ESPN: cable scrambled eggs

I usually concentrate on Bay Area media here, thus the "415" moniker and SF, but since ESPN is so ingrained in our TV viewing habits; and because sports plays a part of our daily lives, (Giants, World Cup, 49ers, etc) and ESPN is a conduit of that phenomena, I needed to vent.

It didn't take the televised Lebron James fiasco to tell me what I already know: ESPN is mush. Everything in their little world, from their dorm-like fortress in Bristol, Conn. to their urban digs in Manhattan, the whole meghillah.

ESPN is the Walmart of Sports.

What began as a legitimate little cable company and has turned into a mass, mega, money-making sports machine with assorted "team players" has lost all credibility, not that ESPN cares; hey, in a bottom-line world, the so-called "World-Wide Leader" is flush with cash, who gives a damn if they forever stained their brand.

"The Espys?" Oh, hell, don't even get me started.

Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Jim Gray? Does anyone really give a damn? And we haven't even mentioned "Mike and Mike."

I remember "SportsCenter" as a nightly round-up of the sports highlights, until all their anchors went all-shtick and haven't watched the show in years. Seriously, I just get info and the highlights from the internet or catch the local TV news. The only time I watch is if they have a certain football game, be it NFL or college. I may watch a baseball game or two, but when they do their little franchised shows, like "Baseball Tonight or "NFL Live", it's switch/off-button time.

SportsCenter? Are you kidding?

ESPN and its industry has cheapened sports TV. It has devalued its core product-line, not that ESPN cares, because they make a boatload of money, why care about the little things that matter? And because they have essentially no real competition, they continue to muddle on, all the while making entities like TNT, or personalities like Charles Barkley that much more enjoyable.

Ever figure out  why the NFL TV brass wanted its signature "Sunday Night Football" on NBC and let ESPN have the "Monday Night" franchise? Because the Sunday game is the biggie and Michaels is in the booth and the Monday game is clearly inferior, both from a production and talent standpoint.

ESPN has taken lots of hits for the Lebron James show, but that was so easy. And I didn't even know late in the game, that Jim Gray got paid to conduct that god-awful crappola. I don't think even Chris Rose would have taken part in that freak show, let alone get PAID by the prime subjectee.

As the cliche goes, ESPN? It is what it is.

I've switched the channel.







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