News Article: Colorado Avalanche Media Coverage Part VI

[Bonzai12]

Little things like this bug me. Sorry, not sorry.

They lost me at the blend of hockey + comedy

1) if they didn’t bring comedy to the table, I’d actually probably listen. I get enough slapstick with rycroft already (and it’s not great).

2) if you have to tell me that you’re bringing comedy to the table, you’re probably not all that funny anyways.

 

[Pokecheque]

They lost me at the blend of hockey + comedy

1) if they didn’t bring comedy to the table, I’d actually probably listen. I get enough slapstick with rycroft already (and it’s not great).

2) if you have to tell me that you’re bringing comedy to the table, you’re probably not all that funny anyways.

Unfortunately that’s what people (apparently) seek in sports coverage and discussion. It’s not about news and analysis anymore, it’s hot takes and general hijinks.

Like, take for instance this particular post that depresses the hell outta me.


The biggest story in the NBA has nothing to do with basketball, it’s the apparent beef between a middle-aged basketball player and Stephen A. Smith. Smith isn’t a journalist or analyst, he’s a highly-paid clown who strives to make everything about himself. And the beef again has NOTHING to do with sports, it’s about Bronny James, a G-leaguer who happens to have a very famous name. And to make things even more fun, leotard-wearing former kicker Pat McAfee just had to insert himself into this shitshow for his own benefit.

I just can’t bring myself to respect either of these men, but these are the types of guys who have completely reshaped how sports are covered.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Unfortunately that’s what people (apparently) seek in sports coverage and discussion. It’s not about news and analysis anymore, it’s hot takes and general hijinks.

Like, take for instance this particular post that depresses the hell outta me.


The biggest story in the NBA has nothing to do with basketball, it’s the apparent beef between a middle-aged basketball player and Stephen A. Smith. Smith isn’t a journalist or analyst, he’s a highly-paid clown who strives to make everything about himself. And the beef again has NOTHING to do with sports, it’s about Bronny James, a G-leaguer who happens to have a very famous name. And to make things even more fun, leotard-wearing former kicker Pat McAfee just had to insert himself into this shitshow for his own benefit.

I just can’t bring myself to respect either of these men, but these are the types of guys who have completely reshaped how sports are covered.

It's why I don't watch any opinionated "sports shows" on any network. I tune into games, then change the channel once they are over.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

It's why I don't watch any opinionated "sports shows" on any network. I tune into games, then change the channel once they are over.

Ditto. I don't watch much pre- or post-game analysis at all. I don't listen to sports podcasts. I don't follow journalists on X etc.

I am surprised I put up with all the hot takes here, to be honest.

 

[AvBuff]

Ditto. I don't watch much pre- or post-game analysis at all. I don't listen to sports podcasts. I don't follow journalists on X etc.

I am surprised I put up with all the hot takes here, to be honest.

Damn - you missed the glory days of Yan Stastny's broadcasting career.

 

[Pokecheque]

It's why I don't watch any opinionated "sports shows" on any network. I tune into games, then change the channel once they are over.

That's fine but you'll have a hell of a time avoiding them going forward. ESPN fired all the journalists who worked to build their rep and threw all the money at those idiots I mentioned earlier. At least people are FINALLY waking up to Skip Bayless.

TBH I don't recall the last time I watched SportsCenter all the way through. I pretty much gave up on ESPN when they thought we needed round-the-clock coverage of old-ass Brett Favre's indecision.

 

[BobRossColton]

When are the rest of the episodes ending up on Max?

 

[dahrougem2]

Pardon The Interruption with Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser is the GOAT of sports talk shows. I grew up on that after school. No BS, no forced comedy, just genuine talk about sports and they even forced themselves to talk hockey when they had every excuse not to given their audience.

Miss shows like that.

 

[Pokecheque]

Pardon The Interruption with Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser is the GOAT of sports talk shows. I grew up on that after school. No BS, no forced comedy, just genuine talk about sports and they even forced themselves to talk hockey when they had every excuse not to given their audience.

Miss shows like that.

I think the worm started to turn with shows like that (and also Around the Horn) but at least then it was legit sportswriters who had actual knowledge about the sports they talked about. They just happened to have enough personality to be entertaining as well. But once Bayless took to the airwaves everyone realized not only do you not need to know anything to blather ridiculous shit, actual knowledge and sensibility is a hindrance to clickbait-style hot takes.

I'm reading an article now about how Pat McAfee commandeered NFL draft coverage (which apparently had Adam Schefter squirming in the seat next to him) to slut shame a freshman at Ole Miss, which turned her life completely upside down. McAfee is a slimebucket gossip queen who knows nothing about sports but makes tens of millions of dollars talking about them. Or actually NOT talking about them, but rather furthering an unsubstantiated rumor about a teenage girl f***ing an NFL draftee's father on national television.

And don't even get me started on the washed-up diva quarterback he regularly platforms.

 

[Foppa2118]

Maybe it's a coincidence, and I don't know what the connection would be since ESPN's NHL deal runs through 2027-28, but yesterday when they announced the Rogers TV deal in Canada, it was also the first time I've ever noticed the NHL missing from the ESPN+ home section of the app. It's the same today too.

They've got Cricket, TGL, League One Volleyball, NWSL, NCAA Softball, NCAA Gymnastics, and the UFL listed, but not the NHL.

It gets pushed behind other leagues and sports randomly, but I've never noticed it missing before. You have to go to the browse or search sections of the app to find NHL games.

