OT- Ways to fix ESPN

[Sean Pa Patriot]

The one thing I can safely say is I have not turned to ESPN since Marlon Jackson picked off Tom Brady.. Ive been thinking, I used to love this channel, what has gone wrong with it.. Well here is a list that could fix what ills the former leader in Sports programming..

1 Fire Sean Sailsberry , Michael Irvin, Eric Allen and Joe Thiesman, All of these ego maniacs just want to hear the sound of thier voice.. They dont bring anything to the table, just want to be the next John Madden... Use more Jaws, Tom Jackson, Hire Bill Parcells for Monday Night Football, let Chris Berman do his Schtick and these other ex jocks should be just on a local station not a national network like Espn..

2 Get rid of shows like Cold Pizza , around the horn, and first and 10 ,which is a extention of Cold Pizza.. Woody Paige was entertaining, but since he left that show has stunk, it was not that good to begin with .. PTI is a great show, but that is it, the others should just go away..

3 Get back to NFL FIlms and More Instant Classic games..

4 Less of the those titles during sports center, like such as " Belichick hates Mangini" or " Owens Hates Parcells.. I dont need silly graphics, just facts..

There is probably others but these are the ones that irritate me the most, I still wont turn in to it , until the draft , but then again I will go to NFL Network..

 

[DarrylS]

Cannot figure out who they are trying to appeal to, except folks with ADD. They are spread too thin, and talk too much.. need to get away from all of the heavily opinionated folks, and bring in some folks who let us at least think. They are all trying to be too Jim Romish..

 

[Keegs]

The one thing I can safely say is I have not turned to ESPN since Marlon Jackson picked off Tom Brady.. Ive been thinking, I used to love this channel, what has gone wrong with it.. Well here is a list that could fix what ills the former leader in Sports programming..

1 Fire Sean Sailsberry , Michael Irvin, Eric Allen and Joe Thiesman, All of these ego maniacs just want to hear the sound of thier voice.. They dont bring anything to the table, just want to be the next John Madden... Use more Jaws, Tom Jackson, Hire Bill Parcells for Monday Night Football, let Chris Berman do his Schtick and these other ex jocks should be just on a local station not a national network like Espn..

2 Get rid of shows like Cold Pizza , around the horn, and first and 10 ,which is a extention of Cold Pizza.. Woody Paige was entertaining, but since he left that show has stunk, it was not that good to begin with .. PTI is a great show, but that is it, the others should just go away..

3 Get back to NFL FIlms and More Instant Classic games..

4 Less of the those titles during sports center, like such as " Belichick hates Mangini" or " Owens Hates Parcells.. I dont need silly graphics, just facts..

There is probably others but these are the ones that irritate me the most, I still wont turn in to it , until the draft , but then again I will go to NFL Network..

ESPN is a bunch of crap. Even the poker shows aren't that entertaining anymore.
It seems like most of their shows just got old and the morons they have working are terrible.

There was some show they had last year called EA Sports football something and it was the worst show ive ever seen. Merril Hodge was the key guy on the show along with Jaws and I don't know how they allowed it to be on. Granted, every time i caught it, it was on the 2 am slot but still.

One of the best shows they have is "Cheap Seats" where the 2 dorky twin guys sit around and rip on old ESPN shows, such as Poker, scrabble, worlds strongest man.

Ever since i discovered NFL Network i very very rarely watch ESPN. There is just no reason to especialy since i really don't care too much about other sports.

I wish Berman would move to NFL Network which would never happen

 

[ironwasp]

THis is the curse of the 24 hours sports network - they have all that time to fill and only a certain amount of live action, and a certain amount of serious and legitimate preview/review punditry they can indulge in.

That still leaves hours for other crap that some bright spark can address with: "Hey wouldn't it be great if we devoted a show to Bill Belichick's dress sense". Dismal.

But that leaves no excuse for why third rate broadcasters and sixth rate analysts like Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser are on MNF. There must be dozens of articulate, football-smart former pros and coaches out there who could come in and call the game without the need to resort to the nonsense and drivel that these guys serve up.

 

[Seymour93]

SportsCenter, once a highlight of your day, is unwatchable these days. All they do is promote the NBA, NASCAR (now that they've gotten it), and stupid non-sports like X-Games. Then they have, like Sean Pa Patriot said, these clowns shout into the camera and act as though their words are the gospel for sports fans. Their supposed insiders aren't as good as Peter King, Schefter, and PFT. Even their new theme music is annoying. And for the final argument: Stuart Scott, Steven A. Smith, Stat Boy, Max Kellerman, Skip Bayless, etc..

I haven't watched ESPN since the Indy game either, BTW.

 

[denverpatsfan]

So you don't like ESPN but like Chris Berman??!! I used to like his screaming yelling style, but can't stand listening to him call a game anymore. EVERY stinking fly ball has a chance to go out of the park when he calls baseball games. He has one of the best vantage points in the park and knows that it is foul or will be caught, but he still has to yell and scream like it's a homerun.

