At the insistence of Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, the FAA is apparently targeting a pilot who was hired this month by disgruntled fans to fly messages like "Hire a GM!" over the team's training camp. A "Mike Brown Step Down" banner was flown over games last season. Brown's futility (1 winning season in 18 years) in Cincinnati has spurred fans to pay thousands for billboards and distribute urinal cakes, while HBO's Hard Knocks series has recently shown insight into his cluelessness. [more inside]
posted by cashman on Aug 26, 2009 - 63 comments

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]
posted by mediareport on Mar 17, 2008 - 18 comments

The Naga Jolokia is the hottest pepper in the world, at 1,000,000 Scoville Units. One seed from a Naga Jolokia can sustain intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Imagine what eating an entire pepper will do? One intrepid ESPN reporter finds out.
posted by empath on Nov 11, 2007 - 84 comments

FollowupFilter - After a two year hiatus (read: punishment ban), Gregg Easterbrook (founder of Beliefnet, Brookings scholar, ex of Slate & NFL.com) one of ESPN's most popular football writers returns, with no acknoledgment of where he went or why. Hopefully he'll keep his mouth shut about ABC and/or Disney related projects this time. As a side note, his two seasons worth of back articles are apparently not available, as they were purged (permanently?) when he was fired.
posted by jonson on Apr 25, 2006 - 16 comments

Dominoes now on ESPN! What's next? Watching Solitaire?
posted by usedwigs on Apr 3, 2006 - 57 comments

What have you told your children about Muhammad Ali? "I was frequently left with tingling all over because I had been in the presence of such a great man and still humbled by his compassion, tolerance and understanding." Inspired by this weekend's airing by ESPN Classic of most of Tyson's fights, I started thinking about the difference between these two men. Ali obviously transcended his sport and has become more than just a boxer while Tyson is clearly a lost and troubled soul. And yet Tyson's story still inspires reflection. Nietzche's statement that "What someone is, begins to be revealed when his talent abates, when he stops showing us what he can do" is perfectly illustrated by the twilight years of these two legendary boxers.
posted by spicynuts on Nov 27, 2005 - 47 comments

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."
posted by MmmKlunk on Apr 20, 2005 - 25 comments

The NHL? Fix it for forget it. ESPN suggests how we could start over.
posted by tranquileye on Jan 12, 2005 - 70 comments

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?
posted by PrinceValium on Apr 7, 2004 - 25 comments

Here's a can of worms: transsexuals who engage in pro sports
posted by magullo on Mar 4, 2004 - 20 comments

Several people here are fans of Gregg Easterbrook's excellent column Tuesday Morning Quarterback, available (until this week) at ESPN.com. Unfortunately, in his side gig as a writer for the New Republic, in a blog entry savaging the movie Kill Bill, Easterbrook made comments that came across as perpetuating ugly stereotypes about Jewish people. He immediately claimed 100% responsibility for the ugliness, and apologized completely and without reservation. Within a week, he was fired by ESPN, all his archived columns (nearly two years worth) removed, and the search engine rigged such that searches for his name, the name of his former column, or the nickname for his column all return only the front page of ESPN, as though the search itself had never taken place. Many are beginning to suspect, however, that this isn't a case of political correctness, as much as corporate punishment, as ESPN is owned by Disney, which produced Kill Bill.
posted by jonson on Oct 19, 2003 - 80 comments

His name is Steve, and he's a Cubs fan. The Chicago Sun-Times has outed the identity of the fan who snatched a foul ball away from the clutches of Cubs outfielder Moises Alou, contributing to (but by no means causing) last night's travesty. The Smoking Gun and ESPN quickly followed suit. As a result, millions of angry Cubs fans now know where Steve lives and works. Freedom of the press? Or reckless endangerment? You make the call.
posted by PrinceValium on Oct 15, 2003 - 59 comments

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."
posted by The God Complex on Oct 2, 2003 - 100 comments

In the 1980's, Mark "Gator" Rogowski was on par with Tony Hawk at the top of the nascent world of professional skateboarding. Contrasting the path Hawk took in the 90's (video games, ESPN tie-ins), things did not go so well for Gator. After surviving a hideous accident in 1989, Mark turned to Jesus, and then shortly thereafter he brutally raped & murdered a female friend of his ex-girlfriend's. The documentary of his rise & amazing fall appears today in limited release.
posted by jonson on Aug 15, 2003 - 43 comments

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]
posted by cohappy on Jul 10, 2003 - 12 comments

The Sports Book of Virtues (not) By Bill Bennett. "I believe in a strong family unit and doubling down on 11."
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly on May 22, 2003 - 5 comments

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?]
posted by Slithy_Tove on Mar 15, 2003 - 10 comments

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.
posted by meanie on Feb 18, 2003 - 12 comments

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.
posted by jonson on Jan 21, 2003 - 39 comments

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]
posted by kirkaracha on Sep 7, 2002 - 21 comments

