Monthly Archives: December 2012

What they said in 2012: Quotes tell tale of year in sports media

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Part 1:

I’m a big quote guy, as evidenced by the quote I run at the top of this site.

While going through my review of sports media in 2012, I came across so many relevant quotes from my reporting and elsewhere, I decided to share them. Some are insightful; some are funny; some are just plain stupid. Yet they all tell a tale of what occurred on this beat.

I had so many, I decided to split them into two posts. Part 1 covers the beginning of the site in April through early August.

Frank Deford on current state of sportswriting: “Unfortunately, we’ve gotten swamped by the numbers. People have gotten buried under the numbers. Statistics. That has become everything. Pitch count is more interesting than what the guy is made of. I think that’s a shame because so much of sports is drama.”

Keith Olbermman tweet: “Mickey Mantle debuted in NY in an exhibition vs Dodgers 1951. Bryce Harper debuts vs Dodgers tonight. Announcer then and now? Vin Scully.”

Adam Schefter on taking heat for tweeting during the NFL draft: “I approach the draft just like any other NFL news story. When I learn informaton, it’s my job to report it. I didn’t report every pick; I was more interested in the trades, actually. But if someone felt it detracted from their experience, they could have unfollowed me or not paid attention to Twitter.”

Ohio State president Gordon Gee (a true goof): “‘Sporting News,’ ‘Sports Illustrated,’ a lot of them I don’t read. It’s bad journalism. And, so, why buy them?”

David Feherty on Hank Haney’s book on Tiger Woods: “The fact that Hank wrote the book – I wouldn’t have written the book. I just don’t think it has any class to it at all.”

SI’s Richard Deitsch on Chris Berman: “The bellowing never stops. It pummels you over the head like a hard rain, and  it’s forever accompanied by outdated references (“Mel Kiper, to quote Stan  Laurel, ‘Here’s another mess you have gotten me into, Ollie.’ “) and long-winded  intros that last nearly as long as a Presidential campaign. Mostly, there is  Chris Berman simply talking and talking and talking.”

Chris Berman:  “I just talk to people everyday walking down the street. That’s what I care about. That’s good enough for me. They didn’t like Ted Williams either. Now, I’m not Ted Williams.”

ESPN exec John Wildhack defending Chris Berman: “It seems that at times, criticizing Chris has become a pastime for some, as opposed to presenting an actual review of the work he does. What’s important is he works hard, he’s prepared, he’s extremely passionate about it and he is a huge sports fan which allows him to connect with the sports fans we serve.”

Bill Simmons in a tweet on Grantland being denied a credential to a NHL playoff game: “Still laughing that the Blues denied @katiebakes for a media credential last week. The NHL is the best. DON’T COVER US!!! STAY AWAY!”

Dave Kindred on the late Furman Bisher: “One time, two years ago, his glorious wife, Linda, called him in the Augusta  press room and Furman became a high school kid in love. “I just finished,  honey,” he said. “It wasn’t much. I keep trying. I’ll do that perfect column  someday.”

Saints owner Tom Benson on demise of the New Orleans Times-Picuyane: “It is hard for me to imagine no Times-Picayune on Monday, February 4, 2013, the day after our city hosts Super Bowl XLVII.”

Veteran sportswriter Tom Pedulla on being fired from USA Today: “If you think someone’s job was in jeopardy, you’d want to do it face-to-face to make the best possible decision. I never got a face-to-face interview to keep a job I had for 31 years.”

Former Fox Sports chairman David Hill on the future of sports TV:  “The next big development for all of us is the second-screen experience. I don’t believe that has been explored in terms of potential as it should be. If you look at multi-tasking that is going on, a valid second screen experience (people watching a second screen in addition to the primary screen) – which could be American Idol – is going to be a huge development down the road.”

Tiger Woods on new media: “You’ve got to be able to stand out somehow to get eyes going to your site or to your media, and I think that’s one of the reasons why there’s the criticism that there is. I was looking at it the other day, if LeBron didn’t have a good game, then the Heat are done and he should retire.  I’m like, geez, guys, he just won MVP.  But I think that’s just the nature of the volatility of the new media in which we are involved in now.”

Phil Mushnick controversial column on Jay-Z: “As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their  marketing shots — what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team  colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new “urban” home — why not have  him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?

“Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s? The  cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—-hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with  hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!”

Michelle Beadle on rampant speculation about her future: “I find it ridiculous. It’s a little stupid. I’ve changed jobs a couple dozen times since I started in an amusement park at 16. … I got a little sick of myself. It’s been an odd situation. Hopefully, it will come and go and everybody will get back to their business. Very weird. Who knew?”

Ozzie Guillen on Twitter: “Yeah, I hate Twitter. Everybody following me can (expletive) his pants. You can quote me on that one. … Don’t follow me anymore. Twitter is a stupid thing. I never make money out of that. When you speak Spanish, you speak Spanish. When you speak English, you don’t know how to spell ‘English.’ Get a real job, get a life. I don’t make money out of that. I’m done.”

