NBA FanHouse

Someone Needs to Remind Jemele Hill What She Said About Don Imus

Will Brinson — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Lakers, NBA Media Watch, NBA Playoffs, ESPN

ESPN announced today that Jemele Hill would be "relieved of her duties" (read: suspension) which, I suppose, means we are all supposed to forget what happened, move on with our lives and wait until she fires out her next column, which is almost guaranteed to be something other than edgy.

But it should at least be pointed out that while she serves her suspension, Hill herself found a similar punishment to Don Imus unacceptable enough to fill up a full column on Page Two (emphasis mine).

If it were up to me, security would have escorted the longtime radio jock out of his CBS Radio cocoon with belongings in tow days ago. But for now, I'll have to settle for a two-week suspension that doesn't begin until next week. That'll show him.

Days have passed since Imus, executive producer Bernard McGuirk and sports announcer Sid Rosenberg took turns taking cheap shots at the Rutgers women's basketball team, but I'm still boiling because too many people continue to defend Imus behind lame free-speech arguments -- remember, speech is free, but consequences are not -- and the idea that black women just don't know a good joke when they hear one.

There was nothing funny about Imus' statement. And Hill's comparison of pulling for the Celtics to painting Adolf Hitler as a victim (not to mention her pulling for the Celtics: rooting for a pedophile to escape To Catch a Predator analogy on her personal blog) is just as humorless.

We all make mistakes. But any attempt by Hill to chalk up her Hitler comments to humor, free speech or ignorance flew out the window the second she wrote this article on Imus.

Someone Needs to Remind Jemele Hill What She Said About Don Imus originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Takes the First Step And Admits That There Actually Was a Jemele Hill 'Mistake'

Will Brinson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Lakers, NBA Media Watch, NBA Playoffs, ESPN, Blogs

If blogs did not exist, I guarantee you 99% fewer folks would have read Jemele Hill's Saturday ESPN column, which argued that cheering "for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim. It's like hoping Gorbachev would get to the blinking red button before Reagan."

Hill's statement -- which ESPN quickly edited out of the article -- can best be classified as incoherent and stupid. Incoherent, because both analogies display a poor understanding of history (anyone who cares know that it doesn't matter who pushes the nuclear button first). Stupid, because jokes about Nazis or nuclear holocausts are usually ill-advised. If you're going to attempt either, it's best to bring your A-game. If you don't have an A-game, just keep your mouth shut.

(B-game writers like Hill can console themselves with the knowledge that society is much more tolerant of folks who make bad jokes about their own heritage. The 'Hitler Rug' above comes from a Jewish Museum. I don't slap my knees when I see it, but I would imagine that members of the Jewish faith have a different take on it than I do.)

ESPN and Hill apologized for the mistake today. That's nice, but I think the time has come to move Hill out of the "thoughtful" category reserved for capable columnists and slot her in the "desperate" category reserved for writers trying to shock people into noticing them.

I say this because Hill seems to enjoy the attention that follows making outrageous statements. That's the only way conceivable that she could have argued that Pistons-Spurs would be a better matchup for the NBA.

Bad columnists fall prey to homerism all the time, and Hill is no exception. But it doesn't take a history degree to figure out that sloppy writing and sensitive issues are a horrible combination. If a columnist can't see that, they're probably not worth your time.

UPDATE: Hill has been suspended.

ESPN Takes the First Step And Admits That There Actually Was a Jemele Hill 'Mistake' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Is OK with Laura Lane's Personal Blog, but 'Don't Bother Looking for It, It's Long Gone'

Will Brinson — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, Los Angeles, ESPN, Blogs

ESPN the Magazine is taking a decidedly different approach to this whole Laura Lane-Vanessa Bryant potty-mouthed semi-soap opera than some people probably thought they would. The Worldwide Leader is actually embracing Ms. Lane's decision to write about her encounter with Ms. Bryant on her personal blog.

This is a good thing. Corporations tend to freak out when people with any insider knowledge discuss the company. (As a freelancer, Lane's not really an insider. But again, corporations often shoot first and question later in these cases.)

So, credit to the ESPN powers that be who kept their cool here. But the company gets significantly less credit for the vague and somewhat hypocritical manner in which it lays the blame in this instance. The root of the problem: They still don't seem to really understand how blogs work.

First, there's the disappearance of Lane's blog itself. Lane claims that she removed it herself after it received a swell of attention, some of it from within Bristol. On the ESPN post addressing the issue, an anonymous ESPN editor notes that some of that attention came from within the company:

[The story] received extra attention in the halls of Bristol because Laura was (incorrectly) ID'd as an "ESPN reporter" (She's not. She's a freelancer and was at the game as such.)"