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]
posted by kirkaracha on Aug 29, 2002 - 7 comments

Is Univision's coverage of the World Cup, like, way better than ESPN's or what?
posted by brookish on Jun 25, 2002 - 16 comments

ESPN's Bill Simmons spent $9.95 on Shaquille O'Neal's Celebrity Birthday Roast pay-per-view so you won't have to.
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Apr 18, 2002 - 3 comments

Jay Mohr sells Pete Rose's chewed gum on eBay. There's no satire like self-satire, is there? ESPN talk-show host Jay Mohr had Pete Rose chew a piece on air, took it from him ("I have to touch it so I can tell the story," he said (more or less)), put it in a beaker that Rose then signed, and is now selling it on eBay to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It's currently at -- no kidding -- US $1,050.00.
posted by mattpfeff on Apr 9, 2002 - 11 comments

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.
posted by ejoey on Jan 25, 2002 - 5 comments

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.
posted by Mack Twain on Jan 22, 2002 - 24 comments

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.
posted by msacheson on Jan 7, 2002 - 43 comments

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]
posted by kirkaracha on Jan 3, 2002 - 29 comments

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?
posted by Samsonov14 on Dec 30, 2001 - 30 comments

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.)
posted by msacheson on Oct 25, 2001 - 34 comments

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.
posted by machaus on Sep 21, 2001 - 6 comments

The Doctor Is In
Yes, he may be crazy. Yes, he may be irrelevant. And yes, his numbers might be a little high, but it beats listening to the same dozen folks repeat the same stuff on the networks (Couldn't they all take 2-4 am off for bathroom breaks and showers?).
posted by yerfatma on Sep 12, 2001 - 7 comments

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?
posted by kirkaracha on Sep 6, 2001 - 5 comments

Diamonds in the rough. ESPN lists the top ten most hated NFL players of all time as selected by you, John Q. Public! Just looking through this, it's a sick reminder that we pay/paid murderers, cocaine addicts, and wife beaters more money in a year than we'll ever see in our lives. What ever happened to sportsmanship and being a role model, anyway? Or just plain not killing people, for that matter...OJ!...*cough, cough*...
posted by fusinski on Aug 30, 2001 - 7 comments

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?
posted by msacheson on May 29, 2001 - 65 comments

Parent's name their baby "Espn" after the all sports network ESPN. One of my pet peeves is when parents name their babies something "unique" or "cute." I read somewhere that the director Robert Rodruiguez named his kid Rocket. Don't these parents understand how much teasing their children are going to have to endure? Aargh.
posted by JFunk2800 on Apr 5, 2001 - 32 comments

Kathicam.com is fake! [NYTimes, free reg. req.] A new twist in advertising online? ESPN.com has created a fake website called kathicam.com, put up a blinding pink background and created a character who writes poetry, has a webcam, is sorta attractive, and hates ESPN.com. Each page of "kathi's" site has a prominent link to ESPN.com, and they've gotten a ton of click-through traffic. Inspired? Insipid?
posted by acridrabbit on Feb 28, 2001 - 38 comments

"One giant leap backward for sports womankind." Playboy runs an article about female sports-casters. (ESPN and ABC told them to "get stuffed" when asked for photos and bios. Bravo!) And there was a reader poll. The winner of the poll was supposed to get an offer of a million bucks to do a nude pictorial in the mag. (She declined. An even bigger Bravo!) More interesting is that third place in the poll went to woman who described herself as having "reached the 175-pound mark during her third pregnancy, at age 38". (I wonder if it was a protest vote, like when "Hank the angry drunken dwarf won People Magazine's online "Most beautiful people" poll. [I voted for him.]) Of course, the kicker is that Playboy is run by Christie Hefner, Hugh's daughter. He retired from the business a long time ago. So, today's quiz: Is Christie Hefner a symbol of the success of American Womanhood, or a traitor to the cause?
posted by Steven Den Beste on Jan 21, 2001 - 43 comments

Fear and Loathing in the Magic Kingdom, or something. First Dennis Miller to "Monday Night Football" and now Hunter Thompson and ESPN. When the going gets wierd...
posted by dcehr on Oct 24, 2000 - 3 comments

You can have my All-Stars when you pry them from my cold dead feet. If they discontinued Vans, I'm not sure what I would wear..
posted by schlomo on Oct 18, 2000 - 23 comments

Living the American Dream!
Texas utility man Scott Sheldon becomes only the third player in major league history to play all nine positions in one game.
posted by tamim on Sep 6, 2000 - 8 comments

ESPN redesigned.
posted by tamim on Aug 30, 2000 - 9 comments

Watch the Kingdome Fall.....must hurry I know some have posted it here before, but watching a stadium crumble starting at 11 a.m Eastern time would be something to tune into. This is the ESPN link that requires Real Player
posted by brent on Mar 26, 2000 - 5 comments