ESPN Ombudsman: SportsCenter has changed

While on vacation last month, I recorded 10 day's worth of 9 a.m. SportsCenters, beginning Feb. 15, so I could catch up on the sports news upon my return. I approached the task of review reluctantly, regarding it as punishment for taking time off. Once I plunged in, though, I was amazed to find myself enjoying hour after hour of SportsCenter.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3299217

Were the faster, crisper, newsier SportsCenters with reduced use of analysts and shorter sponsored segments a fluke? "No," Bengtson said. "it is deliberate."

I wonder, though, if this is not just a symptom of mid-February being one of the busiest times of the year in sports: NBA/NHL homestretch beginning, college basketball conference races heating up, NFL gearing up for free-agency, NASCAR/golf seasons beginning, baseball spring training beginning, etc.

It'll be interesting to see if SportsCenter goes back to the fluff/filler-heavy edition in, say, early July, when you've got the MLB All-Star game, the British Open and little else going on.

 

Hallelujah! I have noticed some changes, and these are for the better. Glad to see SportsCenter finally got the memo: NOT EVERYONE LOVES THE NBA. It's best delivered in regular doses alongside the day's other news.

Wonder what the ombud will have to say about Bob Knight doing highlights in the studio? Surprisingly, he hasn't been bad at all.

 

Perhaps I should give it another try.

 

I might do the same. Is Craig Kilborn still on that show? He and Brett Haber make a great team.

 

I usually turn SC on to fall asleep, and I gotta admit it's gotten better. I reserve my judgement, though, because this is a program that just got done killing airtime with "The Greatest Highlight." Still, the highlights and game stories have been noticeably longer and seem to convey the game story much better.

 

For as much criticism SC and ESPN takes on this board, and rightfully so at times, I've never been able to turn my back on the flagship show. It's probably based on habit (15+ years of watching SC), but it still gets the job done where it's supposed to. That said, there is a lot of BS on SC too. Greatest Highlight, Who's Next, the two brothers on Sundays with their brackets, etc. Thing have been better lately, but like Steak said, will that be the case in early July. Maybe they'll get lucky and Favre will decide to play again.

 

Did you forget the blue font؟

 

I'm sorry but SportsCenter is still the first thing I flip on in a hotel room if I check in at night.
(And a thousand SpectraVision snarkitudes are born.)

 

The ESPN Ombudsman says SportsCenter is better? Oh good. I'm sure she's not biased at all.

Just because we watch it out of habit (and it's my default show whenever I'm not home, because EVERYONE has ESPN) doesn't mean it's better than mediocre.

 

It's been pretty well established that Le Anne Schreiber is not biased in favor of ESPN.

 

Her body of work speaks volumes. There have been steady changes for the better at the WWL. Changes at the helm will do that. I give them full credit,
and hope they keep it up. It's easier on the nerves.

 

You guys very well may be right. I'll freely admit that I believe the ombudsman concept at ESPN.com to be self-serving and an excuse to pat the behemoth on the back.

Probably not fair of me, but what has ESPN done to earn my trust in that regard?