ESPN has done it again—reared its ugly hypocritical head.
Yes, I said it, and I mean it with every fiber of my being!
Less than one year after everyone’s beloved ESPN ripped the University of Alabama for having 92,000+ at its annual A-Day spring scrimmage, they announced that College GameDay will be at the University of Florida’s annual Orange and Blue spring game.
Excuse me?
I could not believe what I was hearing when I heard this announcement on a local sports talk radio program.
ESPN, which completely bashed the Crimson Nation last spring for falling head-over-heels for then-new head coach Nick Saban in what they classified as a “glorified scrimmage,” has now decided that spring games are important enough to merit a GameDay visit.
Well, make up your mind ESPN. Which is it—a glorified scrimmage or an event worthy of GameDay?
For the average fan, ESPN can be a lethal trap.
True, the network draws you in with flashy names and great matchups. SportsCenter has forever revolutionized the outlook and analysis of sports and the way fans view them.
But overall, ESPN had been nothing but the tractor pulling the bandwagon for so-so fans to jump aboard.
True fans know where to go to get accurate information regarding their teams, while everyone else goes to ESPN.
Sure, I watch ESPN, ESPN2, and other ESPN networks. I admit it. I’ll be the first to do so. But I do it primarily because I love sports—and unfortunately ESPN has the power to monopolize contracts for games I want to watch.
I’ll also be the first to admit that no single network has done more for the game of college football, the sport I love above all others.
However, ESPN has at the same time decided to pick and choose which parts of college football to hold up at some holy status and which parts to punch in the gut every chance it gets.
Now, I don’t want to start naming names of college football programs that ESPN has endorsed and taken in under its wing, while turning a cold shoulder to others. I will refrain from that—not because I’m afraid, but simply because that would detract from the point of this article.
I will, however, point to the fact that ESPN is good for the moment. Whatever is great now will be ESPN’s story tonight. And I guess that’s true of most media today.
However, my final words to ESPN at this time are these:
If spring games are deemed glorified practices don’t change your mind a year later for the sake of ratings. That’s what hypocrites do.
And no one wants to be labeled a hypocrite.
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7 months ago
What!?!?!? They arent going to USC!?!?!? Actually, I saw this when some Florida fan wrote a small article on here about it and had the exact same reaction, Tim. Same feelings about Bama and why they are going to Florida. The reason is they want to get a head start on the "UF for NCs in 08" bandwagon and start riding Tim Tebow until they lose to UGA in Jacksonville so ESPN can easily make the transition to UGA. And truthfully, nothing was more satisifying than watching the Pats lose the Super Bowl and ESPN have to cover up why they covered the team they named the "Perfect Pats" for 20 weeks just to see them fail. Great Article here.
from 7 months ago
It is clearly hypocrisy... but why is anybody surprised? We live in a country that could be called the United States of Hyprocisy. From every corner of this country it is flourishising. From the government all the way down to the little guy on the street. From the Governor of New York to the Senator in the men's rest room. From the CEO who is robbing the countrry blind to the evangelist having a secret and sordid affair. From the President of the United States who talks of integrity and then lies about war and virtually everything else to a baseball player that loads himself with drugs and then talks to boy's clubs about the danger of using drugs. It's everywhere folks, everywhere, even some of the bloggers on here are likely guilty with their supportive comments of ESPN. If it were their school that ESPN blasted for having "too many fans" at a spring game, they would be enraged. It is an achievement to fill a stadium, not a sadistic crime of some sort. I applaud the Alabama fans for showing their support as I would Penn State or Ohio State or any other school for showing that kind of passion. ESPN, like most cable sports and cable news channels are just a bunch of talking heads who dress nicely, dye their hair, polish their teeth and smile continuously... It's insanely annoying at times..
7 months ago
Great hype. It will put a huge target on UF's back. A bull's eye that LSU and UGA are bound to smash.
7 months ago
Great article. I agree, sometimes I can't stand ESPN...although I listen to their radio and spend a large portion of my day on their web site. Good grief...
