ESPN Actually Has Insightful Personalities

The more you watch something, the better you are able to pick out the flaws and negatives about it. This is true with television as well.

As sports fans, most of us always have the television tuned to an ESPN channel. Whether it be Sportscenter, ESPNews, or one of the many, many other programs on the ESPN networks. With this comes the need for anchors, analysts, and play-by-play announcers.

There are many of these personalities that I simply can not stand, and this shouldn't be a secret if you have read my most recent article. Lets dive into some of the personalities that ESPN has that are really intriguing.

When talking about the NFL, there is a growing number of analysts, including former players and coaches. The show "NFL Live" features a couple of my favorites. Marcellus Wiley is a recent addition that is always entertaining, as well as knowledgeable. He always knows what he is talking about, and he isn't afraid to make fun of himself. He actually loves to gloat about his dance moves and fashion, but when it comes to football, he knows what he is talking about. The same can be said for Trent Dilfer. While Trent was never a Hall of Fame quarterback, he is very knowledgeable about the game on and off of the field. Dilfer is one of those guys that you can just listen to for hours and will always give you something to think about.

Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay are the heads of Scouting for the NFL Draft. While I usually side with McShay's arguments, those two are always entertaining, mostly because they offer different perspectives.

The College Football Live crew at ESPN is one of the best things they have going there. With Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, there is really a lot there to pick from. Herbstreit and Corso really mesh well together, with Kirk usually holding everything together. While Kirk played for Ohio State, he does a great job of not being too loyal and letting his ties to the school affect his work.

The PTI (Pardon The Interruption) program that ESPN airs has a great format, and is fun to watch. While I don't particularly care for Tony, I think Michael Wilbon is very down to earth and is usually dead on with everything he talks about. He is very aware of what the public thinks, but he is smart in thinking before speaking.

The College Basketball crew is very widespread, but both Andy Katz and Jay Bilas do a great job of almost everyting they do. Bilas sometimes makes some bold statements, but I would rather see that than someone shying away from making a statement that might be criticized.

The NBA cast is also very spread out, but Jalen Rose is a great addition as a former player. Jalen is funny and smart when it comes to talking about what the players are going through. He relates well with the fans and does a great job of speaking clearly.

The one guy that I love to hear speak during an NBA game is Hubie Brown. The former coach is the one guy I could listen to talk for hours and never be bored. Hubie does an excellent job of describing what is going on, and what needs to be happening during the game. He brings a unique perspective to the television viewer that otherwise might not be seen or heard.

Another guy out there that doesn't get much recognition for his work is Doug Gottlieb. Doug does most of his work on the ESPN air waves, but he offers great insight to the fans and knows a little something about every sport.

The ESPN network has exploded since their first show in 1979, and it continues to grow even more today. In an age today where it seems like ESPN will hire anyone and everyone that ever played, it is nice to see there are still great workers out there that can offer a lot to the viewer.