Reading ESPN.com Ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber’s columns makes me wonder if ESPN is becoming the Wal-Mart of sports.  As soon as they entirely control the market (FOXSports is the Kmart of the shopping wars), will they ever have decency?  Granted, journalism doesn’t have sweatshops.  But being the sole provider of all things sports news can provide a giant of an influencer to millions of unsuspecting prey.

(I’m sorry, but I know for a fact that I’ll inadvertently provide shopping references where they don’t need to be, but I also know that I’ll be too lazy to delete them later.)

December is supposed to be about football.  The playoffs start in three weeks, and the Super Bowl takes place in seven and a day.  College Football Bowl Season, (Because you can’t just have a big day of bowls, which if they can’t make a playoff system, would provide for one extremely hectic day, one that would make for good (and bad) TV.)  Baseball’s Hot Stove has stretched to the point where I don’t care anymore, and I won’t until mid-March, because I don’t care where Teixeira goes, I could care less about Commissioner Selig’s brainchild, the World Baseball Classic, endless talking about the Yankees and their quarter-million arms, and especially anything about how next season will turn out.

This is coming from a more biased point-of-view, but when all but one ESPN columnist pretty much says that the 2009 Milwaukee Brewers will be as good as the ones from the 90s (Thank you, Buster Olney), something tells me that their opinion about things nine months from now is worth more than what’s actually happening now.  Oh, wait.  There isn’t.  Maybe they should figure something out about that.  

(This really only works for sports that ESPN actually likes to cover, by the way.)  A good idea is to take a sport’s columnists, and give them one of three distinctions: senior columnist, junior columnist, and analyst.  This would ultimately bring about the beginning of a distinction between columns and analysis.  The senior columnists, preferably 3 of them, get their twice-weekly column (They get Sunday off) with no length limit and can provide me with 313 reasons to read different points of view.  3 receive the “analyst” distinction.  They work in 8-month shifts, giving us two at any one time (One goes March-October, July-February, November-June).  This way, we don’t get too many redundant opinions on the same topic.    The rest are junior columnists, and they only are writing from the day before day one of preseason (The day of the first exhibition game, NFL fans) to the 7th day after the final postseason game (The Super Bowl, not Pro Bowl, NFL fans).  That’s the only time they’re needed.

Some of you don’t like that idea.  That’s your choice.  It’s just an idea.  I’m not saying it’s the right one.  But let’s refocus again.

I wonder how uncontrolled the 10 PM and Midnight SportsCenter really are.  Schreiber did a column a while back about how ESPN gives more time to those sports they put billions of dollars in (NFL, especially, but also MLB and College Football/Basketball) than the other sports (Soccer, Hockey, Tennis, Golf (Tiger Woods excluded), etc.).  Starting January 1st, I will attempt to tape the Midnight SportsCenter and find time to tabulate the amount of time alloted to each sport, and then figure out the coverage ESPN gives it in game-time programming.  I’ll have to adjust the figures for playoffs and such, but the NFL playoffs also faces the NHL, NBA and the MLB Hot Stove.  So, I’ll leave it alone.

I’m tinkering with ESPN’s new beta site, which I can do for free because I’m already an iNsider (Thank you, the Mag).  It’ll take a while to get used to (Like I needed to when I switched from Internet Explorer to Apple’s Safari, for the better), of course.  But it seems to work.  My biggest beef right away was that I would need to type in ombudsman into ESPN search or go through an extensive race of clicking links to get to Schreiber’s columns.  But, to my surprise, they put that under the Columnists tab as a quick link (I was surprised of the Columnists tab to begin with, mind you).  The flow seems to be better, the scores are more streamlined, and I do like the site in general.  I’ll need an adjustment period, but I think that this change will improve the site.  When I still had FOX Sports as my homepage, their overhaul made the site worse.  I didn’t want my feature headlines changing every three seconds, and I didn’t want my articles to take forever to load because they were the special graphic kind that you could only view a tiny bit at a time (like a Top 10 thing).

My final topic for the day is simply about coverage.  I don’t care how many times you can air the same opinion, or sound bite, or controversial question.  The first, and maybe second time is enough.  ESPN wonders why people hate them.  It’s this reason.  I didn’t want the Sabathia saga to be shoved down my throat.  If you need someone talking everyday about this, then you need to move on.  3 hours after CC signed with the Yankees, I didn’t care anymore.  I moved on.  How about you producers learn that?  Put a leash on your people.  Otherwise, they’ll never stop barking.

Paul Pierece grabs his left knee in pain having injured it  during the  game played  against  the Utah Jazz. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Paul Matthews ………..