Colin Cowherd on hockey writers: “Hockey doesn’t get the cream of the crop in our business…What do you think I’m giving the kid out of Fordham? The New York Islanders. He’s cheap, he’s bright, and his brother used to play hockey.”

John Skipper on NBC Sports Network: “We’ve been doing this for 32 years and I do think  there’s a little too much respect paid to the great brand names. Everybody sort  of assumes, ‘Oh, my gosh, NBC is going to a 24/7 network and it’s a two-horse  race.” But they don’t look like we look. You guys saw all the stuff today –  mobile, Internet. We have more viewers in an average minute on ESPN mobile than  they have on NBC Sports Network.”

NBC Sports response: “The NBC Sports Group brands are among the most powerful brands in sports. We don’t look like anyone else and we’re very proud of that fact. They’ve been at this a long time and at a significantly higher cost to consumers. Our audience and market share are increasing as evidenced by the NHL playoffs and at great value to our viewers.”

CBC’s Ron McLean invoking images of 9/11 in open to a NHL playoff game: “From the capital of the U.S. of A., it’s New York and Washington. The economic and political engines of America, united in the birth of the country, they’re also linked in tragedy. They were the twin targets of the coordinated attacks on 9/11. It’s crazy to compare what the emergency responders did during that time, but a spirit has to start somewhere. And as you enjoy this series between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals — Game 6 comin’ up, 3-2 New York.”

Dan Jenkins: “Who is the best the sportswriter who wore shorts? I keep trying to envision Grantland Rice or John Lardner in shorts. It never occurred to me to wear shorts. I’d look too silly to wear shorts.”

ESPN’s Vince Doria on hockey: “It’s a sport that engenders a very passionate local following. If you’re a Blackhawks fan in Chicago, you’re a hardcore fan. But it doesn’t translate to television, and where it really doesn’t transfer much to is a national discussion, which is something that typifies what we do.”

Donna  de Varona on 40th anniversary of Title IX: “My work in Title IX gave me a voice I wanted to have as a broadcaster. But there was a lot of pushback. My visibility was often threatened. I often got comments about my activism being an issue, forcing me to make choices. That did two things for me: It made me fight harder and stay at ABC, and also to work on Capitol Hill.”

Darren Rovell announcing in a tweet (what else?) that he is jumping to ESPN: “I’m thrilled to have reached an agreement in principle with ESPN. No matter how others bash it, Bristol is truly a magical place.”

APSE president Michael A. Anastasi in speech to sports editors: “Many of you have heard me say this before, but I think it’s worth repeating. With so much change, so much challenge, so much new, this is exactly the wrong time for editors to stop talking to each other.”

ESPN’s Vince Doria: “If social networking never existed, we wouldn’t miss it. We wouldn’t know it ever existed. We wouldn’t feel our life was impaired in any way. We lived without e-mail. How did we operate without it?”

Geoff Ogilvy’s wife, Julie, on Twitter: “How does Johnny Miller have a job when he speaks such nonsense???”

Phil Mushnick: “Allowing ESPN’s Chris Berman to call golf’s U.S. Open is like giving the Class Clown a jumbo can of Silly String.”

Skip Bayless: “Miami was the heavy favorite to win it all and I’m not backing off. I’m not writing them off. I’m sticking with them in seven games, because they’re still the Miami Heat.”

Ken Harrelson after over-the-top criticism of an umpire: “I talked to Bud Selig yesterday. We had a talk. Actually, Bud talked and I listened. If it was a prize fight, they would have stopped it in the first round.”

Bob Costas on slain Israeli athletes not being honored at Olympics: “I intend to note that the IOC denied the request. Many people find that denial more than puzzling but insensitive. Here’s a minute of silence right now.”

BTN president Mark Silverman on his network not covering important Penn State press conference: “We wanted to have covered it. Frankly, it was human error. There was an internal communications issue. We regret not having shown that press conference.”

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertham on Joe Posnanski’s Paterno book: “The great lesson that Paterno may have taught (a player) pales in comparison to the cover-up. People who read the book will say they don’t care about (his great deeds). I worry this will be the literary version of the Matt Millen fiasco.”

Joe Buck on Tim McCarver going into Hall of Fame: “When I had him sitting to my right and I had him seconding an opinion of mine, it gave me instant credibility. I owe him a lot and I’ll be there, the proudest one there not at the podium when he goes in on Saturday.”

Tim McCarver: “If somebody told me back in 1980 that I would have a 32-year career, and that I’d be receiving this honor, I’d say no way. For three years, I couldn’t even break into the Phillies broadcast booth. I was just hoping to make it, much less be mentioned as a Ford Frick winner. Believe me, when I started out, this award wasn’t even close to being on the radar.”

Bob Costas on turning 60: “It doesn’t seem that long ago to me that the word irreverent seemed affixed to my name. ‘Irreverant newcomer.’ I went from irreverent to venerable in what seems to me like the blink of an eye.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s on: PTI special on Notre Dame; season finale for Real Sports; Immaculate Reception at 40

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To help you recover from the Jets-Titans, there is some good sporting viewing on the agenda, and it has nothing to do with games. Here’s the rundown.

