More proof ESPN doesn't even watch hockey

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I don't think Jim Rome would have done this. It's one reason why I like Rome. He's a blowhard at times, but at least he's entertaining. Rome also has hockey guests on his show from time to time. That can't be said for any other ESPN talking head.

Yep, and recently he had Mr. Chris Osgood on!

There is plenty I want to respond to in this thread, so I apologize a head of time if this post is long-winded. If you read the entire thing, I commend you.

Syndey Crosby won an ESPY. Good for him, it's probably deserved as he is one of the best hockey players in the game right now. Now, if you question him getting the award strictly on him being injured for a chunk of the regular season, I can certainly understand that. As for the ESPY being a "joke", who cares? It is an individual recognition award, just not "official" like the Conn Smythe or Norris or Selke, etc. It might not be the official award for best NHL player, but it still doesn't take away from the fact that Crosby won it, he's one of the best players in the league, and that he is thought so highly of by plenty of people, whether it is talent or just popularity. He deserves it.

Also, there was a smart-allec comment with fans voting in the ESPYS, if they voted in Crosby they must not watch hockey either. While I highly doubt this is fully accurate, if such a smart-allec comment is still somewhat in the ballpark, what does this tell you? There will probably be a few bogus votes in the poll (or any poll regarding anything for that matter), the NHL needs to promote more stars outside of Crosby and Ovechkin, you'll have a few die hard hockey fans that voted on ESPN who really did think Crosby was the best player, and you might have some more casual viewers of hockey trying to get more familiar with the sport and its players that voted, but Crosby is probably the first person/thing they identify when thinking of hockey.

If you don't like him getting an ESPY because he is hyped up all the time, I'm sorry but that's a silly complaint to me. He is still one of the best players in the league, and for better or worse, is the current main face of the NHL in terms of marketing/advertising. That isn't Sydney Crosby's fault. If you want to lay blame for that put in on the NHL for not expanding a lot of it's marketing focus of players outside of Crosby and Ovechkin once again.

If you are bitter because one of the better Red Wings weren't selected, or the Red Wings didn't win the best team award, move past it. Not everybody has to drool and be in awe all the time of the Red Wings or Zetterberg, Datsyuk, or Lidstrom like some people do in here. This isn't the Red Wings ESPYS. Personally I would've picked the NY Giants because they were the lowest seed in the NFC playoffs, had to win all their playoff games on the road with what one probably considers not that strong of an offense, then had to beat a team that was undefeated all season, and they overcame all odds against them to win. However, I understand picking Boston because they had a terrible year the year before and the NBA Championship is more fresh in people's minds over the Super Bowl.

One thing I will always be amused by and I will never understand in here is the overreactions towards ESPN because ZOMG THEY DON'T GIVE HOCKEY THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES AND THEY NEED TO COVER IT MORE! Despite this, they do watch and cover hockey even though the degree of coverage may disappoint people. I'm sorry, but I am never going to boycott ESPN like people do in here or think they are the Devil because ZOIKES THEY HATE HOCKEY! That's just silly. I rarely watch SportsCenter or ESPN talk shows in-depth unless they show highlights of my favorite teams, not because I don't like it, I honestly don't have any feelings towards ESPN one way or the other. But I still watch it for other things such as plenty of college football games, an infrequent NBA regular season basketball game, or the NBA playoffs.

And to the Jim Rome bit...people whether they are on ESPN, Fox Sports, or other talk shows listened to by mass people in this country, will make fun of the sport. The making fun of the sport will not go away any time soon, nor will the game itself, so they will always have material. Why waste so much time getting so ticked off at people who make fun of the sport? Who cares about them, let them have their opinions whether they is justified/fair or not and just enjoy that YOU like the sport and like watching the sport. There is so much focus on negatives in here in regards to hockey and "respect" and "attention" and "media". Way too much time is spent on worrying what others think of the game. Not everybody is going to like the sport or appreciate it. You like it, I like it, why can't that be good enough?

