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ESPN and Political Commentary

John Henry

John Henry

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Since this is on the ESPN website I am placing it on this forum however if the Mods think it is not appropriate please delete or move to another forum.

A lot of viewers are dropping ESPN or like myself only watch if UK related. I thought it was interesting to see they are recognizing they have jumped into the political game and now have guidelines. I guess I am a strange soul but I like sports and weather reports free of politics. So what is next, the Weather Channel issuing guidelines on political commentary.

http://www.espn.com/blog/ombudsman/...-recognize-connection-between-sports-politics

I just wish we could have sports and the weather without politics but I suppose that is too much to ask in our world today.
 
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mdlUK.1

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They lost me naming bruce jenner sportswoman of the year. First, not a woman. Second, hasn't competed in ANY sport in 30 years.
 
John Henry

John Henry

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mdlUK.1 said:
They lost me naming bruce jenner sportswoman of the year. First, not a woman. Second, hasn't competed in ANY sport in 30 years.
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It made a mockery of the men and women who excelled that year.
 
Kyspringcat

Kyspringcat

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mdlUK.1 said:
They lost me naming bruce jenner sportswoman of the year. First, not a woman. Second, hasn't competed in ANY sport in 30 years.
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Not to take up for them or her (him), but I thought they gave her (him) the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
 
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Jazzycat

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Interesting that they are starting to make the connection between political correctness and dropping subscriptions. Folks are leaving cable in droves and most of the reason is because of the increasing cost of cable/satellite subscriptions as opposed to streaming online media forms - sling, Hulu, etc. which are a fraction of the cost. The other "elephant in the room" is that Millenials do not watch sports as much as the succeeding generations. They favor other forms of entertainment and this could be a huge factor for sports, in general, down the road. I suspect reductions in advertising budgets and higher costs in broadcasting rights and salaries will dictate the future of sports even more. I can see games being pay per view, much like boxing is.
 
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mdlUK.1

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KySpringCat said:
Not to take up for them or her (him), but I thought they gave her (him) the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
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You're correct but still.... Lauren Hill, a 19-year-old college basketball player stricken with cancer who later died after achieving her dream of scoring in a game would have been a much better choice.
 
John Henry

John Henry

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mdlUK.1 said:
You're correct but still.... Lauren Hill, a 19-year-old college basketball player stricken with cancer who later died after achieving her dream of scoring in a game would have been a much better choice.
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I had forgotten about that story. Thanks for posting this
 
JDHoss

JDHoss

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Far and away the main culprit in dropping subscriptions are the outrageous fees that cable companies are charging, and mostly for channels that people have no interest in watching. I shaved $100 a month off my cable/internet bill with Charter by going with internet only and going to streaming a couple of years ago. Right now I'm watching more sports (NBA/NFL/College BB/College FB/ESPN included) than ever before along with pretty much just about any damn thing else I want to watch for what I used to pay for cable back in the 90's. When I retired last August, there were a couple of other old guys like me who were doing this, but the vast majority of the newer hires were doing it. People will be doing this more and more as time goes on.
 
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OldEvilleCat

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People like sports. People like politics. People DON'T like sports w/politics.

I don't watch ESPN any more at all unless it's a game (college basketball, football, NFL, NBA, or MLB). No more SportsCenter for me or any other show. Like everything else, they seem to have forgot what made them popular. Just need more highlights w/a little humor...less "experts", less "heartwarming/inspirational" stories, less full length studio shots, less standing hosts in Nike's, and definitely less politics.

Just show me the damn highlights of the games....and then get off my %#$@&* lawn!!
 
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MrKentucky

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I came into this thread to defend ESPN and say that the political talk isn't that bad, then I realized I legitimately haven't watched an ESPN show that wasn't a game in at least a year. Some SECN, but no actual ESPN.

With that said, it's going to be a while before ESPN truly feels heat on the ratings. Bayless' new show on FOX gets less viewers than MASH reruns.
 
Kyspringcat

Kyspringcat

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mdlUK.1 said:
You're correct but still.... Lauren Hill, a 19-year-old college basketball player stricken with cancer who later died after achieving her dream of scoring in a game would have been a much better choice.
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Yes. Or any number of other good choices. Just didn't agree with the Jenner choice at all. He (she) made a tough choice, but....whatever. Let's not turn this thread into a discussion on that topic.
 