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ESPN begins its Notre Dame push with a special primetime Pardon The Interruption tonight.

A new PTImeline will document the past decade of Notre Dame Football.

The 30-minute Pardon the Interruption Special: Notre Dame Timeline will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The video will also be released online via Grantland.com.

Beginning with the decision to fire head coach Bob Davie in 2001 and culminating with this season’s number one ranking and berth in the BCS Championship Game, the new PTImeline will document various Fighting Irish coaching hires (George O’Leary, Ty Willingham, Charlie Weis and Brian Kelly), the controversial “Bush Push” in the 2005 USC game, and the Declan Sullivan tragedy in 2011.

PTImeline is the brainchild of longtime PTI executive producer Erik Rydholm and coordinating producer Matthew Kelliher.

“We’ve been knocking around the idea for years as a way to breathe new life into old content, but never had the people to pull it off,” Rydholm said.

Fortunately, a handful of former PTI employees and interns are part of the Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable staff, which is also based at the ESPN offices in the Washington, D.C., bureau of ABC News. Rydholm had them pull and arrange clips during some of the non-show days for DLHQ.

Rydholm also credits Grantland’s David Jacoby for making the project a reality by editing rough cuts, preparing the videos for air and supplying graphics and other visual elements.

Rydholm said there is the possibility for more PTImelines down the road.

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Real Sports closes its 18th season with its year-in-review show tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Departing from the show’s regular format, host Bryant Gumbel leads correspondents Mary Carillo, Frank Deford, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg, Armen Keteyian and Andrea Kremer in a spirited roundtable discussion of 2012, touching on everything from favorite stories of the year to the interviews and segments that had the greatest impact on them.

In 2012, REAL SPORTS traveled the world to meet inspiring and memorable people, among them: Jeb Corliss, who jumped off Table Mountain in South Africa in a wing suit and barely survived a crash at more than 120 miles per hour; Alex Zanardi, the former Formula 1 driver who lost his legs in an accident, but never looked back and is now winning races of another kind; and Mark Miller, one of the only Americans competing in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the most dangerous motorcycle race in history, where more than 230 people have died over the years.

In an Olympic year, two stories spotlighted Olympians: U.S. hurdler Lolo Jones, who revealed that her efforts to remain a virgin were more difficult than training for the Games; and former Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu, who not long ago finally met her biggest fan – a sister she never knew she had.

REAL SPORTS also looked at big issues and controversies, covering: fan-on-fan violence, sometimes stemming from something as harmless as wearing the “wrong” jersey to a game; the widespread use of the painkiller Toradol in the NFL; and former NFL player Steve Gleason, who unwittingly found himself in the middle of the New Orleans Saints’ bountygate scandal, and today battles the devastating effects of ALS.

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This year’s marks the 40th anniversary of “The Immaculate Reception.” I’ll have an interview with the producer tomorrow, but here’s a preview of the NFL Network documentary that runs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

 

Fourth quarter, 22 seconds remaining, fourth and 10 from their own 40 yard line, trailing by one to the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw took the snap. What transpired over the next 17 seconds has been described various ways – a myth, miracle, conspiracy, crime, and a detective story.

NFL Network’s Emmy nominated series A Football Life continues Wednesday, December 19 at 8:00 PM ET with the story of The Immaculate Reception.  On December 23, 1972 at 3:29 PM ET, Franco Harris crossed the goal line with what appeared to be 60-yard touchdown reception to give the Steelers a 12-7 lead. However, for the next 15 minutes, Referee Fred Swearingen and his five man crew debated over a play which history says no one saw.

The iconic play had one certainty:  Bradshaw had thrown a downfield pass intended for running back John “Frenchy” Fuqua. All aspects of what took place after Bradshaw released the ball and until Harris crossed the goal line will never be agreed upon. Was NFL Rule 7, Section 5, Article 2, Item 1 violated? Did Harris legally catch the ball? Adding to the intrigue and the historical debate is both what the footage shows and does not show. Also, two days after the game, Raiders head coach John Madden claimed his coaching film revealed his version of the truth. That footage has vanished.

The Immaculate Reception: A Football Life features new interviews with a total of 11 players from both teams who participated in game, including the two Steelers at the heart of the controversy, John “Frenchy” Fuqua and Franco Harris. Each of the Steeler and Raider players provide their perspective of what happened that day in Three Rivers Stadium. Their version of events has spawned four different conspiracy theories which are discussed in detail. Madden refused to be interviewed for the special because the play still draws so much emotion from him forty years later. Furthermore, NFL Films digitally remastered the film to show an additional image and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General Michael Hayden, analyzes the play.

