I coach kids in basketball and the way the game has changed is absolutely amazing to me. I grew up in an age where teams came first, and nothing was more important than winning. Now I coach guys that can't shoot free throws or dribble, but they want to dunk and shoot threes. The NBA is partly to blame but the cash cow ESPN has pushed guys like Iverson, Marbury, McGrady, Bonds, and Terrel Owens. All ego driven show boats, but none who have won a championship. Has the very network created to help the growth of sports been the main culprit in destroying those same sports and there true nature?
2007-10-08 08:11:03 · 10 answers · asked by Brian T 3 in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
ESPN has totally destroyed sports. It's already happened.
Your experience coaching kids in basketball is proof of that.
And it's not just you, it's happened all over the country. We don't have anyone who actually knows how to play basketball any more.
There is never any reason to televise a high school sporting event nationally, nor is there any reason to televise little league games. But there's ESPN for you... and, as a bonus to the kids, if they name an ABC show as their "favorite", they get a close up profile of themselves shown on TV during their game (if they like shows from NBC or CBS, forget it).
For years I've been saying that all they ever show on S-Center are 3 pointers and dunks... and then those idiots sit back and wonder why we can't win a gold medal any more in international competition.
And you're right about the "heroes" that ESPN has created as well... all those guys you listed are totally useless. And yeah, zero championships among them..but these are the guys ESPN talks about... all the time...
ESPN is the reason why college football players can no longer just run into the end zone to score...now they have to somersault their way in, so they can get on Sportscenter (and maybe win the Heisman).
Chuck Noll used to tell the Steelers, "when you get into the end zone, act as if you've been there before...act like it's no big deal...act as if it's your JOB to get to the end zone".
Regardless of what any professional athlete says about wanting to win "a ring" more than anything else, the real object of any sport today is to get yourself shown on Sportscenter. The Spurs are the only NBA team on which every player's goal is to win the title, and nothing else.
Every other team in the NBA is full of guys who just want to see themselves on Sportscenter. With the money he's made, you think Vince Carter cares if he wins a ring or not?... of course he doesn't... but at least he looked good losing all the time. Same with Tracey McGrady. The Spurs are the only NBA team on which every player is commited solely to wining an NBA title.
2007-10-08 08:29:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm glad that you're not my kids coach. If winning championships is the epitomy of a great player, then Karl Malone wasn't a great player until he got to the Lakers, and John Stockton stunk.
The last I checked, ESPN was one TV Station. It's their job to report on great players. T.O., Barry Bonds, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, and Tracy McGrady are all.....GREAT PLAYERS. ESPN reports on how they play.....AND the stupid things that they say. Don't blame ESPN, blame the players in the NBA. Guys like Vince Carter, who could dunk a basketball on a rim 13 feet high, but has no heart. Blame Kobe Bryant, who wouldn't pass you the ball if it was on fire.
Besides, even if they didn't, someone else would.
And remember, these are kids. They are going to want to do the cool stuff that they see their idols doing. As coach, it's your job to re-train them. Show them tape of Dwane Wade, Michael Jordan, or better yet, Lebron James-guys that had a complete game. They could dribble, pass, dunk, show from short, middle, or long range, and were consistent.
2007-10-08 08:25:13 · answer #2 · answered by Righteous1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its the scouts fault
i agree no longer the best players are selected
only the most popular or who can dunk or dribble heads
b-4 we use to see the best players in all sports
look at the NBA in the 80's 90's the NBA teams score at least 100+ these days there only a few
b-4 players was not as big as they are now but they were better players then what we have now
2007-10-08 08:17:45 · answer #3 · answered by SCANDOFONZnyc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The technical game is still with women's and foreign basketball.
The free throw percentage in the WNBA is over 80% while Shaq's is around 60%.
It would make sense not to throw the ball around in the NBA, because those guys are so fast and the ball moves so slow in the air, that the ball would just get intercepted too much.
2007-10-08 08:33:29 · answer #4 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a fascinating question.
I don't think you can only blame ESPN. I think you have to blame our culture at large. The media is a reflection of what the culture wants to see.
Remember, ESPN's primary job -- though many forget this -- is to deliver commercials to as many viewers as they possibly can. They accomplish this by trying to create programs that people in the culture want to see. We as a culture buy into the trash-talkers. I long for the days when sports heroes are heroes...both on and off the court or field.
As long as we keep eating up the crap that ESPN serves, they'll continue to serve it up. You're gonna hafta start changing the channel (along with many others) before they start to change their programming.
2007-10-08 08:17:28 · answer #5 · answered by Scotty Doesnt Know 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are on the air to provide entertainment. That is what they do..If they show the art of dribbling who will watch it. What I think is the announcers should provide insight on games on how guards handle the ball in certain situations or when to shoot and when to pass. They could teach us all new things about what goes into a game and not just the dunks.
Thats just me...
2007-10-08 08:16:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what i cant stand is celebration that nfl players do after they score a touchdown....to me that shows no respect to the other team but most of all to the sport. most of all, espn compliments celebrations and they actually have a top 5 or 10 of the best endzone celebrations. that is a bunch of crap and players need to play with more class!
2007-10-08 08:20:15 · answer #7 · answered by reignjah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They ruined Sportscenter with a lot of crap on their now a days but for the actual sports that the cover they do a decent job.
2016-05-19 00:48:46 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glorifying the negatives can't be good for anybody involved in sports.
2007-10-08 08:15:27 · answer #9 · answered by WC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, totally.
2016-05-28 13:56:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