Think there's an ESPN-Pats fued?

[richpats]

Tonight on SportsCenter, ESPN showed a graphic about the Houston Rockets 16-game win streak and what has happened during that span. At the bottom of the graphic read:

"NE Patriots: 0-1 during streak"

Though the anchor didn't comment on this note, I can sense some animosity from ESPN.

 

[PatsFanJess]

There may be something going on. There was a thread earlier today about a rumor that the Pats were not allowing inside access to ESPN and a couple of other sports media outlets. It seems like a pretty random and spiteful thing for ESPN to put that up on the screen like that.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Tonight on SportsCenter, ESPN showed a graphic about the Houston Rockets 16-game win streak and what has happened during that span. At the bottom of the graphic read:

"NE Patriots: 0-1 during streak"

Though the anchor didn't comment on this note, I can sense some animosity from ESPN.

Too funny! Seems like confirmation of the unsubstantiated rumor thread if that's the case.

Frankly I'd love to see Belichick ice them out.

They should do what Yahoo Sports did on the Shanahan situation and retract anything and everything attributed to Matt Walsh until they've been able to substantiate anything from him.

In the meantime, what does Belichick have to lose by icing them?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Too funny! Seems like confirmation of the unsubstantiated rumor thread if that's the case.

Frankly I'd love to see Belichick ice them out.

They should do what Yahoo Sports did on the Shanahan situation and retract anything and everything attributed to Matt Walsh until they've been able to substantiate anything from him.

In the meantime, what does Belichick have to lose by icing them?

He loses the privilege of being slandered on a daily basis by a bunch of idiots who don't know **** about sports. You really can't overstate the impact of losing something like that.

 

[PonyExpress]

This is much bigger than some realize. The whole Comcast vs the Pats/NFLNetwork obscures maybe a bigger issue, ESPN vs the NFL Network. The NFL Network is trying to leverage its product to create a legit cable rival to ESPN. If the NFLNetwork is successful it will be a huge blow to ESPN's position in the industry. I believe much of Comcast's "problem" with the NFLNetwork is really cover for ESPN. ESPN has a longstanding relationship with these cable companies and is the #1 money maker on cable. Robert Kraft is the head of the television committee, and with Jerry Jones is guiding the process for the NFLNetwork. Robert Kraft and the NFL screwed ESPN on the Monday Night football package, plain and simple, making them pay above and beyond what all the other networks pay for games, and not giving them any playoff games. The NFL draft has been coopted by NFLNetwork, whereas once it was ESPN's province. This competition has got to be rankling everybody from the suits on down at ESPN, and our owner sits on one side of that table.

 

[patriotspride]

i love it. i hope the pats don't allow anybody from ESPN in the stadium. i hate that f-cking station with a passion. i don't watch ESPN anymore and i can honestly say i don't miss it.

 

[fgssand]

Sorry guys...I hate ESPN's treatment of the Pats at times as much as anyone. But, to not watch the only all sports network isn't going to happen for me.

I watch NFL channel as much as possible, but, there are other sports I watch and that is the info I get from ESPN.

 

[otis p. driftwood]

Sorry guys...I hate ESPN's treatment of the Pats at times as much as anyone. But, to not watch the only all sports network isn't going to happen for me.

I watch NFL channel as much as possible, but, there are other sports I watch and that is the info I get from ESPN.

Enjoy supporting the network that's trying to destroy the Patriots.

Not even Scottish Heavy Athletics will get me to watch ESPN. Unless by some miracle there's a Monday PM game next season.
And even then, I'll be watching it on channel 5.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

That's real mature on ESPN's part

 

[richpats]

Sorry guys...I hate ESPN's treatment of the Pats at times as much as anyone. But, to not watch the only all sports network isn't going to happen for me.

I watch NFL channel as much as possible, but, there are other sports I watch and that is the info I get from ESPN.

That's the harsh reality of it all. There are local sports channels, but they don't run highlights 24/7 and they don't show scores from across the country. We could just stick strictly to the internet but that's boring after a while.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Its easy for me, I watch the NFL network... I will only watch espn for the nba, but that is it..

 

[Bella*chick]

Really, not watching ESPN (which I have not done for the majority of the season as well as all of the offseason so far) is not that bad. There are plenty of places to get sports news from, online or in print.

Frankly, even before the Walsh mess, I preferred NFL Network to ESPN anyway. What, so I'm not watching Skip Bayless foam at the mouth on a day-to-day basis? What a loss.

 

[PromisedLand]

This is much bigger than some realize. The whole Comcast vs the Pats/NFLNetwork obscures maybe a bigger issue, ESPN vs the NFL Network. The NFL Network is trying to leverage its product to create a legit cable rival to ESPN. If the NFLNetwork is successful it will be a huge blow to ESPN's position in the industry. I believe much of Comcast's "problem" with the NFLNetwork is really cover for ESPN. ESPN has a longstanding relationship with these cable companies and is the #1 money maker on cable. Robert Kraft is the head of the television committee, and with Jerry Jones is guiding the process for the NFLNetwork. Robert Kraft and the NFL screwed ESPN on the Monday Night football package, plain and simple, making them pay above and beyond what all the other networks pay for games, and not giving them any playoff games. The NFL draft has been coopted by NFLNetwork, whereas once it was ESPN's province. This competition has got to be rankling everybody from the suits on down at ESPN, and our owner sits on one side of that table.

