ESPN sucks

[Spartanmack]

I was just goofing around looking at some stats for the uofm/nd game and noticed Golson had a higher Quarterback Rating (87.6) this week than Mariota (80.4) so I looked at their stats more closely and calculated it myself using was I thought was the formula. Apparently, it's not the NCAA passer efficiency rating which comes out to 191.5 vs. 152.6 - favoring Mariota. So I dug a little bit and read this:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/conversations/_/id/6833215/explaining-statistics-total-quarterback-rating

Apparently ESPN makes adjustments for clutch plays and opposing defenses as well as "sharing credit" among teammates. So apparently playing w/ a lead the entire time is more "clutch" than catching fire in the 3rd quarter when you're down 2 scores - and Michigan's defense is a lot better than ours because having more passing yards, more yards per attempt and just as many TDs on fewer attempts alone would seem to indicate Mariota had the better game. This smacks of pro ND bias. I get the "ESPN hearts SEC" thing but what's with the continued lusting after ND? They're NBC's team for crap's sake, and they're not breaking up anytime soon. I couldn't believe what I was reading and I feel dumber now for having read it - 15 minutes of my life I can't get back. Up yours ESPN.

 

[TheVictors]

I love this thread/post!

 

[Michchamp]

I was just goofing around looking at some stats for the uofm/nd game and noticed Golson had a higher Quarterback Rating (87.6) this week than Mariota (80.4) so I looked at their stats more closely and calculated it myself using was I thought was the formula. Apparently, it's not the NCAA passer efficiency rating which comes out to 191.5 vs. 152.6 - favoring Mariota. So I dug a little bit and read this:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/conversations/_/id/6833215/explaining-statistics-total-quarterback-rating

Apparently ESPN makes adjustments for clutch plays and opposing defenses as well as "sharing credit" among teammates. So apparently playing w/ a lead the entire time is more "clutch" than catching fire in the 3rd quarter when you're down 2 scores - and Michigan's defense is a lot better than ours because having more passing yards, more yards per attempt and just as many TDs on fewer attempts alone would seem to indicate Mariota had the better game. This smacks of pro ND bias. I get the "ESPN hearts SEC" thing but what's with the continued lusting after ND? They're NBC's team for crap's sake, and they're not breaking up anytime soon. I couldn't believe what I was reading and I feel dumber now for having read it - 15 minutes of my life I can't get back. Up yours ESPN.

you mocked me for boycotting ESPN and only getting my info from CBSsports.com, but maybe you're coming around?

everyone sports hack writer has stupid opinions, but those at ESPN seem particularly stupid. and the quality of the reporting at ESPN is garbage. they frequently leave out information, and they never include source documents, links to original information, even if it's easily available via google. it's amateur hour.

 

[Gulo Blue]

I was just goofing around looking at some stats for the uofm/nd game and noticed Golson had a higher Quarterback Rating (87.6) this week than Mariota (80.4) so I looked at their stats more closely and calculated it myself using was I thought was the formula. Apparently, it's not the NCAA passer efficiency rating which comes out to 191.5 vs. 152.6 - favoring Mariota. So I dug a little bit and read this:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/conversations/_/id/6833215/explaining-statistics-total-quarterback-rating

Apparently ESPN makes adjustments for clutch plays and opposing defenses as well as "sharing credit" among teammates. So apparently playing w/ a lead the entire time is more "clutch" than catching fire in the 3rd quarter when you're down 2 scores - and Michigan's defense is a lot better than ours because having more passing yards, more yards per attempt and just as many TDs on fewer attempts alone would seem to indicate Mariota had the better game. This smacks of pro ND bias. I get the "ESPN hearts SEC" thing but what's with the continued lusting after ND? They're NBC's team for crap's sake, and they're not breaking up anytime soon. I couldn't believe what I was reading and I feel dumber now for having read it - 15 minutes of my life I can't get back. Up yours ESPN.

They don't love ND, they just hate the largely FOX-owned BTN more, and the Big Ten with it. BTN only exists because of failed negotiations between Delaney and ESPN. I read it was a short meeting. ESPN lowballed Delaney and said "take it or leave it". After BTN was profitable, Delaney sent one of the execs a bottle of champagne and a note to rub it in.

 

[Spartanmack]

you mocked me for boycotting ESPN and only getting my info from CBSsports.com, but maybe you're coming around?

I don't recall ever mocking anyone for boycotting ESPN. I'm pretty sure I said after the ESPN boards were shut down, the only thing I used ESPN for was scores and archived schedules/results. I still use it for live scores sometimes - old habit. The CBSsports.com score page took some getting used to but I became a fan when they didn't freeze up like ESPN did constantly during basketball season.

 

[Spartanmack]

everyone sports hack writer has stupid opinions, but those at ESPN seem particularly stupid. and the quality of the reporting at ESPN is garbage. they frequently leave out information, and they never include source documents, links to original information, even if it's easily available via google. it's amateur hour.

They don't love ND, they just hate the largely FOX-owned BTN more, and the Big Ten with it. BTN only exists because of failed negotiations between Delaney and ESPN. I read it was a short meeting. ESPN lowballed Delaney and said "take it or leave it". After BTN was profitable, Delaney sent one of the execs a bottle of champagne and a note to rub it in.

