakfast. Could they be any more obvious with their obsession over the NBA?
das
ChiTownAbs, Inc
07-11-04, 09:19 PM
When did ESPN start to show poker? Is it really a 'sport'?
Quake1028
07-11-04, 10:29 PM
Originally posted by ChiTownAbs, Inc.
When did ESPN start to show poker? Is it really a 'sport'?
No, but is the Spelling Bee a sport?
tommyp007
07-12-04, 11:14 AM
Olbermann, Patrick, Eisen and Charlie Steiner. its just not the same anymore.
Red Dog
07-12-04, 11:24 AM
Originally posted by das Monkey
If you want to lead off with a Shaq or Kobe story, fine, but I don't need to know how well Keith Van Horn slept last night or what Dan Dickau had for breakfast. Could they be any more obvious with their obsession over the NBA?
das
Yeah - certainly more than a coinkidink that their amped up hot stove NBA disucssion coincides with the fact that they are now the main NBA broadcaster.
They showed highlights of a NBA summer league game last night. Who the **** cares about summer league?
That is pathetic. Is there any reason why SC needs to be 60 minutes in the middle of summer?
Sportscenter should go to the PTI format - show the itinerary on the side. That's what makes PTI so easy to record and watch - when I see 'Kobe' coming and see 1:30, I just hit 30-sec quick-skip 3 times and voila, on to real sports discussion. :)
das Monkey
07-12-04, 12:24 PM
• Red Dog •
Sportscenter should go to the PTI format - replace everyone with Kornheiser and Wilbon, with features from DA, Richard Justice, the hateable Dan Lebatard, the oft-suspended Bob Ryan, Stat Face, Zacharia Selwyn, and the trampoline bear. It should run for 90 minutes.
I agree.
das
Red Dog
07-12-04, 12:29 PM
With Jamie and Elin's heads on sticks exclusively in the background.
kantonburg
07-12-04, 12:52 PM
Originally posted by ChiTownAbs, Inc.
When did ESPN start to show poker? Is it really a 'sport'?
This is the 7th year of coverage. Granted it hasn't been covered as much as it is now.
Josh H
07-12-04, 01:17 PM
Originally posted by Judge Smails
They showed highlights of a NBA summer league game last night. Who the **** cares about summer league?
Any big NBA fan as it's a chance to see your teams draft picks, and other young players play to give you an idea of what to expect this year.
taa455
07-12-04, 01:48 PM
Show me the highlights. I couldn't care less about all the other crap, i.e. the endless talking heads blathering. -ohbfrank-
Anteater87
07-12-04, 03:58 PM
Originally posted by Quake1028
No, but is the Spelling Bee a sport?
What about this, from Saturday night (on the west coast):
2004 NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST
CONEY ISLAND, NY, USA
On @ 10:00 PM on ESPN2, and Midnight on ESPN. For an hour.
Why don't they just re-run BBTN all night?
El Scorcho
07-12-04, 04:21 PM
ESPN has always been an entertainment and sports network. Not just sports.
Josh H
07-12-04, 04:43 PM
Originally posted by El Scorcho
ESPN has always been an entertainment and sports network. Not just sports.
I personally don't think spelling bees, poker or hot dog eating fit either category, but that's just me. :D
Red Dog
07-12-04, 04:44 PM
Originally posted by Josh Hinkle
I personally don't think spelling bees, poker or hot dog eating fit either category, but that's just me. :D
Okay Wilbon. :)
El Scorcho
07-12-04, 04:49 PM
Whatever, everyone here bitching knows they've stopped and watched a spelling bee, hot dog competition, and/or poker while channel surfing. :)
MJKTool
07-12-04, 05:02 PM
Originally posted by El Scorcho
Whatever, everyone here bitching knows they've stopped and watched a spelling bee, hot dog competition, and/or poker while channel surfing. :)
I'd rather watch the Ashle simpson show than any of those.
Josh H
07-12-04, 05:16 PM
Originally posted by El Scorcho
Whatever, everyone here bitching knows they've stopped and watched a spelling bee, hot dog competition, and/or poker while channel surfing. :)
I'm not a big channel surfer. I usually flip through once, and if there's nothing on I really want to watch, I'll read, play a video game, or throw on a DVD.
fumanstan
07-12-04, 06:13 PM
Hot Dog eating contests rule.
ChiTownAbs, Inc
07-12-04, 11:06 PM
I'm just waiting for ESPN-8.
namja
07-13-04, 06:37 PM
Originally posted by Silkk_34
I miss the days when they had Patrick, Olberman, & Kilborn.
I don't like Kilborn on the Late show, but loved the SC days.
Yup, yup. And I don't like Olberman's show (on Fox was it?) either.
mkdevo
07-14-04, 07:27 AM
ugh.
this is really getting out of hand. fell asleep about 3 innings into the all-star game last night. just wanted to see the highlights on sportscenter this morning before i left for work (usually around 5:05am).. turned on SC at 5, assuming the all-star game would be the first thing covered.. nope. the first 10 minutes of sportscenter was all Lakers/NBA (when absolutely nothing actually happened yesterday), and a commercial break was taken before finally getting to the all-star game coverage.
berman's lead-in to the highlights said it best - 'enough with the NBA - they don't play a game for 4 months!'..
seriously.. enough is enough...
...and i'm a laker fan. :rolleyes:
gnradd21
07-14-04, 11:41 AM
The only news-related show I've watched on ESPN in months is PTI. And I used to watch SC all the time in the Olbermann/Patrick days. It's funny how they worked for me as a duo, but I don't find them all that witty or funny separately (especially Dan). I watched Around the Horn a few times, until I got to a point where I was ready to duct tape motormouth Max Kellerman's yapper shut. Plus, Steven Smith is an arrogant tool. When it gets to where I want to mute everyone on a show, it's time to switch to something else.
Espy's are tonight, airing Sunday. They're very predictable as far as who gets what award, but I still might watch. Is anyone else?
El Scorcho
07-14-04, 12:10 PM
^^^ is a chick posting in the sports forum
*bows down in homage*
B.A.
07-14-04, 02:41 PM
Originally posted by ChiTownAbs, Inc.
I'm just waiting for ESPN-8. The Ocho!
chanster
07-14-04, 05:43 PM
Summer is always slow for sports news. I will agree that SportsCenter has continued to go downhill
Red Dog
01-25-06, 06:56 PM
Thank you, ctyankee, you are off the Budweiser Hot Seat!
So I'm waiting for the MD/GT game to come on and have SC on and I saw the Budweiser Hot Seat bit for the first time. Good god that was awful - they had Richard Seymour on. I don't think he answered a single question. Is it always that bad?
I guess ESPN still hasn't gotten the memo that most athletes are incredibly boring when interviewed.
El Scorcho
01-25-06, 07:31 PM
Yeah, that Hot Seat basically involves asking athletes uncomfortable questions and them totally skirting them.
(btw nice job reviving an 18 month old thread :) )
Red Dog
01-25-06, 07:34 PM
Yeah, that Hot Seat basically involves asking athletes uncomfortable questions and them totally skirting them.
(btw nice job reviving an 18 month old thread :) )
I don't know what is so uncomfortable about predicting who will win the SB and whether you prefer to see the team that beats you in the playoffs win it all. :shrug: :lol:
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