–  “The Immaculate Reception became the Zapruder Film of sports.” – Stephen J. Dubner

– “I got up and started going ‘what happened?’ – Terry Bradshaw

–  “No one saw what took place.” – Rocky Bleier

–  “Once it was dubbed “The Immaculate Reception”, it took on a life of its own.” – Joe Gordon

–  “If you are cynic, like the damn Raiders, you will never accept it.” – John “Frenchy” Fuqua

–  “You can’t help but be mesmerized by that image; it is an image that made history.” – Andy Masich

–  “We don’t call it the Immaculate Reception; we call it the Immaculate Deception.” – George Atkinson

–  “That play bothered me then, it bothered now and it will bother me to the day I die.” – John Madden from a 1986 NFL Films interview

–  “It would be terrible for football lore if we knew everything that we should know about the play.” – Peter King

 

 

 

 

Jets-Titans disaster: C’mon NFL, fans, Tirico deserve better on Monday night

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Mike Tirico really called a great game on Monday night. He didn’t try to sugarcoat the rotten excuse for football in Tennessee.

It was horrible, and he didn’t hide his feelings. As ESPN cut to a commercial in the third quarter, Tirico said bluntly, “A bad punt in a bad game.”

If I’m ESPN, and paying something like $50 million per Monday night game, I’m on the phone with the NFL today. The league blew it by scheduling a Jets-Titans game for primetime so late in the season.

Neither team made the playoffs in 2011. The Jets were a measly 8-8, while Tennessee wasn’t much better at 9-7. What made the schedule-makers think that this match-up would be worth watching in late December?

The potential definitely was there for Tennessee to be a dud, and who knows with the Jets? Even so, nobody thought they were Super Bowl contenders.

Meanwhile, over at NBC, Al Michaels and company had the New England-San Francisco game on Sunday night. Now at the beginning of the season, you would have to say that looked like a pretty good game on Dec. 16.

NBC gets the flex scheduling option beginning in week 10. However, its schedule has been so strong, this Sunday will be the first and only flex of the season. The NFL decided to switch from San Diego-Jets (enough with the Jets!) to San Francisco-Seattle.

NFL can’t flex for ESPN since much more is involved in moving a Monday night game. However, if it had been in play, I bet the league would have flexed off three ESPN games: Pittsburgh-Kansas City (1-8 going into game) on Nov. 12; 2-8 Carolina at 3-7 Philadelphia on Nov. 26; and last night’s game.

ESPN closes out its season Saturday with Atlanta-Detroit. The game has lost considerable luster with the Lions playing out the string at 4-10. But with Detroit coming off a playoff run in 2011, at least this match-up made sense for prime time at the beginning of the season.

Jets-Titans didn’t. ESPN and the viewers (those who tuned in) got stuck with a terrible game.

We all deserve better, especially Mike Tirico.

 

 

 

Top sports media stories in 2012: Spiraling rights fees, ratings; ESPN cleans up; Mixed opening for NBC Sports Net

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From my perspective, the biggest sports media story in 2012 occurred on April 16. That’s when ShermanReport.com went live. Then again, I’m biased.

There has been plenty of other sports media news in 2012. Here’s a look:

Infinity: While talking about the outrageous rights fees for sports the other day, Ed Goren, the former top production man at Fox Sports, noted that Fox paid $400 million for its first four-year deal with the NFL in 1994.

“Remember when everyone thought that was out of sight?” Goren said. “Now it’s nothing.”

Indeed, $400 million barely would get you the NFL preseason in today’s market.

The lavish spending continued in 2012. Baseball was the biggest winner, with ESPN, Turner, Fox all re-upping with a new megadeal. As a result, Bud Selig and friends will more than double their annual haul from $750 million to $1.55 billion when the new contract kicks in.

Other sports also enjoyed the money grab with new expensive contracts. There seems to be no end how much the networks, especially ESPN, will pay in rights fees. Even the European Premier League went to NBC for $250 million over three years. Keep in mind, this is for a league not based in the United States and for a sport most Americans don’t care about.

Why the sports lust by the networks? See the next installment.

Soaring ratings: In a continuing splintered TV marketplace, ratings continue to rise for sports (with the exception of baseball: more on that below). Sunday Night Football on NBC is shooting for its second straight season as the top-ranked show in primetime. The Summer Olympics were the most-viewed event of all time and the NFL’s overall numbers are ridiculous. Elsewhere, there were ratings increases for the NCAA basketball tournament, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup playoffs, and more down the line.

Sports remains the last bastion of true reality television. And you have to watch it live. It’s not the same on DVR.

If sports fans keep watching, the networks will keep paying. It’s that simple.

ESPN: President John Skipper spent like crazy with deals for baseball, the new college football playoff, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, etc. Guess you can do that when your network is valued at $40 billion. Skipper secured crucial programming for the long haul, and even better, shut out his upstart competitors.

NBC Sports Network, Year 1: Some things worked; others not so much. The Stanley Cup playoffs did solid numbers, as fans loved the multi-platform approach, and the Summer Olympics had viewers seeking out the network.

However, any momentum has been dulled considerably with the NHL lockout. Speaking of games, NBC Sports Network couldn’t get in the game for baseball or make deals with the major college conference for much needed live sports programming. The Big East still is out there. What’s left of it.

