The brains behind putting sports on television have come up with some great ideas that enhance the sports fan’s viewing experience. I love the camera that is suspended in mid air above the field. Whoever decided a few years back that the score and the time/inning/down should always be on the TV screen - brilliant. It makes one forget that a few years ago they would only flash the score on the screen every once in a while*. And of course, the best thing to happen to sports since the shot clock - High Definition!
There are two things, however, that do absolutely nothing to enhance my sports viewing experience and may actually detract from it - and the 2 go hand in hand. They are 1) the athlete interview and 2) the sideline reporter. I ask you, sports fans, 2 questions.
- Has a sideline reporter ever offered any bit of information or pseudo-news that was worth anything?
- Has an athlete ever said anything in an interview that benefited anyone ever?
The answer to the first question is a unanimous “NO”. A friend of mine and I were debating the value of the sideline reporter the other day and he mentioned as proof for the benefit of sideline reporters an instance where the sideline wannabe reporter reported that a running back was on the sideline getting his ankle re-taped and would therefore be reentering the game. To which I responded, “could we not have deduced that from a camera showing said running back on the sideline getting his ankle re-taped?” How often have we seen a wide receiver get his head knocked off coming across the middle only to have the sideline reporter tell us that the player has gone to the locker room for further tests. Did the image of the player in a cart going through the tunnel not tell us that exact same thing? Thanks a pantload...how much are they paying you to do this job? And since when did this become a job that can only be held by good looking females (sorry Craig Sager, I didn’t mean to exclude you - good looking females or guys dressed like clowns)? It’s like they are now a more highly evolved verbally astute cheerleader. Do any reporters aspire to this position? Does this job scratch one’s journalistic itch?
The answer to question B. is yes. If you exclude Charles Barkley and inebriated Joe Namaths then the answer changes to no.
After every single coach or athlete interview I have ever heard I quote Billy Madison to myself, “and everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.”
My favorite all time sports talk radio show was host was Tony Kornheiser. Not only is Tony smart and articulate, but he refused to do athlete interviews - and his show was better for it.
After every single coach or athlete interview I have ever heard I quote Billy Madison to myself, “and everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.”
My favorite all time sports talk radio show was host was Tony Kornheiser. Not only is Tony smart and articulate, but he refused to do athlete interviews - and his show was better for it.
And the worst of all, when you combine the 2 most worthless elements of sports on TV - a sideline reporter doing an athlete interview. Do they have a school for sideline reporters to learn the mastery of their craft? “Coach, what adjustments do you need to make in the 2nd half?” “After a lifetime of training and sacrifice you just won a gold medal for you and your country, what are you feeling right now?” That’s it. Ask the brilliantly crafted questions and then all you have to do is just let those coaches and athletes open their mouths and spill pearls of wisdom and insight that will inspire sports fans the world over. Sideline reporter school is over. Now go out and Wow America ladies...and you too Craig.
* I hate the constant scrolling of other scores on the bottom of the screen - smart phones have rendered the ticker completely superfluous and distracting
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