Another thing I can't stand is the expansion of the 10-minute ticker at the bottom of the screen. It used to be great for catching scores but now I have to sit thru WNBA scores, tennis, golf, random college players annoucing that they are staying in school just to get the score I'm looking for. You have to be friggin kidding me!! Who the F is watching the ticker waiting for a WNBA score!!!??

I haven't watched ESPN either since last Sunday either.

 

[everlong]

A lot of the better people they had have moved on to other things.

Keith Oberman
Suzy Kolber
Rich Eisen
Sterling Sharpe
Chris Myers

and the new generation of Stewart Scott and company are unoriginal and all about the hype.

A lot of the people who have stayed are using the same tired stick they have for forever.

ESPN is all about the sensational play and about the superstar. Why? Because it's easy and because the casual fan is drawn to it. Sean Dingleberry isn't capable of breaking down film before a game and saying Team A needs to find a way to stop Team B from doing this to win the game. So instead he says well they have Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. He's lazy, as are most of the, and uses all of the cliches.

Soloman Wilcox and Sterling Sharpe do that on NFL Network and while I don't always agree with them they are so much more knowledgeable and unbiased.

NFL Matchup with Jaws and Hodge try to do this but Hodge is just brain dead. If they put Jaws with somebody else it would be a better show.

Ditka and Irvin haven't made a good point since I've been watching them. They are a total waste.

 

[Keegs]

and the new generation of Stewart Scott and company are unoriginal and all about the hype.

A lot of the people who have stayed are using the same tired stick they have for forever.

Stuart Scott does host the great show "Stump the Schwab'.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

fixing espn so that it became watchable again would be easy. Undo what they did: go away from prognostication and predictions and go back to highlights and analysis.

I don't care what an "expert" says is going to happen on Sunday because they don't know. If I want to know what someone thinks might happen I'll give my brother a call and actually interact.

I want the highlights of what happened in yesterday's games, not guessing what will happen tomorrow.

And the only constructive way to discuss Sunday would be to evaluate how Indy and Chicago have fared against similar teams/offenses/defenses. let's say Indy likes to run 15 yard post patterns (I have no clue if this is true, I just need an example of a play); how has chicago dealt with those in other games this year?

instead they'll put idiots like michael irvin on the air to spout off about Manning's destiny or other irrelevant nonsense (does anyone else remember when espn didn't employ a single ex-athlete?).

i used to watch a half-hour sportscenter every morning before school. i'd see every important highlight from the previous day and know who won each game, and i'd be prepared for pretty much any discussion on sports for the day. then baseball striked shortly after they went to a one-hour sportscenter and they had to start filling time because there was nothing to report on. that was the beginning of the end, and the god-forsaken magazine did the rest (the magazine began espn's "what's next" focus which brought us all of this insipid prognostication).

I loved espnnews when they introduced it since it was like the old sportscenter. they found a way to ruin that too.

then again, you can't argue with ratings. espn will tell you they're much better off today than they were 15 years ago.

I feel old. get off my lawn.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Are you for fixing ESPN?

Sure, I'll get the car, you call the vet. :bricks:

 

[Fanfrom1960]

The one thing I can safely say is I have not turned to ESPN since Marlon Jackson picked off Tom Brady.. Ive been thinking, I used to love this channel, what has gone wrong with it.. Well here is a list that could fix what ills the former leader in Sports programming..

1 Fire Sean Sailsberry , Michael Irvin, Eric Allen and Joe Thiesman, All of these ego maniacs just want to hear the sound of thier voice.. They dont bring anything to the table, just want to be the next John Madden... Use more Jaws, Tom Jackson, Hire Bill Parcells for Monday Night Football, let Chris Berman do his Schtick and these other ex jocks should be just on a local station not a national network like Espn..

2 Get rid of shows like Cold Pizza , around the horn, and first and 10 ,which is a extention of Cold Pizza.. Woody Paige was entertaining, but since he left that show has stunk, it was not that good to begin with .. PTI is a great show, but that is it, the others should just go away..

3 Get back to NFL FIlms and More Instant Classic games..

4 Less of the those titles during sports center, like such as " Belichick hates Mangini" or " Owens Hates Parcells.. I dont need silly graphics, just facts..

There is probably others but these are the ones that irritate me the most, I still wont turn in to it , until the draft , but then again I will go to NFL Network..

I mostly go along with your post but I'd fire Tom Jackson first. He repeats himself too much, is not very bright and adds nothing when he's on with Berman. I've felt that way since before he said Belichick's players hate him.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

I think ESPN should start from the ground-up. Begin with Sportscenter and move on from there.

1. Stop trying to make news and go back to reporting it. As TBG said, the half hour sportscenter was a godsend. You saw highlights from every game, had some interviews, and about 40 seconds of commercials. Now they divide their 60 or 90 (!) minute SportsCenter into three, uneven chunks. About 20 minutes of highlights, 15 minutes of "analysis", and 25 minutes of fluff. The internet and 24 hour sports talk radio has killed the cow that made ESPN the leader in breaking sports news.

