Hey ESPN Move On!

I've been watching tournament basketball this afternoon on several networks. But ESPN keeps telling the public about a six overtime game last night that was played in New York City.

Granted, it was a very long and probably exciting game for people who care about over-rated Big East Conference teams. But, the game is over and ESPN needs to move on. The baloney coming out of ESPN's studios is laughable. The term "Instant Classic" or "Greatest Game Ever" is overkill.

You ask why does ESPN behave like this? The reason is simple. ESPN management believes the world revolves around the area encompassed by New York City, Boston and it's little headquarters in Connecticut. Add the regional bias of a bunch of workers who went to Big East schools and you see how important it is in their parochial little world. Now, add the fact that it was played in the "Rotten Apple" and you understand why it is so important to ESPN decision makers.

The "inconvenient" truth is while the game was unique in having six overtimes, it was one of many major conference tournament games played yesterday. In that right it is deserving of coverage. But, the overkill displayed by ESPN's talking heads is nothing more than parochial hyperbole.

Had this game been played in the Conference USA tournament in Memphis it would have been treated as a rarity; a six overtime game. But, ESPN would have put it behind them already never to be heard of again. And for the 90 percent of this country living west of the Hudson River, we wouldn't be subjected to the onslaught of elitist bull crap coming from ESPN.

More Choking Noises in Oklahoma City

The number two seed in the Big 12 tournament...Oklahoma has also been knocked out in the quarterfinals. Oklahoma State did the job a short time ago. The Cowboys beat the Sooners 71-70. That leaves my beloved Missouri Tigers as the top remaining seed!

Gayest Commercial on TV

Have you seen those TV commercials for Sonic burger drive-ins? They have to be about the worst spots you've ever seen. Why would a hamburger chain use those two gay dudes hanging out at their hamburger joint to try and sell it's product? If the ads are supposed to be humorous they're not. If anything they scare me away from going to this restaurant. And just think, some ad agency type got paid big money to think up this crap.

Chickenhawks Choke

The Baylor Bears pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Big 12 Conference basketball history a few moments ago. The Bears knocked off the top seeded Kansas Jayhawks 71-64 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. The Bears zone defense confused the chickenhawks repeatedly as they raced to a 17 point first half lead. KU made several runs at Baylor in the second half but the Bears held on to pull off the upset.

Up next for Baylor either Texas or Kansas State. Up next for the Chickenhawks a week off before the NCAA tournament. But I'll guarantee you it won't be the number one seed Kansas fans have been mouthing off about for the past week.

How 'bout them Bears!

Post - Dispatch Continuing to Lose Money Hand over Fist

"The St. Louis Post-Dispatch" appears to be slowly driving it's parent corporation Lee Enterprises into bankruptcy. The Post has resorted to placing advertising stickers on the front page in an effort to bolster declining revenues. (See previous posts about the meaning of advertising on the front page of a daily newspaper). I've said before the Post-Dispatch has no integrity. But, now I would say it is going broke AND has no integrity.

On top of this, the paper's employees have voluntarily agreed to week long furloughs for all Newspaper Guild members at the Post. Labor has a contract with the company, but for some reason agreed to have it's members take a week off of work without pay. To me this is the height of stupidity on labor's part. The employees did nothing to drive Lee's stock down to less than 50 cents a share. This is a management problem and management needs to pay the price. Lee Enterprises should stick to running the "Park Hills Daily Journal" and similar small town operations.

If I were a guild member at the Post I would be getting rid of the current leadership and setting up a slate of candidates to replace them at the next newspaper Guild elections. But, then it may be academic since Lee appears headed for bankruptcy.