The Problem With Being Mechelle Voepel Employed by ESPN (merged thread)

[RockyMTblue2]

Is one day you get to write all indignant about a mistake and then write all polite the next about the great USA Olympic team. Stewart among 12 named to U.S. hoops roster BTW does Mechelle get out and about and mix with coaches and players?

 

[Goodgood]

Give her a break. She moved on...so should we.

 

[ThisJustIn]

The Problem With Being Mechelle Voepel Employed by ESPN is that fans aren't willing to pay for the content that she writes about a sport they claim to care about. So, she has to negotiate with her parent company about what events they will pay for her to attend and what events she travels to on her own dime.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Give her a break. She moved on...so should we.

She moved on from what? I'm looking for information, not taking cheap shots? What is she, a freelance by the word or pixel...I don't know. What bugs me about the blogosphere is what little land mine of sensitivity are you going to land on when you ask a question about the apparent contradictions in the content of a paid editorialist who happens to be a women, black, white short guy, gum chewing 6" 11" jerk who once went to a party with LeBron, transvestite Republican politician, presidential candidate who coughs whenever asked a tough question....what should we move on from?

 

[HuskyNan]

She moved on from what? I'm looking for information, not taking cheap shots? What is she, a freelance by the word or pixel...I don't know. What bugs me about the blogosphere is what little land mine of sensitivity are you going to land on when you ask a question about the apparent contradictions in the content of a paid editorialist who happens to be a women, black, white short guy, gum chewing 6" 11" jerk who once went to a party with LeBron, transvestite Republican politician, presidential candidate who coughs whenever asked a tough question....what should we move on from?

Why are you so angry?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Why are you so angry?

I'm not angry. I want to know what I'm missing about Mechelle's apparent hypocrisy other than she is being paid for it. I do believe in the power of words to get attention. Michelle climbed aboard a story that her employer wanted to run with and the next day it is all sunshine and roses about the other side of the story. I'm an observer who knows how to incite reactions with words. If it sounded angry, well good. It produced a reaction. No explanation or answer to the question. Is the answer that Mechelle writes whatever the Sr. Editior tells her to write? That's fine. But the reaction I would like to have would be from Mechelle, not a board admin.

 

[Vowelguy]

Is it not possible to think Parker should be on the team and simultaneously think that the players selected are great?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Is it not possible to think Parker should be on the team and simultaneously think that the players selected are great?

Of course it is and thank you for getting rid of that ambiguity in my challenge to Mechelle. I just want to know how you right MISTAKE, BIG MISTAKE one day, they extoll the wisdom of picking the 12 they did. That's it. Pure and simple. Thank you vowelguy for stepping in to sharpen my focus.

 

[bbsamjj]

I think you are making far too much of this. The story Voepel wrote today was the straight forward who made the team and get players/coaches reactions to it. There are a couple graphs on how Parker did not make the team.

What Voepel did yesterday was her own personal commentary. ESPN does not employ a ton of WBB writers, and she is called upon to write both types of articles.

 

[UcMiami]

I know there are two competitions, but the USA team is a progression from Olympics to WCs to Olympics. I would like someone to write:
There are 3 players who have been left off the Olympic team that were on the last USA NT that competed in the WCs in 2014: Sims, Dupree, and Ogwumike - Sims is currently recovering from injury, but the other two were healthy - they have been replaced in the team by Fowles (injured in 2014), EDD (injured/ill in 2014) and Catchings (injured in 2014.) In addition to the three players dropped from the 2014 team there are three 2012 Olympians who have not made it back into the team - Jones and Cash (both no longer in the team pool) and Parker (in the pool but not selected.) EDD is the only debutant with the USA national team.

Has a different ring to it, doesn't it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Did I not say the problem was being Mechelle writing for ESPN in the title? The problem was defined in the title to the thread. So, no big deal to me. Just a big deal to those thinking me a sexist bigot, despite 15 years on various iterations of this board demonstrating to the contrary. Irony or something else? And for whom?

 

[johnnyc]

Why are you so angry?

Rock doesn't seem to be the angry one lol.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'm not angry. I want to know what I'm missing about Mechelle's apparent hypocrisy other than she is being paid for it. I do believe in the power of words to get attention. Michelle climbed aboard a story that her employer wanted to run with and the next day it is all sunshine and roses about the other side of the story. I'm an observer who knows how to incite reactions with words. If it sounded angry, well good. It produced a reaction. No explanation or answer to the question. Is the answer that Mechelle writes whatever the Sr. Editior tells her to write? That's fine. But the reaction I would like to have would be from Mechelle, not a board admin.

you need to see if ESPN has any openings

 

[Goodgood]

She moved on from what?

From crying about why Parker didn't make the team. There is nothing wrong with the USA team. It is a great team with or without Parker, or anyone else for that matter.

 

[bags27]

When I used to follow the NFL, a lot of people noticed similar things about ESPN's coverage of professional football. For a variety of reasons, what used to be a virtual monopoly on sports, ESPN is now gradually becoming an unsustainable model. It's let go a lot of people as its profits shrink. And, after all, sports is entertainment. So, trying to appeal to people's interest, regardless of facts or lack of consistency, is a pretty inevitable strategy.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

When I used to follow the NFL, a lot of people noticed similar things about ESPN's coverage of professional football. For a variety of reasons, what used to be a virtual monopoly on sports, ESPN is now gradually becoming an unsustainable model. It's let go a lot of people as its profits shrink. And, after all, sports is entertainment. So, trying to appeal to people's interest, regardless of facts or lack of consistency, is a pretty inevitable strategy.

