TSN calls out ESPN

[Ogre]

It's kind of long, but well worth the read.  I cut out a couple of paragraphs, so if you want to read the whole thing, click the link at the bottom of the page. 

Bias in Sports Media (particularly ESPN)

This is always a hot-button topic for many sports fans, especially those fans who believe their team, their league, their conference, their sport (etc.) is the one getting the short shrift due to not being the "favorite" of those who hold much sway with public opinion, and in the case of college football, those who hold much control over any particular school's destiny.

...

Which leads us to the Sports / Disney Conglomeration that is ABC / ESPN, the single-most guilty entity when it comes to bias in the Sports Media. I'm one of those who believes that money tends to drive much of the current level of bias we find in college football especially. ESPN is the most powerful Sports Media member, and as such, should try to be above reproach. But they continue to do things like boggle the mind, like not firing Emmitt Smith, or allowing Kirk Herbstreit to continue to pimp his favorite team, OSU, no matter how many times they are b---h-slapped by better, more athletic teams. What have we heard from ESPN this offseason? That OSU is coming back "loaded" and will be a definite MNC contender.

I ask the simple question, "Okay, they're returning a bunch of players, but aren't they the same players who've been b---h-slapped by faster, more athletic teams the last two years?" I follow that up with yet another simple question, "And if this is basically the same slow team, how is ANYONE justified in saying they should contend for the MNC?" Is it because their conference sucks so much, that we know they'll roll through, and even when USC destroys them, because USC will destroy OSU, they'll most likely make it through with one loss?

Is a one loss OSU team better than a two loss team from the SEC? Especially if it is Georgia, Florida, LSU, or Auburn which wins the SEC?

Hell no it isn't.

But you won't hear that from ESPN even though it's the truth. Why? Because ESPN and ABC have television contracts with the Big-ZERO. They also have contracts with the Big-II and Pac-1 as their first-pick conferences. The SEC will get one game a week on ESPN and ESPN2, but ESPN, ESPN2, and most importantly, ABC, has the games from those other conferences.

The SEC's main television partner is CBS. Does anyone think that may play a part in how ESPN covers college football? Does anyone see the potential conflict of interest? Does anyone else think that maybe, just maybe Tommy Tubberville had even the slightest of logical points when he denounced ESPN when his undefeated Tigers got left out in the cold, even though the SEC is far and away the best conference in football? Does anyone think that ESPN had a vested interest in keeping Oklahoma, their partner school through the Big-II, in that MNC game against USC? Does anyone think, especially considering the fact that they were blown out, that ESPN's efforts through the pervasive and persuasive use of mass media projection, gave us the wrong two teams that year?

I do. Yes, USC most likely would have beaten Auburn. But Auburn doesn't get blown out like OU did, because Auburn was a far better team with a much better defense (which was SEC-tested) than OU.

I'll give you another example, and this involved the extremely biased Kirk Herbstreit, who is not a journalist, but doesn't have a single bone of integrity in his body when it comes to providing unbiased analysis of college football, which is what he's paid to do.

Two years ago, Herbstreit infamously led the charge for a OSU-Michigan rematch in the MNC because he said they were the two best teams in the nation, and Florida didn't belong in the game. Now, he completely ignored the fact that Florida played a far tougher in-conference and out of conference schedule and had actually WON their conference. That's right, Kirk was advocating a team which DID NOT win their conference have a shot to play for the MNC. I'm sure it had nothing to do with ESPN's and Kirk's personal and professional ties to OSU and the Big-ZERO, right? And when it was announced that Florida would play OSU, Kirk b---hed and whined and complained about the match-up, about how Florida didn't belong on the same field as LSU and how OSU was going to blow them out.

What happened? Well, during Ginn's TD return of the kick-off, Kirk was infamously found to be jumping up and down, celebrating on the sideline with the OSU players and coaches. Way to hold on to your integrity as an analyst, Kirk. Then, after Florida dismantled OSU with superior athletes and speed, Kirk looked like he wanted to cry, and he STILL wouldn't give Florida credit. He said OSU didn't come ready to play. He blamed the "buffet circuit" for Troy Smith's poor play (I guess it had nothing to do with Florida's DE's blowing past his slow, unathletic Big-ZERO-type offensive line, huh Kirk?)

