I don't know a single person that likes Tolbert or Screamin' A. Smith. Like you guys have stated David Aldridge gave solid info and analysis and was not annoying like those other two knuckleheads mentioned. If ESPN ever took a poll of most hated amongst the three, I'm sure it'd be Tolbert or Smith. We should start a petition.
DA just recently had a child with his wife and he's more than a little peeved at having to elbow his way onto the camera with the rise of Stephen A. (who, as do I -- David admires in print but not on TV). As for the Internet side, both Aldridge and Bucher cannot stand C Ford's ascent, they chafe at the mention of his name, and this was the case even before Ford came to ESPN in 2001. If David goes to Turner, I hope he brings Jason Jackson with him..
Kelley, interesting information! Spot on with Ford! I mean Bucher and DA are legit writers, Ford is just some internet geek. I can see why they would hate having to share room with him. I think DA at Turner would be solid. They havent had an 'information man' for a long time and quite frankly they NEED it to complete their team. Turner's team is more about 'entertainment' than actual basketball analysis so they need someone in there that isnt about entertainment but about basketball information.
This sux big time, I mean Chad Ford is crap. DA should've stayed even with the whole Les thing (which he apologized for, which is not doen a lot by the media) because he was damn good. As for as Steven A. Smith, the guy is entertaining to me, and actually has a really good speaking style (tone, rhythem, hand movements, smoothness in delivery) when he isn't going for the Al Sharpton tirade.
Here is another rip of ESPN (Sportscenter is now having live bands play?), and it confirms that David Aldridge's ESPN career is done "next month". http://www.nypost.com/sports/25596.htm BTW, is there anything more true than this? The show breaks some news, but not nearly as much as it gives itself credit for, as Kenny Mayne hilariously used to note by saying, "David Aldridge is reporting the Nets beat the Knicks, 82-81."
Clutch, good find! Man what a scary article that was. I love SC, and it is a shame the direction it is taking. I like ESPN's NBA guys, Stein, Aldridge, Bucher, but that comment above unfortunately is spot on. Everytime some news breaks they always say "ESPN NBA GUY reports that blank player is signing with blank." Even if those guys didnt officially BREAK the story, they "broke" it to the ESPN audience so they throw their name up there to make them seem like they are on top of everything. Granted they DO break ORIGINAL stories, but not as much as they like to make it seem. I really HATE the new SC look when they went to HD. It looks TOO slick. And the idea of putting BANDS on the show is ridiculous. The NY Post writer hit it when he said that SC is looking to attract the MTV crowd now that they have run off Fox Sports Net and CNN/SI. And that is a shame. It is much like how MTV changed their videos format for gameshows and stuff generation X would like to see. Basically, the show is moving away from it's core competence and in the end will probably bring in a lot of new viewers but alienate it's core fans. They have to be very careful here. I really dont like the trend of 'screamers' on SC. While I actually DO enjoy Around the Horn they scream as well. I like the idea of SC bringing in local beat writers to do things because they bring in good local flavor that the national SC can't always get, but why they always must scream or create a character for themselves is ridiculous. I guess whatever they can do to distinguish themselves from someone else on TV is what will make them the money. The problem is SC perpetuates this culture which I think turns off a lot of people. I shudder to think what the ESPN NBA shows will be like this season.
Man, **** ESPN; **** Sportscenter. I wasn't going to believe it, but then it happened. They call it the 'SPortscenter Concert Series'. I've said it before, but ESPN sucks now. ****ing ego-maniacs running this **** channelover there in Bristol. THey aren't selling sports; they're sellign sports personalities. Everyone has to be a celebrity over there. It's sports; it ain't ****ing Hollywood. Oh god and now ESPN.com has a 'Page 3'. -Game Shows (Stump the Shi...Schwab; HearSay; that Kenny Mayne show a couple years ago) -Reality crap (Beg, Borrow & Deal; Dream Job) -Original Drama (Playmakers) -Movies (Junction Boys; Hu$$le, later this fall) -MTV (this stupid concert series) -Video Games if you want to count them -Magazine (not nad, just not real like Sports Illustrated) and worst: Their own fake, stupid awards show. God I hate ESPN; out of the above, I can deal with the video games as they aren't really on ESPN television, but they do promote them in that stupid 'weeklong look at video games'. All of the reality crap pisses me off. I asume this Hu$$le movie will do something similar. The music series and ESPY awards piss me off the most. Whoever runs that channel is nucking futs. Playmakers was actually entertaining; it was one of the few things ESPN has done right in recent years. No **** it wasn't factual; who cares what people like Ray Lewis say, claiming he doesn't want his kids to get the impression that the NFL is a homophobic, thug league with drug problems. Hey Ray: Don't let your kids watch TV then. As it's said before, Playmakers could've been moved to HBO (it really shouldn't have been on ESPN with the language and nudity, but I'm not complaining). Hell, I'm surprised ESPN doesn't have their OWN 'premium' channel. They already have 4 channels; that's only, what, like 3 behind HBO??? Once again: **** ESPN!!!