I think that is a really good point, Pony E., and one which has been completely missed in the whole Spygate discussion. Maybe it helps explain why one of the few Patriots backers on ESPN, Sean Salisbury, was recently fired.

Follow the money.

 

[jczxohn1]

A much simpler reason for ESPN's negative approach to the Patriots is that the rest of the country agrees with it. We in New England (Mass., particularly) give little credence to the opinions of fly-over country.

 

[PromisedLand]

A much simpler reason for ESPN's negative approach to the Patriots is that the rest of the country agrees with it. We in New England (Mass., particularly) give little credence to the opinions of fly-over country.

But that begs the question, "WHY does the rest of the country agree with it?" (if indeed they do)

Look, I live in "the rest of the country". Most people here admire the Patriots. Some of them will admit they don't like Bill Belichick, but few that I have met think the whole Spygate thing is worth all the hysterical attention it has received in the media, not to mention in a certain corner of the United States Senate.

 

[BrianPat]

But that begs the question, "WHY does the rest of the country agree with it?" (if indeed they do)

Look, I live in "the rest of the country". Most people here admire the Patriots. Some of them will admit they don't like Bill Belichick, but few that I have met think the whole Spygate thing is worth all the hysterical attention it has received in the media, not to mention in a certain corner of the United States Senate.

I get the same thing in Pittsburgh, they think Belichick is full of himself, but he's one if the best coach in the NFL and the Pats are an elite team !

 

[brdmaverick]

That is a pretty random side note to put on the screen. After all, we are a month into the football offseason. I always thought that "out of sight, out of mind" rang true, but I guess not.


How is ARENA FOOTBALL working out for ESPN? Ya, that's right, now Mike and Mike won't even do the games.

 

[Wildo7]

Please let this be true. At some point it's going to have to be addressed by ESPN why an NFL franchise has chosen to shut them off completely. Even if ESPN tries to bury its head in the sand, it will be talked about or written about. Maybe then the mindless sheep who have sucked up all the garbage they spewed last season will start wondering if there's another side to the whole "spygate" drivel they've been swallowing. Probably not though.

Even if you buy the spygate nonsense as them just doing their job and "reporting" what's there (which is total BS), you have every anchor on that network making smart ***** comments about hating the Pats, mocking BB and pandering to the Pats hate by joining in on it. It's totally unprofessional. Why would the Pats organization want to work with these people?

 

[patsfaninpa]

Please let this be true. At some point it's going to have to be addressed by ESPN why an NFL franchise has chosen to shut them off completely. Even if ESPN tries to bury its head in the sand, it will be talked about or written about. Maybe then the mindless sheep who have sucked up all the garbage they spewed last season will start wondering if there's another side to the whole "spygate" drivel they've been swallowing. Probably not though.

Even if you buy the spygate nonsense as them just doing their job and "reporting" what's there (which is total BS), you have every anchor on that network making smart ***** comments about hating the Pats, mocking BB and pandering to the Pats hate by joining in on it. It's totally unprofessional. Why would the Pats organization want to work with these people?

You hit the nail on the head. Their speech speeds up. they talk with more emphasis when doing their hatchet jab on the Pats. If you can't see/hear it. You're in a coma. Mssrs. Greenberg,Seibel,F.Coleman,Hoge,Trey Wingo(Is that really a name?),E.Smith,S.Young,T.Jackson we are talking about you. It's about as obvious as watching Fox News and thinking you're getting a balanced report.


There are a couple of guys whom are ok towards the Pats. Cowherd,Jaws,Keyshawn,Boomer, Kiper(he couldn't stand us before spygate) and Salisbury come to mind. Oh yeah, they got rid of Salisbury.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

You hit the nail on the head. Their speech speeds up. they talk with more emphasis when doing their hatchet jab on the Pats. If you can't see/hear it. You're in a coma. Mssrs. Greenberg,Seibel,F.Coleman,Hoge,Trey Wingo(Is that really a name?),E.Smith,S.Young,T.Jackson we are talking about you. It's about as obvious as watching Fox News and thinking you're getting a balanced report.

There are a couple of guys whom are ok towards the Pats. Cowherd,Jaws,Keyshawn,Boomer, Kiper(he couldn't stand us before spygate) and Salisbury come to mind. Oh yeah, they got rid of Salisbury.

Well, according to Michael Holley, Belichick had no problem with shutting them out after their second Lombardi; it was only b/c he and Berman were relatively close that he even agreed to do an interview with them at all.

Perhaps what happened this season was the proverbial last straw?