Then, in the offseason, we had to hear from Kirk and ESPN how that game was just a fluke, and that OSU really was good, and that the team really wasn't slow-footed and unathletic. ESPN was about the only place in the sports media where you would find this opinion. I'm sure it had nothing to do with their professional attachment to the Big-ZERO, right?

So, as it happens, OSU runs through yet another easy in-conference schedule, not to mention the Ohio Championship, and the question remains, who deserves to play for the MNC? Well, this time around, Kirk decries the fact that Georgia believes they should be eligible to play for the MNC due to their place as the No. 2 team in the nation before the various championship games. The Georgia argument is, if you didn't think we were the No. 2 team in the nation, why did you vote us the number 2 team in the nation? It's pretty decent logic. Well, Kirk, in a stunning and hypocritical reversal, decides that Georgia doesn't deserve to play for the MNC because they didn't win the SEC. But wait a minute, isn't this the same guy who said numerous times on camera that Michigan should play for the MNC the last year, and when pressed about their lack of a conference title, he said time and time again that it didn't matter, that they were obviously the second best team in the nation? Isn't that the same guy? Wasn't Georgia obviously the second best team in the nation regardless of a conference title trip? Well, that's arguable, but many coaches and AP voters obviously thought so, because they DID vote them number 2 before championship Saturday.

But thanks to ESPN's and Kirk's constant stream of 24/7, over-saturated sound-bites, Georgia found itself moved from 2 to 4 without even playing a game. Once again, I'm not arguing whether this was right or wrong (I believe it was right... sorry fellow Dawgs, but you should win your conference). I'm just pointing out the outright hypocrisy and bias of ESPN and Kirk Hebrstreit in particular when it comes to decisions regarding college football, especially when the Big-ZERO or OSU is involved.

Case in point: ESPN was the only place you could find before the MNC in which a majority of their journalists and analysts were picking OSU to win the game. Go back and look at the picks. It's true. Kirk Herbstreit had started it at the beginning of the season, denouncing the "myth" that OSU and the Big-ZERO were slow and unathletic compared to USC, WVU, and the top-tier SEC teams. By the time January rolled around, he had convinced the majority of his peers that OSU was the real deal, contrary to the fact that their in-conference schedule is a joke because the Big-ZERO is a joke conference and their out of conference schedule was a joke as well. These people are supposed to be SMART. But I believe that corporate interests played a huge part in how these people made their picks. Any moron could have seen from watching the two teams play all year that LSU was a far faster, far deeper, and just far superior team to OSU. And don't get me started on that overrated Laurinaitus. LSU treated him like a beeyotch. There are plenty of linebackers in the SEC who are superior to this Katzenmoyer reject. But because they don't have a champion at ESPN to sing their praises, like this kid does, they don't win the awards. What did we hear from these guys? How OSU had the "best" defense in the nation. None of them, ESPECIALLY at ESPN, had the following disclaimer: OSU has the best STATISTICAL defense against inferior competition from an inferior conference when compared to LSU's statistical defenses. They refused to make it relative. That would be actual unbiased analysis, but we didn't get it from ESPN because it's not in their corporate interests to do so. Fox Sports is guilty for that same kind of shoddy journalism as well last year. If ESPN is the single most biased entity in the Sports Media, Fox Sports is second.

Awards. That's a whole other story in which ESPN can make or break kids or teams.

Tommy Tubberville was right. ESPN, the conglomeration, with money ties to three of the big conferences, should not be allowed to present unbalanced opinion they way they do. If they persist in allowing such a biased homer as Kirk Herbstreit have full sway at the network, then they need to promote The Bachelor and give him the ability to counter Kirk's bias. Then again, from what I saw last year, Jesse Palmer, although a graduate of Florida, a SEC school, has far more integrity than Kirk Herbstreit.

And this is just college football, people.

Who here was aware that there were 25 other baseball teams in MLB other than the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, or Dodgers? Anyone? Any hands?