Remember when ESPN was still about sports? This is sad, i guess it's another one of Mark Shapiro's brilliant ideas
Remember when MTV was still about music? Now the only time that the original mtv play a whole music video is after 12 going to about 6 in the morning I like the new shows but I want music most of the time I watch MTV, heck even MTV2 are starting to play shows instead of music video now I think in 5 years, we'll have to watch espn news for sports while espn and espn2 is playing sports movies, streetballers, x-games and other sports related shows that aint really about sports.
I too agree with wizkid. I also forgot to add ESPN in HDTV. While it's not really a channel and more marketing actual televisions, it's still annoying to hear about watching sports in 'high definition' 30 times a game. I don't get it; what's so much better that tehy have to show it in high definition. It's not like it's 3D or anything; and those plasma tv's are blurry as hell; don't know why anyone would buy them. Anyway, if you want to see sports in REAL high definition, GO TO THE FREAKING GAME!!! I'm sure with the amount of money one is spending on the high definition set, subscription and other crap, you could buy season tickets, or at least a good number of games. Also, same thing is happening with HBO; their egos towards their 'original' series is starting to get to me. And they don't have those great p*rn shows airing any longer. What happened to Real Sex or G-String Divas?!?! God I hate TV!
Very Informative. Thanks for the scoop. I thought ESPN is a SPORTS NETWORK. It's great to see the ESPN has its priorities straight and focuses on the IMPORTANT things like ratings and money, and they abandon the sports stories and inside scoop. DA is very interesting from his inside scoops to his chat columns. He will be very missed.
True enough. But to me, I'd rather have Aldridge and his NBA Beat than I would, "WELL, SHAQ WANTS TO BE TRADED. PERIOD." "Well, where do you see him going, Stephen A Smith?" "WELL, WHY NOT TO THE KNICKS? THEY GOT THE BODIES. THEY GOT A COUPLE OF EXPIRING CONTRACTS. THEY COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN. ETC ETC" (five minutes later) "Well, Stephen A Smith, where do you see Tracy McGrady going?" "WELL, WHY NOT THE KNICKS? THEY GOT THE BODIES. THEY GOT ISIAH WHO'S TRYING TO MAKE A SPLASH....etc etc"
The difference between watching sports in HD and watching it in SD is like the difference between dating Carmen Electra and Roseanne Barr. It's simply amazing and worth every single penny.
By the way, anyone catch Kid Rock's crappy performance this morning. Time to cut my favorite show back to 30 minutes. That was ludicrous.
the smith tough guy act is so funny...it's literally laughable. i can't believe that guy takes himself so seriously. "i'm stephen a. smith...i'm angry....listen to my opinions." aldridge was solid...i still laugh at the stoudamire to houston/done deal...but he was solid. i miss around the horn and max kellerman. any guy who digs boxing that much is a friend of mine.
His show on FSN is so unwatchable. Bill Wolf's fake laugh makes me cry. I thought Reali did an awful job on ATH, until the week he was replaced by Zach from "Dream Job." I suddenly had a newfound respect for Reali. He's not half bad. Unfortuantely, though, it seems as if we're stuck with Skip Bayless and Screamin' A. Smith on PTI this week.
I love Stephen A. Smith (he is just a crazy young man). I have no place in my heart for the tragic David Aldridge or whatever his name it. He is too creepy and depressing for my liking. Once again, good riddance!
