I agree with Jason Whitlock‘s comments about ESPN. Ball State is #15 in every poll including the BCS. That's right in the middle. That's where they should be. As a BSU alumni I am proud of that team this year. I supported them during the 0-11 season in 1999. But I don't believe they should be in a BCS game. Maybe the Liberty Bowl or a bowl that can't be filled by a Big Ten, Big East, or SEC school. Heck, put Ball State up against Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl. That would be alright with me.
I would much rather watch CFB on CBS than ESPN. ESPN shows college football five nights a week. There is a game on one of the ESPN channels Tuesday through Saturday. Why? So they can make money off college football. Lee Corso's day job is selling pencils. PENCILS!!! And he holds one in his hand every time he's on the air. Look at it next time. It's not even sharpened. Free advertising! How many times in the past month has the Saturday night game of the week been a Big XII match up? Sure the Big XII South is having a good year. But who ever wins the Bama-Gator game will most likely walk away with the BCS Title. The only channel worse than ESPN is Fox.
ESPN would never let there be a CFB playoff. No matter what any annoucer on that station says. Approximately 75% of college bowl games are on the ESPN/ABC networks. How much money does that make ESPN? I know ESPN spent a lot of money to get the BCS, but how much in advertising will the network make from it in the long run. As long as ESPN calls the shots and has their own poll, there will NEVER, EVER be a real playoff in college football. Heck, even NASCAR has a playoff.
Now to another topic that ticks me off about ESPN. Within the past three days, ESPN the Magazine released its annual Academic All American team. Not on this team was Myron Rolle. If you're a CFB fan, you know all about him. He missed almost the entire first half of the Florida State-Maryland game last week because he had an interview to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. He graduated from FSU with a 3.75 in Pre-Med... AND... he did it in 2 ½ years. That's PRE-MED... Not basket weaving, bowling, or even Urban Studies. Tim Tebow made the team. Don't get me wrong, I am a Tebow fan. Even though I grew up in Knoxville and bleed orange. Tim Tebow is the MAN. But his major is Family, Youth and Community Sciences. I don't know what he will do with that. Myron Rolle wants to be a brain surgeon. Maybe he can fix the noodles inside the heads of the ESPN writers.
Taylor Walker
Melanie Fitzpatrick
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You are spot on, Mr. Man.
The Sports Simpleton
Willingboro , NJ
Total Comments (414)
Jed, this one of the best blog posts I've read on Fannation in quite some time. I'm not sure people understand that ESPN will have a monopoly over all information and when it is released regarding NCAA Div. I Football when they "take over". Websites like si.com may find themselves unable to show scores and stats during games in the timely fashion they do now.
Two things I was unaware of and learned in your post:
1. ESPN Mag not including Rolle in it's All-Academic Team (I'm a loyal SI subscriber and don't waste my time with other sports mags that much).
2. Corso's un-sharpened pencils! I'll be keeping my eye on that one tomorrow morning.
Again, great blog post.
EastCoastKeith
Total Comments (2161)
I disagree Rahim, If you're a fan of college football I would think you would be glad to have games on all through the week. I certainly am. I watched Ball St. play three times this year during the middle of the week.
And what's wrong with making money? If Corso sells penclils to help his bottom line, well good for him. ESPN, like any other business is all about making money. I never understand the folks who gripe about all the different entities that make a buck off of college football. After awhile it starts to sound like sour grapes.
If ESPN were to cease to exist I would be very disappionted, to put it mildly. My biggest gripe about ESPN is on Sports Center for example, when they're showing hi-lights they jump from golf to a basketball game, then maybe a hockey game, a little more golf, they're just all over the place like the show has ADD. Very annoying.
As far as ESPN the Magazine missing the Myron Rolle story, that is a big oversight but it's not like he isn't being recognized by the rest of the media. For someone who thinks ESPN sucks, it sure seems you pay it a lot of attention.
norka
Bubba Spot, GA
Total Comments (4114)
Good stuff. ESPN does not need that much control over CFB. I already disagree with a lot of what their "experts" say on air.
I also think that Ball St., Boise St., and Utah need to prove themselves against the big boys (a la Boise St. in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl). Unfortunately, only 1 can probably get into a BCS bowl (definitely Utah), but the other two should definitely see action against "bigger" teams in the bowls. I want these undefeated BCS-busters to go up against a real BCS team instead of other BCS busters.
How 'bout 'em
Marietta, GA
Total Comments (2070)
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