Now who's a hypocrite?
7 months ago
the unfortunate thing is espn is practically the only sports thing going on cable. it too bad fox couldn't come up with competition fitting their other cable and network endeavors.
from 6 months ago
Hey, No.
7 months ago
Excellent article. Good points and it is unfortunate that espn is practically the only sports thing going on cable. espn needs some competition.
7 months ago
I read the title of this article and immediately smiled. Anonymous and Jeff are right–ESPN's all we got.
I think they realized how big of a deal spring games were to a lot of people after seeing the crowd at 'Bama last year and decided "hey, maybe we should latch on to this thing."
And of course they were going to go to Florida. Everybody up in Bristol loves them some Tim Tebow.
Although, I'm not complaining that ESPNU will be television Missouri's spring game...
7 months ago
*televising
7 months ago
I can't believe what I read out of some people.
"ESPN bashed Alabama" - Huh?!! Um.....examples please? Quotes? Links? You're just going to let him get away with saying "ESPN hates Alabama" without providing specific examples and citations?
Did ABC/Disney release a statement on behalf of all of ESPN saying that Alabama fans were stupid for getting excited over a "glorified scrimmage" or something? Or perhaps did certain individual analysts that work for ESPN happen to mock people that might take college football a little too seriously? I find it hard to believe that ESPN (the entity) took an official stand against attending Alabama's spring scrimmage.
Or maybe "ESPN" released an across-the-board condemnation of Alabama's spring game and I just missed it....could someone link me to it?
from 7 months ago
Jeff, you obviously are the only one here taking a stand against the article. I commend you for stepping out on your own.
1) If you are not a college football fan who at times takes this sport a little too seriously then you probably don't remember the bashing last spring.
2) If you are not a college football fan who at times takes this sport a little too seriously then how do you even know whether or not ESPN has a bias against Bama.
3) If you are not a college football fan who at times takes this sport a little too seriously then you simply don't understand why so many people are tired of ESPN and they way they have conducted themselves.
I asume you watch ESPN because you are in love with their product - for everyone else in here, we watch because right now they basically own about 75% of college football broadcasts.
from 7 months ago
As an Ohio State fan, I certainly can relate to ESPN personalities talking bad about my team, but I'm not ridiculous enough to state that "ESPN" hates Ohio State. I certainly think Mark May, an ESPN analyst, is not much of a fan. But his views are his views, not those of ESPN.
from 7 months ago
Jeff...
You relate to ESPN talking bad about your team - I relate to ESPN having a bias against anything the UofA does.
You are not ridiculous enough to state that ESPN hates Ohio State - I too am not ridiculous, but I know they would love for Alabama and Nick Saban to fall off the face of this earth never to return.
You state that Mark May (believe me I know who he is, you don't have to point to the fact he is an ESPN analyst) has views that are limited to his own. True in some sense, but not completely. I write for Bleacher Report as an individual, I am not getting paid a single penny from any article I submit to BR. Mark May, on the other hand, is dependent upon ESPN for his income; therefore, what ESPN tells May he can or can not say is good possibility. I am confident that he is directed in what he can and cannot say.
At my job I deal with safety issues. I am directed as to what information I can and cannot release regarding medical records, accident reports, ect.
I mean really, are you serious? May's opinions are no reflection on ESPN? What a joke! i literally laughed out loud when I read that!
from 7 months ago
You make it sound like ESPN tells Mark May what his opinions are and he just reads the script that they provide him. Have you ever heard or read the disclaimer that every network provides that essentially says "the opinions put forth on this broadcast are the opinions of one person and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of our network"? I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't, since you apparently don't pay much attention to um...anything at all. But that's how it works.
You're not doing a whole lot to dispel the "stupid incestuous hillbilly from Alabama" stereotypes that exist outside of Alabama.
from 7 months ago
Wow, I guess I learned something new today. There really are people out there with Buckeye/Big Ten blinders on.
