It's official. I can recite every word to the new ESPN series Tilt teaser. Not because I chose to memorize the overly dramatic preview, but because ESPN runs it every commercial break, sometimes twice.
Maybe it's just me (probably not) but I'm tired of all the ESPN Original Entertainment and mind-dulling reality shows ESPN has shelled in its attempt to compete with network television. Just a quick reminder, ESPN: You're a sports channel, so play some damn basketball!
As an avid card player and watcher of the World Series of Poker
I was kind of excited about a show that focused on the life of professional poker players, but unfortunately there can be too much of a good thing. I then remembered the other debacles ESPN has created.
Recall I'd Do Anything? Don't feel bad; no one does. Luckily it didn't take ESPN long to realize the show was worse than the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it was pulled off the air. How about Around the Horn the bastard child of Pardon the Interruption -one of the very few quality programs ESPN runs other than SportsCenter?
Speaking of PTI, this show needs to be extended to an hour so I can enjoy 60 minutes of the brilliant arguing of Washington Post sports columnists Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon.
And with SportsCenter, ESPN ought to go back to replaying SC all morning for us diehards who want our sports news available no matter what time they wake up.
I had a bad experience during winter break when turning on ESPN to catch SC, but instead of hearing Stuart Scott's comforting Booyah I saw an episode of the Great Outdoor Games and wondered what's so great about them? Needless to say, I was in a bad mood that day.
Even though I love the WSOP reruns, I think ESPN desperately needs a new channel: ESPN Games. This would be the channel that airs events like billiards, bowling, arm wrestling, pingpong, fishing and all other programs that aren't actual sports. Never again would I turn on ESPN expecting to see a college basketball game, but instead see an ice-skating marathon.
Being basketball season and all, I demand some kind of hard court action when I flip on the television. I don't care if it is a heated battle between rivals North Carolina and Duke or a game between two lousy middle-school B teams, I want my fix.
I don't want to take anything away from ESPN, but I have this fear that they might become the next MTV, and I really, really hope that never happens.
-Miller is a sophomore journalism major who is, believe it or not, old enough to remember when MTV actually played music. Send him an e-mail at nicholas.miller@ohiou.edu.
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Nick Miller