NBC Sports Network remains a work in progress, but it is difficult to see how far it can go without significant games.

Gold medal: NBC did record ratings, exceeding expectations for the Olympics in London. However, the complaints about the tape delay approach reached new heights. It all is so antiquated in today’s modern media age.

It seems NBC is listening.

“We evaluate our business models all the time, and seek the best ways to satisfy the majority of viewers, as well as advertisers, and our affiliate stations,” said NBC Sports president Mark Lazarus. “We have to wait for the data from these Games to come in, and then we’ll make our plans accordingly.”

Prediction: Everything will be available live on your TV for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Next train out of Bristol: ESPN saw some big name personalities walk out the door: Michelle Beadle, Erin Andrews, Jim Rome. So much was made of their departures that the ESPN PR crew started to issue press releases for routine contract renewals, as if to say, “Hey, somebody likes it here.”

Skipper didn’t seem upset about the defections: “Getting excited about people leaving is very overrated — whether it be executives or on-air. Mostly it gives somebody else a chance to shine. I can’t think of a single instance where losing a talent has been significantly debilitating to a specific program. I don’t think we’ve ever canceled a program because we couldn’t find somebody to do it.”

One big name who stayed: Scott Van Pelt.

World Series blues: While other sports showcases continue to go up, the World Series declined again. Sure, another four-game sweep didn’t help. But there’s also another element in play. For whatever reason, the World Series doesn’t seem to matter as much as it used to. Baseball, unlike the other sports, has gotten extremely provincial. If your team isn’t playing, you’re not interested, or as interested.

Penn State: The biggest sports story of the year saw premature reports of Joe Paterno’s death and the Big Ten Network taking hits for not covering the NCAA press conference that announced the unprecedented sanctions. On the plus side, Harrisburg Patriot-News reporter Sara Ganim won the Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the scandal.

Musical chairs: Yet another wave of conference realignment. Maryland and Rutgers in the Big Ten? Louisville in the ACC? All in the name of maximizing TV revenue.

Poor UConn. The Huskies look like the little kid standing while the others have their chairs.

Gruden: ESPN went to a two-man booth for Monday Night Football, elevating the status of Jon Gruden. It resulted in much fascination for the former coach, who could keep that post for the next 10-15 years if he wants. A big if considering he could be on the sidelines in 2013.

Finally tuned in: After oh so many years, Time Warner cable finally agreed to a deal to carry the NFL Network. As a result, New Yorkers finally were introduced to a wonderful man named Scott Hanson and NFL RedZone.

Tebow mania: Yeah, ESPN went a bit overboard. The network took more hits for its coverage than Tebow did playing quarterback for the Jets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting booted: Angels to move press box down the rightfield line

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At least the writers still are in the ballpark.

Late last week, it was disclosed that the Los Angeles Angels will be moving the press box from its prime location behind to a less than ideal perspective down the rightfield line.

From Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times:

The Angels are in the process of converting their press box to a luxury seating area that will feature upgraded dining opportunities and amenities for about 80 fans, a move that will push writers covering the team to a new press box down the right-field line in Angel Stadium.

There will be no changes to the radio and television broadcast booths, which will remain on the club level behind home plate, or in the Diamond Club restaurant and seating areas on the lower level behind home plate.

“It really boils down to building revenue streams and finding as many ways as possible to grow,” said Tim Mead, Angels vice president of communications. “In talking to other teams, the seating behind home plate is a prime area to do things.”

Mead noted the White Sox made the move with their press box a few years ago. The writers aren’t happy about it.

Upon hearing the news about the Angels, Paul Hoynes, the longtime baseball writer for the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, wrote in a Tweet:

Selig promised BBWAA no team would be allowed to move pressbox from behind home plate after Chi did it. Angel writers should go to Bud.

I don’t know that it will do any good. Given that the Angels have committed a zillion dollars on about four players, the Commissioner is not going to rule against the team trying to find some new revenue sources.

Sorry, Hoynsie. I don’t think the protest is going to go very far.

 

 

 

Posted in MLB

New columnist for GolfChannel.com: Some new guy named Palmer

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Who knew that Arnold Palmer always wanted to be like one of us? Does this mean he has to apply for a press credential if he wants to attend the Masters?

What’s next? Arnie on Twitter?

Golfchannel.com announced this morning that Palmer will become a regular columnist on the site. At age 83, I guess it’s never too late to try new things.

By the way, Palmer is a founding partner in the Golf Channel. Does the guy ever lose?

Of course, Palmer’s columns will be ghost-written. Still, it will be the voice of the King. His first column is titled: “State of the Game.”

Palmer opens:

I have been around the game of golf since I first hit a ball when I was 3 years old. That was 80 years ago. I still have interests in golf course design, course ownership and so on, but I haven’t really played competitive golf for quite some time. So as 2012 comes to an end, I’m seeing the game as you do: as a casual player, as a fan and as a businessman. And I like what I see.