Go ahead Jeff, twist and turn what I said around. I never siad ESPN makes a script for May to read, but there are certain things he cannot touch and others in which he is encouraged to attack.
But before you go crazy trying to come up with another excuse to cover your comments, may I present example #1, the only one I'll ever need to back my statement:
Do you remeber what happened in 2003 to Rush Limbaugh when he decided to make a statement outside what your wonderful ESPN network thought was acceptable?
Well, in cas eyou have forgotten here is the rundown. 1st - An ESPN spokesman tried to blow it off by stating that he didn't think the comments were racially biased. So apparently ESPN does carry a reflection of what is said on air by those employed by ESPN. HMMM, that's interesting, especially considering that Jeff said you could say what you wanted on ESPN and the network would just throw out a disclaimer.
2nd - The situation never blew over. the disclaimer somehow did not work. I guess Rush pissed off the wrong people, and ESPN was taking the heat for it. So naturally a 3rd step came.
3rd - Rush was forced to resign in order to keep ESPN from firing him. Now some would argue that Rush was just doing the right thing by leaving because he knew that he said the wrong things and he wanted to make it right? Really? Is that the way it really was?
Who have you ever known who stepped down from what they considered in a statement a few weeks prior as being their "dream job"? No one. He was left no choice! How many times has Rush ever made a statement to piss someone off on the radio? Thousands! Has he ever quit that job? No! Why? Because ESPN has no control over what he says on his own program as opposed to what he said on theirs!
That good enough to drive home my point Jeff? Probably not, but at least I have given valid points that can be backed by facts!
I have paid attention to one thing though Jeff - college football and the bias created toward certain programs in this country by ESPN.
I love the "stupid incestuous hillbilly from Alabama" plug at the end. Why would I worry myself over someone else and their ignorant opinions and statements? Why would I ever worry with trying to dispel something that will probably always exist with people who are stupid enough to think such things?
from 7 months ago
Haha..look at who's twisting who's words around. Thanks for the comic relief, Timmy.
from 7 months ago
Now what exactly would you say was twisted around Jeff?
And oh yeah, I do what I can to help everyone out, especially in the field of comic relief, and especially those who have lost their sense of reality.
from 6 months ago
This is great!!!
I can't WAIT for college football!!
167 days and counting! 228 days til we get our hands on Georgia again!!
I know the focus is on March Madness right now and the NCAA tourney... but I'm looking forward to an Ohio State vs. Florida NIT final so we can stick it in them... i mean to them AGAIN!
ESPN is like the F-word. I'd like to stop using it, but i can't. Sometimes, it's just most fitting.
7 months ago
fantastic article. Because of ESPN's dominance, you really have no choice but to go to the network, but more often than not it seems I walk away shaking my head at what I see.
7 months ago
I have no problem at all with their current decision, even if they did mock Alabama last year. After the game, they saw the ratings and attention and decide to tap into that stream.
Why would they do that?
Simple, ESPN is a for-profit corporation. Their job first and foremost is to their stockholders to make money. They don't sacrifice integrity for profit, they simple make moves like this one that may irk some people. They gave their honest opinion about an event at the time. Then after review the situation and seeing the outcome, they switched their opinion. I thoroughly respect people that can change their opinion after analyzing new data.
Secondly, you're also right that ESPN pulls the bandwagon for the so-so fan. That's their job, to pull in someone that wouldn't normally watch. Bringing in new revenue and new revenue sources is job number one with any company.
Why would they market to you, the die-hard fan? You're going to watch no matter what happens. You're already hooked.
7 months ago
Great opinion! We are all at fault for feading the beast. Whatever happened to Van Earl Wright? Maybe he could cover USC games for the bleacherreport this spring?
7 months ago
Jeff, is your head in the sand? Anyone who has watched ESPN cover the Bama football program would have to concede that it has been overwhelmingly negative or tepid at best. The article said nothing about an official stance by ESPN, but the context in which they cover the program is well known. Saban + Bama is too much for the ESPN elite to let go un-noticed. Link me where they have positive towards that program or more specifically, the spring game from last spring.
