Tilt on ESPN

[Goon2]

Check it out, a new TV series from ESPN about the days leading up to the WSOP main event. It's scripted. To air 1/13/05. See espn.com for more details.

[Dominic]

here's the link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=1865849

[hudat]

This could be funny, in an unintentional sort of way. Ifs its like Playmakers they'll take the real life characters and stories and liven them up. There will be a Stu Unger character, a whiney Hellmuth (with a fight with the Grizzle character) and of course how will they portray the crew. Should be comical bad tv.

[BarronVangorToth]

I actually should start crying as I'm writing a TV pilot for a new series and this is far too close.

I sense I'm about to lose a writing job.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ESPN Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.


Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com

[SixgunSam]

There will predictably be a moment a la "Rounders" when a young card shark correctly reads everyone's hands and impresses someone important. I guarantee they will play up the bluffs too. They will have to have an internet player in there considering the results of the WSOP the last couple of years. I'll be watching the WPT instead.

[Cleveland Guy]

Will it be anything like "Lucky" was on USA?

[Nottom]

Lucky was on FX

I wish it was, but I seriously doubt ESPN is going for the darkish comedy angle with this show. I do wish they would have made another season of Lucky though, espescially with the poker boom hitting right as the show was wrapping up.

[Cleveland Guy]

Yes it was on FX, sorry - they are right next to each other on my cable system, so I got it confused.

Lucky was a great series, and would kill in the ratings now. Think of the poker "celebraties" that would love the cameo

[Chad T]

If it is anything like ESPN has put out lately then it will be nothing short of terrible. Bobby Knight story, Playmakers..ESPN's dramatic department is pretty bad. It seems like it would be more intresting if it were a documentary.

[MicroBob]

the ESPN 'entertainment' department has had some shuffling around and changes of late i am pretty sure.
but i'm still in agreement that the show will probably be pretty terrible.

ESPN-entertainment not only came up with Playmakers and Season on the Brink (Bobby Knight) but also the Bear-Bryant at Texas A&M training-camp movie (the Junction Boys) as well as the ridiculous Dream Job and Stump the Schwab.
it is also the department that developed Around the Horn, Rome is Burning and Pardon the Interruption (which is by far that dept's best show) as well as all of this WSOP coverage that they now show.


what i consider to be unrealistic and terrible may be a hit with others. non-poker players may really dig it.

if anything, it means that there will be even MORE programming involving poker on ESPN, if that is even possible.
i suspect they will try to make it look kind of seedy...but the parts that glamorize poker can possibly help build the fish-pool even more.