Sunday, January 6, 2008

Wiener of the Week

This week's Wiener of the Week is ESPN - TV, Radio, and The Magazine.

There was a time when ESPN was IT - the preeminent source for all things sports. But that was a L-O-N-G time ago, BD (Before Disney). Now ESPN is, well, crap.

Steve Czaban actually beat me to the punch on this one. This is how he describes the steaming pile that is now ESPN.

It seems like ESPN has devolved into making show after show after show based on “manufactured debate.” By this, I mean there is no real nuance to arguments. There is not much agreement on certain points (hey, conflict is ratings, people!) and things are never allowed to be left open ended at the end of a discussion about a topic.

In other words, it’s nothing like REAL sports debates you would have with buddies over a beer.

Call them McDebates about McOpinions on sports.

And some of them are simply laughable, they are so stupid.
Amen, Czabe! Apparently some Disney suit decided that what American sports fans want is insipid arguments about every little sports nit that can possibly be picked, so every show - both TV and radio, including the once-great SportsCenter - consists of little more than arguing. It's like the Fox News prime-time lineup, only without the missing blond chicks.

For their nose-first landing into the realm of argument-for-argument's-sake, ESPN is my Wiener of the Week.

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