Deadspin: How ESPN Ditched Journalism: A Tim Tebow Story

[Predicto]

Frankly, I don't care if ESPN has an agenda or is biased or anything. It's entertainment, and we don't have to watch it.

It's very different when a "news" source does the same thing - at least to me.

[Fight4RGIII]

Well, if Tebow can lead the Jets to a playoff spot, they should name a testament after him, The Tebow Testament.

[deejaydana]

The problem or at least one with ESPN is the fact that theyre the 800 lb gorilla of sports broadcasting. It would be great if there were other avenues to consume sports but with them locking up deals with various leagues they own just the lion's share. Chris Berman needs to go to the glue factory at this point, he's been stale for as long as Letterman. On the topic of Tebow it's simply ESPN banking on his appeal regardless of his talent. Gottleib is someone I like because he went to my high school (Tustin,Ca). At ESPN you're either a former professional athlete or you're Jewish.

[HailToTheRedskins14]

The difference is that CNN is actually journalism and not biased, while ESPN shows heavy bias towards various teams. ESPN is more like MSNBC.

It doesn't matter, but CNN is most definitely biased. Just like Fox News and every other mainstream media outlet, except maybe Reuters.

---------- Post added November-13th-2012 at 04:32 PM ----------

ESPN doesn't have a contract with the NHL...cause of Versus. That's why they only show highlights...though I haven't even seen any of those recently....

I agree with your other point. And I hate how they talk about the same stories, but try to pretend they're different by rephrasing what they previously said or adding different captions. It's insulting. And boring.

Here's another thing that will drive you crazy. Stephen A. Smith compares Newton and Vince Young and then we get a week of announcers talking about whether it is fair to compare the two. These guys manufacture controversy to an amazing level, then they spend weeks discussing the very controversy they made up.

---------- Post added November-13th-2012 at 04:33 PM ----------

ESPN doesn't have a contract with the NHL...cause of Versus. That's why they only show highlights...though I haven't even seen any of those recently....

I agree with your other point. And I hate how they talk about the same stories, but try to pretend they're different by rephrasing what they previously said or adding different captions. It's insulting. And boring.

Here's another thing that will drive you crazy. Stephen A. Smith compares Newton and Vince Young and then we get a week of announcers talking about whether it is fair to compare the two. These guys manufacture controversy to an amazing level, then they spend weeks discussing the very controversy they made up.

[Hubbs]

ESPN is much like Fox News journalism-wise (and only in that matter). They won't hold it against you if you have the skills, but it has nothing to do with the mission statement and you can't let it get in the way.

ESPN is much like CNN they play the same show every 3 hours to the minute. You miss nothing if you catch a glimpse each day.

The difference is that CNN is actually journalism and not biased, while ESPN shows heavy bias towards various teams. ESPN is more like MSNBC.

Well, at least we've managed to cover the full political spectrum here.

[MattFancy]

http://deadspin.com/5960314/now-even...ebow-obsession

Bob Wischusen and Dan Dakich were calling Butler-Xavier game on ESPN this afternoon as part of the network's tip-off marathon coverage and—naturally—Tim Tebow came up. Wischusen is the Jets' play-by-play guy for ESPN Radio, and as such he is in a position to truly understand Tebow's irrelevance right now. And so, when Dakich asks him why the Jets aren't starting Tebow, Wischusen goes off, awesomely.

Didn't we get word from Bristol that we had actually allowed like 11 minutes of ESPN airtime to go by without mentioning Tebow? I think that's the standard company rule. Every 15 minutes of every program, regardless of what sport is being aired, Tim Tebow must be mentioned. So good job of you following the company line.

[artmonkforHOF]

go ahead and add Si to the list of journalists that ditched journalism. Today on their homepage, there is no less than 5 links to 1 tim tebow story, a story how "unnammed" jets players complain that Tebow is not very good. The mega Marlins Jays trade has 4 articles written about it, but you can only access them from the homepage by clicking on their big scrolling feature story at the top, but you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a link to the Tebow "story".

I never wish ill on a player, but I kinda hope Tebow gets a career ending injury just to stop this madness, nothing too serious, maybe a bad case of vertigo or something.

[MattFancy]

go ahead and add Si to the list of journalists that ditched journalism. Today on their homepage, there is no less than 5 links to 1 tim tebow story, a story how "unnammed" jets players complain that Tebow is not very good. The mega Marlins Jays trade has 4 articles written about it, but you can only access them from the homepage by clicking on their big scrolling feature story at the top, but you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a link to the Tebow "story".

I never wish ill on a player, but I kinda hope Tebow gets a career ending injury just to stop this madness, nothing too serious, maybe a bad case of vertigo or something.

I only see 2 on SI.com, maybe I'm missing something?

