another ESPN critic/critique

[DocTalk]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/15/commentary/mediabiz/index.htm?postversion=2006111513

And I thought this board was tough on ESPN...

 

[The Basement]

i don't think it's any tougher of a critique. it's just that it's CNNMoney. CNNMoney? what is that?

 

[DocTalk]

i don't think it's any tougher of a critique. it's just that it's CNNMoney. CNNMoney? what is that?

And you thought that football was a sport and television was entertainment?

 

[Double Down]

Whenever we were talking about this subject before, the pro MNF crowd (led by Lugnuts) kept pointing out that the show was getting the highest cabal ratings ever, and even if we didn't like it, too bad, because everyone else did.

Well, the putrid Seahawks-Raiders game from last week just so happened to bethe lowest rated game in the history of Monday Night Football. So clearly the bells and whistles aren't keeping anyone interested when the games blow. I still contend people are watching despite all the bull****, and more and more, they're doing it through gritted teeth. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[BYH]

Whenever we were talking about this subject before, the pro MNF crowd (led by Lugnuts) kept pointing out that the show was getting the highest cabal ratings ever, and even if we didn't like it, too bad, because everyone else did.

Well, the putrid Seahawks-Raiders game from last week just so happened to bethe lowest rated game in the history of Monday Night Football. So clearly the bells and whistles aren't keeping anyone interested when the games blow. I still contend people are watching despite all the bull****, and more and more, they're doing it through gritted teeth. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

It didn't take long for Seahawks-Raiders to get knocked out of the top spot. Or moved up from the bottom spot.

This week's Buccaneers-Panthers monstrosity was the lowest-rated MNF ever. And with just cause.

 

[dixiehack]

ESPN doesn't seem to be worried. In an e-mailed response, ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer wrote that the ratings speak for themselves and that there are plenty of people happy with the broadcasts ... they just don't go on blogs to proclaim how satisfied they are.

"While a small fraction of fans have voiced concern with the new approach, when was the last time a customer bought a computer and called Dell to say how much he/she loved the new monitor?" wrote Hofheimer.

Dell. That's the perfect company for ESPN to benchmark. They both have that "You'll buy the crap we're selling and like it" thing down cold.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Tough column . . . but corporate-tough. With SportsJournalists.com, it's personal.

TK'll be gone, after this season. That'll help.

Now, we need to find a way to guide Alimony Boy out the door and onto the street . . .

 

[jagtrader]

I watched Heroes last week. Even though I had no idea what was happening because I missed the first four or five episodes, it was better than watching MNF.

 

[heyabbott]

Tough column . . . but corporate-tough. With SportsJournalists.com, it's personal.

TK'll be gone, after this season. That'll help.

Now, we need to find a way to guide Alimony Boy out the door and onto the street . . .

Kornheiser's not the real problem, he's just the largest sympton of the problem. He's not suited to game analysis, which is what he's attempting to do. There are easily dozens of better game analysts. He's there for biting satire and quips, a talent that is not easily combed into a 3 1/2 football game. And a talent that has yet to be produced, at all. It's not that he's misused or underused, but his role has no place on MNF. It's NOT MST3K. If it was ESPN's intention to convert Monday Night Football into Mystery Science Football 3000, Kornheiser might be a good choice.
Kornheiser aside, Theesman sucks. Tirico has no gravitas, no presence. The least Kornheiser can do to retain any credibility is to admit that he sold his soul to ESPN, a sale ALL of us would do. For the moeny he's making from ESPN, 99% of us would be ESPN's *****, and make no ,mistake Tony Kornheiser, is ESPN's *****.

MNF3K: Frank Caliento, George Castanza & Lewis Black

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Without passing judgment on the argument, can I say that "Look. The Blogs Are Pissed!" doesn't strike me as compelling evidence of anything, ever.

 

[alleyallen]

Whether he's part of the problem or the solution, can we please have someone blindside Joe in the pressbox and break that friggin leg again? Anything to get him off the air.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

"Mystery Science Football 3000"

THAT was funny.

 

[alleyallen]

In the not too distant future,
Next Monday A.D.
There was a guy named Tony,
Not too different from you or me.

He worked at the WorldWide Leader,
Just another face in the know.
He did a decent job writing sports,
But his bosses liked him & they put him on show!


We'll send him cheesy mathcups,
The worst we can find...(la! la! la!)
He'll have to sit & watch them all,
Then we'll monitor his mind...(la! la! la!)

Now keep in mind Tony can't control,
When the games begin & end...(la! la! la!)
Because he used those special parts,
To make his annoucing friends --

ANNOUNCER ROLL CALL (Let's Go!)

Mike Man (Pan Left!)
Bonnie (Hi Girls!)
Joe Theisman (Hi Tall Guy!)
Berrrrrrrmannnnn (I'm The Wisecracker!)

If you're wondering how he eats & breathes,
And other sporting facts...(la! la! la!)
Then repeat to yourself its just a show,
I should really just relax...For Monday Night Football 3000.

 

[Longball131]

Mystery Science Football 3k is definitely hilarious. Although Frank Caliendo would have to play John Madden of course. George Constanza and Lewis Black are great picks though.

I think the problem with MNF is that they tried too hard in creating a new trio of broadcasters. Tirico, believe it or not, is the future of broadcasters until something better comes along. Theisman, I think, is pretty good, personally he would be the only one I would keep. Even though I love Kornheiser as a journalist and on PTI with the great Michael Wilbon, he should not be doing this MNF thing. I even think him and Wilbon joke around about how much he sucks.

I don't know. I've come to grips that we won't have a great MNF team in our lifetime.

 

[TrooperBari]

In the not too distant future,
Next Monday A.D.
There was a guy named Tony,
Not too different from you or me.

He worked at the WorldWide Leader,
Just another face in the know.
He did a decent job writing sports,
But his bosses liked him & they put him on show!


We'll send him cheesy mathcups,
The worst we can find...(la! la! la!)
He'll have to sit & watch them all,
Then we'll monitor his mind...(la! la! la!)

Now keep in mind Tony can't control,
When the games begin & end...(la! la! la!)
Because he used those special parts,
To make his annoucing friends --

ANNOUNCER ROLL CALL (Let's Go!)

Mike Man (Pan Left!)
Bonnie (Hi Girls!)
Joe Theisman (Hi Tall Guy!)
Berrrrrrrmannnnn (I'm The Wisecracker!)

If you're wondering how he eats & breathes,
And other sporting facts...(la! la! la!)
Then repeat to yourself its just a show,
I should really just relax...For Monday Night Football 3000.

This made my morning.

Bless you, AA. :)

 

[leo1]

i love the MNF as MST3K analogy.