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OSOK

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At least ESPN is not turning into an old-time Harem like Fox news.
 
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UKserialkiller

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fuzz77 said:
It's true that there is never a shortage of people bitching about issues about which they are otherwise ignorant.
Don't like Jenner so make up **** about why...
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fuzz77

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mdlUK.1 said:
Didn't make up ****. It didn't deserve the award it won.
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You claimed "They lost me naming bruce jenner sportswoman of the year. First, not a woman. Second, hasn't competed in ANY sport in 30 years.".

That wasn't the award. As already stated it was the Arthur Ashe Courage Award which has been awarded to many other non-sports individuals like Nelson Mandela, William David Sanders and a whole host of other people you've probably never heard of.
I doubt you know you know anymore about the criteria for the award other than having something to do with courage. Sanders was a teacher killed at Columbine HS. Four of the passengers on flight 93 that crashed on 9/11 are past winners...so while most winners have some connection to sports, and Jenner certainly has that connection, not all do.
We can probably all agree that Jenner is a freak...I have a co-worker who has done the same thing as Jenner so I've seen it up close...but whether or not there was a more deserving individual, that could be debated every year. But you can't debate that Jenner at least fit into the category being awarded.

The award has been given to 32 people, without looking it up I doubt you could name 2 maybe 3 past winners. Had Lauren Hill been awarded, she too would have been quickly forgotten. Jenner brought attention to the award which brings attention to ESPN.
The folks that named the winner would probably tell you that you're welcomed to issue your own awards and give them to whomever you please.
 
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mdlUK.1

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fuzz77 said:
You claimed "They lost me naming bruce jenner sportswoman of the year. First, not a woman. Second, hasn't competed in ANY sport in 30 years.".

That wasn't the award. As already stated it was the Arthur Ashe Courage Award which has been awarded to many other non-sports individuals like Nelson Mandela, William David Sanders and a whole host of other people you've probably never heard of.
I doubt you know you know anymore about the criteria for the award other than having something to do with courage. Sanders was a teacher killed at Columbine HS. Four of the passengers on flight 93 that crashed on 9/11 are past winners...so while most winners have some connection to sports, and Jenner certainly has that connection, not all do.
We can probably all agree that Jenner is a freak...I have a co-worker who has done the same thing as Jenner so I've seen it up close...but whether or not there was a more deserving individual, that could be debated every year. But you can't debate that Jenner at least fit into the category being awarded.

The award has been given to 32 people, without looking it up I doubt you could name 2 maybe 3 past winners. Had Lauren Hill been awarded, she too would have been quickly forgotten. Jenner brought attention to the award which brings attention to ESPN.
The folks that named the winner would probably tell you that you're welcomed to issue your own awards and give them to whomever you please.
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I already said I had the wrong award but you're too big a butt to see that.

The rest is all true. Not a woman. No longer an athlete.

So piss off.
 
T

thabigbluenation

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OldEvilleCat said:
People like sports. People like politics. People DON'T like sports w/politics.

I don't watch ESPN any more at all unless it's a game (college basketball, football, NFL, NBA, or MLB). No more SportsCenter for me or any other show. Like everything else, they seem to have forgot what made them popular. Just need more highlights w/a little humor...less "experts", less "heartwarming/inspirational" stories, less full length studio shots, less standing hosts in Nike's, and definitely less politics.

Just show me the damn highlights of the games....and then get off my %#$@&* lawn!!
Click to expand...

no one likes politics, people just like bitching about politics. except Fuzz, he just likes being wrong about every damn thing.
 
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Ukbrassowtipin

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Jazzycat said:
Interesting that they are starting to make the connection between political correctness and dropping subscriptions. Folks are leaving cable in droves and most of the reason is because of the increasing cost of cable/satellite subscriptions as opposed to streaming online media forms - sling, Hulu, etc. which are a fraction of the cost. The other "elephant in the room" is that Millenials do not watch sports as much as the succeeding generations. They favor other forms of entertainment and this could be a huge factor for sports, in general, down the road. I suspect reductions in advertising budgets and higher costs in broadcasting rights and salaries will dictate the future of sports even more. I can see games being pay per view, much like boxing is.
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Well their biggest downfall is no one needs a highlight show anymore...like sportscenter. Anyone can get highlights in real time on demand on their phone
 
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YourPublicEnemy

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OSOK said:
At least ESPN is not turning into an old-time Harem like Fox news.
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Yet they have led all of the networks in ratings for the past 15 years. You bash it yet it's watched more than MSNBC, CNN & all of the other political networks.
 
