The Sports Media Thread

[infrared41]

9 minutes ago, the admiral said:

it could still be framed in bad faith as an attack on Journalist-Americans. 

 

Mostly by hack Sports Journalist-Americans. I'm willing to risk it.

[The_Admiral]

Enemy of the Naked People

[infrared41]

4 minutes ago, the admiral said:

Enemy of the Naked People

 

Great name for an album.

[The_Admiral]

 

Sounds to me like Pat Foley needs to be Held Accountable.

 

[MJWalker45]

On 4/30/2021 at 9:56 PM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I've played pickleball. It's more fun than ping pong and not as strenuous as tennis.

 

That said, I don't understand why it's on television. It's a backyard game.

Same as cornhole. Our battalion even had it as one of the competitions between the companies for organizational day. 

On 5/8/2021 at 9:45 PM, the admiral said:

I know the access would remain equal at "zero," but it could still be framed in bad faith as an attack on Journalist-Americans. 

As much 24/7 information as we have now as compared to the 1990's, I don't think we need reporters in there. Just Antonio Brown and his cell phone. 

[Walk-Off]

Disney, MLB agree to scaled-back ESPN broadcast schedule

[The_Admiral]

I always felt like ESPN did well with baseball and the NHL but did poorly with the NFL and NBA, where they've always seemed overextended or in over their heads. I can't say I like this, but I guess linear media doesn't matter anymore anyway.

[Digby]

Quote

For each of its live events, ESPN will receive the rights to produce alternate presentations across its platforms, as well as the opportunity to simulcast all ESPN and ABC game telecasts on ESPN+.

 

So the “Marvel Edition” broadcasts we’re stuck with huh?

[Sport]

15 hours ago, the admiral said:

I always felt like ESPN did well with baseball and the NHL but did poorly with the NFL and NBA, where they've always seemed overextended or in over their heads. I can't say I like this, but I guess linear media doesn't matter anymore anyway.

 

You're right and it's probably that they have so much internal attention focused on the NFL and NBA that there's too many big shot decision makers while the NHL and MLB teams get to be more loose. It's like how Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip got all the network notes while 30 Rock was this dumb little show that got to do whatever they wanted. 

[JayMac]

On 5/16/2021 at 11:19 PM, Digby said:

So the “Marvel Edition” broadcasts we’re stuck with huh?

Can't wait for that...

[schlim]

I can't wait to tune into Disney Princess NHL Hockey!

[Digby]

The Fox glow puck was nothing compared to Baby Yoda in his little floaty ship thing following the action around the ice.

[Crabcake]

not-all-that-interesting longpost incoming

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Caps have had Albert-Olcyzk-Boucher for almost two games now. First of all, it’s painfully obvious that was someone else’s crew that Kenny Albert stepped on to. The three of them have very little chemistry and seem to talk over each other constantly, but not in the good way like when Olcyzk interjects over Albert’s play by play, more of a “no one knows who’s supposed to be taking the lead on this call” kind of way. When Doc was commentating I thought Olcyzk played off him exceptionally well but he seems too jumpy with Albert. 

Second, I’ve never thought Albert was much of a hockey announcer - he always seemed like a football guy that did so well with that and has such a recognizable voice that he was thrust on to different sports too. Not sure if it’s a lack of passion for the sport but there’s just something about the way he commentates hockey that makes it seem like he’s there to do a job and collect a paycheck. With Doc or Gary Thorne you felt as though they were watching and being entertained just as much as you were. 
 

All this to say, I’m very glad NBC is losing the rights to the NHL with Doc gone. Doc was the NHL on NBC. And they’ve clearly given the No. 1 crew nod to announcers like Albert who don’t do as good of a job as opposed to guys like John Forslund, who I think does a great job. Hopefully when ESPN gets the rights again they either go back to Gary Thorne, or find someone actually good to turn to. 

[Kramerica Industries]

From what I've read, it's likely that either Sean McDonough or Steve Levy will get that #1 gig. Don't mind McDonough and think he got a really raw deal with MNF (and that's even without hindsight and Joe Tessitore), but seeing as how Ray Ferraro is also expected to be part of that crew, I'm disappointed that Gord Miller once again isn't getting the chance to call a SCF in either country (I have no clue who the NHL International crew is for that, and unless Gord is on that, I'm not terribly interested). Miller and Ferraro is probably the best broadcast crew in the NHL and have a great deal of experience working together. They've even done a few NBCSN games over the years including the playoffs. It would've been a good duo to keep intact.

 

Speaking of Kenny Albert, I have a higher opinion of him for the NHL than you do, but you likely won't be pleased to hear that he's probably the #1 play-by-play for Turner beginning next year, so he's going to be calling four of the next eight SCF's when you include the final year of the NBC contract this year. 

[Crabcake]

11 minutes ago, Kramerica Industries said:

From what I've read, it's likely that either Sean McDonough or Steve Levy will get that #1 gig.

I agree that McDonough got a raw deal on MNF having to follow up Mike Tirico and then being axed after one season. Interested to see what he could do. 
 

Levy doesn’t excite me. I thought he was meh on MNF but I’ll give him a shot with the NHL. I seem to faintly remember hearing him on the call of some of the old NHL highlights I sometimes watch on YouTube (side note: does this mean they’re changing up the MNF crew again?)

 

13 minutes ago, Kramerica Industries said:

Speaking of Kenny Albert, I have a higher opinion of him for the NHL than you do, but you likely won't be pleased to hear that he's probably the #1 play-by-play for Turner beginning next year, so he's going to be calling four of the next eight SCF's when you include the final year of the NBC contract this year. 

That’s not ideal, but I’m willing to give him a shot away from NBC. Like I said, I feel like part of the problem was that he was elevated to “Doc’s crew” and he doesn’t have near the chemistry with Olcyzk and Boucher as Doc did. 

[Digby]

I was hoping McDonough would stick around his part-time gig as Red Sox radio guy. Ah well!

[schlim]

I have no idea about on air changes, but just checking in on ESPN's website and seeing so much NHL coverage over the past few weeks shows just how much exposure the league lost by jumping to the Lance Armstrong and Car Auction channels. Its also nice to see the NHL listed on the header as well, it was amazing how successfully ESPN buried the NHL over the past few years.

[BBTV]

Gretzky is the studio guy?   I haven’t watched much nhl in the past decade, but 8 would have expected someone a little younger.  

[Cosmic]

Really bizarre to hear an ESPN talking head calling out NHL players by name. I don't think the Good Canadian Boys are going to like this deal.

[Digby]

Hockey fans wanted that ESPN attention; well, enjoy your Stephen A. takes.