Not a fan of the long putter:

Do we have issues? Sure – what truly global enterprise doesn’t? We need to keep bringing the game to youngsters and women. We need to address the distance that today’s ball travels. Slow play is turning time-starved people away from the sport. We need to encourage nine-hole rounds. We have environmental concerns to deal with and we have to keep a vigilant eye on the standards of sportsmanship that set our game apart. The U.S. Golf Association and R&A recently announced a ban on the practice of “anchoring” clubs – usually a long or belly-length putter – against the body. I applaud them for not only their ruling, but also for the patient and thoughtful approach they took, studying the issue for years and across all levels of golf before making their decision. There was nothing knee-jerk about it. The game is in good hands.

Dan Jenkins might have said it in a different way. Then again, Palmer hasn’t had as much practice as Jenkins.

 

Top newsmakers for 2012: No denying that everyone talked about Skip Bayless

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When I launched ShermanReport on April 16, I had some initial concerns that there might not be enough fresh content to do a daily site.

Couldn’t have been more wrong.

There’s so much territory to cover, it can be overwhelming at times. For a solo performer, it is a challenge to keep up. It’s never dull, that’s for sure.

As 2012 nears a close, I’m going to reflect on the year in sports media this week. Today, I begin with newsmakers. My criteria is people who were interesting, intriguing, controversial, and generally seemed to be in the news cycle, for better or worse.

Here we go:

Skip Bayless: Yes, Skip Bayless. I can see your eyes rolling, but name me someone who has generated more sports media talk?

I know he is extremely polarizing, and he routinely gets obliterated from the critics. Twitter nearly exploded when he got nominated for a Sports Emmy.

This isn’t to say that Bayless and First Take rank as the best in 2012. The latest episode involving Rob Parker off-mark comments about Robert Griffin III are an example why many people feel the show is a stain on ESPN. A blow to its credibility.

However, whenever the topic is sports media in a podcast or elsewhere, I’m hard pressed to think of a time when the discussion didn’t include Bayless and First Take. My former Chicago Tribune colleague receives a remarkable amount of attention for a mid-morning show on ESPN2. Not exactly prime time. Love him or hate him, people tune in to hear Bayless’ and Stephen A. Smith’s views. The show continues to do a strong rating and Bayless has nearly 1 million followers on Twitter, up from 550,000 in April.

More so, athletes react over what he has to say. Kevin Durant, Jalen Rose, Charles Barkley, and Terrell Suggs, to name a few. Again, somebody must be listening.

In a Q/A I did with Bayless in April, I asked if he saw himself wearing the black hat. He said: “The thrust of our show is people trying to take me down. They just want to see me lose. That’s why they love Stephen A (Smith). He calls me Skip “Baseless.” Fine. Then I quickly prove to the audience that I’m not baseless and win the argument from him, using live ammo, real facts that he can’t refute.”

Will Bayless be at the top of the list again in 2013? I wouldn’t bet against him.

Bob Costas: Costas hit a milestone birthday, turning 60. While it’s just a number, he continued to define his status as perhaps the sportscaster of his generation in 2012. He tied it all together in hosting yet another Olympics for NBC. Even more so, he stepped out on controversial issues: The failure to do a memorial of the slain Israeli athletes at the Olympics and his anti-gun commentary during halftime of a Sunday night game. If sports has a social conscience and voice, it is Costas.

Mark Lazarus: Unlike his predecessor Dick Ebersol, the NBC Sports president took a low profile in being at the helm for his first Olympics. While the tape delay issue had viewers screaming, they still watched in record numbers. Bottom line: The Games even turned an unexpected profit for NBC. Lazarus didn’t have to say much more than that.

John Skipper: The ESPN president oversaw the network’s buying spree in 2012, locking in important long-term rights deals. Skipper also is refreshingly frank. He earned plaudits for admitting that ESPN went overboard with its Tim Tebow coverage.

Joe Posnanski: No sportswriter faced a more intense spotlight than Posnanski. His much-anticipated book Paterno was roundly criticized. The response was so extreme, Posnanski did limited interviews and virtually no public appearances. As a result, his move from Sports Illustrated to being the signature name for the SportsOnEarth site received little fanfare.

Clearly, Posnanski’s book was hurt by a deadline that was moved up to cash in on the timeliness of the story. But even worse, he appeared too close to Paterno and his family to write an objective book that this subject required.

Michelle Beadle: After several months of over-the-top speculation about her future, Beadle bolted ESPN for a package at NBC. She shined in a hosting role at the Olympics. Always entertaining, Beadle will add a new show at NBC Sports Network in 2013.

Erin Andrews: Speaking of over-the-top, Andrews also left ESPN and signed on at Fox Sports. The big lure was a chance to host a primetime college football studio show in advance of Fox’s Saturday night game. Alas, Andrews and the show generally got panned. Look for some changes in a second attempt in 2013.

