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IN DEFENSE OF THE ATTACK EDITION
ESPN is the network that hired Rush Limbaugh. That should say it all.
It’s been going on long before the worldwide leader started airing soccer and if you’re a betting man, put your money down now that it will be going on long after the United States wins a world cup. ESPN sucks. It’s been sucking, like MTV once it latched onto reality television, like liposuction going after the muscle instead of the fat: besides the pain of extraction, there is the aftershock of being left with nothing but grizzle. What Now (who’s now)?
Short of a catastrophe, my last thoughts on ESPN are after the jump…
ESPN is tumbling down the slippery slope between respectable sports and news and infotainment. It’s nothing new for anyone old enough to remember when ESPN’s production value looked like the Fox Soccer Channel or Univision does now, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less - a realized dream snatched out from under us with one big BooYah – and it doesn’t mean we should just accept it.
Why can’t you just be happy with soccer coverage, you might ask? I get that question all the time. Let’s rephrase that: Why can’t you be patriotic and support our troops? Complain if you must about here another liberal bent, but are the arguments that different? Is one less rational than the other?
The President has the monopoly on power, and seemingly limitless funds to spend. He is the leader of the free world, and yes, ESPN is just the worldwide leader in sports, but don’t they have the power, the funds, and by even suggesting we’re supposed to be satisfied with what we got, supporting the network is supporting a tyrannical regime where on a good day you’re left eating cake? Bad days, well, I don’t even want to think about it. During down times, I am just happy there is soccer on television.
Sure the end game here is a lack of quality entertainment not World War III or the end of America as we once knew it (did we really, ever?), but that doesn’t mean it’s alright to ignore the problems, stay silent, and accept defeat. In fact, it means you should raise your voice, take your stand, and hope others are brave enough to join you, eventually reaching critical mass.
If there is one thing powerful entities often are lacking, its numbers. And there is power in numbers, a power taken from money and might at some indeterminate tipping point over which numbers topple even the strongest, most stubborn men… or cable networks.
Ric
on Jul 27th, 2007 - 6:28pm
Oh. I’m sorry, when I clicked to read more, I was expecting some analysis on what ESPN is doing wrong with their soccer production, what they’re doing right, how they can improve the product, what problems we face if they continue to not improve the product, how we can help “take a stand”…maybe that part of your post was lost in that catastrophe you were talking about…
pete
on Jul 27th, 2007 - 7:38pm
I agree Adam, the more people who dislike the product they are getting from ESPN, the sooner they will change it. though as you alluded to, i dont expect that to happen, ever.
Devin
on Jul 29th, 2007 - 7:58am
DOWN WITH WALDO!!!
that’s really not saying that max bretos is any better..in fact…i kind of wish they would just turn the commentators off and just pipe more crowd noise in…
as long as they don’t have the crappy band the MLS decided to have play half time.
TRob
on Jul 30th, 2007 - 9:24am
Adam, very reminiscent of Niall Quinn. Big money keeping the masses down. Although I do agree that “The World Wide Leader” is something of a tyrannical cartel, who’s members seem hell-bent on the glorification of NASCAR, spelling bees’, and hot dog eating contest. Whilst the beautiful game is left locked in the basement like a redheaded step child . Only allowed enough sunlight as not to die and keep some ever fleeting glimmer of hope for survival alive in his heart. But thats just it. True fans of the game keep hope alive. We know that soccer cant be locked up forever, and that our little FSC is the one saving grace we have over here in the states to get halfway decent coverage of the game we love. Money, Money, Money. Although it would be nice to have the nimrods over at ESPN really open their eyes and appreciate our game, it is not totally necessary. FOX is a network that has always been more forward thinking and revolutionary than that of the Disney/ABC syndicate. For now the crusty old white folks up at Century City can have their American raised corn fed sports. But be patient; the money, coverage, and glorification will come soon enough.
Nate
on Jul 30th, 2007 - 1:46pm
Sadly it won’t improve. MLS and SUM are looking to convert the non-fans. And their “market research” suggests that non-soccer fans enjoy the current programming slate. Not sure how they came to that conclusion, considering the league’s shockingly low ratings. I’ve interviewed Dan Courtemanche and other league officials about attendance for GreenPitch and I can tell you they’re not very interested in what “die hards think.” Courtemanche believed that Beckham would lift MLS to the stratosphere. He also claimed that each club would likely “sell out” most home games this season.
I guess league officials don’t care too much for their current season ticket base - lol.
Now to that monster corporation Disney.
Have you ever sat in a program meeting at ESPN? I have - a class trip for a jounalism class in college back in ‘98. I did a little research and I can tell you that none of ESPN’s soccer programmers have ever played the game. They package the program like they do anything else, baseball, basketball - it’s all the same in their eyes. It’s all formula related. Survey, focus group, ignore survey, board meeting, ignore survey II, product launch. In the end it’s hollywood, lots of flash, but little quality. If you want to help American soccer grow, coach, donate to a youth league or attend your local USL team. Your enthusiasm will bear fruit.
Connor
on Jul 30th, 2007 - 2:39pm
one thing exciting about the broadcasts is listening to eric wynalda and placing bets on when he is going to get the axe due to some politically incorrect comment he will eventually make.
JK
on Aug 1st, 2007 - 10:15pm
Having just recently (this summer) woken up and discovered what a glorious game soccer is, I can’t help but be dismayed about the lack of coverage. Come on, ESPN - poker is not a sport. What a bunch of stupid dildos they must have up in the programming department. Yea, I’ll be watching LA vs Toronto on Sunday, but it wasn’t the arrival of Beckham that drew me into this sport - it was our local team, the Rapids, with names like Gomez and Coundoul. And those games weren’t on ESPN/ESPN2, they were on the local sports network.
Thanks for letting me vent. I’ve never played the sport, but already I can’t wait to go see a live game. Long live soccer. Go Rapids!
salvie epps
on Sep 2nd, 2007 - 5:20pm
i am pleased at the coverage football (soccer) has been given here latley, its better than nothing. but there are things espn can do better. first off, out announcers are horrable, untill us americans get real football announcers, i say put on foreign ones. john obrien and marcelo balboa suck. wynaldo is good though. also, how about a new show, they have baseball tonight, nba somthing, nfl every second of the day, what about on monday before football a 30 minute show of reviews. the world cup was coverage was inexcusable. the announcing, the and news coverage where bad too. i hope the eurp has european announcers because balboa and obrien know shit about the game, i want to grow up to be the first true american announcer of football, well after mad max bretos and shep messing
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