That being said this team with their triumvirate of stars in the guise of  Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce now seem to have added an even greater swagger to their  role as champions. The team’s  play is one of confidence night in and night out since  this season has started. And  the fact that they now sit atop of their division with a commanding 10 game lead over their nearest  rival  the New Jersey  Nets within the Atlantic Division. It’d suggest that the team hasn’t  missed a beat since its defeat of the Los Angeles Lakers in last season’s NBA Finals. At 23-2 the  team as alluded to before is playing with a great  deal of confidence and it has to be said  has come  with the improvement in the play of sophomore point guard Rajon Rondo.  As of late the player has been on  a tear that has  impressed  not only his coach  Glenn Doc’ Rivers  but also  his more studious and experienced  teammates as well.

Rondo of the Celtics and Williams of the Jazz contest a loose ball .........

Rajon Rondo of  the Celtics  and  Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz contest a loose  ball during the  game  played  on Monday night.  picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Paul Matthews ……………….. 

Rondo commands the floor  with a great deal of presence and no longer would it appear that the leadership role on the floor has  to go through Garnett or Pierce with everyone else  having to defer to them both in terms of the team’s offense. Rondo now has the confidence in his own ability and  that of  his  teammates around  him that he makes the right decisions  when it  comes to the distribution of  the ball and  the aspects of  the  team’s offensive strategies. Rivers,himself  has expressed his pleasure  in the player’s seemingly progress and maturity  shown not  just  on the basketball court  but  also off it as well. So much so that the feeling  is that the player can become the lynch pin of the team’s success  for years to come and that the franchise  can also profit  from it all. Say nothing of which in repeating as champions they  would become to  the toast of the New England area.

(more…)

Paul Pierece grabs his left knee in pain having injured it  during the  game played  against  the Utah Jazz. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Paul Matthews ………..

That being said this team with their triumvirate of stars in the guise of  Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce now seem to have added an even greater swagger to their  role as champions. The team’s  play is one of confidence night in and night out since  this season has started. And  the fact that they now sit atop of their division with a commanding 10 game lead over their nearest  rival  the New Jersey  Nets within the Atlantic Division. It’d suggest that the team hasn’t  missed a beat since its defeat of the Los Angeles Lakers in last season’s NBA Finals. At 23-2 the  team as alluded to before is playing with a great  deal of confidence and it has to be said  has come  with the improvement in the play of sophomore point guard Rajon Rondo.  As of late the player has been on  a tear that has  impressed  not only his coach  Glenn Doc’ Rivers  but also  his more studious and experienced  teammates as well.

Rondo of the Celtics and Williams of the Jazz contest a loose ball .........

Rajon Rondo of  the Celtics  and  Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz contest a loose  ball during the  game  played  on Monday night.  picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Paul Matthews ……………….. 

Rondo commands the floor  with a great deal of presence and no longer would it appear that the leadership role on the floor has  to go through Garnett or Pierce with everyone else  having to defer to them both in terms of the team’s offense. Rondo now has the confidence in his own ability and  that of  his  teammates around  him that he makes the right decisions  when it  comes to the distribution of  the ball and  the aspects of  the  team’s offensive strategies. Rivers,himself  has expressed his pleasure  in the player’s seemingly progress and maturity  shown not  just  on the basketball court  but  also off it as well. So much so that the feeling  is that the player can become the lynch pin of the team’s success  for years to come and that the franchise  can also profit  from it all. Say nothing of which in repeating as champions they  would become to  the toast of the New England area.

(more…)

The other night I met a guy from Canada who is playing basketball here (in Italy). He signed a two month contract with one of the local teams. Basically, he is in the C-league where foreigners get tryouts to see if more prestigious Italian clubs want to sign them.

Basketball is big in Europe and only getting bigger. His room mates are Serbian and Argentinian and I met an Italian guy on his team. They all dream of some day playing ball for big money and are using this as a stepping stone. With that in mind, and recalling that Stephon Marbury is talking about playing ball here in a few years, I got to thinking about a very distinct possibility. What if Kobe Bryant, who lived in Italy for many years, jumped ship next summer and played ball in Italia?

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My one political message this year: don’t vote, it only encourages them. But I will give free political advice. I’m a blogger, and we never let a lack of knowledge stand in the way of an opinion.

McCain and Obama. Obama and McCain.

Two men from very different backgrounds united in a common mission to bore America to death with bad TV ads. As Americans, we deserve better. Here are the ads these guys should be running, if they really understood what was important to us.

OBAMA: Bill Dickey. Lou Gehrig. Tony Lazzeri. Red Rolfe. Frankie Crosetti. Joe DiMaggio. George Selkirk. Jake Powell. Red Ruffing. This was the starting lineup for the New York Yankees the year John McCain was born. They are all dead now and will continue to be dead under John McCain’s health care plan. Elect Barack Obama, before all the great baseball stars are gone.

