Mark Cuban MURDERS Skip Bayless

[rhythmatic]

Good post. Though, ESPN puts these talking heads out there knowing they will get a reaction. If you take down the cloak, Skip Bayless truly does not believe half the things he says. And his easiest conduit towards the audience is speaking in generalities about the lighting rod of the month(s)--and in this case it's about LeBron. ESPN is sports entertainment through and through. Take it for what it is. If they didn't broadcast games or shown a highlight or two i'd never watch, and that's the truth.

True. Really, it wouldn't bother me if ESPN was just its own separate bubble of idiocy, but unfortunately the narratives they create tend to infect the general public, who starts believing the things these guys say. I guess it still shouldn't bother me because it's just sports and WTF should I care about what someone else thinks about LeBron or Tebow or whoever.. but its still annoying.

[kevin21boston]

I don't have cable anymore (it's 2012; you don't need it) so therefore I don't have ESPN. It's been great. I can stream any of the games I want and I never had to sit through the Linsanity, Tebowmania, Lebron stuff. I just watch the games and if I want to talk about it I either go here or reddit. Just disconnect yourself from that channel. It's a parasite.

[SuPeRfLyKiD]

True. Really, it wouldn't bother me if ESPN was just its own separate bubble of idiocy, but unfortunately the narratives they create tend to infect the general public, who starts believing the things these guys say. I guess it still shouldn't bother me because it's just sports and WTF should I care about what someone else thinks about LeBron or Tebow or whoever.. but its still annoying.

Skip is essentially a puppet for ESPN. They've become nothing more than a glorified sports TMZ. They trot these guys out there who have outrageous, contrarian opinions that make no sense, but they feed off of the attention that they get when people want to argue with someone like Bayless. It's all publicity to them and they're walking to the bank with it. Which is why I refuse to give First Take my time or viewership.

Cuban tore them apart, yet he did it on their show so they're more than happy with the attention that they're all getting.

[DaFranchise]

Cuban tore them apart, yet he did it on their show so they're more than happy with the attention that they're all getting.

Exactly. And the fact that we are talking about this show on a forum proves that ESPN knows what they're doing. Their job is to get people talking about this show and it's working.

[Swift456]

Skip is essentially a puppet for ESPN. They've become nothing more than a glorified sports TMZ. They trot these guys out there who have outrageous, contrarian opinions that make no sense, but they feed off of the attention that they get when people want to argue with someone like Bayless. It's all publicity to them and they're walking to the bank with it. Which is why I refuse to give First Take my time or viewership.

Cuban tore them apart, yet he did it on their show so they're more than happy with the attention that they're all getting.

Skip is no puppet....he believes everything he says.....he just believes he has a understanding on everything and goes off on some terrible analysis at times. Sometimes hes spot on, and others he completely off.

But I love watching him and Steven A go at it, if it wasnt real you would be able to tell, but they both believe very much in what they are saying.

What's the prob with Espn? They brings great coverage, yes some of the analysts suck, that's to be expected. Some are great and they provide solid insight.

[levdgg]

Skip is no puppet....he believes everything he says.....he just believes he has a understanding on everything and goes off on some terrible analysis at times. Sometimes hes spot on, and others he completely off.

But I love watching him and Steven A go at it, if it wasnt real you would be able to tell, but they both believe very much in what they are saying.

What's the prob with Espn? They brings great coverage, yes some of the analysts suck, that's to be expected. Some are great and they provide solid insight.

A litany of conflicting interests (placing sports to which they own the broadcasting rights at the top of the news cycle, while largely ignoring those they don't). They will largely ignore hockey, yet shamelessly cover regular season women's hoops at the top of a Sportscenter broadcast.

Wielding their influence and manufacturing storylines to prop up star A while cutting down star B.

Sickening levels of cross-format promotion.

Injecting themselves into stories.

Downplaying noteworthy stories that affect their own interests (See not reporting Roethlisberger's first rape accusation).

Overhyping and oversaturation of everything, particularly their own sports. But rather than inside the helmet Jaworski-type stuff, the network is littered with pre-game and post-game coverage that speaks in generalities.

Hired a sht ton of know-nothing female broadcasters for the sake of it.

Charging for online content that is either unreliable or can be found for free elsewhere on the internet (INSIDER).

Sportscenter is about 40 percent fluff, and the desk personalities pale in comparison to the 90's crew.

Spawned the now unwatchable, "Arguing, talking heads format."
---------------------------

ESPN largely appeals to idiots and mindless sports nuts. Not all of it is terrible. But too much of it is.

[ahr19]

A litany of conflicting interests (placing sports to which they own the broadcasting rights at the top of the news cycle, while largely ignoring those they don't). They will largely ignore hockey, yet shamelessly cover regular season women's hoops at the top of a Sportscenter broadcast.

Wielding their influence and manufacturing storylines to prop up star A while cutting down star B.

Sickening levels of cross-format promotion.

Injecting themselves into stories.

Downplaying noteworthy stories that affect their own interests (See not reporting Roethlisberger's first rape accusation).

Overhyping and oversaturation of everything, particularly their own sports. But rather than inside the helmet Jaworski-type stuff, the network is littered with pre-game and post-game coverage that speaks in generalities.

Hired a sht ton of know-nothing female broadcasters for the sake of it.

Charging for online content that is either unreliable or can be found for free elsewhere on the internet (INSIDER).

Sportscenter is about 40 percent fluff, and the desk personalities pale in comparison to the 90's crew.

Spawned the now unwatchable, "Arguing, talking heads format."
---------------------------

ESPN largely appeals to idiots and mindless sports nuts. Not all of it is terrible. But too much of it is.

Well said. I particularly like this point -->

Downplaying noteworthy stories that affect their own interests (See not reporting Roethlisberger's first rape accusation).

Also, they are helping to cause the fundamentals to deteriorate of kids/adults playing sports who watch ESPN. It is now about making the Top 10 with the flashy dunk, big hit, fancy pass instead of doing the fundamentals and playing the right way.

[Swift456]

A litany of conflicting interests (placing sports to which they own the broadcasting rights at the top of the news cycle, while largely ignoring those they don't). They will largely ignore hockey, yet shamelessly cover regular season women's hoops at the top of a Sportscenter broadcast.

Wielding their influence and manufacturing storylines to prop up star A while cutting down star B.

Sickening levels of cross-format promotion.

Injecting themselves into stories.

Downplaying noteworthy stories that affect their own interests (See not reporting Roethlisberger's first rape accusation).


Overhyping and oversaturation of everything, particularly their own sports. But rather than inside the helmet Jaworski-type stuff, the network is littered with pre-game and post-game coverage that speaks in generalities.

Hired a sht ton of know-nothing female broadcasters for the sake of it.

Charging for online content that is either unreliable or can be found for free elsewhere on the internet (INSIDER).

Sportscenter is about 40 percent fluff, and the desk personalities pale in comparison to the 90's crew.

Spawned the now unwatchable, "Arguing, talking heads format."
---------------------------

ESPN largely appeals to idiots and mindless sports nuts. Not all of it is terrible. But too much of it is.

I could nitpick allday If I wanted to, but I'm not that picky...the Sports sells itself.

[levdgg]

I could nitpick allday If I wanted to, but I'm not that picky...the Sports sells itself.

Yes. Real nitpicking. Your astute analysis makes you the perfect ESPN viewer.

[Swift456]

Yes. Real nitpicking. Your astute analysis makes you the perfect ESPN viewer.

Typical reply....