You need to read the whole thing to understand it's a joke. If you only read the part about Jamie Spatola's book you'll think it is a slam at Duke.
Read the whole thing, it is pretty funny.
I am pretty clear on the difference between satire and real news. Page 2 is often more in the satire arena, but this is not one of those instances. This is not a joke and even if it were a joke, it is not an appropriate joke in my opinion.
This is a real product and gift idea: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/giftg...ductId=3110764.
So is this - another book. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/giftg...ductId=3120949.
While some of the other products are joke-ish (the Irabu poster for example), none of the other nine ideas are harshly critical and vindictive towards an individual sports figure or team. To me, it is clear, even in this little piece (top ten gift ideas) laced with mild humor that ESPN is looking for any opportunity to criticize, make fun of, belittle and "hate on" Duke. And I'm not sure there isn't a collective awareness of it, even if you don't want to call if a "conspiracy."
You need to read the whole thing to understand it's a joke. If you only read the part about Jamie Spatola's book you'll think it is a slam at Duke.
Read the whole thing, it is pretty funny.
Just remember the 'Duke Boy' commercial. Jay Bilas has given an interview that he wasn't told about it in advance. Wonder why?
Think it would have flown if they'd referred to Hubert Davis as 'Heel Boy'?
ESPN, where the E stands for Evil.
Really? Which other gift ideas are a vindictive slam at anyone? Are the cuff links a joke? What about the itunes gift card? What about the fathead posters? I didn't find the Pro Football Chronicle idea to be so funny. Maybe I really don't understand humor. Is this supposed to be satire?
Oh really?
How about this quote?
"Tired of Patriots fans crying about the backlash over this year's spying incident? Or maybe you're a Pats fan who's sick of all the bawling from your team's critics. Here's how you stop the blubbering: Tell them to suck on this."
The blurb for the Throwback Pats jersey jabs the current Pats for being unlikable overlords.
The blurb for the fathead suggests that having a Cincinnati Bengal in your house is legit cause for calling 911.
The blurb for the pacifier attacks the Pats once again, calling their fans crybabies.
Again, even the one or two that do involve some humor - the Irabu poster being the other one - are not vindictive slams at an individual. There is nothing humorous, satirical or prankish about the Coach K book or what was written.
This is an absolute slam:
"Now, with the Blue Devils reduced to a bunch of undersized, unathletic floppers, Coach K has little to get excited about on the basketball court. Yet he somehow continues to make millions of dollars and remains one of the best known figures in sports. How does he do it? Read his new book, "Beyond Basketball: Coach K's Keywords for Success," to find out how you too can hoodwink people into showering you with lots of money and glory."
And I can't believe anyone would find any humor or satire in that or think it's anyway comparable to a gag-like gift such as a Patriots pacifier. Seriously, I am flabbergasted that so many people here are defending this or finding it humorous.
Just because you don't find a joke funny doesn't make it not a joke.
I just find it humorous that this thread is a perfect example of the type of thing that people make fun of Duke fans for.
I'm not defending it. I don't find it humorous. I just don't care. At all.
Seeing a bunch of Duke fans get all worked up over really, really minor details in life just plays into the negative stereotype of Duke fans that we, uh, get all worked up over really really minor details.
Jason,
Re: that signature:
Can you elaborate on how being in the "journalism biz" especially helps one root out media bias? (It just comes across as a fairly pompous line; I'm interested to see if you can write the next sentence to it...)
This thread is almost comical in the way it is taking the ESPN gift item so seriously. Talk about walking around with a chip on ones shoulder.
I personally found the sales pitch for several of the gift items to be rather humorous. If we as Duke fans can't laugh at good-natured jabs that are aimed our way, then we need a remedial course in "Why the Real World hates Duke". I suggest you stop taking yourselves so seriously.
First of all, that's hilarious.
Call me crazy, but I dont think that's the stereotype people have of us. I think its more along the lines of "rich, arrogant, elitists." I've never heard anyone tell me duke sucks b/c we get angry at little jokes and are sticklers for details.
First of all, I obviously don't think it is funny in any way. I can see how a UNC or Maryland fan would, but pretty much only those people or another Duke hater - and that is precisely why it is vindictive and offensive to me - (obviously not to others). It seems like it would only be "funny" to people who hate Duke. To anyone else it would seem kind of stupid and harsh - again, I guess this thread proves otherwise, but that fact is what surprises me.
And it's completely out of whack with the other "humorous" gifts/blurbs. I am a Yankee fan and I do see the humor in a Hideki Irabu poster.
The other thing about this is that it must be put in context, which is the obvious fact that there is an anti-Duke thing going on at ESPN and this is a perfect example of how bad it is become - because of all 10, the Coach K item is the only one harshly attacking one individual in a non-humorous way. I think the differentiation shows that anti-Duke sentiment at ESPN, which should bother everyone who is a Duke fan because it has the potential to make a meaningful impact. Where do you think the perception started that Duke doesn't develop big men well? Where do you think the perception started that Duke gets all the calls? Where do you think the perception started that Duke is slipping - THE MEDIA. Does that kind of thing weigh on potential recruits? Perhaps. When I was a senior in high school, I might have been influenced by all the negative things that have been said recently about Duke and Coach K. Does it have an impact on referees who have been aware of the Duke gets all the calls talk during the last six years? Probably not but you never know. I still wonder if Boozer gets the call in 2002 if Billy Packer hadn't spent the last year questioning all the calls in the Duke - Arizona game and the following season.
A one time dig at Coach K - even if not funny and offensive by my standards - fine, but in the context of the ESPN issue, it really bothers me.
How about a link to Pessah's article?