ESPN does not speak for those of us who don't live in Boston, New York, Chicago, or L.A. I mean, on that show Around the Horn, where is the guy from Atlanta, or Charlotte, or Nashville, or Jacksonville? Why does the south receive little to no representation at ESPN? And that's what makes the college football stuff so hard to swallow. The vast majority of the national sports journalists in this country went to northern, western, or midwestern schools. It's like a good-ole-boy network: only yankees need apply. So southern teams are always getting the short shrift. Name one national journalist at ESPN who went to a southern school? The only one I'm aware of is Mark Schlabach, but he doesn't get to go on television with 6 shows a week like Herbstreit, or Reece Davis, or Mark May. In fact, as ESPN talent goes, Schlabach, a graduate of the Grady College of Journalism at Georgia, is highly unbiased, and hardly ever writes about the Bulldogs.

This coming football season, even if OSU is destroyed by USC, watch how Kirk and the Gang at ESPN will talk up OSU every week and do what they can to get OSU to stay at the top of the rankings. Remember, it's in their professional and personal best interests to do so.

And that is what is so very wrong about ESPN.

Touch me with your little white finger

[AUChizad]

Brought a tear to my eye.
The only place I disagree of course, is here.

Yes, USC most likely would have beaten Auburn. But Auburn doesn't get blown out like OU did, because Auburn was a far better team with a much better defense (which was SEC-tested) than OU

[Snaggletiger]

Can't argue with sound logic like that.  This take is not based on perception or bias.  It's backed up by fact...by what actually happened on the field.  I happen to love ESPN.  Hell, that's where I watch 90% of the sports I see.  But, there's always been that bias that CTT called them out for.  Anyone who thinks the blatant pimping of certain teams doesn't have an effect on voters is full of it.  The rest of the country is getting 90% of their sports from ESPN too and when you constantly hear that OSU or USC or Meechegan etc. is "Clearly the best in the country" it shapes people's opinions.

Play it and prove it on the field.

[AUChizad]

Can't argue with sound logic like that.  This take is not based on perception or bias.  It's backed up by fact...by what actually happened on the field.  I happen to love ESPN.  Hell, that's where I watch 90% of the sports I see.  But, there's always been that bias that CTT called them out for.  Anyone who thinks the blatant pimping of certain teams doesn't have an effect on voters is full of it.  The rest of the country is getting 90% of their sports from ESPN too and when you constantly hear that OSU or USC or Meechegan etc. is "Clearly the best in the country" it shapes people's opinions.

Play it and prove it on the field.

They did a big Spring Edition of College Football Live, where they went through a billion college sports stories, reported on a ton of different teams' spring games (including LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, & Alabama), and discussed who would be in the running for a national title next year.
Auburn was not mentioned once throughout the entire program.

[AWK]

They did a big Spring Edition of College Football Live, where they went through a billion sports stories, reported on a ton of different teams' spring games (including LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, & Alabama), and discussed who would be in the running for a national title next year.
Auburn was not mentioned once throughout the entire program.

To tell you God's honest truth, I've stopped giving a shit.  I enjoy watching them talk up their overrated flops of a team for four months, just to get their asses handed to them in the championship game.  However, it is blatantly obvious everything that man wrote is correct.

[Thrilla]

This is inherently part of being an Auburn fan.  I've found that I've adjusted to it.  We come in underrated, underrespected, and the greater majority doesn't give two shits about our football program.  Occasionally, when they run out of mobile home jokes, a bammer will try to make fun of us and how we complain about this.  But I have learned to like it.  Fuck 'em!  We prove our worthiness on the field.  I don't need some overpaid ego on ESPN to support my team.  I'd rather sneak in and punch 'em in the fucking mouth when they least expect it.

[AWK]

This is inherently part of being an Auburn fan.  I've found that I've adjusted to it.  We come in underrated, underrespected, and the greater majority doesn't give two shits about our football program.  Occasionally, when they run out of mobile home jokes, a bammer will try to make fun of us and how we complain about this.  But I have learned to like it.  Fuck 'em!  We prove our worthiness on the field.  I don't need some overpaid ego on ESPN to support my team.  I'd rather sneak in and punch 'em in the fucking mouth when they least expect it.

You are a gentleman and a motherfucking scholar.

[Thrilla]

You are a gentleman and a motherfucking scholar.

You're God Damn right I ordered the Code Red.

[Jumbo]

You're God Damn right I ordered the Code Red.

you cant handle the truth.