Let's start with the basic fact that this is an erroneous statement. If she was at the event with an ESPN press pass or simply under the pretense of reporting for ESPN, she is an "ESPN reporter." The company can give out whatever titles it wants internally, but it can't dictate who's called a reporter and who isn't.

But then the reasoning gets really screwy. Right after emphasizing that "ESPN does allow its writers to maintain their own blogs," the unnamed ESPN editor explains that:

As far as we're concerned, Laura didn't do anything particularly "wrong" other than assume her personal speech would be taken as just that: personal. Sadly, now she knows better.

If you can figure out what that means, help me. Clearly Lane did something wrong (or "wrong"). Does ESPN fault her for not seeing this kerfuffle coming? If it does, it's fair to assume Lane took her bosses' displeasure into her calculations when she took her blog down.

Or, perhaps they are attempting to rid Lane of any blame because the reading public -- and even personal blogs are very much public, folks -- somehow failed to discern the difference between Lane's writing for ESPN and for her own blog. Because, if you recall, they both contain the same subject material.

What's more, the anonymous ESPN editor seems ignorant of the irony of the following timeline: 1) Lane posts the ESPN item based on a candid conversation with Bryant. 2) Bryant reads Lane the riot act about publishing the contents of what Bryant considered a private conversation. 3) Lane writes a glib post about the "awesome" confrontation on her personal blog. 4) Lane doesn't like the attention her "personal speech" is getting, so she takes down the blog entry.

Neither the ESPN editor nor Lane seem to acknowledge that taking down a blog post that makes you look stupid is bad form. If you're a reporter, (and again, she is) it suggests you don't stand by your story. And when it comes to journalism, neither context nor content are excused when your writing moves to a blogspot url.

What Lane does with her own blog and her own reputation is her call. It's more relevant how ESPN decides to approach the issue: And the post's closing statement boils down to: Don't blame us, we're just a dumb blog.

We're sure there's a First Amendment point we could make here but we feel like we're in over our heads as it is. Suffice it to say, we remain big Laura Lane fans here at The Mag.com and we've got her back.

The message is: We're glad to have her back, but she's not a reporter. We want you to know we're OK with blogs, even though this blog disappeared after the suits became unhappy with the coverage it caused.

Since the editors don't seem to get it, here's how I see it: The blogosphere is not a consequence-free environment. When you delete posts that make you look stupid, you lose credibility. And when you try to downplay your mistakes by arguing that people shouldn't take you seriously, people take you up on that suggestion.

Glib posts can be fun, and the blogosphere as much as any medium contains a bevy of sarcasm and snarkiness. But sometimes, particularly when attempting to discuss your own journalistic practices, you need to lay out the issues in a clear and painfully longwinded manner. (See also: this post.)

PS. It's just "Christmas Ape." There's no "The" in his name.

ESPN Is OK with Laura Lane's Personal Blog, but 'Don't Bother Looking for It, It's Long Gone' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 May 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Finally Stops Ignoring Karl Malone Statutory Rape Allegations

Michael David Smith — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:14:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, NBA Media Watch, Buffalo, ESPN

Kudos to Jemele Hill of ESPN.com for writing a great column about Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Demetrius Bell and the famous father who had nothing to do with him, Karl Malone.

The Bills picked Bell in the seventh round of the NFL draft, and several media outlets reported that Bell was the son of Malone, the NBA great. But not every outlet made clear that Malone was a deadbeat dad who hadn't been there for his son, and hardly any followed up on the report, which first appeared in the Buffalo News, that Bell's mother was 13 years old when she gave birth.

That news would make Malone not just a deadbeat dad but also a criminal, and it was shocking that ESPN and the rest of the mainstream sports media completely ignored it. The Buffalo News and Los Angeles Times were the only media newspapers that reported it, and as far as I know it has never been mentioned on television.

Maybe Hill's column will change that. Bell is from all accounts a fine young man whose life story should be told. And that story isn't complete unless it includes disturbing details about his father.

Previously on FanHouse:
Offensive Tackle Demetrius Bell, Son of Deadbeat Dad Karl Malone, Drafted by Bills
Report: Mother of Buffalo Bills Player Was 12 or 13 When Karl Malone Got Her Pregnant
Why Is Mainstream Media Ignoring Statutory Rape Allegations Against Karl Malone?

ESPN Finally Stops Ignoring Karl Malone Statutory Rape Allegations originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 17:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Josh Howard's Weed 'Habit': Suddenly News

Tom Ziller — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, NBA Media Watch, Dallas, The Word, ESPN

A year ago, ESPN blogger Henry Abbott published an interview with Josh Howard at ESPN.com. Near the end of said post:

I think a lot of people have that problem [smoking marijuana]. How that could stop me from getting drafted, though? How many guys in the lottery smoke pot? The weed thing, just about everybody smokes.

