Called For A Foul: Critics Harsh Of ESPN's NBA Draft Coverage
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ESPN Receives Harsh Criticism
Over Its Coverage Of NBA Draft |
ESPN broadcast the NBA Draft Thursday night, and the net, "contrary to everything [it] seems to believe in, seemed conflict-averse," according to Ryan White of the Portland OREGONIAN. The main set, which was anchored by Stuart Scott, was "sleepy," and Stephen A. Smith, who was on a second set conducting player interviews, "would have added some life" to the proceedings. White: "It's rare for anyone to turn down the volume. ESPN did, but there's a difference between that and the mute button, and with so much information now available on the screen, you could have enjoyed the draft in silence and not missed a thing" (Portland OREGONIAN, 6/27). THE BIG LEAD writes ESPN analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were the "primary reason[s] we thought the coverage was pretty disappointing." Van Gundy was "lobbying harder for a job last night than any of the draftees who sat down to chat with Stephen A. Smith." And does Jackson "possess the ability to criticize when necessary?" Meanwhile, Jay Bilas' back "has to be hurting this morning from carrying those other two jokers." Scott "seemed to do an OK job. ... Putting aside your previous thoughts on the guy, he was palatable last night" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 6/27). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Brian Powell wrote, "My god that was borderline unbearable." Powell: "Please ESPN.....NEVER PUT THOSE FOUR TOGETHER AGAIN!!! I knew it was a bad idea to begin with, but the final product was even worse than I had imagined. Mark Jackson has absolutely nothing to say, Jeff Van Gundy also has nothing to say but adds knowing nothing about College players (and openly admits it)" (AWFULANNOUNCING.BLOGSPOT.com, 6/26).
GOING THE OTHER WAY: In Miami, Barry Jackson writes, "There was some shouting -- Smith's interviews at times, Dick Vitale's commentaries from Florida ... but unlike past drafts, there was no reason to shout 'Shut Up!' at your television set." Bilas, Van Gundy and Jackson delivered "generally sound, reasoned analysis, avoiding the hyperbole and the baseless rants we have heard from Smith on past drafts." Bilas, "predictably, was ESPN's MVP, dissecting each player with Mel Kiper-type detail." ESPN "smartly kept player interviews short, allowing more time for commentary, but during the first hour, we would like to have heard about trades" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/27). In Philadelphia, Dick Jerardi writes, "I really like Van Gundy as an announcer, where he is loose and takes risks, exactly the opposite of how his NBA teams have played through the years" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/27). ESPN.com's Bill Simmons, who kept a running diary of the draft, wrote, “We might get through the night without a single argument among Van Gundy, Jackson and Bilas. These guys make ‘Tirico and Van Pelt’ seem combative and hostile by comparison” (ESPN.com, 6/26).
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