The Sports Media Thread

[The_Admiral]

4 hours ago, monkeypower said:

Just from my two years-ish in the biz, I don't think it's that bad yet in all places, at least from my knowledge about the Canadian markets near me. Some of the smaller towns sure, those probably weren't too big to begin with, but there are still journalism jobs out there.

 

It is that bad if not worse. Private equity just bought the Chicago Tribune and they've gutted the staff, and this is the #1 paper in the #3 market. We're functionally down to two newspapers that really matter, both on the east coast, at least one of which just prints what the Pentagon tells it to.

[CS85]

It’s okay.  Buzzfeed is gonna carry the journalistic banner forward into the next era, just as we all predicted. 

[Sport]

RE: Addison Rae - For one year in college I lived in the house next door to Allie LaForce and partied with her on occasion. She was Miss Teen USA in 2005, which afforded her a scholarship to Ohio University and a spot on the basketball team, which she probably wasn't qualified for. To her credit, she did go to journalism school for 4 years, but had a job with CBS Sports lined up before graduation because, again, Miss Teen USA. Is she good at what she does? She's not bad and that's all that matters. A lot of girls I knew in the OU J-school and even some of her roommates resented her for so easily falling into opportunities, but like everything else, it helps to be hot. That's my advice to young kids - don't go to journalism school in 2021 unless you're hot or rich or hot and rich. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

This seems a little more egregious than what got Rachel Nichols pulled from the Finals:

 

 

[Indigo]

2 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

This seems a little more egregious than what got Rachel Nichols pulled from the Finals:

 

 

No…no…nooo…
You can’t say stuff like this on air. Especially if you’re someone who’s clamored about racism in the past.

[TBGKon]

On 7/10/2021 at 3:04 PM, monkeypower said:

First the TikTokers came for the dancers, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a dancer.

Then they came for the singers, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a singer.

Then they came for the actors, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a actor.

Then they came for me the broadcast journalist - and there was no one left to speak for me.

 

The, mostly "aspiring", news and sports media people are mad online in the replies and quote tweets.

 

A Celeb gets to do some on-air presenting?! Well I never!

Her Twitter handle is the reply most folks say when given her name.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1 hour ago, LA Fakers+ LA Snippers said:

No…no…nooo…
You can’t say stuff like this on air. Especially if you’re someone who’s clamored about racism in the past.

 

The other thing is that outside of a passing interest in the Mariners, Ohtani is pretty much the only reason I care about baseball. He's wrong on the face of what he's saying.

[TBGKon]

2 hours ago, LA Fakers+ LA Snippers said:

No…no…nooo…
You can’t say stuff like this on air. Especially if you’re someone who’s clamored about racism in the past.

His weak "clarification" was clear as mud

 

 

[CS85]

2 minutes ago, TBGKon said:

His weak "clarification" was clear as mud

 

 

 

Yeah, nothing he said there was a clarification at all.  It was just a quieter, mildly insulting double-down on baseball's audience and American sports fans in general.

[Red Comet]

Seems Latin American players do just fine with interpreters and being stars in MLB. It’s at the very least, a stupid comment from Stephen A Smith. At least it would be if his schtick wasn’t saying outrageous things to grab eyeballs. 
 

EDIT: And to confirm this, now he’s in hot water again. Something about disrespecting Nigerians and their names now. Now he’s racist towards (goes through Rolodex of races) Africans. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by Red Comet

[spartacat_12]

21 hours ago, CS85 said:

Yeah, nothing he said there was a clarification at all.  It was just a quieter, mildly insulting double-down on baseball's audience and American sports fans in general.

 

His point seems pretty clear to me, and I'm not exactly sure why it has people so offended. It's difficult to get a sense of a player's personality when their media appearances are done through a translator.

 

No one is expecting a foreign-born player's English to be perfect, but I think people appreciate when an effort is made. Munenori Kawasaki quickly became a fan favourite in Toronto because of his enthusiasm with the media. This wouldn't have happened if he had a translator with him all the time.

 

What if the player in question wasn't a visible minority? Imagine what people around the NBA would be saying if Luka Doncic didn't speak English well and required a translator?

[DEAD!]

