NASCAR on ESPN revisited

Bob Tanner · #1 (**permalink**) 03-15-2007, 09:54 AM

I might have been wrong about the quality of NASCAR coverage on ESPN.

I was one of those who was positive about the potential high-quality announcing we were to see when ESPN took the reins from NBC this season. I saw lots of possibilities from Dr. Jerry, Rusty and company. I still see those possibilities but after watching three ESPN attempts at race coverage, it appears that it all might have been a mirage.

I've watched three races covered by ESPN and though I know it's still early, and the booth is trying to find some kind of inter-personal chemistry. However, based on what I've seen so far, I'm personally not too impressed.

Dr. Jerry has been good but his obvious love for the sport seems to have repressed his ability to report what he sees objectively and he seems to have developed a Pollyanna attitude akin to that of Barney Hall, on NASCAR's MRN radio coverage.

Rusty continues to make rookie-like mistakes and he's sounding more and more like SIRIUS' NASCAR-hugging Dave Moodey every week. (I have an extremely low tolerance for NASCAR apologists)

Andy Pretree is proving to be just plain inept. Like Kirk Shelmerdine, Andy would have been much better served to have stayed active in racing mechanical endeavors and not branched out.

Alan Bestwick is the almost single bright spot but he doesn't aspire to more camera face time and doesn't take orders from above too well so his tenure at ESPN might be short-lived.

Their technical info just doesn't make the grade. That animated GPS thing they tried to make work...? What the hell was THAT all about? Maybe I'm just dense but it never made a lick of sense to me.

On the positive side, they don't have the two ignoranuses, DW and Larry Mac, nor do they have Bill Weber nor Marty Snyder.

What seems to me to be missing is the booth leadership of a Bob Jenkins and the steady, quiet yet informative analysis of a Ned Jarrett.

Plus, I've noticed that, typical of ESPN, they tend to spend a majority of the air time focused on not the racing but the most popular driver. Evidenced this by the non-stop promoting of Juan Pablo BEFORE he made his outstanding climb from 19th to 1st at Mexico. Prediction: IF ESPN continues in it's current vein, and if Junior makes the Playoffs, the final ten races will be really boring to those of us not in The Red Army, because the red #8 will be on camera 75% of the time.

Yep, I may have been a bit optimistic in my hopes for NASCAR on ESPN/ABC/Disney.

LSC9901 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Yep, I may have been a bit optimistic in my hopes for NASCAR on ESPN/ABC/Disney.

If we can't have hope, then we have nothing !!! At the rate things are going for MWR we may see/hear that bumbling loudmouth on air before long.

Bob Tanner · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSC9901

If we can't have hope, then we have nothing !!! At the rate things are going for MWR we may see/hear that bumbling loudmouth on air before long.

Gee. Thanks a lot, Steve. Now I'm going to have to spend my Saturday morning at the local slaughter house watching them kill pigs, just to get that vision on Mikey regularly in the booth out of my mind!

Mike24 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007, 09:50 AM

ESPN is better than NBC, that's all I have to say.

LSC9901 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Gee. Thanks a lot, Steve. Now I'm going to have to spend my Saturday morning at the local slaughter house watching them kill pigs, just to get that vision on Mikey regularly in the booth out of my mind!

I'll be the guy just to your left getting the same benefit as you.

DEI · #6 (**permalink**) 03-18-2007, 05:43 PM

ESPN blows. maybe it will get better but my god its terrible.....rusty doesnt have a clue, andy is just totally useless and this punch guy should not be anywhere near a TV booth.

Racer Duck · #7 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 02:01 PM

hooray for ESPN!!! someone finally proved they could be worse than NBC!

Mike24 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

hooray for ESPN!!! someone finally proved they could be worse than NBC!

Worse? Now that's a big statement.

Racer Duck · #9 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike24

Worse? Now that's a big statement.

Even with DW and Larry Mac, Fox is still the best we have. (Sad isn't it?

)

Mike24 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 03:46 PM

I like DW and Larry Mac, so that makes FOX even better, for me anyway.

Mike24 · #11 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 05:02 PM

ESPN didn't show Edwards' backflip because they were "short" on time. How about that coverage!

LSC9901 · #12 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike24

I like DW and Larry Mac, so that makes FOX even better, for me anyway.

Mike as of late I have tried to defend you and see things from your point of view but now you've lost me. Those are two of the greatest village idiots racing has ever had to deal with.

Mike24 · #13 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Mike as of late I have tried to defend you and see things from your point of view but now you've lost me. Those are two of the greatest village idiots racing has ever had to deal with.

I wasn't talking about their driving career... I was talking about commentating.

LSC9901 · #14 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike24

I wasn't talking about their driving career... I was talking about commentating.

Me too !!!

Mike24 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Me too !!!

lol, I don't see what you are seeing. I think they are just fine at commentating, and analyst.

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