OT--Thoughts on Sports Channels
I was sitting in a brewpub Wednesday last, enjoying several of their latest IPA offering. I was waiting on someone, so I had a chance to enjoy a few and think.
They had the 20 flat screens that even brewpubs have to have now. One was on fox news, one on cnn (balance?). The rest were on the sports channels.
One was Big Ten who was showing yet another Best Ten show starring the smallest and tightest clothing Charissa could squeeze into. The rest of the networks ranged from baseball (slowest sport ever televised) to golf (second slowest) to some girl on ESPN dressed up like a pirate and and pointing at TV screens (not a slutty pirate like you see at halloween parties, a really dumb looking one).
That made me start thinking, maybe the money the Big Ten schools spent on the Big Ten Network, and the pain in the butt getting it on local cable, was worth it.
Sure, they show the women's gym meets or water polo sometimes, but a lot of the time they are doing Best Of history shows, or university produced shows, or tailgate shows that I actually care about.
The rest of sports cable can really be covered on a daily half hour best of the day show. 6 channels (7 if you count outdoors) other than Big Ten, each putting out 1 good hour of programming out of each 24 hour day.
Besides, if I find myself in the mood to drink heavily and have baseball on why not watch Michigan almost come back and win. At least I care about the U.
April 10th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
"the smallest and tightest clothing Charissa could squeeze into"
April 10th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
She is the poor man's Erin Andrews....
but I think she is the luckier man's Erin Andrews...
April 10th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^
I despise most of the shows on ESPN, and most sports networks for that matter. I do however agree with you on the historical/documentary type shows they do on teams, years, etc. I really enjoyed ESPN's 30 for 30 series. ITS ALL ABOUT THE U!! I guess it is a mixed pot when it comes to sports networks..
April 10th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^
I can't figure out why your hierarchy of slow sports places baseball--where running and defense and leaping catches are involved--on the slower side of golf, which involves whispering, polite clapping, and leisurely strolls to one's ball after driving to it in a cart.
Both sports consist of people just standing around 95% of the time. Great background noise for nap taking though.
I'm a big fan of the BTN, though for the opposite reason: it has sports I care about since I'm a fan of all things Michigan.
I'm not a big fan of the tailgate shows, etc. but right now, ESPN has highlights of the 2009 World Series, ESPN2 has pool, neither of which I care about. BTN has Michigan on (Michigan/Purdue baseball, but that's a small detail: let me watch pretty much anything Michigan and I'm happy).
I'm too busy watching ESPN 8: The Ocho.
BTN doesn't employ Stu Scott, so it wins without consideration of anything else.
ESPN doesn't cover Michigan athletics enough. That's why I always tune into BTN. They actually cover and show M sports.
All they care about in terms of college football is the SEC conference. That's why I like watching Big Ten Network, they show a lot of Michigan stuff.
So I just moved, a few weeks ago, to a bigger apartment in Burbank (we were in LA before). We were told that our only option for cable was Charter (I had TWC before) but that we could get a dish. I didn't really care that much, so we signed up for Charter. I noticed that we didn't get BTN on the regular programming, so I called today to add it. I was told that Charter doesn't carry the BTN in my area, and then I found out that I can't get either satellite company because my apt faces north. I now cannot get the BTN at my apartment, so I will miss the spring game and any game this fall not shown nationally.
I want to kill someone. Like brutally kill them. If you could verbally kill someone, I would have to the poor Charter girl I was speaking to BUT THAT'S WHAT SHE GETS FOR WORKING FOR A STUPID FUCKING COMPANY. I really like our new apartment but we will be moving as soon as possible. I haven't been so upset in as long as I can remember. Every other TV provider in LA offers the BTN. Most of them you get it whether you want it or not. FUCK CHARTER CABLE.
I'm done, thanks for listening.