12/21/24
May 22, 2013
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
posted by yerfatma at 11:35 AM on May 22, 2013
Sergio Garcia apologizes for saying he'd serve Tiger Woods 'fried chicken'
Am I the only one who believes that Sergio is sincerely remorseful for making what he realizes was an inappropriate joke? Tiger seems to agree. It would be nice if this wasn't discussed ad nauseum until the U.S. Open and beyond, but if today is any indication, that ain't going to be the case. The Worldwide Leader must have its pound of flesh!
Wait, was that racist?
posted by tahoemoj at 02:21 PM on May 22, 2013
Finally something to make golf interesting.
Hopefully these guys are paired in the next tournament. I'm envisioning one of them at the tee ready to address the ball then tossing his club to the ground, throwing his hat, removing his driving glove and initiating an altercation.
Not that it would actually get me to watch golf, but at least there could be something noteworthy for the nightly sports highlights.
posted by cixelsyd at 02:32 PM on May 22, 2013
On ESPN's staff cuts.
I don't watch ESPN very often any more. There are many alternatives on my Direct TV package: NESN and Comcast Sports Net New England for local stuff; NFL Network for football; NBA Network for basketball; NHL Network for hockey; MLB Network for baseball. Add in coverage of the lesser-seen sports on NBC Sports (the NHL games are indeed lesser-seen in some areas of the US), CBS College Sports, and the Big Ten Network for coverage of that conference and its a cornucopia of sports broadcasts. To be clear, I have watched ESPN for a little bit of college basketball and NBA playoffs, as well as college football whenever Penn State is on, but ESPN is nowhere near the to of my favorites list. There might be a bit of hubris on ESPN's part when they fail to understand the more detailed coverage of the professional sports on the various league networks and the growing threat from NBC and CBS. If I want talking heads, I can always turn on sports talk radio, but then I can indulge in the Chinese water torture whenever I feel like I deserve punishment for my sins.
posted by Howard_T at 04:52 PM on May 22, 2013
Brain Urlacher retires. Where does he rank on the All-Time LB list?
posted by yerfatma at 04:53 PM on May 22, 2013
There are many alternatives on my Direct TV package
In a way, I think you've made Leitch's point though:
NESN - owned by the Red Sox and Bruins
CSNNE - Comcast-owned, beholden to the Celtics
NFL/ NBA/ NHL/ MLB Network - belong to their respective leagues
Big Ten Network, et al - belong to their conferences
While those networks may offer lots of detail and some (very sanitized) "behind the scenes" access, which ones do you trust to break a story that makes their sport look bad?
posted by yerfatma at 04:56 PM on May 22, 2013
Brain Urlacher retires.
Prompting the Arizona Cardinals to honor him by channelling Dennis Green.
posted by NerfballPro at 05:11 PM on May 22, 2013
which ones do you trust to break a story that makes their sport look bad?
Valid point, but I don't think ESPN would risk its TV contracts with various leagues by making them look bad either. That may be the one remaining area where print journalism and its internet presence still serves us well. Although there are tie-ins between some print media and teams (Boston Globe/NESN/Red Sox/Bruins comes to mind), If there is anything that is slightly odoriferous, it will soon enough be smelled by some reporter somewhere. That's why a wide variety of outlets is to be preferred to "The World-Wide Leader".
posted by Howard_T at 05:43 PM on May 23, 2013
Sergio Garcia apologizes for saying he'd serve Tiger Woods 'fried chicken'