Isn't It Called SPORTScenter

When people ask me what my favorite TV shows are I instinctively say SportsCenter among others. I love it, can watch it for hours. At least I used to be able to. I realized recently that I hardly ever watch a whole episode of SportsCenter anymore, choosing to jump back and forth between channels waiting for sport highlights that pique my interest. For a second I thought I was less interested in sports, but that can’t be. I’ve never shown an interest in more sports than I do right now, so it has to be something else.

The other day I sat down and watched a whole episode of SportsCenter rather than just watch the ticker go through all the scores one time. While I was watching I realized what had turned me off. When I was younger a solid 75% of the program was highlights of the previous night’s game with a little bit of analysis and previews of upcoming games. Somewhere along the line the people in charge decided to make it a panelist show where every sports writer on staff gets five minutes to bitch about their least favorite aspect of the athletic community. We get it, Skip Bayless, you hate everything and everyone. Please retire.

How do they keep all of their analysts busy? That’s easy. They just over sensationalize stories to make them seem far worse than they actually are. After the audience interest is captured, nine or ten analysts ramble on until they are sick of their own voice or I change the channel. Who are we kidding? It’s always when I change the channel, they never get tired of their own voice. It only get’s worse when there is an actual story worth reporting on.

Recently the first four segments of the show were dedicated to the Michael Vick story, including a segment about his legal options on bargaining and a look inside of a federal penitentiary. Maybe I’m confused but that sounds like programming more suited for Court TV, not ESPN. Thanks for the story and thanks for the viewpoints of those close to the situation, it was the other 28 points of view I could have done without, especially that of John Clayton, ESPN’s head football analyst…who has never played a down of football in his life.

If this is the route in which they wish to go, fine, but please call it a talk show and not a sports recap show. They still have the highlights but these 15-second clips hardly ever “recapture” the events of the game. A home run, a double play, the final strike out. Really? After nine innings and twelve runs that’s all you have to show? And that’s only if it’s Yankees vs. Red Sox. I know my beloved Orioles have fallen on tough times but we still deserve more than a box score. You call yourselves SportsCenter, I can get box scores from the news paper.

It’s not just baseball either. All sports get the shaft on highlights. If you think I’m lying watch a football game, America’s passion, and then watch the highlights for that game. The condensed version doesn’t come close to telling the story of what really happened, even if Scott Van Pelt does make some hilarious pop culture references.

But it’s not the sports anchors I’m upset with. I think they are qualified for the most part. It is the analysts that I just can’t stand. You have plenty of shows where you can state your opinion, SportsCenter is not the appropriate forum. Go on “Rome is Burning” or the “Sports Reporters,” I don’t care, just give me my O’s highlights back.