NBA Finals 2014: Why TNT has lapped ESPN in coverage

Photo from Wikimedia

Now that the conference finals are over, TNT has closed up shop and now ESPN/ABC will have insufferable coverage for the next month. It's already missed.

By now, it's obvious how much better the TNT studio is compared to ESPN. The firm hosting by Ernie Johnson along with great analysis by Kenny "The Jet" Smith, uncensored insight from Charles Barkley, and entertainment relief from Shaq has perfect chemistry in NBA coverage. Sure, it doesn't mesh that well when Turner Sports picks up NCAA Basketball coverage, but it's at its height during the playoffs.

They roll with coverage nightly until ESPN/ABC picks it up over the weekend, and the sheer contrast can easily be seen in studio coverage, announcing crews, and just overall feel. TNT knows how to keep things fresh, fun, and enjoyable.

ESPN is an absolute mess of a studio show that can't keep continuity because they can't find a crew that works. At least there's a host this year, and Sage Steele is probably the best part of the entire crew. Pairing up Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose as best buds is close to nauseating. Simmons has degressed in his second year on the set and should put more focus on Grantland where he shines.

It's actually better in terms of content without Michael Wilbon or Magic Johnson, but the chemistry is way off. It doesn't feel like anything is fun when watching ESPN's studio or game coverage. It's all serious business, LeBron James, hard takes, LeBron James, LeBron James, "BANG!", LeBron James, Halftime music video, promoting the newest cell phone, LeBron James, "MAMA THERE GOES THAT MAN," LeBron James, LeBron James.

ESPN coverage is so bad they have to bring in Jimmy Kimmel for the first half hour on ABC just to keep it entertaining, because the studio can't do an hour-long show before the biggest games of the season.

TNT does spit out advertising just as much, but it doesn't feel forced or manufactured as ESPN. The worst part of their coverage is probably Kevin Hart getting too much airtime. The best part of ESPN is Jeff Van Gundy, but he's basically Shaq in the booth -- entertainment relief.

From end to end, TNT coverage not only beats, but laps ESPN coverage in every way. Those that follow hockey know that they can find premier coverage of their sport without even glancing at the four-letter network. The NBA product may also improve if even more coverage was found on NBATV and TNT, perhaps if Turner Sports ever got the whole NBA package themselves.

No, it'll never happen, because the money ESPN reels in can't be passed up. But maybe TNT can just take over the ESPN studio for the Finals.

It could be worse though. I wouldn't put it past the four-letter suits to smack in a little First Take with Jimmy Kimmel, and we may be a year from that if they can't find a studio show that works. That, and LeBron going to the Lakers, would really make stop watching the NBA for good and becoming a full-time NHL fan.

Is the NFL Draft still necessary on TV?

Who's watching the NFL Draft on TV tonight? For those raising their hands, it's a tradition that's a complete waste of time in our current generation.

In our ever-changing world of technology, people spend more time on their phones than looking at their TVs. Take a quick gander at a group of people just chilling out around a TV. Generally, one or more of those people are fiddling around with their phone, or are in a relaxed position on their couch with their laptops in hand.

This has certainly become true when people get together to watch NFL games. With the abundance of fantasy football leagues, some juggling two, three, even more, they spend more time looking to see if their Emotionally Stunted Donkey Kongs are still up against the Crotchety Master Basters by 14 points and who the opponent has left to play.

So in a world that sees more people than ever on their phones, and especially on Twitter, why in the world is the NFL even bothering with setting up all the bells and whistles of the NFL Draft?

Twitter has essentially made television programming around the NFL Draft pointless. Despite ESPN and NFL Network not announcing the picks before Roger Goodell on the social media giant, everyone else is. If you're heading out to a bar or a buddies' place and still want to be surprised when the name first comes out of the commish's mouth, good luck. You know there's going to be that guy who sees your Jacksonville Jaguars hat and will belt out, "Ha, your dumbass got that Johnny Manziel!" and then makes the "show me the money" sign with his hands.

Personally, I haven't bothered with TV coverage in years. Sometimes I'll throw it on a side TV if there's nothing else, especially if the NBA games turn into blowouts again tonight. But since the NFL's move to primetime, I haven't seen an event in its entirety. I was working a job during my time in college when the move was made. I worked until 10 o'clock -- 11 on the East coast -- and all the juicy stories were generally over by then. There was nothing left to watch.

