ESPN was "at its best" during the early morning hours on Saturday "when preparation and happenstance converged for the network's covering of the death of Muhammad Ali," according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. There was "much pre-planning by ESPN on how to cover Ali's death, but planning is one thing." Execution is "ultimately how coverage is judged." ESPN's Bob Ley said the net's coverage focused on "good stories, opinions and perspectives, grounded in the most personal of recollections." Ley: "I was proud of the spirit which infused the entire enterprise. ... Those moments and opportunities can be rare, and it's a proper reminder of what I hope makes our place special." ESPN said that there were "more than 100 production, programming and other personnel working on the overnight coverage" from Bristol, Louisville, L.A., S.F., Scottsdale and other locations. ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said, "Maybe someone else could have done what we did, the way we did it. But I doubt it" (SI.com, 6/4). In Tampa, Tom Jones writes three outlets "distinguished themselves immediately after Ali's death, starting with ESPN." There is "no denying that when anything happens in the sports world, ESPN should be the first place viewers turn." Jones: "And the only place, I would suggest." ESPN was "must-see TV and by far provided the most compelling Ali coverage." No one else "was close." ESPN veterans Ley and Jeremy Schaap "stood above all others." ESPN was "prepared for Ali's death, but the reporting still required execution, and the network's execution, because of its stellar talent, was flawless." CNN's coverage also "was noteworthy, as was MSNBC's" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/6). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Jessie Karangu has a breakdown of how most media outlets covered Ali's death and wrote ESPN had the night’s "most impressive coverage." At a time when "some question SportsCenter’s worth and value," Saturday morning "proved the legendary show still has a place in today’s world" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 6/4).
EYE OF THE STORM: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes he realizes he is "spitting into the storm here," but Ali was "pandered to by a mass media that suddenly seemed unwilling to see, hear and report wrong from right, choosing to weigh matters as cases of black or white." Ali was "able to -- allowed to -- popularize and commercialize trash-talking, name-calling and chest-pounding -- something we've never recovered from -- as few in the media wish to be identified as uncool." In Ali's "rise, pandering flowered and remains in full, no-upside bloom" (N.Y. POST, 6/6). On Long Island, Neil Best noted for those who "got Ali's jokes, and who accepted his serious side, he was a media gift that kept on giving and who did well by his chroniclers" (NEWSDAY, 6/4).
DEATH STILL REVERBERATING: This morning’s editions of ABC’s “GMA,” NBC’s “Today” and “CBS This Morning” all teased Ali in their opening segments, with ABC airing the headline “Muhammad Ali: Remembering the Greatest,” NBC using “The Champ Comes Home” and CBS going with “Celebrating the Champ.” NBC and CBS led with live reports from Louisville, Ali’s hometown, while ABC featured a live report from the city as their second story. Laila Ali appeared live on all three morning shows, while former boxer Evander Holyfield appeared on CBS and ABC. ESPN’s Schaap appeared on ABC, former boxer George Foreman and CBS Sports’ James Brown appeared on CBS and Bryant Gumbel, NBC Sports’ Bob Costas, New Yorker Editor David Remnick and Pro Football HOFer Jim Brown appeared on NBC, all discussing Ali’s life and legacy (THE DAILY).
COMMEMORATIVE MAGAZINES BEING RELEASED: TIME magazine today will release a special worldwide issue commemorating the life of Ali in words and pictures. There will be 26 pages dedicated to Ali. The cover reads, "The Greatest, Muhammad Ali 1942-2016." Time also will be releasing a 112-page soft cover book on Friday for $14.99. Meanwhile, SI's cover this week features Ali under the header, "The Greatest" (THE DAILY).