I agree w/ both of you here but I still think ESPN suffers significant nd lust - how else would you explain anyone giving Lou Holtz a job let alone keep him around for years and years? Either way, and with all due respect to uofm fans who had to endure that game, there is no way Golson deserves a higher QBR than Marriotta for week 2.

 

[Michchamp]

against MSU mariota was 17/28, 318 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.

against us Golson was 23/34, 226 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.

aside from a few incompletions and throw aways, Golson was perfect from start to finish; Hoke's comments indicate our gameplan was to stop the run and make Golson beat us with his arm... and he did that very well, with a lot of precise slants and sideline routes.

I didn't see MSU-Oregon, but comparing the clinic Golson put on, to the feverish, sandlot-style comeback it sounds like Mariota mounted is a pointless apples-to-oranges thing, but ESPN needs content to generate page views to sell ad impressions online

 

[Spartanmack]

against MSU mariota was 17/28, 318 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.

against us Golson was 23/34, 226 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.

aside from a few incompletions and throw aways, Golson was perfect from start to finish; Hoke's comments indicate our gameplan was to stop the run and make Golson beat us with his arm... and he did that very well, with a lot of precise slants and sideline routes.

I didn't see MSU-Oregon, but comparing the clinic Golson put on, to the feverish, sandlot-style comeback it sounds like Mariota mounted is a pointless apples-to-oranges thing, but ESPN needs content to generate page views to sell ad impressions online

To be fair to ESPN, they were not making a comparison. I just happened to notice the QBR for Golson was more than 7 points higher than that for Mariota. Using the NCAA and even the NFL formulas for QB rankings, the results favor Marriota and it's not really close.

Considering the subjective criteria ESPN uses to adjust it's rating (specifically, "clutch" play, opponents defense and "shared credit") it seems a bit odd that he would come out ahead.

What is more clutch? getting a short field all day and playing with a lead the entire time or taking over a game in the 3rd quarter and rallying your team from down 2 scores to a 3 score victory?

At best, opponents defense is a toss up. Clearly, our defense is not the same defense it was last year, but there's not reason to think it's fallen off so much as to warrant rating Golson for having faced uofm's defense higher than Marriota.

As for sharing credit, while I didn't see the nd/uofm game, I can say without a doubt - that win was all Marriota - running, turning sacks into big plays, making big throws all over the field, etc. Oregon's defense clamped down on us mid-way through the third as well, but I don't think he got any more help from them than Golson got from his defense.

I'm not saying Golson had a bad game - it sounds like he played well. I'm just saying it's ridiculous that ESPN rates his performance higher particularly when the NCAA and NFL passer rating formulas both rate Marriota's performance much higher.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I use the ESPN website to look at the sports schedules - I'm used to it; and it's a one stop shop.

I guess I could use yahoo or CBS or something else, but I would have to learn to navigate them; and since I never really listen to or read ESPN content, I don't know what ESPN is saying about shit, and so I don't have anything against them.

I only watch the ESPNs for live sporting events.

Other than that, I'm watching re-runs of the Big Bang Theory, or porn.

 

[TheVictors]

#ESPNsucks

Clearly motivated by scorn towards the BTN but notice how the talent at the network has fled like rats from a ship. ESPN is stupid. MTV, stupid.

 

[Sbee]

I don't have anything against ESPN, so they have a little bias, who gives a shit? they're biased towards the yankees and red sox rivalry, but they're in bristol which is right in the middle of that. They might be anti big ten but every media outlet is, listen to sports talk or any other program other than the big ten and they all bash us.

 

[tinselwolverine]

#ESPNsucks

Clearly motivated by scorn towards the BTN but notice how the talent at the network has fled like rats from a ship. ESPN is stupid. MTV, stupid.

Know what freakin' sucks?

Time Warner sucks.

I get all the Dodger games that I don't want, that almost no Dodger fan can get, and yet I can't even get the BTN as a pay for upgrade.

I swear, every time I see that stupid Bill Cowher on a Time Warner commercial, I just want to jump into my television and pound his face into a meatloaf.

 

[Spartanmack]

I don't have anything against ESPN, so they have a little bias, who gives a shit? they're biased towards the yankees and red sox rivalry, but they're in bristol which is right in the middle of that. They might be anti big ten but every media outlet is, listen to sports talk or any other program other than the big ten and they all bash us.

It goes way beyond B1G bashing. They way over-cover the non-sport aspects of everything from contracts, shoe deals, Lebron James, tiger Woods, Michael Sam, Jamis Winston, the Redskins, Aaron Hernandez, etc, etc and they take sides and editorialize and preach to the audience. Then they treat guys like Ray Lewis like heroes and even hire the scumbags when they retire. I know Ray rice and Adrien Peterson are scumbags, Ray Lewis is too but you hired him so you have no credibility in these matters now please shut the fuck up and show me scores and highlights.