During that time, with social media evolving, I quickly learned there was nothing to watch. Nothing of value was ever added to watching five or so dudes around a desk rehashing everything we've read on the internet for the past three months. Nothing they say with their immediate reaction is necessary and all of that stuff we can read on the internet almost instantaneously.

Same goes to the players that showed up, walk their walk to the commish on center stage, shake/hug, and hold up a jersey. For the players? That's an incredible moment. They finally have that physical acknowledgement that they've made it to the NFL. That moment means absolutely nothing to me and you. Especially now that players can pick walk-up songs.

Actually, I take it all back. Who wouldn't want to see Manziel with his smug face coming up to the stage with "Turn Down for What" blaring through the speakers? Especially if it IS the Jaguars? People would go nuts and I'd love every second of it. That will all never happen, so nevermind.

Sure, you'll feel those emotions if a player starts balling his eyes out, but that will quickly be pushed aside the next day. Plus, I'm sure Vine videos would sprout all over the place to capture that emotion. There's no need to TV cameras to be there.

There is absolutely no reason, already at this time, that the NFL Draft even needs to be on TV. Our generation has moved on from the traditional broadcast of it, there's no value of it -- to us. But it's of certain value to the NFL, the advertisers, and all the suckers that continue to tune in to the event.

Photo: Wikimedia

Why Dan Le Batard gives us no reason for 'best of' discussion

Yesterday, the sports world got bent all out of shape as it usually does. It was over who was voted in and left out of Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. There's lots of reasons why I hate anything about the Hall of Fame, and not just in baseball; plus there's many similarities to it in the world of gaming.

All of it is tied into a wild card  found yesterday upsetting a lot of people, but made me happy in my case against anything "annual awards."

On Wednesday, a local Miami sports writer and radio host who's famous because of his "hard takes" and "strong opinions," Dan LeBatard, gave his vote for the Hall of Fame to Deadspin, a sports blog which writes various stories that aren't in the traditional journalistic reporting. They don't have actual access to sporting events. 

So, why did he do this, and how did he even get a vote?

Le Batard became nationally known on ESPN during his appearances on Pardon the Interruption. He's got his own show on the four-letter network featuring his dad where they give their opinions on sports right before his radio show that's now picked up nationally on ESPN Radio. 

The radio host was given a vote, like many other media members, to select former MLB players to be recognized and awarded a place in the Hall of Fame. Back in the day, this was a great idea to showcase talented players who may not have been nationally known because none of the technology we currently have at our fingertips was available even 30, 40 years ago.

Now that it is, all the Hall of Fame has become is bitching and moaning about who should take the limited spots available for this year and who got snubbed. All of this opinion is further down of many opinions by baseball writers and other media members. In turn, they could be swayed or biased due to loyalism of teams, where they've grown up, or maybe what they've heard or learned about certain players when meeting them.

I don't have a problem with "baseball people" getting to vote for the Hall of Fame, but it's when we open it up to media members like Dan Le Batard. He decided to "protest" the vote by giving it to Deadspin. That's an incredibly responsible move by the Baseball Writer's Association of America to give their vote to Le Batard, who doesn't care at all about the situation.

There's no reason to be mad at Le Batard. In fact, he made my argument against the Hall of Fame, or ANYTHING involving formal recognition of players. It's a chatoic mess only there to attract the lowest common denominator of people in America. They'll call in to a sports radio show, giving their opinions on who should have been in the Hall of Fame, and they'll open up the phone lines for people to bitch. Then, apparently entertaining radio ensues.

That's garbage.

Instead of recognizing great players from the past, we've been succumbed to just comparing numbers and trying to prove who's better than the other when no one should ever care. It's the same crap that happens in the gaming industry when at the end of every calendar year, game outlets will release their "Best [insert genre] Game of the Year" articles and nothing but bitching and moaning go on in the comments section and people trying to justify their opinion as fact.

We've completely forgotten what recognizing great talent, or great projects, is. Instead of a rankings game, why can't we just showcase what's good and leave it there?

Now don't get me wrong; I love to compare and contrast and different people will have different opinions. I actually love having debates about great players and video games...with somebody who actually follows it and doesn't get so upset about what other people think.

That's what happens when we bring in everybody, especially the lower common denominator. We all know there are people smarter than others and some of the dumbest people we meet in life, for some reason, have the biggest egos. There are so many people who get mad about what others think, all of this becomes pointless - the original focus shifts to the bitching and moaning of opinion.

This is why I turn my back on everything that deals with "Hall of Fame" or "Best Game" topics. It's an absolute mess which now only exists to create awful discussion and to gain views instead of recognizing greatness.