Programs on ESPN

[scrivener]

Like the Television Food Network (http://hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=7059), ESPN is one of those stations with devoted followings and is extremely personality-driven. In addition to changing the way sports is reported and discussed, I think ESPN has had some impact on the way sports are played and watched.

I know we've got some ESPN-parkers here on HT: You know what I mean. Nothing's on, so what's on? ESPN.

If you have ever watched the exact SAME SportsCenter more than five times during the endless repeat cycle late at night, you and I are cousins, my friend.

So what's good and what's bad on ESPN right now?

I have said many times that Pardon the Interruption is the best show on television, so that's a daily must-watch for me (it's a lot better TiVod, so you can skip the many commercial breaks). I love, love, love Wilbon and Kornheiser.

Around the Horn really stunk for the first couple of years, but when Tony Reali took it over, it took off. I don't watch it daily, but I do catch it a couple of times per week. Michael Smith and J.A. Adande especially impress me.

Now that football season is getting cranked up, I've added NFL Live to my TiVo list, but I'll watch most of it in fast-forward until I see someone who interests me. I imagine that once the season starts, I'll watch the entire show religiously.

A recent favorite is the Best of Mike and Mike in the Morning. It's sports-talk radio, with all the lame stuff taken out.

I think I hate Jim Rome, but I have to admit I like his show. The guy is well-spoken. I don't ever plan to watch his show, but if it's on (or if my TiVo picks it up), I'll often watch it.

What are your ESPN habits like?

edit: ooooh. uncool. HT won't let me capitalize the entire title of the post, so now it looks stupid: Espn.

[Whitepoint3rchum]

Woody Paige, when he appears on Around the Horn, is pure comedy. Sometime in June he made a comment which revealed a confusion on his part of the date and everyone started ripping on him. I think it is also hilarious how he has got the little sign behind him that he uses to write different phrases during commercials.

[NoCal Boy]

Used to have a daily SportsCenter habit, dating back to the old Patrick/Olberman days, but now that I have a wife and child competing for the remote (and Curious George or Teletubbies usually winning out) it's mostly late night SC repeats in bed before falling asleep. Do still love the sports ticker, as I don't have the time anymore to watch sports as much as I'd like. Can always get a score if I'm too lazy to check online.

I have to say that the current "Who's Now" feature (?) is lame, lame, lame. There's gotta be better things to burn five minutes per show with.

PS - Scriv, did you try "E S P N" in the header? Just wondering if that would work.

[helen]

Slightly off-topic stuff:

I tried to change the title to "ESPN" and it came out to "espn". Since Vbulletin has issues with thread titles being all uppercase, the best I came up with is "Programs on ESPN".

Might be slightly on topic stuff:

To be honest I am not really much of a sports fan at all other than keeping an ear or eye out on the San Fransicso Giants standings, so basically I have no ESPN viewing habits.

[scrivener]

It doesn't matter much to me, but I don't really like the way the thread was retitled. What I had in mind was something like the Food Network thread, which is as much about the personalities as the programs. But it's cool.

[ploal5333]

Tony Kornheiser does fine on 'Pardon The Interruption', but I CAN'T stand him on 'Monday Night Football'. With Jaws on this season, who needs Kornheiser? Tony talks too much and chitchats like a chicken in a chicken coop. When I watch football i don't want to listen to chitchat.

This is why CBS is #1 in my opinion when it comes to football broadcasting. NFL Network is decent, too.

[Marco]

I have to say that the current "Who's Now" feature (?) is lame, lame, lame. There's gotta be better things to burn five minutes per show with.


Cannot. Agree. More. "Who's Now?" is the stupidest concept I've seen in a long time. In fact, I barely even watch Sportscenter at all anymore. I'll put it on ESPNews to get my fill of all the highlights in a quick 1/2 hour segment. Can't stand most of the stuff on ESPN these days, and that includes "Around the Horn", the now-defunct "Cold Pizza" and even PTI can really suck because they have so many guest hosts instead of Wilbon and Kornheiser on these days. It's just not that great a show unless it's Michael and Tony riffing off each others takes with their razor-sharp wit.

I also think Joe Morgan is the worst baseball announcer in the history of ever.

When it comes to the NBA, TNT's crew of Ernie, Kenny and Chuck are so much better than ESPN's, it's laughable.

I do love their NFL Edge Matchup show, with Jaws and Merrill Hoge breaking down game film and matchups for the weeks upcoming games. Always look forward to seeing that. But their MNF crew needs some serious work.

Anyways, maybe I'm being too harsh, but right now, I think ESPN blows. Hard.

[Linkmeister]

The thing that infuriates me is that they occasionally black out games from LA. Yesterday the Dodgers-Giants game was on ESPN2 (because Bonds hadn't hit {and still hasn't hit! Yay!} home run number 755), but not here. Instead they simulcast ESPNews. Worse, maybe because it was going to be on ESPN's network, Fox Prime Ticket didn't show it.

I was an unhappy man, I'm telling you.