2. Tell the sportscenter anchors that they are the medium by which we get the story. They are not part of the story. Stop making the highlights about you. I'm all for new blood but give us some substance.

3. Actually have some credentials in the guys who are reporting. For example, if John Clayton is the best football guy you got, go find another one.

4. Don't build up single, non championship games that just happen to be on your network as the next Ali-Fraizer. I love college sports, but a FSU-Miami countdown clock starting in mid august was a bit much. Duke-UNC hoops is a great take without ESPN driving it down our throats. Just report on the game!

As for the rest of the network's issues, well, that is for another post when I have more free time.

 

[ajmitch81]

ESPN was great when they had Primetime - but NBC's shameful "Football Night In America" eliminated the need for the show. It's sad because Berman and Jackson together were quite enjoyable to listen to.

The only good thing about ESPN now is Baseball Tonight (which is yet to air obviously). I tune to Mike and Mike in the Morning while I do my workout... Other than that if I want football it's all about NFL Network. With their upcoming series profiling all the draft entrants - the NFLN really does a fantastic job of capturing fans all year round.

I wonder how long before they make a run at Mel Kiper to work their draft... I know Mayock is good but he's no Kiper...

ESPN is dead - and I blame Michael Irvin for it.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Without getting into specific personalties, the problem with espn is that the network's philosophy has devolved into covering the sexy teams with the big stats and the big stars. You see this in their NFL and NBA coverage. Only on espn is Michael Vick a top 5 NFL QB. Stuart Scott never misses a chance to pimp Vick.

The Patriots, aside from Brady, move in a totally opposite direction which is why as a Pats fan, I find espn more and more offensive.

 

[NEPat]

But that leaves no excuse for why third rate broadcasters and sixth rate analysts like Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser are on MNF. There must be dozens of articulate, football-smart former pros and coaches out there who could come in and call the game without the need to resort to the nonsense and drivel that these guys serve up.

Did you see the game, I think it was the second Monday Night game of the doubleheader after Kornheiser's debut, that had Jaworski and Vermeil as the announcers? It was terrific, with both of the guys comfortable with each other and providing useful insights. Get rid of Theismann and Kornheiser and put those two in the booth, I say. I also like Aikman a lot.

On ESPN I watch Sportscenter and PTI. I don't like most of the football pre-game shows, on any network, because this is how it goes with every point they try to make:

First guy: So I think if Rex Grossman stops trying to force those deep passes and plays a conservative game, the Bears have a chance.
Second guy: (says some stupid joke that doesn't make any sense)
Everyone else: *guffaw guffaw* laughs until they're blue in the face.

Usually on Monday Night Countdown it's Jackson or Steve Young trying to make some semi-intelligent point and then Irvin says something dumb and tries to be funny and everyone has to do that forced laughter and it's all ridiculous.

The NFL Network guys are better. Deion can be annoying, but he does a pretty good job overall. Faulk and Mariucci are OK, and Rich Eisen is a good host.

Anyway everything nowadays, including sports, news, entertainment is 24-7. We must be constantly stimulated and have every single story and meaningless detail the second it happens. That's how ESPN is too, it's just too much sometimes and the quality gets watered down.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

I think it all just has to do with too much hype....no solid analysis, just a lot of individual pimping. It seems, as a whole, to remind me more and more of the dumbass pregame shows (Bradshaw, Long, etc) where they used to be pretty good and now they are more about entertaining than informing. I seldom turn on ESPN even during football season. Much prefer the NFL network (except for the Schefter azzwipe)

I think a good example to me is Mike & Mike radio in the morning. I used to love listening on the way to work...now they do more out-and-out stupid crap that I seldom put them on anymore.

I have no hopes for ESPN....none whatsoever.

 

[patsfan55]

2 Get rid of shows like Cold Pizza , around the horn, and first and 10 ,which is a extention of Cold Pizza.. Woody Paige was entertaining, but since he left that show has stunk, it was not that good to begin with .. PTI is a great show, but that is it, the others should just go away..


There is probably others but these are the ones that irritate me the most, I still wont turn in to it , until the draft , but then again I will go to NFL Network..

only time i watch espn is for the shows u mentioned altough i watch them rarely since ive graduated college (last may) and started workin
nfl network and espnnews are my two most viewed channels
as for pti vs around the horn, bob ryan, michael holley, michael smith and others came in for a class of mine last yr (only 12 ppl in the class, two visitors per week, needless to say it was the greatest course ever) and ryan knocked around the horn pretty badly, said pti was a lot more fun to do, and around the horn was too scripted

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Too Scripted, that is the story of ESPN

 

[BradyisGod]

I just say pull the plug.

 

[Bella*chick]

I just say pull the plug.

And I agree. If I'm going to watch anything it's NFL Network anyway.

I have no use for ESPN anymore.