It could also be just another example of ESPN's groundbreaking awful coverage of the NHL.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Maybe it's a coincidence, and I don't know what the connection would be since ESPN's NHL deal runs through 2027-28, but yesterday when they announced the Rogers TV deal in Canada, it was also the first time I've ever noticed the NHL missing from the ESPN+ home section of the app. It's the same today too.

They've got Cricket, TGL, League One Volleyball, NWSL, NCAA Softball, NCAA Gymnastics, and the UFL listed, but not the NHL.

It gets pushed behind other leagues and sports randomly, but I've never noticed it missing before. You have to go to the browse or search sections of the app to find NHL games.

It could also be just another example of ESPN's groundbreaking awful coverage of the NHL.

I don't think I've ever gone to ESPN looking for anything hockey related in my life.

Most viewers of ESPN are probably like that, too.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't think I've ever gone to ESPN looking for anything hockey related in my life.

Most viewers of ESPN are probably like that, too.

Hockey fans in the US have to though. ESPN and TNT are our only options, and ESPN+ is the only option to stream with the league ditching the far superior NHL.tv.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Hockey fans in the US have to though. ESPN and TNT are our only options, and ESPN+ is the only option to stream with the league ditching the far superior NHL.tv.

Why do you have to?

TSN.ca or Sportsnet.ca doesn't work?

 

[Foppa2118]

Why do you have to?

TSN.ca or Sportsnet.ca doesn't work?

For streaming games? I don't see a Sportsnet or TSN app available for me on AppleTV.

Maybe you can stream on a computer, but I don't really want to watch games on a computer if I don't have to, and I'm assuming you either need to pay for Sportsnet+ and try to get around a geo lock, or use a Canadian cable login which I don't have.

Maybe there's a way to do it that I'm unaware of, but I would guess the percentage of people in the States that rely on Sportsnet or TSN to watch hockey games over ESPN, is extremely small.

 

[Balthazar]

Why do you have to?

TSN.ca or Sportsnet.ca doesn't work?

Not in the US.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

For streaming games? I don't see a Sportsnet or TSN app available for me on AppleTV.

Maybe you can stream on a computer, but I don't really want to watch games on a computer if I don't have to, and I'm assuming you either need to pay for Sportsnet+ and try to get around a geo lock, or use a Canadian cable login which I don't have.

Maybe there's a way to do it that I'm unaware of, but I would guess the percentage of people in the States that rely on Sportsnet or TSN to watch hockey games over ESPN, is extremely small.

Yeah, I meant for hockey news.

I understand Americans can’t stream via TSN/Sportsnet.

 

[Foppa2118]

Yeah, I meant for hockey news.

I understand Americans can’t stream via TSN/Sportsnet.

Oh yeah, I don't use ESPN for hockey news, other than the occasional stat that other sites might not have.

I was talking about the ESPN+ app. Thought that's what you were referring to with ESPN viewers.

 

[Bonzai12]

talking about Around the Horn makes me miss Woody Paige. That dude was a legit sports writer.

I'm trying to find credible news sources for hockey now. Watched a couple episodes of THG on Youtube and he's really good. I love how he wears different team's jerseys and literally goes through the daily waiver wires and news. He's awesome. Also watched some guy a couple months back that used to be a video scout/coach with an NHL club but forgot his name. Feels like Youtube is the source though overall if you're trying to find people that don't light you up with b*llsh*t and clickbait 24x7.

 

[illegitimate]

talking about Around the Horn makes me miss Woody Paige. That dude was a legit sports writer.

I'm trying to find credible news sources for hockey now. Watched a couple episodes of THG on Youtube and he's really good. I love how he wears different team's jerseys and literally goes through the daily waiver wires and news. He's awesome. Also watched some guy a couple months back that used to be a video scout/coach with an NHL club but forgot his name. Feels like Youtube is the source though overall if you're trying to find people that don't light you up with b*llsh*t and clickbait 24x7.

this guy? Inside the Coaches' Room

 

[Bonzai12]

this guy? Inside the Coaches' Room

That’s him! Thank you!!

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

talking about Around the Horn makes me miss Woody Paige. That dude was a legit sports writer.

I'm trying to find credible news sources for hockey now. Watched a couple episodes of THG on Youtube and he's really good. I love how he wears different team's jerseys and literally goes through the daily waiver wires and news. He's awesome. Also watched some guy a couple months back that used to be a video scout/coach with an NHL club but forgot his name. Feels like Youtube is the source though overall if you're trying to find people that don't light you up with b*llsh*t and clickbait 24x7.

Woody still writes for us at The Gazette. He just wrote the other day about the Avs.

Woody Paige: Avs, Nuggets could bring Denver twin titles

Eureka! This Dusty Ol’ Cowtown of Denver, Colorado, has the best betting odds of becoming the first city ever to win both the NBA and NHL championships in the same

denvergazette.com

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I don't think I've ever gone to ESPN looking for anything hockey related in my life.

Most viewers of ESPN are probably like that, too.

That's a shame because back in the early days of the internets, ESPN had some great hockey coverage. But this was when the internet wasn't really video feeds, it was print based articles and blogs were just becoming a thing. Bucci had a weekly article that was basically appointment reading.

Hell, I think even Kevin Allen was pumping out post game stories for every team in the league on USA Today's website back then.

 

[Bonzai12]

Bucci had a weekly article that was basically appointment reading.

Bucci’s stuff was definitely good. Late 1980s hockey on ESPN was absolutely legendary - miss those days.