1 hour ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

His point seems pretty clear to me, and I'm not exactly sure why it has people so offended. It's difficult to get a sense of a player's personality when their media appearances are done through a translator.

 

No one is expecting a foreign-born player's English to be perfect, but I think people appreciate when an effort is made. Munenori Kawasaki quickly became a fan favourite in Toronto because of his enthusiasm with the media. This wouldn't have happened if he had a translator with him all the time.

 

What if the player in question wasn't a visible minority? Imagine what people around the NBA would be saying if Luka Doncic didn't speak English well and required a translator?

 

Kawasaki was a fringe player at best. No one goes to the ballpark hoping to see Kawasaki.

Consider the other way around... how many NPB baseball fans expect their star foreign players to do interviews in Japanese? 

 

Ohtani speaks English reasonably enough, but when it is not your first language some translations kind of get confusing at first. 

Let me provide an example. 

The French word for "potato" is "pomme de terre". "pomme" is French for "apple" and "terre" is "earth". Imagine having not known about the word "potato" when learning English, the French speaker would probably instinctively  think, "earth apple" instead of "potato".

 

[The_Admiral]

Moreover, the French use pomme for potato when context makes it clear what they're talking about -- "pommes-frites" aren't fried apples. 

[Hat Boy]

The problem lies with MLB, not Ohtani.  Mike Trout speaks English and baseball does a lousy job promoting him.

[See Red]

1 hour ago, Hat Boy said:

The problem lies with MLB, not Ohtani.  Mike Trout speaks English and baseball does a lousy job promoting him.

 

I don't think Trout wants to be promoted.  Not much they can do if that's the case. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

On 7/13/2021 at 2:02 PM, spartacat_12 said:

 

His point seems pretty clear to me, and I'm not exactly sure why it has people so offended. It's difficult to get a sense of a player's personality when their media appearances are done through a translator.

 

 

 

I don't remember anything Ichiro ever said. He's also one of the greatest baseball players of the 2000s, both in talent and charisma.

[spartacat_12]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I don't remember anything Ichiro ever said. He's also one of the greatest baseball players of the 2000s, both in talent and charisma.

 

Sure, but he never transcended the sport and became part of the zeitgeist the way guys like Bonds, Jeter, or A-rod did. That's the point Stephen A was trying to make, although he didn't do the greatest job presenting his argument.

 

Ohtani might be like Trout, in that he is content letting his play on the field speak for him, but that is going to be limiting any reach his brand could have beyond the baseball community.

[BBTV]

The Ohtani thing also is another example of how the AL has a constant advantage over the NL, since he couldn't really play for an NL team (unless he plays other defensive positions.)  He's a star that's basically only available to half the teams, just like DHs.  The Phillies might be forced into trading one of their top hitters to an AL team because he sucks at first base, but he'd be welcomed with open arms in the AL.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1 hour ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

Sure, but he never transcended the sport and became part of the zeitgeist the way guys like Bonds, Jeter, or A-rod did. That's the point Stephen A was trying to make, although he didn't do the greatest job presenting his argument.

 

That's incorrect, and completely erases the importance of the Japanese audience. And it's possible to say that without Ichiro, you don't get Ohtani.

 

EDIT:

Top ten most important MLB players of the 2000s (in no order):

• Ichiro
• Jeter
• A-Rod
• Barry Bonds
• Albert Pujols
• Randy Johnson
• Pedro Martinez
• Mariano Rivera
• Manny Ramirez
• Pick one of: Vladimir Guerrero/Todd Helton/Carlos Beltran/Chipper Jones

[Hat Boy]

4 hours ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

Sure, but he never transcended the sport and became part of the zeitgeist the way guys like Bonds, Jeter, or A-rod did. 

 

If zeitgeist is your baseline, a lot of players never fall into that category. 

MLB justr needs to promote Ohtani to convince people to put their eyes on the product and/or butts in the seats.  According to Forbes, Ohtani has $6M in endorsements  (Asics, JAL Airlines and Seiko Watch in Japan and Fanatics, Oakley and Topps in the U.S.).  That is more money than Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant or Mike Trout.  People like Ohtani, MLB can use that.