Edited July 17, 2008 by SouthernWingsFan

[Doggy 130]

Crosby had a good playoff season. But still...

[Wingsfan1988 0]

Given how much they seem to pay attention to hockey, I'm surprised they didn't pick Gretzky as this year's best player.

Stoopid ESPN....

hmmm... Name on Stanley Cup or name on an ESPY?

Even dumas Crosby knows the right answer to this one.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

Yep, and recently he had Mr. Chris Osgood on!

Have to give him credit for that. Rome is definitely a closet Wings fan.

As far as NHL teams go - the Wings have the best long shot at winning a best team competition vs East coast NFL, NBA, and MLB teams. Still, the general public probably doesn't know anyone's name on the roster, whereas they'll recognize a Manning, Garnett, Ramirez, etc. It doesn't bother me - the fact the Wings are on the list is impressive enough.

Ditto the who cares if Crosby wins an ESPY - the Wings won all the brass and the

[octopusonice 0]

In the end the Wings won the only award that really mattered, but I have to agree with those who argue that the Wings were #1 start to finish and should have won the ESPY. Since the name of the award is Best Team then the Wings should have won it because they meet the definition of best team better than anyone else does.

A more appropriate name for the ESPY Best Team award would be "People's Choice Award" or something along those lines.

But whatever. ESPN is a goldbricking vacuum.

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

Fans vote for the ESPY awards not ESPN.

[Doggy 130]

ESPN knows nothing about hockey.

[egroen 384]

Why waste so much time getting so ticked off at people who make fun of the sport?

I'm not ticked off, just genuinely interested. A lot of sports guys blow hockey off, compare it to soccer and ridicule it.

I am sure there are a number of reasons contributing to this:

Harder sport to follow. Definitely helps if you have played the game; the puck is hard to see.

Europeans - it is still difficult for many americans and canadiens to get behind european stars.

Low scoring, though this is not as much of a problem any more.

Lack of exposure. Lockout was rough and no ESPN really does hurt.

Despite all this, I still find it hard to believe someone can watch even *one* hockey game, if they are a sports fan, and not come away impressed with the speed, skill and intensity of the sport. For goodness sakes, there is even fighting!

[auxlepli 17]

In American football, arguably the states' most popular sport, it's hard to see the ball when: it's under the center, as he hands it off to the QB, as he hands it off to the RB or if the QB has it tucked in his gut as he drops back to pass. When he passes it I can see it, but when the receiver catches it, I can't see it. There's only about three times I can see the ball: when it's passed, when it's kicked and when it's fumbled.

People who complain that can't see the puck are ignorant of the game of hockey.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

People who complain that can't see the puck are ignorant of the game of hockey.

I can go with that, and this may be an apples to oranges comparison, but I can also say probably with some accuracy that a lot of people here (or on other hockey forums or people who just like hockey) are ignorant in thinking that masses of fans or sports media should just automatically like or understand or respect or just not make fun of hockey.

You can pretty much replace soccer with hockey as well in that last sentence for Americans here who consider soccer their favorite sport and people make fun of soccer and call it boring when they might not respect or understand the skill of dribbling/keeping possession of the ball against many defenders, putting spin on a shot, etc. And on the flip side the people that make fun of soccer without fully understanding and respecting it as well are just as ignorant of the game.

Also to stir the pot a little more, for those taking smart-allec jabs at ESPN because ZOIKES THEY HATE OR DON'T UNDERSTAND HOCKEY, but broadcast other sports or 'entertainment' events let me ask you this. CBC and TSN (I am assuming) broadcasts curling. I don't understand that sport much but am not going to make fun of it, but I can guarantee you people on here might make fun of it and the average Joe citizen down here probably will wandering how you play the sport or why it is even a sport at all. Does CBC and TSN get free passes for broadcasting a sport that people might hate or not understand (and perhaps even stuff erred on the side of 'sports entertainment') just because they broadcast hockey with regularity?