7 months ago
it can't be both a glorified scrimage and an event worthy of College Game Day?
7 months ago
I would just like to go ahead and thank everyone who selected this article as the Pick of the Day. I really do appreciate it very much!!
Thanks for all the comments. I'm glad to see so many people who feel the same as I do about ESPN, and the way I have felt about the network for several years now.
7 months ago
good article - great points about ESPN's ability to change gears and not be accountable for their words...as a college football junkie, ESPN has become a Mecca from Sept through Nov for me - i prefer to watch on mute, as i can barely tolerate 1 or 2 announcers. pregame/postgame shows are useless and would somebody please (PLEASE!!!) do something about Mark May in the studio - he's worse than Shannon Sharpe on CBS (if that's at all possible)....
go Mountaineers
...and i guess i'll root for the blue team in the orange/blue game (i guess)
7 months ago
ESPN has always been like this and I as well was so thrilled to watch the Golden Team of the Century "The Perfect Pat" lose to awshucks Eli! Don't forget about the whole Reggie Bush scandal that ESPN seems to brush under the mat. Oh and not to forget now ESPN is trying to get into the recruiting hype!!! Gimme a break!
7 months ago
For Jeff and the Googlely-challenged: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2854920
"Saban's $4 million price tag comes with equally steep expectations: winning with the regularity that Bear Bryant did.
How hungry are the Alabama fans? More than 92,000 flocked to Bryant-Denny Stadium to see the Tide's annual A-Day spring game -- a glorified scrimmage. "
and this: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=15474&print=true
" Pete (NY): Hey Buzz, what does it say that 92,000 people showed up to see an Alabama scrimmage game the other day? To me, that's saying that there are 92,000 that need to find a life.
Buzzmaster: It's Alabama. I'm sure there's not much else to do."
from 7 months ago
1. At least pick a good example. The man wrote that Alabama fans were "hungry" - that doesn't sound all that bad to me. And what is the spring game if not a glorified scrimmage? It's a freaking scrimmage! It's not even insulting to call it a glorified scrimmage, because that's what it is. A scrimmage.
2. "Buzzmaster" speaks on behalf of ESPN all of a sudden? And to me, his barb was more of a shot at the state of Alabama, not the football team or its fans. Alabama (the state) has a reputation of being a pretty damn boring place, ya know.
Great examples, Alex. You've convinced me that ESPN (the entity) absolutely hates Alabama football.
from 7 months ago
Jeff, have you ever watched an Alabama football game on ESPN? If so, are deaf?
Every commentator on ESPN takes their shots at Bama any chance they can get. In fact ESPN has even turned Reese Davis, UofA graduate, against Bama at times. Just wait and listen. If you're deaf, turn your caption on and read the comments.
As for me, I'll tune in, turn the television sound down and listen to play-by-play on the radio so I can atcually stomach the Bama games I am forced to watch on ESPN.
from 7 months ago
Wow, I never realized it was so bad that they "bash" Alabama on TV while they air Alabama games! What a travesty.
Sounds to me like you'd rather just hear the opinions of people that love Alabama.
from 7 months ago
Would you prefer that ESPN apologize for one of its contributors calling your fanbase "hungry"? Would that make you feel better.
Also, what is the spring game if not a glorified scrimmage?
from 7 months ago
Well, the spring game is an open practice for one.
And also, being on Ohio State fan, half of the greatest rivalry that never was worth a flip before the original Big Ten Network, ESPN, of course you have no problem with ESPN. Only, Ohio State can lose 2 straight NC games to SEC teams, still be 0-9 against the strongest conference in the country, and still be considered next season's NC favorite. Ohio State-Michigan is the only game in which College Gameday has gone into the stadium before the game to finish a telecast. Yea, no bias there at all.
