Very Disappointed in ESPN

[dogged1]

Are you going to stand for someone calling you "Plithy", he does have a lisp, doesn't he?

Lisp? nah, in my case it's more of an Elmer Fudd thing. As in "I wesemble that wemark., Now where's that dam wabbit?"

 

[willtalk]

I frequent a lot of boards and Sports sites. I even subscribe to ESPN, but they still always try to get me to take their mag over the mail even though I have repeatedly told them I don't want it. People need to understand that the print media is hanging on by a thread. This results in them using every means available to gain readership. The news media has followed the path of the National Enquirer. It is more about sensationalism than actual facts or news. Controversy draws people in.

There is a writer who writes for a SF Bay Area Paper who has a reputation for sensationalism and critical takes on the SF 49ers and their players. He seemed to veer between very insightful analysis and totally off the wall attack perspectives. This made no sense to me until he let it slip that his bosses told him to write a specific controversial article. I followed up on this slip and his none response brought things into clarity. Writers very often do not even believe what they write but are in fact directed by their bosses to write controversy to gain readership. Having followed ESPN for some time that perspective would easily explain many of the articles that find their way on their site. They are writing to create controversy

It certainly worked in this case because everyone is still discussing the article. I suspect Voepel saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Write a controversial article while also grinding a personal ax. People need to realize that the news medias prime objective is not objectivity any more but rather marketing themselves.

 

[j66kicker]

I frequent a lot of boards and Sports sites. I even subscribe to ESPN, but they still always try to get me to take their mag over the mail even though I have repeatedly told them I don't want it. People need to understand that the print media is hanging on by a thread. This results in them using every means available to gain readership. The news media has followed the path of the National Enquirer. It is more about sensationalism than actual facts or news. Controversy draws people in.

There is a writer who writes for a SF Bay Area Paper who has a reputation for sensationalism and critical takes on the SF 49ers and their players. He seemed to veer between very insightful analysis and totally off the wall attack perspectives. This made no sense to me until he let it slip that his bosses told him to write a specific controversial article. I followed up on this slip and his none response brought things into clarity. Writers very often do not even believe what they write but are in fact directed by their bosses to write controversy to gain readership. Having followed ESPN for some time that perspective would easily explain many of the articles that find their way on their site. They are writing to create controversy

It certainly worked in this case because everyone is still discussing the article. I suspect Voepel saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Write a controversial article while also grinding a personal ax. People need to realize that the news medias prime objective is not objectivity any more but rather marketing themselves.

I doubt if anyone in ESPN's management cares what Voepel writes (as long as it gets a few clicks), much less directs her to write specific controversial articles. WBB is a micro-niche - one which I appreciate them covering, but doubt their non-on-air WBB writers get much management attention. As far as I'm concerned this one is all on Mechelle.

 

[SVCBeercats]

First off, it's the off-season, so there isn't going to be as much WCBB content (there's a new lead story that Voepel wrote on the top seniors to watch for next season).

Second, I think you missed the main pt of her article, which is that the entire process showed UNC is not taking WCBB seriously, based on two main points:
1. Was Banghart, who has spent her entire coaching career in the Ivy Leagues, the best they could get?
Voepel: So the North Carolina job -- which should have been highly coveted -- went to someone who throughout 19 years as a player, assistant and head coach in the Ivy League has won once in an NCAA tournament game. Would you have said the same thing about Auriemma's hiring at UCONN? Hey, your not serious about winning. Mike Tomlin was a defensive coordinator for Minnesota for one year and defensive backs coach for Tampa Bay for 2-3 years. Yet the steelers selected him as their head coach over far more experienced coaches who in fact helped take the Steelers to a Superbowl victory the year before. Currently Tomlin has taken the Steelers to the Superbowl twice and has the second best winning percentage of all active NFL coaches sans Belichick. Banghart is an Orca who will be eaing he livers of the so-called experienced great white sharks in the next 5 years. Auriemma's progeny have not won anything in the way NCAA tournaments and he is the best coach.
2. If UNC thinks this is an awesome hire, why not actually role her out like it is, instead of doing an awkward press call?
Perhaps because UNC has faced an academic scandal and the firing of Hatchell and thus wish to low key the hiring. Also like Breanna Stewart Banghart may see no reason for a big media todo which is against everything in our hyperbolic society.

 

[stamfordhusky]

The Ivy League doesn't have athletic scholarships, although it has academic and need-based aid.

The above shows that Voepel did very little homework on the Princeton situation. Princeton does not offer academic aid - ever - nor do any of the Ivy League schools. The only aid is need-based.

 

[Husky25]

Unfortunately ESPN is a “news” agency. Hence the “N”. When a news agency gets people upset about a “piece” it’s usually a good thing for them, a win. Ratings not ethics are the priority.

"N" used to stand for "Network."

 

[Ukonnfan]

"N" used to stand for "Network."

Sorry about The N, was wrong to say that. I’m not happy with ESPN all around.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I must have read it as "plinthy" ,B'way. You know, heavy ,square , slab at the base of a column. I was proud to lend my support, so to speak.

You must have xray eyes. I've been struggling with French doors (the 2nd delivery arrived 5 months after the order. Existing opening un-square, un- level, rounded studs, I'm finally into the trimming phases--the raised BP and anxieties would cause a lessor guy to have a heart attack. (I'm lessor)
I was considering some Plinth blocks to fix some problems with the trim.