 

[Sbee]

It goes way beyond B1G bashing. They way over-cover the non-sport aspects of everything from contracts, shoe deals, Lebron James, tiger Woods, Michael Sam, Jamis Winston, the Redskins, Aaron Hernandez, etc, etc and they take sides and editorialize and preach to the audience. Then they treat guys like Ray Lewis like heroes and even hire the scumbags when they retire. I know Ray rice and Adrien Peterson are scumbags, Ray Lewis is too but you hired him so you have no credibility in these matters now please shut the fuck up and show me scores and highlights.

Ray Lewis is a scumbag to the 10th degree but I just don't get that caught up in the hate for ESPN. they have a few assholes working for them but they hire the guys that will test well with the audience, get more viewers, etc. Hell, they have Desmond Howard and Lou Holtz, the two biggest homers on the planet. There are a lot of good anchors and analyst though. I don't see them as being worse than any other sports media outlet

 

[Spartanmack]

Ray Lewis is a scumbag to the 10th degree but I just don't get that caught up in the hate for ESPN. they have a few assholes working for them but they hire the guys that will test well with the audience, get more viewers, etc. Hell, they have Desmond Howard and Lou Holtz, the two biggest homers on the planet. There are a lot of good anchors and analyst though. I don't see them as being worse than any other sports media outlet

I think it's more disdain than hate - the content other than scores and highlights is weak and often over-covered and nearly always way over-sensationalized. There are way more useless talking heads than value-adding analysts and lately I find them to be extremely preachy. I get the sense they're telling people what they should care about and where they should stand on certain issues - like I should be outraged at the NFL that Michael Sam didn't make a team or that I should give a crap about the training camp showers. Even Sportscenter sucks - they spread the college football coverage throughout the broadcast in little pieces so you have hear how A-Rod is still a dickhead (like that's news or it's ever going to change) or Tiger Woods didn't win again or Tony Stewart might be indicted to see the stuff you want. And when they do finally get back to college football, you have to listen to them crap on the B1G - which funny enough, is the one thing they're right about but again, it's been that way so it's no longer news anymore.

 

[Sbee]

I think it's more disdain than hate - the content other than scores and highlights is weak and often over-covered and nearly always way over-sensationalized. There are way more useless talking heads than value-adding analysts and lately I find them to be extremely preachy. I get the sense they're telling people what they should care about and where they should stand on certain issues - like I should be outraged at the NFL that Michael Sam didn't make a team or that I should give a crap about the training camp showers. Even Sportscenter sucks - they spread the college football coverage throughout the broadcast in little pieces so you have hear how A-Rod is still a dickhead (like that's news or it's ever going to change) or Tiger Woods didn't win again or Tony Stewart might be indicted to see the stuff you want. And when they do finally get back to college football, you have to listen to them crap on the B1G - which funny enough, is the one thing they're right about but again, it's been that way so it's no longer news anymore.

if you don't like seeing NBA, MLB, or golf stories you might want to check out ESPNU. they can't tailor all of the content to each individual, you might see some stories that they find relevant that you don't, such is life. they do what tests well, gets the most viewers, I don't blame them for that.

 

[Spartanmack]

It's not that I don't want to see golf coverage or other sports either. The problem is how they cover the sports - they choose what you should care about and how and they can't seem to let overplayed, irrelevant stories die. If people eat that up or they actually care that Tiger Woods missed the cut again or that A-Rod still denies using PEDs, fine. As for me, I only watch Sunday morning Sports Center and even then, I record it so I can FF through most of it and watch what I want. Usually takes less than 15 minutes.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

They hired flag burner Olberman knowing half the population cant stand him. ESPN SUCKS

 

[Michchamp]

... they hire the guys that will test well with the audience, get more viewers, etc. ...

maybe it's more of an indictment of society at large.

I normally just tune the opinion stuff out, since most of it is stupid; they jump to broad conclusions after a game or two, shout at eachother, etc. just to catch the interest of the viewing audience, some majority of which are half-bright morons to begin with. But the SEC/anti-BigTen bias has actual effects on the game & the post-season, as we've seen.

ESPN is the root of it... most other sports media is just an echo chamber of that. Most sports talk hosts are not very bright people... they're just guys who happen to have bigger egos and mouths than the Average Joe's who tune into listen to them. It's not like they're coming up with any original thoughts here.

 

[MSUMatt28]

The Big Ten bashing is not a uniquely ESPN thing. For whatever reason anytime a few Big Ten teams take some losses in close succession it makes news. I never see any "bad weekend for the ACC" headlines whenever their teams all lose out in their annual rivalry games with the SEC, which is pretty much every year.

All the media outlets' obsession with all things football is what is tiresome to me. How ironic that ultimately what it took to get the Ray Rice story out of the headlines was the Adrian Peterson story. Between those things and the usual tired arguments with college football (this team's overrated, that team hasn't played anyone, this conference sucks, etc), I've barely watched any football so far this fall, other than if I had a half hour to kill on a weekend here and there and have avoided the highlight shows, talking heads, etc. As it turns out I don't miss it all that much so far.

And I would agree it's more an indictment of society at large. News channels and shows talk about the things they think the masses are interested in and will get them talking. It's always been that way in sports and/or otherwise.