ESPN coverage pros and cons thread [R]

[Doug Dobey]

The bad:
Where to start? How about at the beginning...
Coverage starts late for a volleyball game. Full cutaways of Jay Heaps dribbling a basketball, Ron Artest dribbling a basketball towards prison. Long cutaways of Alan Hopkins talking from the sidelines, Alan Hopkins talking to Pat Noonan. Split screen of more Ron Artest. Replays during the run of play. Overlong shots of the stands during the run of play. Big-ass graphics on the screen during the run of play. And on and on... I kept waiting for them to bring back the Sierra Mist split screen commercials. I was screaming at the TV, "show the game!"
No announcement of who Jaimie replaces at the half. Announcers having no idea who Kpene is (I mean, even I knew who he was, it's their job to know who's on each team's playing roster). No idea who gets the yellow card in the NE box, with no follow up. Pointless on-field graphics with a digi-pen that still doesn't work. This NASCAR-izing of the sport has got to stop.

The good:
Waldo. His opinions are priceless. It's so refreshing to hear someone with an actual opinion these days. Whether you agree with him or not, at least he's saying something pithy (or pissy as the case may be). He even took Smyth to task for his "bulge in the ol' onion bag" chestnut.
Alan Hopkins. I liked his insight, but please God, just a quick full-screen establishing shot, then shrink him down to a corner inset box.

[gnat]

How about the lack of a (at least HD, I haven't checked the other SD channels) replay so those of us that got screwed by the late start (Volleyball? Are you kidding me? Really??? :mad: )?

I'm glad the ESPN has stepped up to put more into the production, but they have long way to go still.

-dave

[D.C. Beast]

Yeah espn did ok just okay they talked good but I no they missed some points hear and there but when this happened...


***SPOILER****
HIGHLIGHT TO READ.



Jaime falls down. There like "Hey that's shoulder to shoulder, that shouldn't be a penalty."

The guy with the accent goes "Well, hopefully he misses it."

Im like wat the hell.. you guys arnt supposed to root for a team, your supposed to just talk about the game and besides it was a penalty shot because he was going for the ball and the man shoved him. but ah well watever.

[nobletea]

I'm only posting in this once.

I think you guys are being unrealistically critical at this point. There are plenty of things they can remove to produce a broadcast of a game that is more true to the game than they do, but they are also trying to some techniques to get the casual channel flipper interested. Yeah, it irks me, but that's what we have to deal with. On the other hand, they might also be turning off some eurosnobs in the process.

Some of the points are very valid such as full screens of allan hopkins, for example.

Some not so much, like when they screw up a live/replay moment, because I see that messed up on every channel of every league I've ever seen. Because the game is basically seamless, this is going to happen.

And they did know who Kepene was, moreso than some of the people on this forum actually.

Anyway, I still think they did a good job overall. At the very least, it is the best coverage of our league we have ever seen.

ESPN hates BigSoccer!

[dcchelseafc]

espn hates csn

[JeremyEritrea]

For those complaining about volleyball delaying the broadcast, imagine it the other way around. DC United versus New England was on at 5:00 and the game was delayed 15 minutes because of a rain storm. A volleyball match was scheduled to start at 7:00 pm.

ESPN2 cuts away from the United v Revs game in the 75th minute to start the volleyball game broadcast.

Sorry folks, but they show the entire game until it's over. Even if that means delaying the start of the game you want to see.

Try googling the "Heidi game" for the reason why.

[Joel Kennedy]

I thought ESPN's handling of the game was first rate. I was very impressed.

First off the delay is standard operating procedure for ESPN. It's applied uniformly and wasn't an issue of bias.

During the game they seemed to always have a good camera angle for replays...if the initial camera angle sucked they found a good one and showed it. That's basic stuff but not something I saw from MLS productions.

While perhaps trivial, I loved the half-time show with ESPN calling highlights in international soccer games as though they were Bball games ... bang goes the dynamite! Wynalda's spot is good too.

I thought it was quite clear ESPN knows how to do it.

[JeremyEritrea]

I thought it was quite clear ESPN knows how to do it.

Wait a second, are you trying to postulate that the reason they're the biggest sports broadcaster in the world has something to do with competence?

No way!!!!!

;)

[CLEATS]

This ESPN bashing has got to stop.Let's face it.The league would not be where it is today without them.Here's a novel ideal.Why not complain about the game itself for a change.:eek: :confused:

[dcchelseafc]

espn hates jeremyeritrea

[JeremyEritrea]

espn hates jeremyeritrea

Dude, everyone hates me. I'm pretty sure that the fact that I post like a douchebag indicates that I actually am a douchebag.

With respect.

[SavannahFan]

Id rather listen to telemarketers than Eric W.

But other than that , I enjoyed the coverage.

[Colonial717]

Yeah espn did ok just okay they talked good but I no they missed some points hear and there but when this happened...


***SPOILER****
HIGHLIGHT TO READ.



Jaime falls down. There like "Hey that's shoulder to shoulder, that shouldn't be a penalty."

The guy with the accent goes "Well, hopefully he misses it."

Im like wat the hell.. you guys arnt supposed to root for a team, your supposed to just talk about the game and besides it was a penalty shot because he was going for the ball and the man shoved him. but ah well watever.

It is a karma thing. If you aren't rooting for either team and there is a bad penalty call you want to see it nullified by karma so the game isn't influenced by the ref. That's how I took the comment.

[JeremyEritrea]

It is a karma thing. If you aren't rooting for either team and there is a bad penalty call you want to see it nullified by karma so the game isn't influenced by the ref. That's how I took the comment.

So much for the "SPOILER ALERT."

:D

I thought Jaime dove and that the PK was not a good call when I was at the stadium. Then I saw the replay on tv when I got home and changed my mind.

[LN - Dougg]

I love ya Jeremy, forget these haters...

Is that guy Lastort I can't f'n stand.

[dcchelseafc]

I love ya Jeremy, forget these haters...

Is that guy Lastort I can't f'n stand.

yeah lastort can got fookhimself in the arse
:)

[TOTC]

Tommy Smyth is growing on me, even though Waldo tries to put the kibosh on the "bulge in the old onion bag" catchphrase.

There was minimal discussion about the utter upheaval at Real Salt Lake, and waaaay too much discussion about Shalrie Joseph's red card.

Still, I like Waldo's discourse on Joseph and the league shopping him around to Celtic FC and other clubs: "MLS is putting too much effort in taking money away from him. They should let him go and make some."

Also, what a captain can do: "If you're wearing that armband, you're allowed to talk to the referee a little differently and you're supposed to stick up for your teammates."

You know, could Wynalda make a heck of a coach someday at a place called, oh, I don't know ... DC?

[chayes]

While it's great that they try to get the mikes near the BB/SEs for the noise, they might want to reconsider keeping the mike live when the "Taylor Twellman is the world's largest p****" chant starts up.

That one was loud and clear.

Luckily, it's MLS, so only 10 or 12 people were watching at home.

[dcchelseafc]

how did the ******** you ref chants sound?
hehe

[skippy]

You know, could Wynalda make a heck of a coach someday at a place called, oh, I don't know ... DC?

You take that back!