MetaFilter posts tagged with ESPN and sports

Taking aim at ESPN

mediareport — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:46:36 -0800

Sports Business Journal has a detailed look behind the buzz over "The Emperor’s New Clothes: How ESPN’s Multi-Platform Strategy Hasn’t Improved Ratings," a sharply critical PowerPoint presentation making the rounds of sports league offices and advertising buyers in recent months. A good read for folks interested in the business of sports, decreasing TV ratings for many leagues, the blurriness of the ad/news line and the difficulty of measuring eyeballs across media. [via Romenesko]

Are you ready for some Dominoes!

usedwigs — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 08:09:02 -0800

Dominoes now on ESPN! What's next? Watching Solitaire?

Ma ma ma my Sharapova!

MmmKlunk — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:50:46 -0800

Happy 18th Birthday Maria Sharapova! A music video by ESPN's Bristol Bob and the Page 2 Crue, made in honor of Maria Sharapova's 18th birthday. Make sure you crank the volume knob up to 11, because now you, too, can sing along to the tune of The Knack's "My Sharona."

The NHL? Fix it for forget it

tranquileye — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:37:07 -0800

The NHL? Fix it for forget it. ESPN suggests how we could start over.

Bystanders to History

PrinceValium — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 12:08:30 -0800

I saw a feature on ESPN last night about Britt Gaston and Cliff Courtney, two Georgia teenagers who are indelibly linked to history as the kids who ran alongside Hank Aaron after the famous 715th home run. Then I googled around a bit and discovered Jim Leavelle, the former Dallas cop who will forever be known as the guy in the hat watching Ruby take care of Oswald in the precinct basement. And then there's Mary Ann Vecchio, a 14-year-old runaway who was photographed wailing over a dead body at Kent State in 1970. And, of course, there's Afghanistan Girl. Can anyone think of other bystanders to historical events whose faces we all know but identities remain anonymous? Is there anyone who has not yet been rediscovered?

Wait till one breaks a record ...

magullo — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 03:25:32 -0800

Here's a can of worms: transsexuals who engage in pro sports

Area man's outrageous comments met with outrage, outrage ensues.

The God Complex — Thu, 02 Oct 2003 00:19:08 -0800

On sunday, Rush Limbaugh commented that Donovan McNabb, quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, was overrated and was only seen favourably by the media because they want to see a black quarterback do well. McNabb responded, and earlier tonight Limbaugh resigned from his post on ESPN's pre-game show. N.D. Kalu, one of the Eagle's defensive ends, offered this choice quote: "He speaks well, he's well-read, but he's an idiot."

nasty, nasty sports journalism

cohappy — Thu, 10 Jul 2003 02:07:04 -0800

If this article toes the line, then this one completely jumps overboard. In the wake of basketball player Kobe Bryant's recent legal problems, ESPN freely insinuates that perhaps his legal troubles are caused by his desire to boost the sales of his endorsed products. But don't sell Kobe short on marketing power, as we meFites can already attest. [more inside]

Extraordinarilly profound and important

Ignatius J. Reilly — Thu, 22 May 2003 21:53:45 -0800

The Sports Book of Virtues (not) By Bill Bennett. "I believe in a strong family unit and doubling down on 11."

Sports Mascots Agonistes

Slithy_Tove — Sat, 15 Mar 2003 07:52:00 -0800

The dark side of being a sports mascot. Assault and battery by opposing coaches and fans. Having to do acrobatics in foul-smelling costumes in 80-degree heat. Lawsuits. Injuries. "I've got really good accidental death and dismemberment insurance," [NBA mascot Kirk] Johnson said with a laugh. "You never know what's going to happen." Behind that frolicsome giant stuffed animal lies a bleak world of terror and pain. [no more inside, wasn't that enough?]

ESPN Motion - TV meets Internet

meanie — Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:12:10 -0800

ESPN Motion It's been years in the making, but I can finally say that the Internet has finally met TV, through the medium of sports. ESPN and MSN have introduced ESPN Motion. Along with their site redesign, the once static front page is now a video. Right? You think. Usually this stuff doesn't work, but it doesn't require streaming or waiting (I must concede though that I am on a *very* fast internet connection). Basically you have to register for espn.com and then download a 500 KB file and run the installation. After a few minutes, it works fine. I think the program keeps the video updated in a cache on your hdd but it would require more research.
Note: you are required to have Windows 98 or higher, a fast internet connection, and Windows Media Player.

