The Rise and Fall of ESPN (1 Viewer)

[TripItUp]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

I actually like this one minus all the political innuendo.

 

[kupcho1]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

I actually like this one minus all the political innuendo.

It's terrible. It's always been terrible.

 

[nirad3]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

Man, I've been watching that show since its inception with Max Kellerman. Woody Paige, Bob Ryan, all the oldtimers still doing the show (and look OLD).

Wonder why they're axing it, it seems to still be pretty popular?

The one they can really get rid of is the show that follows ATH, Kornheiser and Wilbon. They annoy me, especially the schtick at the end of every episode.

Oh well.

 

[fatness]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

That was quite a bad show.

 

[Judge Smails]

Some people are writers for a reason. Plaschke is a good writer for the LA Times but makes Shaq seem like a great enunciator. Terrible

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

The one they can really get rid of is the show that follows ATH, Kornheiser and Wilbon.

Pardon the Interruption

I liked Around the Horn. Don't watch ESPN. No cable and don't care enough to sign up for espn+

 

[Ghost Rider]

I haven't watched PTI or Around the Horn in years, but both were great in their early days. At some point, Reali became a bit too swarmy and made ATH unwatchable, and I think success went to Wilbon's head, because he was super likable early on and changed over time into an arrogant jackhole.

 

[TheAristocrat]

ESPN signed Stephen A. Smith to a 5 year, $100M contract.

In unrelated news, I'll give you $20 to hit me in the face with this 2x4 as hard as you can.

 

[Runkle]

I guess they have plenty of money there

 

[Zeppelin]

ESPN signed Stephen A. Smith to a 5 year, $100M contract.

And the mismanagement continues.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

In unrelated news, I'll give you $20 to hit me in the face with this 2x4 as hard as you can.

sold

 

[rockaction]

The people we're paying and choosing gets worse and worse every year. Stephen A. has always been terrible. Around the Horn was awful.

 

[fatness]

Are they still employing and paying Chris Berman? He was a waste of air time for so many years.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

ESPN signed Stephen A. Smith to a 5 year, $100M contract.

And the mismanagement continues.

Are you sure it's mismanagement? Whatever they are doing might be working if they are handing out contracts like that. And the Fox Sports networks are pushing the same kind of programming (so is CBS). Smith himself is an outlier and is probably the most famous non-athlete in American sports, but SOMEONE must be watching this programming for all of these types of shows to be on the air.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

Man, I've been watching that show since its inception with Max Kellerman. Woody Paige, Bob Ryan, all the oldtimers still doing the show (and look OLD).

Wonder why they're axing it, it seems to still be pretty popular?

The one they can really get rid of is the show that follows ATH, Kornheiser and Wilbon. They annoy me, especially the schtick at the end of every episode.

Oh well.

You don’t like PTI? Wow. Hands down the best and most consistent sports show of all time. The producer Erik Rydholm created the format that nearly every single show has copied, much to their detriment.

Tony and Mike works because it’s real and not manufactured like Skip and whomever or Shmugoo or whatever his name is.

PTI is literally the only sport show I still watch. (Shout out to Masterball on YouTube! lol)

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Are they still employing and paying Chris Berman? He was a waste of air time for so many years.

He’s still good at the highlights. They had to drag him back out because everyone else sucked.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I haven't watched PTI or Around the Horn in years, but both were great in their early days. At some point, Reali became a bit too swarmy and made ATH unwatchable, and I think success went to Wilbon's head, because he was super likable early on and changed over time into an arrogant jackhole.

Wilbon has always been like that. I remember as a kid seeing him at a Redskins game and a buddy of mine asked him if he was Wilbon, and he replied, “unfortunately “in his smarmy he thinks he’s a noble voice.

My wife has met him and said he was super nice and she loves him so we have our own little rivalry when we watch the show together.

I am clearly team Kornheiser.

 

[Zeppelin]

Are they still employing and paying Chris Berman? He was a waste of air time for so many years.

He’s still good at the highlights. They had to drag him back out because everyone else sucked.

I have always liked Chris Berman.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Are they still employing and paying Chris Berman? He was a waste of air time for so many years.