Last week, Dallas Morning News writer Brad Townsend penned a story presumably ~~sparked~~ spurred by the year-old TrueHoop post (which is referenced in Townsend's second paragraph). The most relevant passage:

Asked whether he caught any flak for that interview, Howard said no. When asked to quantify the extent of his use, he said he got "a little crazy" in high school but uses it "less" now and never during the season.

He emphasizes that marijuana is "nothing I'm needing," unlike some NBA players who "have to have it."

Today, ESPN is promo'ing the Hades out of a Sportscenter segment on the subject, roughly two hours before Howard's Mavericks tip off Game 3 ... on ESPN. Tuned-in Brinson quotes the promo: "And did Josh Howard admit using marijuana in a radio interview? Oh-ho. You bet he did! Don't miss his shocking comments!" The radio interview? On Michael Irvin's ESPN Radio show.

There was (surprisingly) no mainstream attention paid to Abbott's post (published on ESPN.com, and probably featured on ESPN's NBA landing) last year. Little attention (and no attention from ESPN) has been paid in the week since one of the nation's largest newspapers ran a story -- with a direct quote admitting use -- on the matter. Yet today the subject is headline news? ESPN waited a week so they could get both their own soundbite and the proper marketing platform ... despite having the scoop a year ago. Bizarre, bizarre synergy.

Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld has a sensible opinion on the matter.

Josh Howard's Weed 'Habit': Suddenly News originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ric Bucher, Foot Firmly in Mouth, Will Hop to Salt Lake City Next Weekend

Matt Watson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Western, NBA Media Watch, NBA Playoffs, Jazz, ESPN

Update: Actually, no this isn't going to happen at all. According to Sports Media Watch, ESPN has changed their schedule so that Bucher will work in Atlanta, instead. Coincidence?

When trying to explain the Utah Jazz's home court advantage, ESPN's Ric Bucher opened wide and practically swallowed his foot: "Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else there. You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious."

He since apologized, saying he regretted it as soon as he said it and tried to clarify but recognizes he didn't do it well enough, adding, "I hope that this apology will do that and that all citizens of Salt Lake City will find it in their hearts to welcome me as hospitably as they have in the past."

Bucher will test that hospitality on Saturday as he's working ESPN's broadcast of Game 4 between the Jazz and Rockets. Will he receive a harsh reaction from the EnergySolutions crowd? Almost certainly. (From the picture above, I'm guessing Bucher needs to be most wary of Kris Kross inspired teenagers and deceptively ruthless elderly couples.)

Does that say something about those who follow the Mormon faith? Absolutely not. Fans are nuts everywhere these days, whether it's the Lakers home crowd chanting "DUI" to Carmelo Anthony, baseball fans in Philly celebrating a player getting hurt or rival fans in any city trying to kill each other. Residents of Salt Lake City, whether they're Mormon or not, don't have a monopoly on being rowdy.

Ric Bucher, Foot Firmly in Mouth, Will Hop to Salt Lake City Next Weekend originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Enjoys Opening Weekend Ratings Boost

Matt Watson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Media Watch, NBA Playoffs, ESPN

I hate talking about ratings when it comes to sports because I find them inherently meaningless. More sporting events are shown on cable than ever before, which means that ratings are almost always down when compared to previous years when they were shown on over-the-air network television. Plus, there's just more competition for our entertainment needs these days, such as TiVo and the internet. But knowing this, I'm actually impressed to see that the NBA's ratings increased by more than 30% over last year. From Sports Media Watch:

Meanwhile, ESPN's opening day tripleheader saw soaring ratings. Cavaliers/Wizards drew a 2.1 in the ratings-unfriendly 12:30 PM timeslot, up 50% from a 1.4 for Nets/Raptors last year. Mavericks/Hornets drew a 2.4, up 60% from a 1.5 for last year's Magic/Pistons game. The highest rated game of the day on ESPN was Jazz/Rockets, which drew a 2.5 rating -- up 39% from a 1.8 for the same game last year.

Before the NBA spins this too much, I have a couple of theories for the increase. For one, last year's Pistons/Magic series was a predictable yawner, while Cavs/Wiz has been built up in the press thanks to DeShawn Stevenson, LeBron James and Soulja Boy. The Nets/Raps series was actually entertaining last year, but ratings (as far as I'm aware) don't take into account Canadian viewers, so it stands to reason that two U.S. teams are producing higher numbers.

But still, an increase is an increase no matter what the explanation, and it's nice to see more people tuning into what should be one of the most exciting playoffs (in the West, at least) in recent memory.

NBA Enjoys Opening Weekend Ratings Boost originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do Not Compare Chris Bosh to Manute Bol!

