Sportscenter on ESPN is the show I wake up to every morning. I have been doing that since I was in 4th or 5th grade. A lot has changed on the show since then--The sets, the anchors, the commercials-- but the quality of the show and the depth of the information that is presented has not changed.
For me, the best part about Sportscenter is that the show takes the best segment of the nightly news--sports-- and turns it into a program that airs on ESPN more than half the day. Growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, the best sports anchor was George Michael on the local NBC affiliate, Channel 4. Watching Michael(Who died in 2009) was the segment that I was always waiting for when my parents were watching the 6 PM news. He also hosted a show nationally called "The George Michael Sports Machine", which heavily influenced the production and appearance of Sportscenter. Unlike the rest of the anchors that I saw on TV, Michael always appeared genuine. I got the feeling that the way he appeared on TV was similar to the way he appeared in real life, whereas many of the anchors on the local and national news appear to be cardboard cutouts of themselves.
When I watch Sportscenter, I always get the same feeling as I did when I watched George Michael. The anchors that appear on the show are always charismatic, witty, and polished. The production and style of the show is always very impressive. The fact that they are able to edit footage from an entire game--often in real time-- shows the amount of work and attention that is required to keep the show stylish and fast paced.
Maybe it is because I am a sports fan, but I always get the feeling that the anchors are people that really enjoy what they are doing. This is probably due to the fact that being a sportscaster would be my dream job, just below being a professional athlete.
I rarely watch SportsCenter but I can relate to those shows that never change and still give you that sense of comfortability. For example, I used to watch this kid show called "The Big Comfy Couch". I loved it when I was a kid and I watched it this weekend when I went home to watch my 1-year old niece. It was still layed out the same and surprisingly the characters did not change, nor the setting. It was a good feeling. I think shows like these are very appealing no matter how old you get. Because although everyone likes sponteneity, we all need some elements that never change.
ReplyDeleteI hardly watch sports center, but I will point out that is probably because the lack of diversity they broadcast in sports. There is too much emphasis on baseball and football. Even basketball stories do not make the story reel as much as baseball and football. I feel that especially with more worldly sports like soccer, golf and tennis there is less coverage. I know that is because the majority of the American public does not want to hear much about said sports. That is why I prefer sports coverage online by other media outlets.
ReplyDeleteI actually do love Sports Center too. They always manage to choose best stories and put them out for their viewers in an orderly fashion. I never myself payed attention to a George Micheal specifically but I have always enjoyed all the different anchors on the show, they all do a good job in keeping one's interest keen in the subject.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben that Sportcenter is very biased to the most popular sports in America: baseball and football. If you are a fan of one or both, than this sports news it perfect, but if not than the network is not adequate enough. So essentially, Sportscenter appeals to mostly baseball and football fans.
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