[lets go pavel 2]

I can go with that, and this may be an apples to oranges comparison, but I can also say probably with some accuracy that a lot of people here (or on other hockey forums or people who just like hockey) are ignorant in thinking that masses of fans or sports media should just automatically like or understand or respect or just not make fun of hockey.

You can pretty much replace soccer with hockey as well in that last sentence for Americans here who consider soccer their favorite sport and people make fun of soccer and call it boring when they might not respect or understand the skill of dribbling/keeping possession of the ball against many defenders, putting spin on a shot, etc. And on the flip side the people that make fun of soccer without fully understanding and respecting it as well are just as ignorant of the game.

Also to stir the pot a little more, for those taking smart-allec jabs at ESPN because ZOIKES THEY HATE OR DON'T UNDERSTAND HOCKEY, but broadcast other sports or 'entertainment' events let me ask you this. CBC and TSN (I am assuming) broadcasts curling. I don't understand that sport much but am not going to make fun of it, but I can guarantee you people on here might make fun of it and the average Joe citizen down here probably will wandering how you play the sport or why it is even a sport at all. Does CBC and TSN get free passes for broadcasting a sport that people might hate or not understand (and perhaps even stuff erred on the side of 'sports entertainment') just because they broadcast hockey with regularity?

Yes. One of the primary complaints on here about ESPN is that they broadcast all these other "sports" but give hockey almost no coverage. CBC and TSN aren't guilty if this. Why do you have such a problem with people complaining about ESPN? I don't hear anyone saying that they should love hockey, or that ESPN should recognize it as the greatest game ever, but if you watch their hockey coverage you would think there is only one team (Pittsburgh) and the season spans 2 weeks at the end of May/beginning of June. This irks people.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Yes. One of the primary complaints on here about ESPN is that they broadcast all these other "sports" but give hockey almost no coverage. CBC and TSN aren't guilty if this. Why do you have such a problem with people complaining about ESPN? I don't hear anyone saying that they should love hockey, or that ESPN should recognize it as the greatest game ever, but if you watch their hockey coverage you would think there is only one team (Pittsburgh) and the season spans 2 weeks at the end of May/beginning of June. This irks people.

I'm trying to get people to understand and consider things outside of "hockey only world". There are other things going on in sports outside of hockey.

I get involved with people who slam ESPN b/c they act obnxious about it and think they aren't a real network or whatever else just because they don't broadcast the sport enough. Should they, being the "Total Sports Network"? Perhaps so, but they broadcast other sports, and they are trying to appeal to the masses of the American population. That mass of population probably doesn't have hockey from an overall perspective of 30 teams as the #1 sport on it's radar.

Just like TSN or CBC probably not regularly broadcasting American football games or NBA games outside of the Toronto Raptors or Major League Soccer outside of the Toronto Club, because Canadians probably don't care as much about the NBA, American Football, or soccer. Does that make those networks "incomplete" then?

Just because ESPN makes fun of the sport, doesn't cover it enough, or perhaps doesn't cover it right all the time doesn't make them the devil of the United States. The making fun of the sport isn't going to go away anytime soon, not just from ESPN, but from other sources as well. Why get so annoyed by it then when (1) you know that you like the sport and (2) the NHL isn't going away anytime soon? Let them have their fun in the sun making fun of the sport, whether it is justified or not, and just enjoy watching the sport that you love watching. You or I aren't going to change those media opinions anytime soon so why bother?

[lets go pavel 2]

Also, there was a smart-allec comment with fans voting in the ESPYS, if they voted in Crosby they must not watch hockey either. While I highly doubt this is fully accurate, if such a smart-allec comment is still somewhat in the ballpark, what does this tell you? There will probably be a few bogus votes in the poll (or any poll regarding anything for that matter), the NHL needs to promote more stars outside of Crosby and Ovechkin, you'll have a few die hard hockey fans that voted on ESPN who really did think Crosby was the best player, and you might have some more casual viewers of hockey trying to get more familiar with the sport and its players that voted, but Crosby is probably the first person/thing they identify when thinking of hockey.