Tom Ziller — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Media Watch, Toronto, ESPN

Apparently, Stephen A. Smith (described by the Toronto Star's Doug Smith as "a prominent ESPN analyst known for his loud delivery and over-the-top commentary") called Raptors star Chris Bosh "soft," and to assert his point compared the NBA's 10th leading scorer (Bosh, that is) to ... Manute Bol, a gentleman to be credited for his political work of behalf of change in Darfur but otherwise existed as a basketball sideshow, a fellow who never averaged more than 3.9 points a game.

Bosh, you'll understand, bristled at the comparison.

"If you have respect for someone, you expect that same respect back," Bosh said yesterday. "If you're a classless person like that, I mean, I guess that shows how you are, what kind of person you really are. ... I don't have to prove anything to that guy, plain and simple. If that's what he wants to do, that's what he's going to do. If that's what makes him happy, to try to bring other people down, good for him."

The Toronto chapter of the Stephen A. Haters Club has expanded. President and founder Rasho Nesterovic must be overjoyed.

Do Not Compare Chris Bosh to Manute Bol! originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN's Bucher Credits Jazz Home Court Advantage to Mormonism, Repressed Anger

Tom Ziller — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch, Jazz, ESPN

Via Sports Media Watch, the Deseret News reports ESPN's Ric Bucherz made some touchy comments on Colin Cowherd's ESPN radio show about why the Utah Jazz have such a strong home court advantage. Apparently, we should credit the Church of Latter Day Saints.

"Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else there," he said. "You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious."

So instead of drinking and gambling, like the rest of us rube pagans, Jazz fans focus their esprit mal on yelling insults at Warriors or goading Ron Artest into an ejection? Even if it weren't uncomfortable in its plain bigotry (with the turn of phrase "let's be honest" a nice indicator of coming insensitivity), it's plain bad logic. News columnist Scott D. Pierce places the expected perspective on it.

If Bucher had been talking about the Knicks and said, "They're Jews and they're in New York City"; if Bucher had said, "They're African-Americans and they're in Memphis," he would have been suspended if not fired by now.

SMW does note Bucher isn't on the docket for any upcoming playoff games on ABC or ESPN ... not even the Lakers' home game. (Michelle Tafoya got the call.) Whether it's a suspension or not, we'll never know, because ESPN will never tell us. ESPN PR says Bucher was not scheduled this weekend before the incident occurred.

UPDATE: ESPN VP of Public Relations Josh Krulewitz sends along this statement: "We spoke to Ric and he understands that his comments were inappropriate. This type of religious generalization has no place on our outlets and we apologize." Bucher's own apology is after the jump.

Latest NBA Photos

SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 07: (L-R) Reverend Jesse Jackson and NBA hall of famer Clyde Drexler talk prior to the 2008 NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Alamodome on April 7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 07: (L-R) Reverend Jesse Jackson and NBA hall of famer Julius Erving talk prior to the 2008 NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Alamodome on April 7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 07: (L-R) Reverend Jesse Jackson and NBA hall of famers Julius Erving and Clyde Drexler talk prior to the 2008 NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Alamodome on April 7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 04: Rod Strickland, assistant co-ordinator of basketball operations of the Memphis Tigers, looks on during practice for the NCAA Men's Final Four at the Alamodome on April 4, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. Strickland is a former NBA player. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming walks on crutches as he arrives for a news conference about Olympics and his foot injury on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his foot injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming holds his crutches during a news conference about Olympics and his foot injury on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his foot injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: The injured foot of NBA Star Yao Ming is seen as he answers a question about Olympics and his foot injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his foot injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming answers a question about Olympics and his leg injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his leg injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming answers a question about Olympics and his leg injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his leg injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming answers a question about Olympics and his leg injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his leg injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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Bucher's statement:

"I apologize for my remarks. I knew immediately that I had made an inappropriate connection between Mormons and the harsh reception that opposing teams sometimes experience inside EnergySolutions Arena. I regret making that connection and apologize to anyone of the Mormon faith for having done so. The point I was trying to make is that the manner in which some Jazz fans get on visiting teams is counter to the general friendliness that the people of Salt Lake City are known for and have exhibited to me. I tried to revise my remarks later in the broadcast and remove any connection between that behavior and the Mormon faith, but I clearly did not go far enough. I hope that this apology will do that and that all citizens of Salt Lake City will find it in their hearts to welcome me as hospitably as they have in the past."

ESPN's Bucher Credits Jazz Home Court Advantage to Mormonism, Repressed Anger originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Cancels Bill Simmons' Podcast with Barack Obama

Will Brinson — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Media Watch, ESPN

Apparently, Bill Simmons had Barack Obama all lined up to appear on his podcast. I had no clue (do people still read this guy? I thought he was running an NBA D League team or something. Kidding. Kind of.)