He’s still good at the highlights. They had to drag him back out because everyone else sucked.

I have always liked Chris Berman.

He’s got more memorable lines than Al Michaels.

Back back back back back back baaaaaaaack back back back back

He. Could. Go. All…….the……way!!!


Rumblin…..stumblin…..

Not to mention the bazillion nicknames he has done over the years for various players

 

[Cowboysfan8]

PTI is literally the only sport show I still watch

Same

 

[TLEF316]

Yeah, I'll never understand it. Dude made a deal with the devil at some point.

 

[wlwiles]

Haven't watched any ESPN show in several years now. ATH and PTI used to be a staple back in my college days...

 

[mr. furley]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

I actually like this one minus all the political innuendo.

It's terrible. It's always been terrible.

it really was. it helped kick the door open for all of the terrible hot take shows. all the sports shows that focus only on a couple franchises and players.

it begat Stephen A, brought Bayless to the television airwaves, etc.

terrible, terrible show. should have never got off the ground.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

 

[nirad3]

RIP to Around the Horn. Last episode scheduled to air 5/23.

Man, I've been watching that show since its inception with Max Kellerman. Woody Paige, Bob Ryan, all the oldtimers still doing the show (and look OLD).

Wonder why they're axing it, it seems to still be pretty popular?

The one they can really get rid of is the show that follows ATH, Kornheiser and Wilbon. They annoy me, especially the schtick at the end of every episode.

Oh well.

You don’t like PTI? Wow. Hands down the best and most consistent sports show of all time. The producer Erik Rydholm created the format that nearly every single show has copied, much to their detriment.

Tony and Mike works because it’s real and not manufactured like Skip and whomever or Shmugoo or whatever his name is.

PTI is literally the only sport show I still watch. (Shout out to Masterball on YouTube! lol)

I dunno... it's OK. Probably me just yelling at clouds again, but it's... Kornheiser playing with his eyeglasses, Wilbon's voice increasing in volume, then the whole shtick at the end of the show with the Canadian flag, "we'll try to do better next time" and calling the viewers "knuckleheads".

At least with ATH you get different slants every time since they rotate the 4 participants every day. Yeah, sometimes Pablo Torres fills in, but he's meh too.

Just not a fan.

 

[Capella]

Yeah, I'll never understand it. Dude made a deal with the devil at some point.

Easy to understand. He makes them hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

[TLEF316]

Yeah, I'll never understand it. Dude made a deal with the devil at some point.

Easy to understand. He makes them hundreds of millions of dollars.

I get that piece. I just don't understand why anybody watches him scream at the camera

All the content available today and people are actively choosing to watch a blowhard yell hot takes. It's baffling to me

 

[fatness]

Are they still employing and paying Chris Berman? He was a waste of air time for so many years.

He’s still good at the highlights. They had to drag him back out because everyone else sucked.

The highlights have to be delivered fast in a limited amount of time, and Berman does "fast" very well. And "loud".
I just got tired of him years ago, despite the humor of some of the old nicknames, because "fast and loud" isn't enjoyable watching any more.

 

[fatness]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

 

[SFBayDuck]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

 

[nirad3]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

Big Monday always wrapped up with some 8 or 9pm west coast game. When I was at UCSB, we beat a then top-5 UNLV program (1993) on a televised Monday night game. It was wild.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

Yes. A lot of triathlons, track meets, cycling, and worlds strongest man events.

I’ll never forget watching some dude’s knee go the other way while he was carrying an actual refrigerator on his back.

 

[fatness]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

There's axe-throwing, hatchet-throwing, and different games that combine things from different sports. Oh, and soccer on a field with 4 goals.
Still no javelin relays, though.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

Big Monday always wrapped up with some 8 or 9pm west coast game. When I was at UCSB, we beat a then top-5 UNLV program (1993) on a televised Monday night game. It was wild.

If give up a lot for just a day in my childhood homes kitchen during a rainy weekend, watching the Big East and ACC on a 13” television.

 

[Fantasy_Freak]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

There's axe-throwing, hatchet-throwing, and different games that combine things from different sports. Oh, and soccer on a field with 4 goals.
Still no javelin relays, though.