But this is exactly the point, and what the thread was pointing out to begin with! If you ask any devoted hockey fans, most (not all) will agree that Crosby was not the best player in the league last year ... hell, for much of the regular season he wasn't even the best player on his team. This is why it is so appropriate that he win ... you have a network that barely acknowledges hockey, and when they do it usually revolves around him (not his fault), so it is fitting that their viewers voted for him.

[lets go pavel 2]

I'm trying to get people to understand and consider things outside of "hockey only world". There are other things going on in sports outside of hockey.

I get involved with people who slam ESPN b/c they act obnxious about it and think they aren't a real network or whatever else just because they don't broadcast the sport enough. Should they, being the "Total Sports Network"? Perhaps so, but they broadcast other sports, and they are trying to appeal to the masses of the American population. That mass of population probably doesn't have hockey from an overall perspective of 30 teams as the #1 sport on it's radar.

Just like TSN or CBC probably not regularly broadcasting American football games or NBA games outside of the Toronto Raptors or Major League Soccer outside of the Toronto Club, because Canadians probably don't care as much about the NBA, American Football, or soccer. Does that make those networks "incomplete" then?

Just because ESPN makes fun of the sport, doesn't cover it enough, or perhaps doesn't cover it right all the time doesn't make them the devil of the United States. The making fun of the sport isn't going to go away anytime soon, not just from ESPN, but from other sources as well. Why get so annoyed by it then when (1) you know that you like the sport and (2) the NHL isn't going away anytime soon? Let them have their fun in the sun making fun of the sport, whether it is justified or not, and just enjoy watching the sport that you love watching. You or I aren't going to change those media opinions anytime soon so why bother?

I agree for the most part, and I realize it's all about the $, and for ESPN the $ isn't in hockey anymore. Had they never given hockey any attention it wouldn't bother me so much, but it just irks me that they basically dropped all hockey coverage once they stopped carrying games, and now make fun of hockey for not getting media attention even though they are the ones not giving it the attention. Apart from that I don't think anyone is really bent out of shape about it, it's just one of those things you snicker at in passing.

[hamip1998 3]

ESPN knows nothing about hockey.

Actually, some of their staff does. I do enjoy reading Buccigross. He is a very entertaining writer and a hockey nut at that. Just because the sport doesn't get respect from a bunch of the other talking heads, who cares?

People, yes even media people, like to jump on bandwagons and take the safe and popular things to say in a lot of situations. Having the honest and unpopular opinion about something, especially in the workplace, isn't always the easiest thing to do.

Put yourself in a highly visible corporate position where you are one of the faces of the company and you are successful and financially secure. Now, openly disagree with your boss in front of customers, investors, etc. A lot of people don't want to do that, especially in a highly competitive business. Not saying that is true in every case with all of the ESPN anchors, but how many of these reporters and anchors truly give a crap about hockey one way or another? They probably don't really have an opinion and don't really hate hockey, but the safe thing to say is "hockey sucks...who cares?...blah, blah, blah".

Why do you think everyone loves Crosby? He is a great player, sure. But non-hockey fans can pronounce his name and he is who the league is pimping at the moment. Does it get under my skin sometimes that there are players who I feel are just as or nearly as good who don't get the recognition that they deserve? Yes. But, let's remember, casual fans need a name. Heck, I don't watch NASCAR - I really dislike the "sport", in fact. However, I do like Jeff Gordon. Why? Because it pisses off most of those people who really love NASCAR and I have something to say when people talk about racing. It's sort of the same thing with some people and Crosby. People just want to have something to say and be heard even though they don't really know anything about the sport.

Edited July 19, 2008 by hamip1998