And about Alabama. One, Nick Saban is our head coach, enough of a reason for them to hate us. Two, if Michael Wilbon ever got the chance, he would jump Nick Saban like a spider monkey and put him in the ground. Third, ESPN feels as if they owe something to Auburn for the 2004 season. For instance, during the bowl game against Clemson, Auburn would gain a first down, Clemson was given a first down. Who is Auburn's biggest rival, Alabama. The signs are all there, Jeff, you just have to bee on the wrong side of the argument to see them. O wait, that will never happen for the Buckeyes.
7 months ago
For Jeff and the Googlely-challenged:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2854920
"Saban's $4 million price tag comes with equally steep expectations: winning with the regularity that Bear Bryant did. How hungry are the Alabama fans? More than 92,000 flocked to Bryant-Denny Stadium to see the Tide's annual A-Day spring game -- a glorified scrimmage. "
and this: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=15474&print=true
"Pete (NY): Hey Buzz, what does it say that 92,000 people showed up to see an Alabama scrimmage game the other day? To me, that's saying that there are 92,000 that need to find a life.
Buzzmaster: It's Alabama. I'm sure there's not much else to do."
from 7 months ago
Thanks for posting Alex. You would think that anyone who is so worried that another person has been saying something so bad against their glorious ESPN would first Google for themsleves before opening their mouth. But I guess you just have to go ahead & spell it out for them and hurt their feelings.
I hope Alex' research is enough to help shut-up anyone else who begins to speak without first knowing the facts!
Further, to all, even though I am a Bama fan, I would have spoken against this had ESPN bashed any school last year for filling their stadium during a scrimmage and then turning right around and planning to visit another school's scrimmage with Game Day this spring.....
Well, the ultimate question is this: Should I be so shocked? After all this isn't ESPN's first march down the hypocritical trail.
7 months ago
I think it is very interesting to read through these posts and get the "ESPN is biased against my school" argument from Bama fans and Ohio State fans (especially).
Ask any Florida fan what they think of ESPN and, assuming they pay attention and have some sense, they feel that ESPN hates everything orange and blue. Sure, Tebow has changed that mentality in the past year, but go back two years and jump into a Gator fan's shoes during the UF/Michigan vs. OSU debate for the NC. The severity of that trumps even the most harsh anti-Saban remarks. There was a major network battle unfolding between not only CBS and ESPN, but also Gary Danielson and Kirk Herbstreit.
Some common ground can be found by all of us, it seems. Lots of SEC schools feel the bias because ESPN is owned by ABC and shows very few SEC games due to their deal with CBS. True or not, millions of fans in the south feel this way.
Most also feel that USC is the pet program that all others should strive to be (as shoved down our throats by Bristol folks).
I guess the truth is that ESPN takes their shots at several schools and most of us don't notice unless we are alumni of that school.
Timothy,
I couldn't agree with you more about not having another choice in sports programming. I've been screaming about this for years. Just give me one alternative channel and I'll never watch ESPN again. But alas, I have three different science channels, four that know how to flip my house, and about eight more that show nothing but 'Everybody loves Raymond' re-runs.
from 7 months ago
Valid points Eric. I wasn't saying by any means ESPN is choosing Florida over Bama. If not for Tebow, UF would be getting no love right now. I really think in a lot of ways ESPN has a bias towards about 95% of schools in the south!
I agree 100% it is a total bias against the SEC - and why? All the SEC has done over the past 20 years is dominate and show the rest of the world how to play the game.
If Ted Turner would wake-up he could capitalize on this before it gets out of control and have a network worth watching sports on, unlike trying to endure ESPN broadcasts as well as FOXSports, who hasn't yet gotten the big picture.
from 7 months ago
Dude, don't hate on Flip that House.
Secondly, Urban Meyer is about to make the Spring game very fun to watch.
Yesterday, the Columbia talk radio was talking a lot about a possible SEC Network happening very soon. Maybe it's bogus, but I hope it happens.