Senator Obama will no longer be appearing though. And it has nothing to do with his busy schedule or the non-political topics (think: NBA) with which they most likely would have discussed. Instead, according to the New York Daily News, ESPN has pulled the plug on the podcast appearance, without really providing a specific (read: good) excuse.

At the last minute, network executives killed a podcast with the senator that was scheduled for Friday with host Bill Simmons.

The presidential candidate was all ready to do it.

'Senator Obama would be happy to appear on ESPN at any time,' said his spokesman, Tommy Vietor.

It's not the first time the sports network has canceled an appearance by the Democratic front-runner. According to a campaign source, a television interview set up with host Stu Scott was canceled by higher-ups as well.

Ruh-roh! Looks like we found the first problem with Sports Guy's new contract at the WWL. He probably should have demanded veto power over any guests, but then again, when he inked back with ESPN, the SG podcast was a lot smaller, at least in terms of marketability.

The more obvious issue, though, is why on Earth ESPN would not want Barack on the podcast. As one NYDN source said, "They landed the hottest politician in 50 years, and they couldn't even see the interview through? This is insanity." Frankly, I couldn't agree more. In terms of appealing to young sports fans (a.k.a. the people who would watch ESPN for the next 30-40 years), it's reasonably tough to top what Obama is doing right now.

Between dropping Dr. J references and playing pick up basketball with various morning news shows, he's rapidly gaining support in the world of sports fans (not gonna lie -- all actual politics aside, it engenders his candidacy to me as a sports fan). Besides, he and Simmons probably would have had a really nice and interesting discourse on the NBA. Instead, ESPN looks like it will wait until at least the actual Presidential election before bringing more politicians on.

That is, of course, if you believe Josh Krulewitz. The spokesman for ESPN countered the notion that ESPN favored the right wing (president George Bodenheimer has apparently already donated to John McCain's campaign) by stating that they would bring both candidates on once it was a two horse race. Still, it's really hard to believe that any higher-up at the WWL thinks that the negative results of a boost to Obama's campaign outweigh the positive gains that ESPN would pull from having him on. Because that would be kind of silly and arrogant if it were true.

Via Deadspin

ESPN Cancels Bill Simmons' Podcast with Barack Obama originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Aldridge Leaves Print ... For NBA TV?

Tom Ziller — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, NBA Media Watch, Philadelphia, ESPN

Via The 700 Level, the Philadelphia Inquirer has announced that well-respected NBA scribe David Aldridge will be leaving the paper to focus on the television side of his career. Aldridge is one of the best -- hell, maybe the best print NBA columnist. He's always fair, fresh and insightful.

Aldridge's current TV gig is with TNT, where he does courtside reporting (and some occasional taped work) for NBA on TNT and Inside the NBA. If you'll remember, a few months ago the league announced a deal in which Turner Sports (which owns TNT) would take over operation of NBA TV at the start of next season, and current TNT personalities would appear on NBA TV. The big coup at the time seemed to be Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, along with iconic Marv Albert.

But -- and this is speculation -- Aldridge is a minor star already from his previous work with ESPN (who inexplicably let him go a few years back -- ostensibly in order to cater to the Stephen A. Smith market). D.A. would make a great lead reporter on NBA TV, in the vein of Rich Eisen on The NFL Network. It'll be interesting to see how Turner plans on using Aldridge after apparently prying him away from the Inquirer and expanding the usable broadcast time.

David Aldridge Leaves Print ... For NBA TV? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woody Paige Reacts to Another Denver Loss*

Tom Ziller — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, NBA Media Watch, Denver, ESPN

On Sunday, The Denver Post published possibly the worst written basketball column of all time, written by media wunderkind Woody Paige. Paige wasn't available to write about Denver's distressing Sunday night loss in Seattle, so we took the liberty to invoke his unique voice to pen the column he would have written. Enjoy, or at least don't suffer brain damage.

Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho.

The Nuggets meka leka hiney ho'd themselves out of the playoffs.

Two kids. Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. Winners.

Two stars. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. Losers.

The Nuggets must be forced to agree with that eloquent statement following this mess.

151 points. It is what Seattle scored. An unforgiveable crime, worthy of the death penalty or worse.

This is on George Karl's head. If George Karl has a head. After that deplorable performance, a flat soda or a bad Alka-Seltzer tablet dropped into a cup of Echinacea tea, George Karl deserves not to have a head.

Beheaded. Executed. The Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden. Slayer. Sepultura. Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho.

Durant showed Denver what could have been. If not for very poor planning, the Nuggets could have missed the postseason last year -- instead of this one -- they could have hit the jackpot.

Bingo. Ching ching. Bling. Bling bling. Bling bling you're dead. Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho.