[wesfau]

This is inherently part of being an Auburn fan.  I've found that I've adjusted to it.  We come in underrated, underrespected, and the greater majority doesn't give two shits about our football program.  Occasionally, when they run out of mobile home jokes, a bammer will try to make fun of us and how we complain about this.  But I have learned to like it.  Fuck 'em!  We prove our worthiness on the field.  I don't need some overpaid ego on ESPN to support my team.  I'd rather sneak in and punch 'em in the fucking mouth when they least expect it.

I agree...partially.

Unfortunately, the ESPN fuckers are king makers.  Their lobbying puts a particular team or two into the consciousness of the sportswriters and other BCS voters.  Their power should be taken from them.

[AUChizad]

I agree...partially.

Unfortunately, the ESPN fuckers are king makers.  Their lobbying puts a particular team or two into the consciousness of the sportswriters and other BCS voters.  Their power should be taken from them.

I agree with this view. It's what Tubs ranted about after the 04 season. This complacency was THE reason we sat out that year. "Who is Auburn? I never hear about them on ESPN. They must notbe good enough to play for the crystal."
I just watched an hour special on ESPN U about the upcoming season. To my surprise, they actually had kind words about the SEC.
They mentioned, at least in passing, 11 SEC teams. They spent 20-30 minutes talking about how uat and Old Piss were the sleepers to win the west. They talked about MSU rising from the trenches. They talked about South Carolina being a sleeper to win the fucking East. Guess which one SEC team's name was not uttered once? They also are on Clemson's bandwagon for the MNC. Not a word about us beating them in their last game in next year's OC & QB's debut. Is a new OC, DC, and QB (all of which appear to be extremely promising) on a perrenial top 10 team not the very least bit newsworthy? Not even worth a casual mention in passing?
:hulk:

[Jumbo]

I agree with this view. It's what Tubs ranted about after the 04 season. This complacency was THE reason we sat out that year. "Who is Auburn? I never hear about them on ESPN. They must notbe good enough to play for the crystal."
I just watched an hour special on ESPN U about the upcoming season. To my surprise, they actually had kind words about the SEC.
They mentioned, at least in passing, 11 SEC teams. They spent 20-30 minutes talking about how uat and Old Piss were the sleepers to win the west. They talked about MSU rising from the trenches. They talked about South Carolina being a sleeper to win the fucking East. Guess which one SEC team's name was not uttered once? They also are on Clemson's bandwagon for the MNC. Not a word about us beating them in their last game in next year's OC & QB's debut. Is a new OC, DC, and QB (all of which appear to be extremely promising) on a perrenial top 10 team not the very least bit newsworthy? Not even worth a casual mention in passing?

how can you do a show about college football, bring up the Sec and not talk about Auburn We are loaded for years to come.

[wesfau2]

I agree...partially.

Unfortunately, the ESPN fuckers are king makers.  Their lobbying puts a particular team or two into the consciousness of the sportswriters and other BCS voters.  Their power should be taken from them.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/aug/24/sec-drops-idea-to-start-own-tv-network-deal-set/

If it is in ESPiN's financial interest to promote SEC (and, specifically, Auburn) football games, then we might see the end of the bias or even some lobbying in our favor for a change.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Light at the end of the tunnel?

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/aug/24/sec-drops-idea-to-start-own-tv-network-deal-set/

If it is in ESPiN's financial interest to promote SEC (and, specifically, Auburn) football games, then we might see the end of the bias or even some lobbying in our favor for a change.

I'm doubting that.  They're geographically located in the heart of all things biased to the North.   Also, unless they brainwash the talking heads at ESPN, it isn't happening.   Just look at the fact that Lou Holthhhptthhh is still there.  Fuck, you KNOW they've had to have more complaints about listening to that goob's blabber for the last year or two, and yet.....there he is....  again.

[Snaggletiger]

Yeah, what's up with bringing back Granny Clampitt?  It's one thing if you're like Corso and have some controversial schtick all the time.  Corso knows what he's doing and knows he's being an asshat clown.  He knows people love to hate him and thrives off of that.  Holthzzshthppp is not even controversial.  He's just sad to watch.  The man doesn't even speak coherently anymore.