K

kevcat

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OldEvilleCat said:
People like sports. People like politics. People DON'T like sports w/politics.

I don't watch ESPN any more at all unless it's a game (college basketball, football, NFL, NBA, or MLB). No more SportsCenter for me or any other show. Like everything else, they seem to have forgot what made them popular. Just need more highlights w/a little humor...less "experts", less "heartwarming/inspirational" stories, less full length studio shots, less standing hosts in Nike's, and definitely less politics.

Just show me the damn highlights of the games....and then get off my %#$@&* lawn!!
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Bam. You nailed it.

ESPN is a joke. They want to shove their flaming liberal/socialist/communist political views down the throats of people who just want to see sports.

I don't want political views when I'm watching a so called sports network.
 
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WayneDougan_rivals170043

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There's clearly a market for sports talk. I just don't understand why ESPN would piss off over half their viewers of this market by going full lib.
 
warrior-cat

warrior-cat

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Sawnee Cat said:
Since this is on the ESPN website I am placing it on this forum however if the Mods think it is not appropriate please delete or move to another forum.

A lot of viewers are dropping ESPN or like myself only watch if UK related. I thought it was interesting to see they are recognizing they have jumped into the political game and now have guidelines. I guess I am a strange soul but I like sports and weather reports free of politics. So what is next, the Weather Channel issuing guidelines on political commentary.

http://www.espn.com/blog/ombudsman/...-recognize-connection-between-sports-politics

I just wish we could have sports and the weather without politics but I suppose that is too much to ask in our world today.
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That is a bunch of jibberish which will keep me away from ESPN which I have for a while now.
 
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bigbluefattycat

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Arthur Ashe Courage Award

You know what takes courage? Being a father for your family. Dealing with your mental issues by cutting off your pecker and parading around as a media ***** is not courage.
 
Rebelfreedomeagle

Rebelfreedomeagle

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Maybe ESPN has focused on the rational middle ground of rational people in this era of "feelings over science" . I would rather err on the side of calling Trainwreck Jenner courageous than giving any credence to the "stone the infidels " crowd that thinks they run **** now. If you can't handle some deranged ******* wearing some makeup without some pity or feel a need to help him figure his way out, you are a ****** person, and a worthless citizen. If you wish harm instead of help on these people, God help you, because you are the lowest of all. Go ahead and bring up your rights and tell me I'm wrong about this, because I'll still think you're a piece of **** afterwards.
 
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bigbluefattycat

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Rebelfreedomeagle said:
If you can't handle some deranged ******* wearing some makeup without some pity or feel a need to help him figure his way out, you are a ****** person, and a worthless citizen. If you wish harm instead of help on these people...
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Not about handling it and no I didn't bring up rights or wish him harm. I don't care what the deranged person does but don't expect me to celebrate his award. Washed up athlete turns into a women is not courage because nobody cares. Sorry if I hurt your feelings and no I didn't bring up your problems with stone throwers either.
 
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WayneDougan_rivals170043

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bigbluefattycat said:
Arthur Ashe Courage Award

You know what takes courage? Being a father for your family. Dealing with your mental issues by cutting off your pecker and parading around as a media ***** is not courage.
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Being a father doesn't take courage. It's literally what you are programmed to do. That's why the dbags who manage to screw it up are such low-lifes.

I have several kids. It's a pleasure to hang out with them, teach them stuff and provide for their well-being. Nothing else I'd rather do. But don't chalk that up as courageous.
 
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WayneDougan_rivals170043

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Rebelfreedomeagle said:
Maybe ESPN has focused on the rational middle ground of rational people in this era of "feelings over science" . I would rather err on the side of calling Trainwreck Jenner courageous than giving any credence to the "stone the infidels " crowd that thinks they run **** now. If you can't handle some deranged ******* wearing some makeup without some pity or feel a need to help him figure his way out, you are a ****** person, and a worthless citizen. If you wish harm instead of help on these people, God help you, because you are the lowest of all. Go ahead and bring up your rights and tell me I'm wrong about this, because I'll still think you're a piece of **** afterwards.
Click to expand...

Jenner is screwed up in the head. I hope he gets it figured out, but I really don't care whether he does or doesn't given that there are more important things to worry about.
 
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