Maybe this article, which in part suggests Stewart rather than Parker is very much to do with marketing, while concluding both players are well qualified Olympians, fits with what you are saying. WNBA/ESPN seizing the day with Stewie.

Candace Parker's Olympic snub ushers in new era of women's hoops

 

[meyers7]

Maybe this article, which in part suggests Stewart rather than Parker is very much to do with marketing, while concluding both players are well qualified Olympians, fits with what you are saying. WNBA/ESPN seizing the day with Stewie.

Candace Parker's Olympic snub ushers in new era of women's hoops

Quite possibly. That, along with the Adidas/Nike thing. $$$$$$

 

[JoePgh]

If the marketing-driven philosophy for choosing the team was "Out with the old; in with the new" as the Sporting News article suggested, then I am at a loss to understand why Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Sylvia Fowles are on the roster while neither Parker nor Nneka Ogwumike is. I hadn't heard that Odyssey Sims is injured, and I know that Danielle Robinson is, but then why wasn't Skylar selected? At this point, Sue should be an assistant coach on the Olympic team, not a player.

I also see no contradiction or hypocrisy in Mechelle saying that Parker should have been selected but that the roster chosen is excellent. They are both true statements, and I would write the same thing (without hypocrisy) if ESPN gave me a pen.

UCMiami, if EDD is the only debutante, then what is Stewie? A bridesmaid?

 

[UcMiami]

If the marketing-driven philosophy for choosing the team was "Out with the old; in with the new" as the Sporting News article suggested, then I am at a loss to understand why Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Sylvia Fowles are on the roster while neither Parker nor Nneka Ogwumike is. I hadn't heard that Odyssey Sims is injured, and I know that Danielle Robinson is, but then why wasn't Skylar selected? At this point, Sue should be an assistant coach on the Olympic team, not a player.

I also see no contradiction or hypocrisy in Mechelle saying that Parker should have been selected but that the roster chosen is excellent. They are both true statements, and I would write the same thing (without hypocrisy) if ESPN gave me a pen.

UCMiami, if EDD is the only debutante, then what is Stewie? A bridesmaid?

I agree that the 'marketing' and the 'follow the money - nike/adidas' stores are false - this is the committee selecting what they thing is the best team, not the best players, with a nod to loyalty regarding Catchings.

As far as Sue - until some guard steps up and supplants her, she is going to be the USA PG till the moment she retires. Sims and Diggins are both injured and have little to no international experience (foreign league), Robinson is injured and might have competed and has foreign experience, and Vandersloot is knocking on the door but as Dawn (for a non-Uconn opinion) says the door hasn't opened yet.

Agree that Mechelle can hold both opinions at once, but I would like her to answer this question - Catchings or Parker, which do you choose? Because that is the choice, and as a teammate and leader my answer is Catchings, though as the better player my answer would be Parker.

As for Stewart - she is a returning member of the last NT competition. EDD has been selected for her first NT. In fact this will be only her second USA team at any level (She won Gold at the WUG in 2011 - she has been injured or withdrew from other teams she was in consideration for.)

 

[Orangutan]

Maybe this article, which in part suggests Stewart rather than Parker is very much to do with marketing, while concluding both players are well qualified Olympians, fits with what you are saying. WNBA/ESPN seizing the day with Stewie.

Candace Parker's Olympic snub ushers in new era of women's hoops

Parker not going for marketing reasons doesn't track with me at all. She is very popular (from my observations, I'd love to see any jersey sales data or similar that exist). She is photogenic. As a former MVP, she is one of the faces of the WNBA.

Heck, if this were solely about marketing, Diggins would 100% be going. Her q-rating is way higher than someone like Whalen with the general populace.

 

[CL82]

I read the comments at the end of the original Voepel article and there seems to a theme that team chemistry was the reason she was left off the team, with numerous example cited. It was interesting.

 

[huskiemaniac]

From crying about why Parker didn't make the team. There is nothing wrong with the USA team. It is a great team with or without Parker, or anyone else for that matter.

Crying sounds a little condescending to me...and the team would be great without a player like maya but it wouldn't be right or fair to her..and fans and maya and her family and friends would have a legitimate gripe...

 

[Goodgood]

Crying sounds a little condescending to me...and the team would be great without a player like maya but it wouldn't be right or fair to her..and fans and maya and her family and friends would have a legitimate gripe...

We will never know the reason. They are selecting a TEAM, not the best players at each position. Unless someone gets injured during the WNBA season, Parker will not be on the team and that is that. I think she should be, but I am not on the committee and I don't know their criteria for selection. She will probably be on the next one when different people will select and there will be a new coach. In the meantime, I am cheering for team USA.

 

[Huskylove3]

I think the initial discussion comes down to the problem with social media in general. Often times people use social media without thought and in the heat of the moment. That's why Michelle's initial reaction was so aggressive and negative. When she thought about the words she was writing and cooled down a bit, she wrote a very neutral positive article.

I would assume working in the media is a hard balance between personal thoughts and professional thoughts when using social media as an outlet. Maybe Michelle needs to learn that balance better or maybe that's why fans like her. Personally, I believe thinking before typing is a benefit to everyone.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

From crying about why Parker didn't make the team. There is nothing wrong with the USA team. It is a great team with or without Parker, or anyone else for that matter.

Oopps...how to spell ooops? Anyway, Michelle has not moved on, but she has written a better, more comprehensive article. She wants to smoke out a specific rationale of the Committee and it needs addressing with more than has been done so far.

Still trying to make sense of a Rio roster without Parker