Chris Berman: Speaking of polarizing figures, it’s often target practice on Berman. His act, once unique and fun in another decade, now is viewed as old and tired. It’s almost as if he has become a characterization of himself. If only he listened to the many people who have to be begging him to tone it down.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch blew him up several times. Following Berman hosting the NFL draft, he wrote: “The bellowing never stops. It pummels you over the head like a hard rain.”

Of the critics, Berman told Michael Hiestand of USA Today: ”I just talk to people everyday walking down the street,” he says. “That’s what I care about. That’s good enough for me. They didn’t like Ted Williams either. Now, I’m not Ted Williams.”

That is quite true. He is not anywhere close to comparing his situation to Ted Williams’.

As for ESPN making any changes with Berman? Don’t count on it. He signed a long-term deal in 2012.

Jim Rome: Another escapee from ESPN, Rome took his act to CBS, where he was given many platforms. His daily show on CBS Sports Network reaches a limited audience simply because the network still doesn’t register in the mind of most sports viewers. He recently launched a weekly show on Showtime. We’ll see how that goes. In a few weeks, he will take his radio show to the new CBS Sports Radio Network.

The biggest Rome news occurred when he got in a flap with NBA Commissioner David Stern. It stemmed from a poorly-worded question about whether the draft was fixed.

The move to CBS clearly is a work in process for Rome. He knew it would take some time. However, he will want to see some progress in 2013.

Jeff Van Gundy: Van Gundy has emerged as a star for his blunt, honest analysis of the NBA for ESPN. You have to listen closely because he is capable of saying anything at any given moment. He wasn’t shy about criticizing the network when it backed out of a deal to hire his brother, Stan. He’s become one of my favorites.

Bill Simmons: ESPN’s franchise man on so many different platforms was given another toy by being added to NBA Countdown. The studio show is a work in progress, but Simmons’ addition has made for a different feel. A basketball junkie, he has a unique and at times quirky perspective on the game. I have found myself listening to hear what Simmons has to say.

Tim McCarver. The announcer called his 23rd World Series, a record. He also received the Ford Frick Award at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, an honor that was long overdue.

John Clayton: Who knew that the 58-year NFL analyst wore a ponytail, worshipped Slayer, and lived with his mother? The cult of John Clayton grew with one of the year’s best commercials. It even received a tweet from LeBron James.

Darren Rovell: Hey, somebody actually jumps to ESPN. What a concept. Rovell left a gig at CNBC where he was the big fish in a little sports pond. Now he’s swimming among fish of all sizes in the ESPN ocean that is the Pacific. The move has some risks, but Rovell felt when ESPN calls (a second time for him), you dive in.

Frank Deford and Vin Scully: Let’s finish with two legends who still are going strong. Deford wrote his memoirs in a terrific book, Over Time: My Life as a Sportswriter. As you would expect from Deford, it was entertaining and insightful, covering more than a generation of sports writing. At age 74, Deford still goes strong with his commentaries for NPR and work on Real Sports for HBO.

What can you say about Scully, the ageless wonder? Now 85, he gave us the best gift possible by deciding to return for yet another year in 2013. Remarkable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sally Jenkins weighs in on Lance Armstrong: Why I’m not angry

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Sally Jenkins did two books with Lance Armstrong, chronicling his struggles and celebrating his triumphs. The Washington Post columnist hadn’t weighed in on revelations that the cyclist was less than honest about what he put in his body.

Until now.

The headline of her column read: “Why I’m not angry at Lance Armstrong.”

I’ve searched high and low for my anger at Lance, and I can’t find it. It’s just not there. I checked — looked in every corner, and I’m empty of it. I’ve tried for weeks now to summon the moral certitude and outrage that others seem to demand, and I don’t have it, maybe because he’s my friend and co-author of “It’s Not About the Bike,” but also because my opinion of him was never based on what he did in a bike race in France 10 years ago. And while we’re on that subject, there is no question in my mind he was the hardest-working cyclist in the world, and for the life of me, I can’t find the competitive injustice in his seven Tour de France victories.

And:

Maybe I’m not angry at Lance because I’ve decided that the smoldering wreckage of the bonfire that burned down Big Tex was wildly out of proportion to the offense. And because, much as I would have liked a personal or public confession from him, I suspect that he understood what the price of it would be, and found the stakes too high to call up his friend at The Washington Post and bring it all down on his head.

And:

Maybe I’m not angry at him because after reading the USADA report and the affidavits of the riders who spoke with USADA, I have some common-sense questions that preclude anger. Such as: Shouldn’t an organization with the initials U.S. in front of it have to follow due process? And: According to the affidavits, the U.S. Postal Team had a highly organized “doping” system in place long before Lance became a member of it, so why is he the target of this report? Or: The affidavits taken by USADA make it clear that while Lance refused to use HGH, Floyd Landis introduced it to younger riders, so why is the federal government considering giving Landis whistle-blower protection?

This is the way it goes throughout the column. Perhaps it is admirable that Jenkins didn’t throw her friend under the bus. All relationships are different, and as much as you and I think we would be hurt if somebody lied to us, you never know how you’re going to react until it happens to you.