Top SEC teams are already looking for excuses to get out of those ridiculous early September noon Lincoln Financial games. North Texas vs. Bama at 105 degrees. Western Carolina vs. Florida at a breezy 102. The trips to some of the West teams making them 11 AM games is always cool, as well.
7 months ago
I think it's become pretty evident by now that ESPN hates everyone and everything on earth, especially college football teams and their fans.
7 months ago
Herbie must have roomed with Myer at Ohio St. The Northern love fest continues.
7 months ago
I think Jeff getting owned mulitple times in the comments is better than the article iteself. I'm still laughing at you Jeff!
7 months ago
Jeff is a moron. ESPN should cover him!
from 7 months ago
Ernest, don't say that! (Not the moron part - that part is true) But if ESPN starts covering Jeff every so-so fan in the world will jump on the Jeff bandwagon just because ESPN is covering him. Who knows what will happen then!
7 months ago
Jeffie,
I admire you for speaking out. It's one thing to be clueless, but quite another to stand up and announce that you're clueless- even in the face of documented evidence. maybe, you're too clueless to know that you're clueless. Is that possible?
7 months ago
Jeff seems to have one on for Alabama, doesn't he/she? Someone from that state must have backed over his li'l red wagon. Here in North Carolina, we view Ohio as boring. Does Cleveland and Cincinatti come to mind. Ohio is considered in many circles as the hick state of the industrial north. I've been to both Alabama and Ohio many, many times and there's no comparison. Ohio has very few redeeming features.
7 months ago
This is a very well written article, but ESPN could've truly believed it to be a glorified practice a year ago, and think differently of it now. Fact is, ESPN is a money-making business, one that does thing so well that it earns more profit then it parent company of Disney. That being said, if they realized 92,000 were willing to go watch Bama, how many people could they get to watch a team that has seen recent BCS success? I don't fault ESPN one bit for their decision to air this game, because you know as well as I do that anyone who cares about college football will certainly tune in to get a taste of the NCAA season, even if its just to watch a "glorified scrimmage" for one day.
7 months ago
Glorified scrimmage or not, Bama has raised the bar. Watch and see if there aren't other schools that will try to top it. Alabama does have a storied football history and is second only to Notre Dame in tradition (and many will take exception to that) and have one the biggest fan bases in the country. The SEC is by far, head and shoulders above the rest of the others. I will predict the other SEC schools will follow suit and bring large crowds to the spring games this year.
7 months ago
Straight from the mouth of a Mountaineer fan, "ESPN (BSPN) go jump off of a bridge."
7 months ago
I really wish there was a way for the SEC to boycott ESPN - or as Ryan calls it BSPN (in guessing for Big 10?).
Anyway, I think anyone who would take on ESPN seriously could really do well. FOX tried, but they just haven't gotten the big picture I don't think. They need to get serious and step it up if they are going to even come close to competing for viewers.
Any network would be ridiculous to pass over broadcasting any SEC game. If the SEC would just wake up, but I guess the big wigs there are mostly in it for the money, and are blind to the fact that ESPN continues to put down the SEC overall, particularly select programs.
7 months ago
This does not bother me as much as GameDay going to a spring game, as it seems that ESPN might be pre-lobbying which teams they want to go to Miami next year. I think it's fair to argue that theyve had their fair share (or a lions share) about saying what teams get a natl. title nod (michigan vs ohio state rematch in 06, a 2 loss LSU over Oklahoma or USC or Georgia or Kansas in 07, ect ect) and this might be their way of giving an early nod to a Florida team that does not deserve to go with anything less than 13-0 considering the depth of in conference SEC play next year.
from 7 months ago
I cannot figure out what your last sentence means.
7 months ago
I, too, do not understand the last sentence.
Nor do I understand what is going on in Eric's picture.
from 7 months ago
Eric's picture involves a botched halloween costume and a room with a couch in it.