McCAIN: You’ve seen the video. Those skinny legs. That white jump shot. Only one move… To the left. Way to the left. America can’t get to 21 with Barack Obama. Vote for John McCain. Return a power game to the White House.

OBAMA: Within the shadow of the White House. A half hour’s drive from the John McCain’s Washington town home, one of seven he owns around the country. A national pastime in ruins. The Washington Nationals thirty-two and a half games out while John McCain’s corporate fat cat friends arrange loans for George Steinbrenner to build a new stadium. The Baltimore Orioles, a national disgrace. John McCain’s answer? He hasn’t said a word. Barack Obama - because you deserve better than Austin Kearns.

McCAIN: You worked hard to pay for those tickets. But Barack Obama’s plan to redistribute wealth would mean you won’t be seeing the Cowboys. Obama believes you should have to become a Detroit Lions fan. Joe the Plumber knows that’s wrong and so do you. Today it’s your football tickets, tomorrow you’ll have to watch soccer whether you want to or not. Vote for John McCain, while you still have a choice.

OBAMA: John McCain misunderestimates you. Oh, wait, that’s the other guy. The guy who was a part owner of the Texas Rangers. The guy who traded Sammy Sosa. John McCain says he’s not George Bush. But he’s never named one single trade the Bush Rangers made he disapproved of. Let’s bring change you can believe in, before George Bush and John McCain trade this nation for George Bell and foreign oil.

McCAIN: When you go into the voting booth you have to answer the questions. The ones Barack Obama doesn’t want you thinking about. Like why his native state of Hawaii has no professional sports teams. Not one. Or why the Chicago Cubs haven’t been to a single World Series since he and admitted 60’s terrorist William Ayres came to Chicago. Barack Obama-He’s no Michael Jordan.

OBAMA: Growing up my mother told me I could be anything I wanted. Well, maybe I didn’t become an NHL enforcer. But I stand here today before you ready to pull the sweater over America’s eyes and take a ten minute major for attacking the problems my opponent has chosen to ignore. We can’t cross check our problems away, we can’t slash the deficit in one game, but I want to end the misconduct in Washington, impede the forces of evil, and once again take the high stick into the Oval Office. I slammed Hilary into the boards, and come November the 4th with your help I’m going to leave John McCain laying on the ice like a squid in Detroit. I’m Barack Obama and I have no idea what I’m saying.

McCAIN: One week from today you have a decision to make. It’s down to this. I can give you four years of Sarah Palin. I’ll put her in a Cowboy cheerleader outfit. I’ll make her wear a cheesehead and sit in the stands at a Packer game in ten degree weather. She’s killed and gutted a moose, you know. Sarah is ready. She’ll tailgate with you. When the bratwurst is rounding third and headed for home, Sarah will be there in sausage costume giving it all she’s got. Think about it. Who would you rather see in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, Sarah Palin or Joe Biden? If that doesn’t make you stop and see the peril this country is in, I don’t know what will. Vote John McCain on November 4th. Tell the media, tell Barack Obama, tell your lite beer drinking friends, you want a president who’ll sing the national anthem on opening day, not The International. I’m John McCain and I don’t remember how I got here.

No, I’m not talking about the final presidential debate.  Though you can feel free to tee off on that topic if you have something to say.  I’m talking about yet another idiotic, ill-timed, and irrelevant quote from Shaquille O’Neal.

For whatever reason, The Big Aristotle chose the pre-season as the proper time to call out San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.  Referring to the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy (which has been a staple in the NBA ever since O’Neal brought his rim-clanging shooting form to the league), Shaq had this to say:

“When you’re down, I can see using that as a strategy.  But when you’re up 10, 15 points, there’s really no need for that.  That’s a coward move.  And he knows that.  I’ll make ‘em pay for that.”

And by “make ‘em pay”, does he mean that he will continue to launch bricks from the line at his career 52% average?  Or does it just mean that he’ll be very, very mean to poopy pants Popovich and won’t be his friend anymore?

This continues to be a pet peeve of mine.  Even some of the worst shooting big-men in the game have managed to fix their free throw problems.  For goodness sake, Bill Laimbeer had one of the ugliest, flattest, shots in the history of basketball and hit 83% from the line.  Or how about MJ’s former teammate, big ole’ Bill Cartwright with his funky circle the wagon delivery?  He connected 77% of the time.

Shaq has ignored shooting-coaches, and after 16 seasons in the league…his free throw shooting form and percentage is worse than when he began his career.  And more importantly, he doesn’t seem to care about his inexcusable deficiency.

So, Shaq…here’s a tall frosty glass of the finest shut the hell up this bar has to offer.  Drink it up, this round’s on me…