SportsCenter's "mock" press conferences

[Rollo-Smokes]

As if watching ESPN's SportsCenter isn't hard enough, what with all the childlike screaming antics of some anchors, and the style-over-substance overall feel of the show these days, now comes something else.

I was in a restaurant last night, eating dinner with my wife and best friend when I turned around to check out the screen and saw ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips holding a press conference with a Los Angeles Dodgers backdrop. He was fielding "questions" from "reporters" -- who were also ESPN baseball contributors, like Buster Olney -- about the Dodgers' post-season plans and certain players on their roster this past season.

I turned to my friend and said "Steve Phillips is the Dodgers' new general manager?!?", and he answered, "I guess the Dodgers will be messed up even more now!" My friend is a Mets fan, but wasn't a fan of Phillips during his tenure as the Mets' general manager. A local New York print journalist wrote recently that for six seasons, Phillips played the part of a MLB GM, so playing one on TV is no stretch. He certainly did look good doing so, and it suckered me in. I didn't know until I watched the late night replay that the conference was fake, and the Dodgers are still searching for their new REAL GM.

But, all joking aside, how bad does ESPN look by airing these mock press conferences during (what is supposed to be) their flagship program -- despite running a crawl on the screen stating that it was indeed a "mock press conference"? What does that say about ESPN's news credibility?<P ID="signature">______________
"Know your role and shut your mouth!!" -- The Rock</P>

 

[nuzguy]

> As if watching ESPN's SportsCenter isn't hard enough, what
> with all the childlike screaming antics of some anchors, and
> the style-over-substance overall feel of the show these
> days, now comes something else.
>
> I was in a restaurant last night, eating dinner with my wife
> and best friend when I turned around to check out the screen
> and saw ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips holding a press
> conference with a Los Angeles Dodgers backdrop. He was
> fielding "questions" from "reporters" -- who were also ESPN
> baseball contributors, like Buster Olney -- about the
> Dodgers' post-season plans and certain players on their
> roster this past season.
>
> I turned to my friend and said "Steve Phillips is the
> Dodgers' new general manager?!?", and he answered, "I guess
> the Dodgers will be messed up even more now!" My friend is
> a Mets fan, but wasn't a fan of Phillips during his tenure
> as the Mets' general manager. A local New York print
> journalist wrote recently that for six seasons, Phillips
> played the part of a MLB GM, so playing one on TV is no
> stretch. He certainly did look good doing so, and it
> suckered me in. I didn't know until I watched the late
> night replay that the conference was fake, and the Dodgers
> are still searching for their new REAL GM.
>
> But, all joking aside, how bad does ESPN look by airing
> these mock press conferences during (what is supposed to be)
> their flagship program -- despite running a crawl on the
> screen stating that it was indeed a "mock press conference"?
> What does that say about ESPN's news credibility?
>
Pretty much what similar antics on The Weather Channel say--that they aren't capable of doing what ESPN and TWC should do best--report factually and accurately in their respective areas. Every niche is turning to Gonzo-style programming tactics--screaming anchors, dog and pony show attempts at humor--anything to get attention. All this is sinking far beneath the lowest common denominator. The public mentality is indeed low, but not this low.

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

> > But, all joking aside, how bad does ESPN look by airing
> > these mock press conferences during (what is supposed to
> be)
> > their flagship program -- despite running a crawl on the
> > screen stating that it was indeed a "mock press
> conference"?
> > What does that say about ESPN's news credibility?
> >
> Pretty much what similar antics on The Weather Channel
> say--that they aren't capable of doing what ESPN and TWC
> should do best--report factually and accurately in their
> respective areas. Every niche is turning to Gonzo-style
> programming tactics--screaming anchors, dog and pony show
> attempts at humor--anything to get attention. All this is
> sinking far beneath the lowest common denominator. The
> public mentality is indeed low, but not this low.

Another example is what is doing to promote its FOX College Sports channel.

Last night I was watching the Colorado-Iowa State game (BTW, congrats on the well deserved victory Cyclone fans ) via FCS Central (Yeah I could've watched it via FSN Rocky Mountain, but since I have Digital Cable, I figured WHY watch it on an analog channel) and you could see one of those "intern" commercials whereas "potential college students" are either being interviewed or (as was the case in one commercial) a mock news conference was held outside his home. The "reporters" were asking this "student" how "exciting" it was to be an "intern" for FOX Sports.

His answer was as dull and expected as could be when he said he was "very excited" after a LONG pause (apparently in a feeble attempt to show nervousness?).

I wish FOX would take the FCS channels and just do what they do best. That is to do what they were put on the air to do - BROADCAST REGIONAL COLLEGE SPORTS EVENTS.

Afterall, isn't that what FOX Sports does with FSN and EVERY sport regardless of level?

Cheers for now <P ID="signature">______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? </P>