7 months ago
two years ago when florida beat ohio state for the nc the thing which stood out more than anything was not the game but the gameday final afterwards. i thought those guys were going to cry. it was terribly obvious. this year after the lsu victory when gameday came on the first thing that went through my mind were the bridges behind the set. they were open and very close and i thought man these guys probably need better security because they have pissed off just about every fan i know south of the mason-dixson.
football is just for fun. but since we don't have a legitimate way to determine champions, a show like gameday has become very popular agging on the controversies of every year. that is fine and adds viewers but this big 10 thing has to go.
i read yesterday that ohio state moved from 5 to 1 in the polls and never played a down. espn does have something to do with that.
put an old SEC coach and buck belue and johhny musso and bert jones on gameday and see if the rest of the country notices a SEC bias.
7 months ago
Hey John
Not from 5 to 1, but they did move from 5 to 2 in the polls last year after not taking a snap for 2 straight weeks. It was stated by ESPN on gameday that Georgia should not move up in the polls last year during one of their off weeks because they didn't play.
I just don't understand, ESPN can say just a few weeks earlier that Georgia shouldn't move up in the polls after an off week and then Ohio State moved up 2 weeks in a row during off weeks. Even worse than that, they jumped Georgia who was also off, and made all kinds of reasons why OSU should move up. This is just another example of hypocrisy by ESPN.
I am a Bama fan, but it is very evident that ESPN is bias, not only to Bama but the entire SEC. It was said by ESPN that no one wanted to see an LSU- Georgia rematch last year, but for some reason they thought everyone wanted to see an Ohio State-Michigan rematch in '06.
I personally don't care if ESPN, USA Today or any poll for that matter wants to see Ohio State in the NC game every year, after all, they are the SEC's Bitch! I, personally, hope they are there in a couple or three years for Bama slap around. Next year, Georgia gets to kick their ass just like every other team from the SEC team the Buckeyes have played! I just hope there is enough of OSU left for the rest of the SEC to use as their whipping boy!
from 7 months ago
no kevin when the bcs poll came out november 18 ohio state was number 5 with their regular season complete. two polls later, the last pre bowl bcs poll, they had risen to number 1 and ncg berth without snapping the football.
that manuever and ESPN opinion were simlutanious and most argue went hand in hand.
uga and lsu didn't play last year.
i'm a georgia fan but i don't think we are that good or lucky either. i was at the south carolina fiasco. my memory isn't that short. something will go wrong. trust me.
7 months ago
I just watch the actual sporting events and skip the SportsCenter, GameDay, and other contrived shows. Doing so does wonders for my blood pressure.
from 7 months ago
That's a good approach Rich, if they could just get some better commentators, I'd have my blood pressure lowered as well.
7 months ago
I'm a styudent at USC(grad school in the fall hopefully too) and I'd just like to say what we feel over here.
First, I don't think ESPN is anti-SEC. I do think they are pushing the PAC-10 as a great conference in order to move the focus of the sport more away from the south? Theres no argument that historically the SEC is the best conference, but what ESPN tries to do is widen it to show that the SEC does not have a monopoly on greatness. Per USC and then Oregon, these two teams could beat any SEC team, but some of the SEC teams could beat them. That part is not about bias, it is the attempt to create this newfangle argument of conference superiority. I mean, when I hear fucla fans saying they hope the Trojans win the NC for the PAC-10 it makes me want to punch them in the face. I will NEVER root for another PAC-10 team. I might enjoy watching a great PAC-10 team, but I will never wish them well.
As for Alabama, yes, ESPN has been really harsh for a few years before Saban. I think it was because 'bama had fallen off the map and disappointed the network who was expecting the old 'bama winning ways. Once the school gets great again, I think they will be sucking their nuts again. Just like USC. Before Pete USC got nothing, but now with Pete and our return to the greatness that we historically have had, they love us again, and it helps that Pete is one of the more outgoing and interview friendly coaches out there.
