Cubswin
09-28-2004, 12:38 AM
link (http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/26/Sports/Rant__ESPN_gambling_s.shtml)
Rant: ESPN gambling series comical
By JOHN SCHWARB, St Petersburg Times Staff Writer
Published September 26, 2004
Not to pile on too much against ESPN (in this space last week we questioned its anchors being advertising pitchmen), but we could have lived without the five-part SportsCenter series "Gambling in Sports: The National Pastime" last week.
For one thing, the packaging of it with the ballyhooed Hustle movie was far too cute. We're not stupid, we could see the network trying to work us into a degenerate gambling froth, preferably one that would end Saturday night on the couch with their latest foray into original programming.
Parts of the SportsCenter series were laughable, others lazy and less informative than they should have been. A segment on the point-shaving scandal with the 1993-94 Arizona State men's basketball team relied on old interviews with all parties, failing to show what the guilty are doing now.
A segment on poker's underbelly - young people spending countless hours and money playing online - rang hollow considering how much ESPN promotes this foolishness. The network is not to blame for an individual's decision to mortgage the future on card games, but after glorifying poker for hours every week, showing a few minutes on its dark side seems trite.
On the whole, it is hilarious to watch SportsCenter turn into 60 Minutes when "investigating" gambling. The undertones of betting on an all-sports network are constant, either in subtle forms (the never-ending ticker) or in your face ("Hammerin"' Hank Goldberg's Sunday morning football picks).
Perhaps any investigations could start within the Bristol, Conn., offices, where Mike Freeman reported in his 2000 book ESPN: The Uncensored History that gambling was rampant.
Instead, we're subjected to a five-part series ending in a Pete Rose movie. Oh, well, we watched it all, so you win, ESPN. Again.
Rant: ESPN gambling series comical
By JOHN SCHWARB, St Petersburg Times Staff Writer
Published September 26, 2004
Not to pile on too much against ESPN (in this space last week we questioned its anchors being advertising pitchmen), but we could have lived without the five-part SportsCenter series "Gambling in Sports: The National Pastime" last week.
For one thing, the packaging of it with the ballyhooed Hustle movie was far too cute. We're not stupid, we could see the network trying to work us into a degenerate gambling froth, preferably one that would end Saturday night on the couch with their latest foray into original programming.
Parts of the SportsCenter series were laughable, others lazy and less informative than they should have been. A segment on the point-shaving scandal with the 1993-94 Arizona State men's basketball team relied on old interviews with all parties, failing to show what the guilty are doing now.
A segment on poker's underbelly - young people spending countless hours and money playing online - rang hollow considering how much ESPN promotes this foolishness. The network is not to blame for an individual's decision to mortgage the future on card games, but after glorifying poker for hours every week, showing a few minutes on its dark side seems trite.
On the whole, it is hilarious to watch SportsCenter turn into 60 Minutes when "investigating" gambling. The undertones of betting on an all-sports network are constant, either in subtle forms (the never-ending ticker) or in your face ("Hammerin"' Hank Goldberg's Sunday morning football picks).
Perhaps any investigations could start within the Bristol, Conn., offices, where Mike Freeman reported in his 2000 book ESPN: The Uncensored History that gambling was rampant.
Instead, we're subjected to a five-part series ending in a Pete Rose movie. Oh, well, we watched it all, so you win, ESPN. Again.