[wesfau2]

I'm doubting that.  They're geographically located in the heart of all things biased to the North.   Also, unless they brainwash the talking heads at ESPN, it isn't happening.   Just look at the fact that Lou Holthhhptthhh is still there.  Fuck, you KNOW they've had to have more complaints about listening to that goob's blabber for the last year or two, and yet.....there he is....  again.

Of course they are able to "brainwash" the talking heads.  Here's how it goes:

ESPN Exec: Herby, we need ratings on Saturday afternoon.  Since we're airing Vanderbilt at South Carolina, I want you to do a huge piece on Spurrier's resurgence and his continued relevance to college football.  Make this your blockbuster, must see, can't miss game of the week. 

Herbstreit: No, that makes no sense.  Ohio State, USC, Pete Carroll's balls in my mouth...blah..blah.

Exec: Herby, toe the line or you don't get paid this month and we replace you with a chimp with a stylishly gelled coif.

Herb: Spurrier will take South Carolina to the National Championship and I will pound the Cock drum for the next few weeks.

[auburnredwing]

I dont know if I'm adding anything to this conversation and I don't know much.

Espn has to brodcast and show things that get the best ratings.  Rating drive everything.  Thats why they cover the sox and yankees so much or they why went completely over-board in their coverage of Brett Farve.  Its what gets ratings.  Thats why only the good sitcoms last more than a year... they get ratings that the other sitcoms just dont't get.  So yes espn is going to cover more than usc or ohio state more than they are going to cover Auburn there but there is 25 million people living in los angeles there is 4 million people living in the state of alabama.  I'm willing to bet Fox and CBS and NBC are doing the same thing.

Again I'm not really sure I'm adding anything to this conversation

[War Eagle!!!]

I dont know if I'm adding anything to this conversation and I don't know much.

Espn has to brodcast and show things that get the best ratings.  Rating drive everything.  Thats why they cover the sox and yankees so much or they why went completely over-board in their coverage of Brett Farve.  Its what gets ratings.  Thats why only the good sitcoms last more than a year... they get ratings that the other sitcoms just dont't get.  So yes espn is going to cover more than usc or ohio state more than they are going to cover Auburn there but there is 25 million people living in los angeles there is 4 million people living in the state of alabama.  I'm willing to bet Fox and CBS and NBC are doing the same thing.

Again I'm not really sure I'm adding anything to this conversation

Agree completely with you Cowherd...I mean redwing...

But seriously, they play to what is going to drive ratings. Seriously think about this, there is ONE decent team west of Texas. And that is USC. Sure Washington, Oregon, ASU, UCLA have all had a decent year or two...but what ONE team does everyone west of Austin have...USC. Also Ohio State is one of the largest colleges in the nation. It has over 45k students. Cleveland and Cinci are both in Ohio and they both probably have the population of Alabama. Then you move to the South and you have the AL schools, MS schools, off which there are 4 top SEC schools and the fans are divided. There is just not the fan support of the schools outside of maybe UT and UF and UGA that there are as a USC, Ohio St., or a Texas...it is just a ratings issue. I hate it too, but I have gotten over it for the most part...

[AUChizad]

Agree completely with you Cowherd...I mean redwing...

But seriously, they play to what is going to drive ratings. Seriously think about this, there is ONE decent team west of Texas. And that is USC. Sure Washington, Oregon, ASU, UCLA have all had a decent year or two...but what ONE team does everyone west of Austin have...USC. Also Ohio State is one of the largest colleges in the nation. It has over 45k students. Cleveland and Cinci are both in Ohio and they both probably have the population of Alabama. Then you move to the South and you have the AL schools, MS schools, off which there are 4 top SEC schools and the fans are divided. There is just not the fan support of the schools outside of maybe UT and UF and UGA that there are as a USC, Ohio St., or a Texas...it is just a ratings issue. I hate it too, but I have gotten over it for the most part...

I find it hard to believe that the residents of L.A., Cleveland, or Cincinnati give 1/4 as much of a fuck about college football as we do here.

[War Eagle!!!]

I find it hard to believe that the residents of L.A., Cleveland, or Cincinnati give 1/4 as much of a fuck about college football as we do here.

You only have to have one quarter of the people give half a fuck as much as you do and they still have more ratings...