The only real bias I ever see is towards the Big 10. They constantly push them because OSU and Mich are also one of the great historical schools, and yet it is CLEAR that for the last 5 years or so that they do not have the talent nor speed to effectively compete with the best out of their conference, but ESPN needs a profit, and so keeps pumping them. Remember the OSU-Mich game 1 v 2? "Greatest Game Ever"? They should get a rematch? Wait, what happened to both teams in the bowls? Embarassed.
from 7 months ago
robert of course you are right about the big 10 bias. but as a poor southern college football fans with chips on our shoulders, we see more.
use the heisman for instance. is ESPN just a great heisman predictor or do they have some influence on voting? they were preceded by the big newspapers but now we think they have taken the place of them.
wonder why USC, notre dame and ohio state have 21 winners and the entire SEC has 8 winners?
usc has amost as many winners since the late 60"s as our entire conference has since the 30"s
it reminds me of the unfortunate situation with so many black males in prison. do they commit that many crimes or is there that much bias against them or both?
7 months ago
With Marshall Faulk humiliating himself on the NFL Network, I am once again reminded of how few TV options we fans have.
6 months ago
Unfortunately it seems like a lot of "good" media is biased and hypocritical. I feel like ESPN is going to give the fans what they want and if it goes against their belief, then they are going to have to change what they believe. I however am excited to see this broadcast. Roll Tide Roll.
6 months ago
I really do not like the SEC
from 6 months ago
And? A lot of people hate those who are successful.
6 months ago
listen people, college football is a great sport. i watch espn, because just like the big ten, the sec needs more regional coverage. fox sports can start a channel directed toward people in that region. create a network geared toward the sec sports fan as a whole. i am a devout florida gator FOOTBALL fan, and have been for years that doesn't mean i would not watch other sec teams if they are playing. the southeastern part of the nation would even pay for the coverage if it was offered by cable and satellite.
6 months ago
I like sports because it's not scripted. ESPN on the other hand is as fake as plastic dog shit.
Fake controversy, fake opinions, fake experts. As fake as the day is long.
I highly recommend Will Leitch's book "God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back).
Leitch rips ESPN a new, well-deserved a-hole.
http://www.amazon.com/God-Save-Fan-Sportscasters-Quarterback/dp/0061351784/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207708450&sr=8-1
from 6 months ago
I'll have to read it. Leitch sounds like a man with his head on straight.
Thanks for the link and thanks for the comments.
5 months ago
I'll name names:
Espn Love fest: 1. USC 2. Ohio State 3. Notre Dame 4. Florida
Espn bias hate: 1. WVU and all big east schools (with the exception of Syracuse and UConn) 2. Alabama 3. Hawaii 4. Auburn 5. Kansas 6. Missouri 7. Texas A&M 8. all teams in non-bcs conferences.
from 5 months ago
Well, James, thanks for your courage and standing up to call ESPN out on who they really hate. If anyone differs with this opinion they either 1) work for espn or 2) are fans of those top four (I think they once had a love fest with UT also, but the Vols have disappointed lately, which of course turns ESPN off when teams struggle).
from 5 months ago
I'll add another name to the ESPN Love fest: 5. Appalachian State :)
from 5 months ago
Yeah, just let Appy State play Georgia or LSU or even Michigan again and then see how great they are. They'll forget all about 'em. Mark it down, Appy State will get some big lovin on opening weekend just because of that once-in-a-lifetime win.
5 months ago
I hate ESPN too. Not just because of being hypocritical or anything but just because the station sucks. I didn't think it was possible to mess up sports or a sports network, but they've done it. The only reason I watch ESPN is because I love sports, but the original programming they come up with is garbage and the majority of their "personalities" are annoying know-it-all jerks IMO. The very fact that they put Mel Kiper Jr. on disqualifies them from any hope of being an OK network.
PLEASE, ESPN, GO BACK TO NOT SUCKING!
about 1 month ago
ESPN promotes whatever conference(s) they are broadcasting at that time. When the Pac-10 package was on Fox, USC was about a important as navel lint.
from about 1 month ago
Good point. They may not have those teams front and center, but I think that ESPN will always have some sort of bias for the teams they love though. Thanks for commenting.
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