Instead, these losers will watch the 2008 playoffs on their television sets, wondering what could have been if they had better chemistry, if they tried harder, if they had Kevin Durant. Broken dreams and shattered promises is all this team is.

Sad.*

* We repeat: This is satire. It's hard to tell, I know.

Woody Paige Reacts to Another Denver Loss* originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Melo Gets a New Shoe Deal, But No One's Sure Who Got It For Him

Tom Ziller — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, NBA Gossip, Denver, ESPN

The world of sports agentry is an odd one, to say the least. But the mild saga surrounding Carmelo Anthony's representation seems especially complex. Back on March 17, the Rocky Mountain News (citing a Nuggets statement) reported 'Melo had left BDA Sports for his marketing needs, while retaining BDA agent Calvin Andrews as his rep for future NBA contracts. A week later, ESPN's Ric Bucher refuted the News's report, saying BDA helped net 'Melo a new $60 million endorsement deal with Nike. (The headline in fact reads "BDA helps Anthony continue prosperous relationship" -- a very odd headline to appear on ESPN.com.)

On Wednesday, CNBC's Darren Rovell blew Bucher's story up, quoting a fairly straight-forward statement from Team 'Melo which says BDA will not be involved in future marketing or endorsement deals, though Andrews (who will remain with BDA) will remain 'Melo's NBA agent. (Just like the News reported.)

This all leads to two questions: 1) Who exactly negotiated 'Melo's new Nike deal? Bucher reports very plainly that BDA did the deed; the News's story announcing the end of the BDA-'Melo relationship predates the apparent consummation of the deal. 2) Why did Bucher go to bat for BDA? In his story, Bucher quotes Andrews as saying BDA will still be involved in marketing for 'Melo, and Bucher goes to great effort to explain the NBA-wide move toward non-exclusivity for marketing representation, apparently as a way to bolster (or preserve) BDA's reputation. But Anthony's statement to Rovell -- "I have terminated BDA Sports and its marketing group from all future marketing and PR efforts" -- plainly refutes that, and Bucher had to know there would be another side to the story.

It has always been suspected a select few agents and players are in Bucher's ear, and that he allows them to use his wattage as a top NBA reporter for ESPN, ESPN.com, and ESPN The Magazine to push their agendas to national audience. (Bucher's relationship with Kobe Bryant and Rob Pelinka comes to mind.) Add this to the file, I suppose.

'Melo Gets a New Shoe Deal, But No One's Sure Who Got It For Him originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN's Ford Can Predict Injuries

Tom Ziller — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Draft, NBA Media Watch, Los Angeles, ESPN

(Standard disclaimer: I like ESPN's Chad Ford, and I think he's excellent at what he does.)

Ford updates his feelings on which NBA prospects are having good or bad NCAA tournaments. The bulk is on point (the Lopezes? good! Eric Gordon? bad). But one passage -- the unsurprising Part III of Ford's crusade against UCLA's Kevin Love -- must not pass without notice. Ford quotes a scout and responds:

"How many big guys can do the types of things Kevin Love can do?" he said. "His skill-set is so complete. He can't really run or jump, but once you get past that ... he's got everything. I think with the proper conditioning, he could be very good."

Sounds a lot like the analysis people started to make about Sean May after UNC won the title. That's worked out well for the Bobcats ... hasn't it?

May has suffered from knee problems during his NBA career, and had microfracture surgery this past summer. But when May has been on the floor, he's been dynamite: about 18 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes of play, on efficient shooting. On the floor, May has been a success. Unfortunately, he hasn't been on the floor enough to make Bernie Bickerstaff look smart.

To compare Love to May as a way to argue Love will be a bust is saying you think Love will be as injury-prone as May has been. No matter how much of a draft soothsayer Ford can claim to be, he cannot predict whether a guy will tear a tendon at some point.

ESPN's Ford Can Predict Injuries originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Reports Donnie Walsh Will Sign Three-Year Contract With Knicks

Matt Watson — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:15:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Pacers, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Indianapolis, New York, ESPN

The Pacers held a press conference on Monday to announce that Donnie Walsh was leaving the team's front office at the end of the season. Walsh maintained that he was unsure what his future would hold, but ESPN begs to differ. The Worldwide Leader cites an unnamed source who says Walsh is "expected to sign a three-year, $15 million contract with New York at the end of the season to oversee their basketball operations division." How does Isiah Thomas fit into the new power structure? Sadly, the source does not know.

But just who is this source and can we take him seriously? Alan Hahn of Newsday was unable to confirm or deny the rumor with his own contacts but was still able to shed some light on the matter:

I was able to find out some details of ESPN's story. Usually the network credits a scoop to one of its reporters (i.e.: ESPN's Chris Sheridan is reporting . . .) but on this one a reporter is conspicuously not credited. I was informed that the reason for this is because the report came from an executive-level figure at ESPN, not someone at the reporter level.