Late Saturday night into Sunday morning they had marble racing, Wisconsin auctioneer state championship, dodgeball, frisbee golf, stone skipping, slippery stair racing, national air guitar championship.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I got ESPN+ as part of a bundle several years ago. If you like college sports, golf, some soccer, or kind of off-the-radar stuff like cricket/sailing it's a great bargain. Most of the big college sports contests are on larger networks, but I can always catch smaller schools like JMU there. I didn't think I'd even use it when I got it as part of that larger package, but I watch the hell out of it now.

 

[AAABatteries]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

Kiana Tom

 

[Capella]

I get that piece. I just don't understand why anybody watches him scream at the camera

If you ever go to a bar at a restaurant or a barbershop mid-day it’s all you see on. He’s polarizing. I don’t watch him at all, can’t stand his shtick but he’s popular.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I am just sad to learn that ATH is 23 years old. I swear that show only started up 10 years ago. Dammit I'm old.

And if you had told me in year 1 that Woody Paige would still be alive and kicking, much less still working and on the show 23 years later, I'd have said no way.

 

[nirad3]

I am just sad to learn that ATH is 23 years old. I swear that show only started up 10 years ago. Dammit I'm old.

And if you had told me in year 1 that Woody Paige would still be alive and kicking, much less still working and on the show 23 years later, I'd have said no way.

23? Really? I could have sworn I started watching that show just before my daughter was born, so like 14-15 years. Maybe I caught on later in its lifecycle...

 

[Zeppelin]

I like Chris Berman and PTI.

If I ever like Stephen A Smith please gouge my eyes out.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

Yes. A lot of triathlons, track meets, cycling, and worlds strongest man events.

I’ll never forget watching some dude’s knee go the other way while he was carrying an actual refrigerator on his back.

When I was a kid (I’m old) Australian rules football was on often, also the CFL

 

[fatness]

Late Saturday night into Sunday morning they had marble racing, Wisconsin auctioneer state championship, dodgeball, frisbee golf, stone skipping, slippery stair racing, national air guitar championship.

Man I've got to see some of those, especially marble racing and stone skipping. Skipping stones is one of life's great, free, always-available pleasures.

I do still want to see a javelin relay, though.

 

[Doug B]

When I was a kid (I’m old) Australian rules football was on often, also the CFL

Australian Rules was awesome. Me and my friends watched it enough to figure out how to sorta-kinda play it at the local playground. Used a soccer ball, and laughably small teams (like3 on 3). Had a blast, though.

EDIT: lots of great Aussie Rules programming on YouTube these days, if you ever want to revisit those old memories.

 

[Dawg Pound 69]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

They are still on, mostly ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN News. They show "sports" which are laughable.

 

[Dennis Castro]

I miss all the obscure sports that used to be on all the time.

There are still some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on one of the multiple ESPN channels.

When I was a kid it seemed like it was just aerobics and surfing all day long until hoops (Big East Monday!) or baseball or something started at 4:00.

There's axe-throwing, hatchet-throwing, and different games that combine things from different sports. Oh, and soccer on a field with 4 goals.
Still no javelin relays, though.

Late Saturday night into Sunday morning they had marble racing, Wisconsin auctioneer state championship, dodgeball, frisbee golf, stone skipping, slippery stair racing, national air guitar championship.

Don’t forget Norwegian Death Diving

 

[Runkle]

Hmmmmmmmm.........

 

[Joe Bryant]

Details emerge on ESPN-NFL Media deal as estimated $2 billion acquisition gains steam

ESPN is again pushing to acquire NFL Media, including "RedZone" and eight NFL Network games, in a deal that could be worth up to $2 billion.

awfulannouncing.com

Details emerge on ESPN-NFL Media deal as estimated $2 billion acquisition gains steam​

"...This could be a very significant point for ESPN's growth when you're adding it all up and we're really in a full streaming world."

 

[Penguin]

They need to hire Joy Taylor to right the ship

 

[Capella]

They’re going to ruin red zone. Separate side channel they force on your screen of these idiots debating whether the rookie who just housed a long touchdown is already a hall of famer