My Sports Franchise Can Beat Up Your Sports Franchise

jonson — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 11:35:51 -0800

There Ultimate Standings. ESPN has done a ranking of the relative value of each major U.S. sports franchise not in terms of mere victories, or championships, or even felony convictions, but in terms of how much value (as calculated here) each franchise is providing its fans. Stunned to see perrennial winners such as the Yankees & Lakers pushed down to the 20s, while small market teams like Green Bay, San Antonio & Sacramento dominate. Clearly life IS better in the small towns, at least for sports fans. Here's a more in depth explanation of what it all means.

kirkaracha — Sat, 07 Sep 2002 11:27:17 -0800

Top 10 NFL games to watch. Time magazine pick this season's 10 "can't miss" games. ESPN's First...and 10 goes to 11. Sports Illustrated's "must-see" list picks the top game each week. [more inside]

kirkaracha — Thu, 29 Aug 2002 15:47:16 -0800

Tuesday Morning Quarterback moves to ESPN.com's Page 2. Err...moved. In April. (Other weblogs missed the move, too; apparently the only clue was a Best of Slate post.) I've always loved reading TMQ and I hope it's just as good at ESPN.com. Alternative viewpoint: TMQ Sucks. [Cross-pollinated from SportsFilter]

brookish — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 17:24:02 -0800

Is Univision's coverage of the World Cup, like, way better than ESPN's or what?

BarneyFifesBullet — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 16:00:40 -0800

ESPN's Bill Simmons spent $9.95 on Shaquille O'Neal's Celebrity Birthday Roast pay-per-view so you won't have to.

ejoey — Fri, 25 Jan 2002 15:35:05 -0800

I like football as much as the next guy, but this has to be the lamest attempt at "sports humor" I've seen in a while.

Mack Twain — Tue, 22 Jan 2002 11:09:48 -0800

Lewis-Tyson Conference Disrupted by Mass Brawl Determined to turn this conference into a World Wrestling Federation spectacle, Tyson took a swing at Lewis and one of his handlers, pointed to his crotch while yelling at Lewis and screamed profanities at some of the boxing writers in attendance. Yes, Tyson BIT Lenox Lewis in the foot! Bert Sugar says Tyson was trying to get out of the fight since he is in the process of applying for a Nevada license which he had lost for biting Evander Hollyfield.

msacheson — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 15:13:08 -0800

ESPN hosting show on the world's sexiest athletes. 32 men and 32 women vie for the big crown(s), to be announced Jan. 27. The website has profiles on all 64 and will have a place for you to vote for your favorites. Don't all chime in with who you're going to vote for (that's what espn.com is for, not MeFi), but who'd they leave out? I say race-car driver Dario Franchitti and track star Suzy Favor Hamilton.

kirkaracha — Thu, 03 Jan 2002 16:05:14 -0800

There's lots of controversy about Nebraska playing for the national championship in tonight's Rose Bowl because they didn’t win their division or conference and got crushed 63–26 by Colorado in their last game of the season. [more inside]

Samsonov14 — Sun, 30 Dec 2001 00:18:52 -0800

So Forsberg is coming back and it means the Avalance could once again be a force to be reckoned with. Can anyone beat Detroit? And in the East, the Bruins are looking good. I care, but do my fellow nerds? It seems there's a serious dearth of computer geeks that follow hockey. Is the gap between ESPN and ICQ that big? Do any of you other nerds watch hockey, or is it dead?

msacheson — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 15:06:05 -0800

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.... for Boston Red Sox fans. This story from espn.com's Page 2 about Game 6 of the 1986 World Series is well-written and fills me with sympathy and empathy for Sox fans. See, as a Yakee fan, I was rooting against them at the time, but I feel sorry for them now. What a cruel punishment that game must have been. So close, and yet so far. (Please pardon my sports digression and shameless use of cliches.)

machaus — Fri, 21 Sep 2001 05:21:11 -0800

Hockey, Schmockey, let's just shake hands. I'm not a hockey fan, but I do appreciate the fact that our country seems to be re-examining what is truly important in life at every turn, both in groups and on a personal level.

kirkaracha — Thu, 06 Sep 2001 20:55:18 -0800

ESPN teams up with MSN First the Justice Department folds, and now this: “ESPN.com’s sports content will be uniquely integrated with MSN and will carry MSN branding and links throughout the ESPN.com site.” Is it really a surprise? Will it really make a difference?

msacheson — Tue, 29 May 2001 08:09:37 -0800

Supreme Court gives golfer Casey Martin the keys to the cart. Can a private organization be forced to allow something it says is against the spirit of the rules of it's competitions? Will we see Casey play anytime soon? Who else will benefit from this ruling in golf and other sports?