Terrapin Tables

this is a shame. to me, david aldridge was approaching peter gammons status - under all conditions and on all topics, when he speaks, i listen.

This move is TERRIBLE! John and I were talking about this a couple of weeks ago when they announced they wouldn't renew his contract - trying to compare it to another talking head at ESPN. Gammons is close, but D.A. is a step below that. It would be more like them getting rid of Barry Melrose on hockey (it's mullet time), or Chris Mortensen/John Clayton on football.

Interesting sidebar, Aldridge came from The Post and used to be the Redskins beat reporter back in the old Joe Gibbs days.

I was disappointed when I heard that as well, I probably enjoy Aldridge as much, if not more than any other analyst. Not just his knowledge, but his delivery & professionalism. Anyway, here's hoping he ends up on TNT.

Like Nate says, it has to be about a perception of entertainment value and, also, the probability that people will discuss the show/report/whatever after it is over. I can remember when I first came across Aldrige when he came on PTI - at first I was bored, but I quickly realized he knew what he was talking about (more than most) and, because I predominantly watch ESPN for sports news, the jokes and thin witticism of other talking heads weren't missed. Also, EPSN has to prefer SASmith because he's an asshole that keeps people talking about the network, and that in turn keeps (idiotic) people watching. I'm sure we'd all prefer a network of Gammons' and Aldridges to a network of Smiths and Scotts, but, in ESPN's defense, when is the last time we sat around a poker table dropping David Aldridge sound bites?

I think ESPN's move toward loud/abrasive - both new guys on PTI, Stewart Scott's ever-increasing role, the sheer goofiness of the final contestants on their SportsCenter reality show - display the beginnings of a sad shift from ESPN's current role as #1 in sports to #1 in sports opinion and entertainment. And that is sad.

As for the 2 new guys on PTI:

Dan LeBatard is a writer for the Miami Herald. I'm not a big fan of his. He has a superior attitude when it comes to athletes, as if he's better and smarter than all of them, and that comes across in his articles.

Skip Bayless is an old white version of S.A.S.

Good points all around. Chris, I actually think I agree with you completely. The good journalists spots are being taken over by people who just yell. Or are obnoxious. I can not stand Jim Gray - I feel like he is trying to sell me a used car or a time share.

Watching MNF the other day though, Michelle Tafoya is something else. She is no Melissa Stark lookswise, but she is the best sideline reporter around, alongside Bonnie Bernstein (B Squared). Typically the sideline reporter spot is worthless (see Eric Dickerson, Lisa Guerrero), but she had actual information and asked real questions to the Hall of Famers, not just fluff. I was impressed.

What about "Ssssshhh; Armen Keteyian!"

Also, I think Vermont's BAC limit is 0.08. It seems as though there are only 3 states where the BAC limit is not 0.08, though this may be oversimplified. There do not seem to be any laws on the books where the offender is entitled to a valet service to the nearest hotel.

Regarding Chris's statement about the sad shift, I think that's true of television in general. All these cable networks started off to serve a specific niche market, and now they're all dumbing down their programs, or in some cases abandoning their original content entirely, to try and get more viewers. (Stupid motorcycles on the Discovery Channel.)