I find it hard to believe that this came from the Knicks or the Garden. Throughout this entire ordeal, Garden people have remained tight-lipped. No comment, no nothing. Whatever ESPN got wind of had to have come from someone close to Walsh or the man himself.

And if that's the case, you have to wonder to what degree James Dolan will resent Walsh for letting word leak -- in other words, even if this report was 100% correct at the time it was published, perhaps the publication itself will change things. Or not, I'm just speculating here.

Either way, Hahn also points out that Dolan might be rushing into things by committing to Walsh without even giving other qualified candidates an interview ... which, come to think of it, sounds just like something Dolan would do. If Dolan hadn't given Thomas that ridiculous extension last season, he wouldn't be in quite the mess he's in now.

Previously on FanHouse
Donnie Walsh to Leave Pacers ... for Knicks?
Report Has Donnie Walsh Staying in Indy
Donnie Walsh Has No Interest in Knicks

ESPN Reports Donnie Walsh Will Sign Three-Year Contract With Knicks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Tale of Two Blogger Policies

Tom Ziller — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Mavericks, NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch, Dallas, Indianapolis, ESPN, Blogs

As you are no doubt well aware of by now, Mark Cuban recently banned bloggers from the Dallas home locker room. ESPN blogger Henry Abbott and Los Angeles Times blogger Andrew Kamenetzky tested the policy Tuesday night. From Abbott's TrueHoop:

I asked the PR staff as soon as I got here if I would be allowed in, so there were no surprises. But as it happened, I had to go through the same door later to talk to a Mavericks staffer. And a security guard took a look at my credential, and said, very nicely, "you know you're banned, right?" ...

I had heard that before the game tonight they had to distribute lists with the names of the bloggers. And this poor dude was the one stuck with the embarrassing task of enforcing this goofy ban.

And as I was small talking to the guy, another staffer -- blogger alert! -- rushed over to ask the security guard if everything was OK.

Let us take a trip to the other end of the spectrum, shall we? Indy Cornrows, a Pacers fan blog written by a dude with a full-time job and two kids, has been invited to repost its game recaps on Pacers.com this season. (Some examples.) Cornrows let the team's web guy know he'd be attending the recent Knicks game. The team gave him a media credential and invited him to (ready?) the locker room for post-game interviews, which Cornrows then uploaded for fans to hear.

This is not the first time Cuban is the NBA's vocal minority, but it may be one of his more egregious misjudgments (Erick Dampier notwithstanding).

A Tale of Two Blogger Policies originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Costas Doesn't Hate All of Us, After All

Tom Ziller — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Media Watch, ESPN, Blogs

Bob Costas, a week after demonizing the state of online sports punditry, called up Deadspin's Will Leitch to clarify. While his efforts to clear the air will be commended (as they should be), I find myself still a bit unsatisfied.

Here is Costas's most clear explanation of his point:

"My commentary was aimed solely at a portion of Internet sports discourse, an unfortunately large portion, that consists of nothing more than potshots, ad hominem arguments, ignorance and invective. ...

I was absolutely not saying that most or all bloggers were losers. It just seems so often that commenters use insults in the place of arguments. ... But forgive me for not placing the exact same value on an comment on a political blog that I would to something said by Ted Koppel."

Sure, we'll all agree a lot of "Internet sports discourse" sucks. But guess what? A lot of television sports discourse sucks. And a lot of radio sports discourse sucks. And, surprising as it may seem to someone raised on the medium, a lot of print sports discourse sucks.

Costas admits his stances can be (at least partly) attributed to "a generational thing." And that'd be OK. But before you go branding a new generation "losers" and "idiots," you should probably understand what you're talking about. Costas, by lumping the wholeness of sports blogs in with lowest-common-denominator commenters on some random newspaper website, clearly does not. We don't lump Costas in with Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav, after all.

Bob Costas Doesn't Hate All of Us, After All originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Costas: Blogs a 'High-Tech Place for Idiots'

Tom Ziller — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Media Watch, ESPN, Blogs

Bob Costas, apparently, is not a fan of the whole new media revolution. He makes plenty of generalizations about the online sportswriting in this discussion with the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson (ostensibly regarding Mark Cuban's locker room ban of bloggers), so we'll just quote a few of the ~~best~~ worst.

"But it's one thing if somebody just sets up a blog from their mother's basement in Albuquerque and they are who they are, and they're a pathetic get-a-life loser, but now that pathetic get-a-life loser can piggyback onto someone who actually has some level of professional accountability and they can be comment No. 17 on Dan Le Batard's column or Bernie Miklasz' column in St. Louis. That, in most cases, grants a forum to somebody who has no particular insight or responsibility. Most of it is a combination of ignorance or invective." ...

