What's new, right? I caught the evening Sportscenter on ESPN at the end of the night wrapping up the sports of the day, towards the end of the show it looked like they were going to review some highlights of the MLS match, they showed the clip of Freddy Adu getting fouled by Hejduk and the scuffle that followed between both of them all while the ESPN commentator says something sarcastically like "uh oh! Don't mess with Freddy, you can't mess with Freddy! No fighting in soccer guys." And then, that was it! They didn't even show the goal of the match or nothing else, they left it at that. What a complete JOKE. Of course, afterwards, they had plenty of time to show 50 pitches of the baseball game they covered next. Seriously, considering that MLS is partnered with ESPN and that this match was shown on ESPN2, you would think that the ESPN sports highlight show would at least highlight the matches with some decency. And thats IF they even decide to mention it.
A few friends and I were discussing how American commentators either botch their coverage or trash soccer games. We all agreed that we prefer to have European commentators do play by play in English. European commentators take the game much more seriously and realize that it is much more than a sport to many people. I think as long as American commentators continue to cover MLS games, it's not going to be favorable to soccer fans, at least not in the short term. They simply don't respect the sport much at all, or don't understand it. I will say that there is one excellent American commentator I have heard, who could pronounce the names of both the Barcelona and Real Madrid players perfectly and knew their respective situations in La Liga. He was amazing. Unfortunately, I don't know what channel he is with. If any of you downloaded the Real Madrid rout of Barcelona torrent from last weekend at Maxxed football forums, I would check out that guy's coverage. He definitely has some skills, and I wish we could get someone like that to do MLS in English.
I think ESPNEWS covers soccer better than Sportscenter does. Earlier today talked about the Crew/D.C. game for 5 minutes or so. Last week they talked to Brian Ching for a little bit. I think Brian Kenny and maybe David Amber are the only ones who have talked about it and haven't made any smart remarks about the game. If you have ESPNEWS watch that, don't watch Sportscenter.
askespntv@espn.twdc.com Or use this form: http://sports.espn.go.com/sitetools/s/contact/espntv.html I honestly haven't watched sportscenter in like three years.
And that's not just true about soccer. You get all the sports hilights in half the time of SportsCenter. But yes, they are much friendlier towards MLS.
And we should all be surprised by this? And thank God we have this same network with their broadcasting rights to the 2006 World Cup! How awesome or AWEFULL! These ********in' idiots need their collective asses whooped by me! I'm sick of their crap-- and knowing ESPN, they'll send these over-weight degenerates to Germany next year to cover the biggest sporting event in the WORLD and they'll still talk about the biggest American export to the sporting world and mock the sacred sport of Soccer! You bunch of idiots--I'm ashamed to be a natural born American sometimes--please ESPN ****************s--SHUT-UP ALREADY and give the World Cup rights to FOX!
Go to the Sportscenter forum on the message board here, and complain about it: http://www.espnviewerzone.com If you talk about it here, you're preaching to the choir. ESPN doesn't come here looking for feedback on their programs. They check feedback on those forums. In fact, if a large number of us had presence there, situation could possibly change a little bit. Collective voices are harder to drown.
Reading the posts on this thread makes me appreciate that there is an actual soccer following in this country that recognizes the shight reputation that is given to the beautiful game. I am with the guy talking aboutwriting to espn and hopefully they will take a notice to their flaws. Respect
We all get pissed about it. I don't watch sportscenter because it makes me mad. Instead, I watch FSC or just get my news over the internet. The coverage isn't going to change overnight. But, at least these incidents are fewer and fewer as the years go by. There's hardly any articles anymore saying "soccer is boring, it sucks, etc" anymore. Now, at least they've moved on to saying "MLS sucks" or "soccer will never be popular."
I'm not exactly seeing how they trashed it? They weren't going to cover the result anyway. Adu doing something eventful like getting in a shoving match is SportsCenter fodder. Maybe their sarcasm got offensive but I'm not seeing the direct quote that proves it yet?
Just the fact that they show that and not the goal is offensive. Yes, I know the reality of MLS and soccer in this country. But it's still stupid.
I posted something very similar to this on the ESPN boards but anyways.... If you have FSC or GolTV (or both, like me ), then why in God's name do we give 2 flying craps about anything ESPN outside of ESPN2's CL and MLS coverage? About a decade ago or so when ESPN was the ONLY big sports cable network around, we had to pain ourselves through hours, upon hours, upon hours, upon hours of boring, ridiculous, redundant baseball coverage to even HOPE that we'd get any mention of MLS. Hell, even if we got Sportscenter to run some MLS scores we'd be happy. Well we now have 2....yes, 2 CHANNELS DEVOTED TO OUR SPORT So why do we still give a damn about sportscenter highlights? I NEVER watch ESPN except for when they show soccer matches on ESPN2. Otherwise, my eyes are always glued on FSC and GolTV. If I want highlights and coverage of MLS matches, I can go straight to MLS wrap on FSC and American Soccer on GolTV. ESPN is now the ugly-ass diseased girl that you thought was hot a while ago, until two freakin hot ass babes in FSC and GolTV showed up and not only were lookin good but offered to give you some *service* on top of that. Two hot girls vs. Ugly-ass diseased girl Is the choice really that difficult?
I don't find that in itself offensive. They weren't going to show the goal anyways. I'd just be glad MLS made SportsCenter just based on that.
There is no broadcaster I trust less than Fox. They'd probably put a red comet after the football so people could follow it.
Somebody needs a hug. God, this place cracks me up. Or makes me sick. Still having trouble telling the difference.
That goal was one of the uglier ones you'll see in MLS (or any other league). ESPN may have done us a favor by not showing it.
I agree with Monster here. MLS fans come off like a kid that would do anything just to be liked. Sure it would be cool if ESPN covered MLS. But they don't, so what. Looking for your MLS news somewhere else beats the whiney victim routine you hear here so often.
Rio17, I beleive the guy you're talking about is named Phil Schoen. I'm pretty sure I got the last name right, not sure about the first. You're right, he is pretty good. New England's Derik Rae is also a good one.
I'll keep all this in mind considering the first time I saw highlights of the US/Mex qualifier was on Sportscenter, full highlight, broken down. Plenty of replays.
SportsCenter is for guys who are really hoping to find Bass-Fishing Seriously, soccer coverage in the US won't really change until we get some sports casters (and producers) who actually played the game up through high school - That and MONEY - Its always the MONEY - Or fights and riots - Or spectacular car crashes
Amen. First it was "they don't cover it." Which wasn't entirely true, but that's another story. Then when there is something, it isn't to someone's liking. Me - I just watched the game and enjoyed it (well as much a syou can enjoy your team losing) instead of getting my undies in a wad over what someone else said about the game.
Crusio and Monster agreeing? Better get to Holy Trinity Church tomorrow and get my affairs in order with The Big Guy...
Why does my helpful San Antonio City Guide thread get closed while this crap is allowed to remain open? Who's in charge of quality control around here?