ESPN Coverage

[Saberman]

Is it just me or did ESPN analysis seem to dance around talking about OKC during the pre-draft discussion.

[Grendel_Knight1974]

I dont know about that but ESPN should definitely work on its draft coverage. Stewart Scott was the same with every pick: "James Harden....Jay Bilas what do you like about this guy..."


And Jay Bilas seemed to love every guy. He would point out a weekness or two but he certainly seemed to love evey pick.

[clippersgm]

Is it just me or did ESPN analysis seem to dance around talking about OKC during the pre-draft discussion.

they were going after ratings....

[CzechM8]

I dont know about that but ESPN should definitely work on its draft coverage. Stewart Scott was the same with every pick: "James Harden....Jay Bilas what do you like about this guy..."


And Jay Bilas seemed to love every guy. He would point out a weekness or two but he certainly seemed to love evey pick.

Jay is no Mel Kiper......

[clippersgm]

I dont know about that but ESPN should definitely work on its draft coverage. Stewart Scott was the same with every pick: "James Harden....Jay Bilas what do you like about this guy..."


And Jay Bilas seemed to love every guy. He would point out a weekness or two but he certainly seemed to love evey pick.

great observation...the show was kinda boring, and now that you bring it up, i think that is why....they needed a devil's advocate, like a Stephen A. on there, even though i think he's pretty dumb, but they needed someone who was going to point out some flaws, and stir up some controversy....

like Stephen A. might say what everyone in America's thinking:

*"I have no clue as to what the Minnesote Timberwolves are thinking. Two point guards!! I think they need to call Kevin McHale back!" -- they needed some of that on the show, rather than Bilas hanging on everyone's jock and pointing one minor laughable flaws...

*"Let's face it, Cleveland is desperate to keep Lebron, and hope to win him slowly, by trying to win a title next year, and then bringing in a big name in 2010...it's not gonna work, Lebron is long gone in 2010"

*"Who da hell is Vaden?!?!?"

*"I don't see how the Magic got any better...they lose rafer, courtney, and HEDO, and replace him with Vince...it's just trickery for the fans, and they save money in the process."

*"Jrue Holiday droppin like it's hot...he's gonna be the steal of this draft and a lot of teams are gonna be sorry"

*"Hasheem Thabeet: the man's got bust written all over him"


What happened to Stephen A. anyway? He wasn't the best, but definitely one of the most entertaining.....

[clippersgm]

Jay is no Mel Kiper......


what happened to mel kiper too??

[StormFan93]

And why did they keep going back to Dick Vitale? For crying out loud, the guy thinks everyone who ever went to a college is going to be rookie of the year.

[bbingham05]

Yeah I think they should have kept Stephen A Smith. He didn't care who you were he told it like it is.

[clippersgm]

and why did they keep going back to dick vitale? For crying out loud, the guy thinks everyone who ever went to a college is going to be rookie of the year.

lol.

[BigShot]

Is it just me or did ESPN analysis seem to dance around talking about OKC during the pre-draft discussion.

Yea, they're out to get us.

[DAK!]

Bilas has been like this for years and it has been reported for years. Every NBA draft Bilas sits up there and says how much he really likes this pick for the team and how he's going to help them get better. It's funny that so many picks end up being flops and how rarely each pick actually helps a team. I've been on several sports forum boards over the years and this guy is repeatedly ripped for his complete lack of opinion and legitimate scouting reports.

As far as Vitale goes he's very entertaining but is about as worthless as Madden when it comes to talking about the game. He's also so hyped up about every single player in college you wonder who likes young men more...him or Michael Jackson.

Yeah, I said it.

[Saberman]

Yea, they're out to get us.

I don't know about that, but when they opened up, they talked about the Clippers, and Memphis, skipped OKC(didn't even mention them), and went to the Kings and Timberwolves. Just seemed odd.

[KD 4 MVP]

They still jab at us any chance they get.

[Trueblood]

I have to agree. Although I have much disdain for Stephen A. Smith, and it was warranted because he was wrong more often than right, I have to say that he did spice up the show a bit and is somewhat missed.

Before him, they had Tom Tolbert and he wasn't afraid to rip on draft picks, teams AND Bilas. Bilas once talked about how Luke Ridnour was a bad pick because he couldn't guard a chair and Tolbert went off on Bilas and the defensive state of the NBA at the time and talked about how he liked up tempo players like Ridnour and that he was tired of the ugly defensive games that we saw in the eastern conference.

I think Tolbert was a color guy in the wrong era. He would definitely enjoy the league a lot more now that half the league is averaging over 100 pts. a game. Regardless, the draft show could use Tolbert and Smith right about now although while Dickie V loves college guys, he does tear apart some teams. He went off on Minnesota and even trashed Bargnani a couple years ago which was a surprise when you consider how proud Vitale is of being Italian.

[RedDirt717]

What happened to Stephen A. anyway? He wasn't the best, but definitely one of the most entertaining.....

Steven A. is a jackass.
You ever have that friend in college, you tolerated him because he lived across the hall from you but you knew he was a huge douche? That's SAS.

Besides Smith has been making allegations that the Thunder are already in money trouble and are thinking about selling as early as next year with absolutely no backing. Kind of like your friend that "knows someone in Presti's office" that told him the thunder would take "Rubio".

Smith is a buffoon that talks about things like he has a clue what he's talking about but it's all just empty jargon. That's why he's looking for work right now and can't find any.

[Trueblood]

Steven A. is a jackass.
You ever have that friend in college, you tolerated him because he lived across the hall from you but you knew he was a huge douche? That's SAS.

Besides Smith has been making allegations that the Thunder are already in money trouble and are thinking about selling as early as next year with absolutely no backing. Kind of like your friend that "knows someone in Presti's office" that told him the thunder would take "Rubio".

Smith is a buffoon that talks about things like he has a clue what he's talking about but it's all just empty jargon. That's why he's looking for work right now and can't find any.

Wow. I didn't know he said that. He probably read about McClendon's financial problems and then jumped to conclusions. ESPN is very pro Seattle so I imagine they influence him as well. What a douche. If anything, McClendon would all the more hold on to the Thunder because they are profitable. It would seem to make sense to hold on to a profitable business if your stocks are taking a dive. Just wishful thinking on the part of douche's like Stephen A..

[DAK!]

I have been a Seattle sports fan since I can remember knowing what a sport was and every single time I have watched a draft or anything of the sort I remember similar occurrences. I'd see the teams previous to the Seattle team, whether it was the Sonics, Seahawks or whatever, get full coverage. The talking heads would give you details about the team's current roster, what its needs were, who they suspected they'd pick, etc. Then when it was time for my team to come up they'd go to commercial break. I remember several times they'd come right back from the commercial break just in time for the commissioner to walk on the stage and announce the pick. Then they'd talk about the player for about 20 seconds and immediately move on to the next team. It infuriated me to no end, so I feel your pain, and it happened almost every year.

[DwightSchrute]

Stephen A. Smith heaped praise upon Isiah Thomas for trading for Zach Randolph (and the remaining 4 years on his massive contract), arguing that a frontcourt of Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry would propel the Knicks into the playoffs. Good or bad, the guy definitely has personality and strong opinions, yet his analysis of the NBA was really shaky.

[clippersgm]

i just loved sas's bluntness..it was entertaining...

i think he tried to get too big and into other sports, but he shoulda just stuck to the nba and kept a good thing going...need a guy like him next to a mike tirico, stu jack, david aldridge, or even a bilas...