"It's just a high-tech place for idiots to do what they used to do on bar stools or in school yards, if they were school yard bullies, or on men's room walls in gas stations. That doesn't mean that anyone with half a brain should respect it."

Costas usually doesn't seem like such a crusty old curmudgeon so clueless to the ways of the world. And honestly, if you cannot discern between 'shocker6969' commenting on an ESPN message board from the myriad talented bloggers and online columnists out there, you should stick to your dead trees and boob tubes, where "authorities" can funnel acceptable content straight into your craw.

The rest of us, who seek out the best in web writing? We were dissatisfied with the old media, which often "grants a forum to somebody who has no particular insight or responsibility" and is often "a combination of ignorance or invective." And thanks to the magic of technology and that crazy American thing called "freedom of ideas," we don't need your approval.

Furthermore, to fact-check Costas a bit: There are apparently no sports blogs based in Albuquerque.

Costas: Blogs a 'High-Tech Place for Idiots' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isiah & Bird: Not the Same Thing

Tom Ziller — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Pacers, NBA Media Watch, Indianapolis, New York, ESPN

On the anniversary of the absurd contract extension handed to Isiah Thomas by the Knicks, ESPN columnist Scoop Jackson takes the opportunity to insist there's a double-standard because the media doesn't rip GM failure Larry Bird in the same fashion for his franchise's travails.

He's wrong, of course. Not because Bird isn't worthy of criticism -- he is. Not because his team is not in nearly as bad shape of Isiah's Knicks -- it is. But Larry's failures are not even in the same galaxy as those of Isiah. After the jump, I'll show you why.

Scoop writes:

"Yes, there's an $11.6 million sexual harassment lawsuit that found Thomas responsible and Madison Square Garden liable and unbelievable infighting that has reached "All My Children" levels, but that's not off par with the off-the-court incidents and activities that have plagued the Pacers. Which makes it only fair to at some point ask whether we place some responsibility on Bird the same way we do on Thomas for harboring and manifesting a climate that has been counter-conducive to the well-being of a franchise that is in the business of winning."

There is a massive difference here: Bird is not getting shots fired at him, Bird is not getting suspended for weed, Bird is not having house parties which are attended by murder suspects and/or where alleged rapes happen. Bird is not a part of the actual, tangible legal and PR problems the Pacers face. You can argue for the indirect effects of lax policy or discipline from his office, but no one has ever accused Bird of doing any of these stupid, illegal things.

Isiah? A jury of his peers found him and the organization he controls liable for sexual harassment in the workplace. The Knicks had to pay $9 million after a jury decided Isiah harassed a female executive. During the trial, a multitude of embarrassing statements straight from Isiah's mouth came out.

The Pacers franchise has been embarrassed under Bird's watch.

The Knicks franchise has been embarrassed by Isiah. Repeatedly.

There's no difference?

Never mind further arguments, like the fact Isiah has sucked as both coach and GM (while Bird shares only GM duties with Donnie Walsh); that the Pacers were on the edge of the playoffs last year and held onto decent (for the East) position late into this season while the Knicks will likely pick in the top 5 (unless Isiah trades the pick away); that Bird admits his mistakes while Isiah carries on as if he honestly thinks he is building a championship contender.

Again, Bird has failed his franchise by letting any respect -- on the court or off -- slip away. But Isiah has destroyed his franchise. Both suck, but there's a huge difference in the circumstances. Ignoring those to get a contrarian-for-contrarian's sake, race-baiting column under your belt is beyond silly.

Isiah & Bird: Not the Same Thing originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Fine Argument Brought to You by the Good People at ESPN

Josh Alper — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, ESPN

ESPN gets a lot of flak around the web, some of it deserved and some of it not. The complaint that holds the most water with me is the one that centers around their predilection for having two (or more) people arguing points as loudly as possible without making any salient points. One such argument went down on First & 10 today between Rob Parker and Eric Kuselias.

For the record, Parker is against the term mid-major because all the teams are in Division 1. Fair enough, except that he kinda shoots himself in the foot by saying that no team that would be classified as a mid-major, including Xavier for these purposes, should be allowed into the NCAA Tournament. Kuselias has a real problem with political correctness and seems to like the term because it has insulting overtones toward the schools so labeled and because he can't be bothered to watch them play.

With Selection Sunday this Sunday, why waste time discussing whether or not the label causes deserving teams to lose out on bids? Or if the Atlantic 10, angry about being hung with the moniker, should or shouldn't be considered a mid-major conference? With all the people under contract at ESPN, would it kill them to find two who knew anything about college basketball?

Another Fine Argument Brought to You by the Good People at ESPN originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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