Sports as competition or soap opera?

[tk13]

Aside from the huge section about the White Sox winning the series, obviously, these are the headlines on ESPN.com right now.

Sheryl Swoopes says she's gay
Air Force coach sorry for racial remarks
GM Cashman accepts deal to stay with Yankees
Youngstown State player charged with murder
UConn's Price looking to erase criminal record
Bulls' Duhon in hospital for night with neck injury
Holes in 'D'fence - Raven's Lewis and Reed out
Ali losing bout with Parkinson's, daughter says


I don't check ESPN.com all that often, but this seems more like a bunch of headlines for a soap opera than sporting competition. What's happened to the wide world of sports?

[Lzen]

This is what's become of ESPN, sadly. Didn't you happen to notice all the drama that they covered every second of with TO and the Eagles in preseason? It's getting almost unbearable.

[Simplex3]

It's right in line with today's celebrity culture. For whatever reason people in this country are more concerned with watching the lives of "famous people" than they are with doing something in their own lives.

I think for me it's one of the things I don't get the most. Why would anyone care if Ben whats-his-name is still banging Jennifer something? How is that possibly going to have any effect what so ever on any decisions you will make today? At what point during your day are you going to be faced with a tough call and think to yourself "man, I sure am glad I knew Swoopes was gay and that Air Force coach was sorry about some racial remark; otherwise I would have made the wrong call there."

[Area 51]

I think it is the folks that put that stuff out think that it should have an impact on all viewers.

I disagree, I don't give a good ratsass about most of the goings on in sports. People are people, they make mistakes and are in all walks of life. I'm sure there are better things that could be discussed.

Take Inside the NFL on HBO. That show has become nothing more than garbage. They spend less time reviewing the games and more time with "stories about (place in whatever agenda they might have for the week)".

The story about the NFL founder that died was OK and only took a couple of minutes. That was somewhat worthwhile. They rehashed the situation with Doug Flutie and his son. I'm not unsympathetic, but we've all heard it before.

I don't really care for Lenny Dawson the public speaker, but at least while he was on the show it was pretty much all about the games of the recent week.

They could get rid of Carter, Collinsworth and Marino. That wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Costas has his days, but I think a whole new cast with the week's football stories would be an improvement.

[jspchief]

It's a product of offering a 24 hour news network. When there is no actual news, they are forced to come up with news. Whether it's Sheryl Swoopes on ESPN or Laci Peterson on CNN, the networks have reached a point where the only thing they can report is this type of crap.

There just aren't enough newsworthy events on most days.

[Simplex3]

There just aren't enough newsworthy events on most days.
That would explain why it was reported in the first place, but doesn't explain why it makes it into the top 10 headlines with such a high percentage. That has to be explained either by a public desire to see it or a gross miscalculation on the part of the media about the public's desire to see it. As long as it's been going on I can't believe the media is screwing it up.