But I feel bad for Tebow. He's not asking for any of this, but the media are so in love with him that people are starting to hate him.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

go ahead and add Si to the list of journalists that ditched journalism. Today on their homepage, there is no less than 5 links to 1 tim tebow story, a story how "unnammed" jets players complain that Tebow is not very good. The mega Marlins Jays trade has 4 articles written about it, but you can only access them from the homepage by clicking on their big scrolling feature story at the top, but you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a link to the Tebow "story".

I never wish ill on a player, but I kinda hope Tebow gets a career ending injury just to stop this madness, nothing too serious, maybe a bad case of vertigo or something.

the magazine barely mentions Tebow

The magazine is still very good, tbf

---------- Post added November-14th-2012 at 03:30 PM ----------

He's not asking for any of this, but the media are so in love with him that people are starting to hate him.

Tebow isnt a stupid kid, he knows what is going on and embraces it. He has always embraced it.


ESPN is a joke if an organization tho. I try to only watch it for its live sports broadcast because the rest of the time it resembles Fox News.

[Mr. Sinister]

Frankly, I don't care if ESPN has an agenda or is biased or anything. It's entertainment, and we don't have to watch it.

It's very different when a "news" source does the same thing - at least to me.

That's pretty much where I'm at. None of this is groundbreaking. They are "The Mothership." They want to be first in everything. Like a lot of other major news outlets, they want to tell you want to think, how to think, how to react, etc. They cater to dumb, emotional people. The angry (but ever so loyal) everyday listeners/ viewers are the fire, and ESPN is the gasoline. It used to make me angry when I was younger, but now I really don't care all that much anymore, mostly because of how blatant and laughably ridiculous they are now. It's gotten a lot worse these last 3-4 years.

[MLSKINS]

Tebow isnt a stupid kid, he knows what is going on and embraces it. He has always embraced it.

Not saying you're wrong, because I don't know, but how has he embraced it? And if you say something about him running in the rain I am going to freak out

[Major Harris]

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/1853...jpg/xlarge.jpg

Great read thanks



http://deadspin.com/5929361/how-espn...im-tebow-story

---------- Post added November-14th-2012 at 04:29 PM ----------

Frankly, I don't care if ESPN has an agenda or is biased or anything. It's entertainment, and we don't have to watch it.

It's very different when a "news" source does the same thing - at least to me.

We don't have to watch the news either. Join me as I bury my head in the sand. Less noise down there.

[greenspandan]

it's just sports, people. it's not like "serious journalism" is even something that applies to the entire shebang. anyone that takes sports journalism as seriously as real journalism needs a dose of perspective.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Not saying you're wrong, because I don't know, but how has he embraced it? And if you say something about him running in the rain I am going to freak out

he has been a cover boy for magazines, done countless interviews, and commercials despite not being a good NFL player.

He has appeared on the ESPN soundbox on a show like First Take as well. He loves the attention because it can make him money. The boy isnt naive.

Last year in Denver when they had a billboard for him to start in training camp, he never tried to defuse the situation even though he was given many chances to do so. He kept saying stuff like, "its what the fans want," etc.

---------- Post added November-14th-2012 at 04:33 PM ----------

it's just sports, people. it's not like "serious journalism" is even something that applies to the entire shebang. anyone that takes sports journalism as seriously as real journalism needs a dose of perspective.

I dont understand this. Journalism is journalism, ESPN used to be a network that was prideful of its journalism. Outside the Lines was/still is one of the best investigative journalist programs on all television. The E60 serious is brilliant too. 30 for 30 a well.

But for the most part, they threw journalism aside and instead have "embraced debate."

Journalism is practically dead in this country because no one takes it "serious."

[thebluefood]

That's pretty much where I'm at. None of this is groundbreaking. They are "The Mothership." They want to be first in everything. Like a lot of other major news outlets, they want to tell you want to think, how to think, how to react, etc. They cater to dumb, emotional people. The angry (but ever so loyal) everyday listeners/ viewers are the fire, and ESPN is the gasoline. It used to make me angry when I was younger, but now I really don't care all that much anymore, mostly because of how blatant and laughably ridiculous they are now. It's gotten a lot worse these last 3-4 years.

This. Plus, let's be honest here: sports aren't that important. Yes, we all love it and it impacts our lives; but at the end of the day, the outcome of the Redskins game isn't going to influence the Eurozone crisis or the War on Terror or the Fiscal Cliff. They're diversions. We need diversions, of course, but they aren't the real thing.

So, yeah, I give ESPN some leeway because I'm not looking to them for vital information. They don't have the same responsibilities as straight-news outlets like CNN, which is why I tend to be much harder on them when they don't live up to their status.

Remember, the "E" in ESPN is "Entertainment"