Jenkins, though, faced some tough criticism. As of 10:30 a.m. ET, there were nearly 500 comments on her post, a number that surely will grow throughout the day. As you would expect, the reaction was extreme, mostly against her.

Maybe you are not angry with Lance because you would have to be angry with yourself for having defended a cheating bully. Maybe you are not angry with Lance because like so many of his colleagues, your fame as a journalist came from drafting on his rear wheel. Maybe if you repeat you are not angry with Lance enough, people will forget the fawning columns you wrote trying to suppress the truth that would eventually emerge. Maybe you are not angry with Lance because you would have to acknowledge that now you have to write columns in his defense to avoid feeling like you made a damn fool of yourself.

However, there were a few that supported Jenkins.

Thank you for your column. I find your points very well taken, and agree with your comments about the great good Mr. Armstrong has done for people with his Lance Armstrong Foundation, as it was formerly known. I have received a great deal of useful information from livestrong.com. I am sure that Mr. Armstrong will appreciate your kind words, as I do. They brought tears to my eyes. That said, as someone who has taken steroids for medical issues, I believe that taking steroids is like making a deal with the devil. You cannot win. The side effects are myriad. Having experienced them, I would rather never do it again. But, I agree with you that it should be a personal choice.

 

 

 

Sunday books: Q/A with Nick Faldo on his new instruction book; It’s all in the knees

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I didn’t realize I was setting up Nick Faldo for an easy line.

In Faldo’s new book, A Swing for Life, he talks about the important of stable knees in the golf swing. Not that this 15-handicapper knows much about the game, but I told him that I’ve been trying to get my wife to focus on her knees on the rare occasion she plays.

“It helps her from swaying all over the place,” I said to Faldo.

Not missing a beat, Faldo quickly replied, “It’s not a good thing to have a wife that sways all over the place.”

Rim shot.

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for your swaying golfer, you could do much worse than getting instruction from a six-time major winner. Technically, Faldo updated his 1995 version of the book.

However, the 2012 version features new pictures of Faldo demonstrating the swing. And here’s something you wouldn’t have found in 1995: The book includes at least one Microsoft Tag. When readers scan these tags with their smart phone, they’re taken directly to a video of Faldo giving a lesson within that section of the book.

Also, Faldo has a different perspective of the game since sitting in the tower at CBS. He has learned a thing or two through the years.

It’s interesting to see how Faldo breaks down the swing and his approach to the game. If only it was that easy.

Here’s my Q/A with Faldo:

If there’s one thing you emphasize over and over, it is the knees in the swing. Why?

If you stand correct at address and go to impact, you see how little the knees move. But boy, do people make it difficult. Their right knee might move a foot.

When I do clinics, I ask, ‘do your buddies say your head is moving in the backswing?’ They all put their hands up. I demonstrate the knees going over all the place. What happens to the head? It bobs up and down. If your knees move the right way, it’s quite amazing how everything works more efficiently.

Do golfers make the game too complicated?

When I walk the range, what are the pros working on? 7 of 10 will say grip, set-up, posture, alignment. They’re trying to get it to all click in place.

It all goes back to the building blocks. It’s like a building. If the brick are crooked, good luck. It’s the same thing for golf. You better get good building blocks.

I didn’t want to do a book on 1,001 ways to fix your swing. I’m trying to condense your thoughts. There are a half-dozen main areas that if you get right, it will make a big difference in your game.

How much has he learned in the booth?

Not a lot. I’m blessed that I picked golf. One of the great things is that you learn something about the game every day. Every round is different.

How has the booth changed your perspective?

You see the great players hit great shots. Yet they’ll take a bogey with a wedge in their hands. You think, ‘I’m the only person that’s ever done that.’ You beat yourself up playing this game.

When you sit in the tower, you see mistakes happen all the time to the great players. Then it’s about the guy who can recover from that and bounce back the best. You see the scramblers. You understand how everyone makes a score differently.

 

 

 

 

In wake of ESPN’s decision, does this mean nobody should tweet about sports?

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I’m not trying to be insensitive here. This is an unspeakable tragedy.

It hits especially close to home for ESPN since it occurred only 30 minutes away from its headquarters in Bristol. It is understandable that executives would ask staffers not to tweet until noon Sunday, per a report in Deadspin.

But I do have a question:

Does this mean none of us should tweet about sports until noon Sunday?

Despite our collective mourning, sports will go on today. Sports news will be made. ESPN has a full slate of games and SportsCenters on tap today.

ESPN.com is loaded with stories and highlight packages. The same holds true for the other networks and sports sites.

As far as I can tell, it looks like a normal Saturday.

Why then draw the line at Twitter?

Sorry, if that seems insensitive, but I just felt the question should be asked.

Sports always has served as a diversion. People will be turning to games on ESPN and elsewhere today to escape from the heart-breaking realities on CNN. They also will be looking at their Twitter feeds for the latest sports news. And other reporters and outlets are tweeting about sports.

Bottom line: Everyone has to do what they think is best for them.

Bottom line II: Keep those families in your prayers.