The LeBron Saga Continues...
I couldn't help but laugh as I watched an ESPN report, on location, talking about the locals in Akron blaming the LeBron situation on the media. Gee, you think? LeBron's suspension got the first 10 minutes on the 10:00 pm Friday night SportsCenter, a night which had a full slate of NBA and NHL games.
Now, that's not to say that ESPN had anything to do with LeBron taking those jersies. But they sure as heck had a HUGE role in the Hyping of LeBron.
I was interested to read Dick Vitale's take on the matter. I find Vitale to be little more than a PR face and shill for college basketball, but I think he's right on on this matter. I'm sure LeBron James probably didn't know that he had done anything wrong. Hell, there have been lots of other gifts, and special treatment from the Ohio State High School Association, such as moving game times to accommodate ESPN TV. Do you really think LeBron (or any student athlete) is carefully considering the bylaws of eligibility, especially when he has seen firsthand how people are willing to bend the rules to cash in on his talent?
And What About ESPN?
As far as most sports fans are concerned, ESPN can do no wrong. This is especially true of sports fans who can remember what sports were like before ESPN arrived in their local cable package. ESPN was the best (and arguably in some cases, the worst) thing to happen to sports. You can now see any game, or at least the highlights. Sports are visible, analysis is available, etc. We take this for granted today, but it would only take two weeks of the George Michael Sports Machine on Sunday nights for us to see how lucky we have it now.
And so, I think most of us are hestitant to be overly critical of ESPN. But the fact is, ESPN is now one of the most powerful networks in the world, with the backing of Disney. They have the ability to not only report the stories, but also shape the stories. What kind of heat do they take for their role in the LeBron saga? Their influence is perhaps so wide-ranging as to be beyond measure. Pick a sport, and you'll hear complaints about how ESPN changed the game. Ever heard these?
ESPN placed so much emphasis on dunking and highlights, nobody understands fundamental basketball anymore.
ESPN shows only the highlight defensive baseball plays, and therefore distorts our understanding of who the truly solid defenders are
ESPN college basketball analysts are shills for a bankrupt NCAA system that expoits players, and that is their motivation for trashing high-schoolers who jump to the NBA
ESPN SportsCenter anchors are spin doctors who press personal agendas regarding players, and selectively choose highlights which portray their favorites in a good light, while showing uncomplimentary "highlights" of players they dislike (The Jason Sehorn Theory)
There are others. At what point do we start to scrutinize ESPN's impact? At what point does a real alternative to ESPN exist?
Steve Nash Is Too Good
I have seen enough of Steve Nash. I don't know how he does what he does. Among so many players in the NBA, there are very few who have a distinct style of play, where even from the cheap seats you can tell who they are simply by what they do. Nash is one of those players. The things he tries to do should never work, and yet they do. Over the back, behind the head, finger roll, teardrop; he does it all and stuff I don't even know the name of. He's audacious. He must be a damn fun player to root for. He's no fun to watch your team play against.
11:53:58 AM 
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