The Black Hole That Is: ESPN

Oh ESPN...the network where people like Mark Schlereth and Skip Bayless are considered experts. A network that can never get enough of ________ (take your pick: Lin, Tebow, Manning, Tiger, Lebron, etc.)  What is it about this "four-letter" network that somehow keeps me glued to the TV for hours at a time? Anyone who has watched a substantial amount of SportsCenter knows that if you've seen one hour, you've seen an entire day's worth of sports news. Yet, I still sit there watch NFL Live...or is it Primetime? Or wait, NFL 32?? Well, however they want to repackage it is fine with me, as long as I get a few precious seconds of Chiefs coverage somewhere in there. 

But lately my views have begun to change. I've discussed this with a co-worker of mine; that we're sick of ESPN dedicating 90% of its airtime to the NFL. I appreciate all sports, and I do my best to keep up with all of my teams, but it's hard when I can't turn on the TV without seeing the latest from the rumor mill featuring Adam Schefter anddddd Adam Schefter. The network puts so much time in to covering the gossip, that I feel like I'm watching an episode of TMZ, not something even football related. This is why I am happy that Jim Rome Is Burning didn't continue on ESPN. Seeing my favorite, west-coast biased sports host in a different format, talking about what "Rome Wants" is very refreshing. Now, normally Rome and "refreshing" aren't mentioned in the same sentence, but this is what the sports world has come to. Yes he can be obnoxious and arrogant, but at least he is a journalist. He has a good variety of interests and topics that he covers, and he asks insightful questions and usually treats his guests with respect*. The format of the new show, "Rome," is exactly the same as "JRIB"...bullets, then guest, then final burn. But it just feels good not watching ESPN for a change. 

*except for Jim "Chris" Everett

I'm not renouncing my faith as a dedicated ESPN viewer, but I am so sick of hearing about how "dynamic" Brock Osweiler "could be" that I am ready to vomit. There are a lot of sports cliches spouted on the radio and TV every day, but "dynamic" has to be the one that's used most often, and most of the time incorrectly. I don't even want to begin to start listing some of the others...it will just annoy me. 

Point is, I feel like I'm in a quarter-life crisis...after 20-some years, am I finally getting sick enough of ESPN that I will actually spend more time doing other, much more useful things with my days? I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but I think there's a real possibility I might pick up a book instead of the remote tomorrow...