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vango
02-28-2007, 11:37 PM
Hate to beat a dead horse but after multiple errors all season long both by announcers and their graphics team, I didn't think it could get much worse.

This was probably the worst televised game I've ever seen. I don't know if they have anything to do with this effort to fit a 7pm (east) game into 2 hours before 9 but I suspect they do. My locale (and I suspect all locales) tuned in nearly 5 minutes into the game. The constant "in-game" interruptions. The repetitive "advertising" of their other networks. And the repeated losing of a signal were quite embarassing.

I've seen a real drop-off with this outfit since ABC took over.

Perhaps I shouldn't complain b/c without them I'd see only about 1/2 the games but the quality sure has dropped.

itsmoney13
02-28-2007, 11:59 PM
They have really dropped the ball with their broadcasts. Would they really lose that much money if they allowed 2 1/2 hours for ncaa games? Especially this late in the season? Poor performance by ESPN.

I turned the volume off after the first half due to the 2 color commentators they employ as opposed to a real play-by-play and color guy. Only to have to listen near the end because of the technical difficulty. Unreal.

Bad game. The slowskis were pretty tough tonight. They are a very athletic and experienced team, save Vasquez and Hayes from the experience. They'll be a tough out in the ACC and NCAA tourneys. I'd love to play them again though, get one more crack at them. Anyhow, time to turn our focus to that place right down the road. Should be a pretty tough game.

GO Duke!
GTHC!GTHC!

BGDR
03-01-2007, 12:55 AM
I am just glad I got to hear Vitale give us his 2 cents about the lifestyles of Brittney, Lindsey, and Paris Hilton before the end of the first half.

throatybeard
03-01-2007, 05:34 AM
What I don't get is paying all this money for Duke-MD, promoting the mess out of it as your featured 9 EST game, and then not showing a bunch of it. That's what surprises me more than their lack of concern about fans getting angry.

dukeENG2003
03-01-2007, 07:46 AM
at least we got to see more of the game than their pathetic broadcast of the Duke Gonzaga game, where we missed the ENTIRE FIRST HALF. I dread every time I see us listed as the late game, when was the last time they actually got to show the tip of a 9 oclock game? When you've got 5 channels, why not start the Duke broadcast on one of the other ones, heck, use ESPNEWS, how many people are actually watching it at 9 oclock at night? I think its time for them to launch "the ocho"

slower
03-01-2007, 07:48 AM
You know, as tiresome as it is to listen to Vitale, at least he KNOWS how to pronounce players' names. There's really no excuse for Mike Patrick to keep referring to "Roberts" and Packer to keep saying "Schreyer". Same goes for Majerus and the rest of them. Good Lord, these guys are supposed to be professionals. And as much as I like (and have always liked) Len Elmore, he has a definite chip on his shoulder where Duke is concerned (and I have really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt).

So I'd almost rather listen to Vitale rant about Britney than hear the name-mangling and bias of the rest of the "professionals".

Duke15304
03-01-2007, 07:59 AM
what really ticked me off is on Direct Tv, Espn has alternative channels, so i flipped over to see if they would put the game on there until the Nova-Uconn game was over and they have that game on as well, it was ridicolous

bigdog
03-01-2007, 10:46 AM
They join the Duke-MD game at the 14:00 minute mark. We barely get to see the last 2:30 of the game because of technical difficulties. Absolutely pitiful.

Chard
03-01-2007, 10:58 AM
I must agree with the pitiful level of broadcasting we experienced last night. The technical difficulties aside, the constant promos during the action, the 30 @ 30 BS, another 9 pm start, the announcers, the shot selection by the ESPN crew, etc made me crazy. I could hardly watch the game at times. It was almost like visiting a sports chat board with lots of avatars with bouncy thingies.

ESPN used to be a great place to watch sports. Now it is more like MTV than anything else. The business model that ABC brought to the ESPN networks has created a poor experience for us fans. ACC select is looking better and better.

OZZIE4DUKE
03-01-2007, 11:45 AM
And as much as I like (and have always liked) Len Elmore, he has a definite chip on his shoulder where Duke is concerned (and I have really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt).


Watching the "Gone in 54 Seconds" game yesterday on Classic, it was good to hear Brad Dougherty doing the color commentary. I know he's a heel, but his appreciation of the comeback was very fair. Although he said something about never seeing such a big comeback (10 points) so quickly (54 seconds), I'm sure someone reminded him of the 1974 game in Carmichael... and no, I'm not going into painful details on that one. In fact, our comeback in Cameron in 1995 (the Capel shot game) was an even more amazing 10 points in about 18 seconds.

mkirsh
03-01-2007, 12:53 PM
The 2 easy fixes:

1. Tip the 9pm games at 9:15

2. If the 7pm game runs over beyond that, move the feed to espnnews. Can't image there would be mass outrage if espnnews veiwers had to wait 10 more minutes to watch spring training highlights for the 5th time.

ohioguy2
03-01-2007, 12:57 PM
When the technical difficulties arose toward the end of the game, it would have been really good if Vitale would have just let the play by play go on without voicing his stuff. It seems as if Vitale does not care if the fans who are watching know what is going on as long as he can "entertain" them.

Cavlaw
03-01-2007, 01:13 PM
2. If the 7pm game runs over beyond that, move the feed to espnnews. Can't image there would be mass outrage if espnnews veiwers had to wait 10 more minutes to watch spring training highlights for the 5th time.

That sounds reaonsable, but you forget that this is the same outfit that thinks the people tuning into the NCAA games want to see their game put into a little window every thirty minues in order to get taped news that is hours old about unrelated sports.

Please, please, please, give me picture-in-picture ONLY if something is happening live that is both exciting and related to the sport I have chosen to watch.

lmb
03-01-2007, 04:31 PM
The real shame of losing the video feed is that Joe Pagliuca was sent in to play what will probably be his last minutes as a senior and none of his friends or family saw it. As I sat there staring at a full-screen graphic, my heart nearly broke when I heard Patrick announce that he was coming in.

At one point, Patrick actually attempted to call the action like a radio feed but Vitale was totally oblivious and kept blathering on about peripherals.

DankeShane
03-01-2007, 05:39 PM
The real shame of losing the video feed is that Joe Pagliuca was sent in to play what will probably be his last minutes as a senior and none of his friends or family saw it. As I sat there staring at a full-screen graphic, my heart nearly broke when I heard Patrick announce that he was coming in.

At one point, Patrick actually attempted to call the action like a radio feed but Vitale was totally oblivious and kept blathering on about peripherals.

Well the feed kicked back in just in time for us to see him foul somebody, so it wasn't all for nothing.

RPhilli
03-02-2007, 11:46 AM
ESPN replayed the game on ESPN-U the next day at 2:00 and it had all the footage that was missed due to the UCONN game. It also had most of the footage that was lost due to "technical difficulties".

I do wish, when they rebroadcast a game, they would just rebroadcast the whole thing and not skip time and say "due to time constraints, we move ahead in our broadcast". Step up and commit 2.5 hours to the game, or cut out some of those ridiculous "Working from home has changed my life" commercials.:)

I have ben collecting Duke games since 1986 and have converted much of my collection to DVD (over 200 games). I actually had to cut and paste from two different broadcasts to get something close to a complete game. Very frustrating.

DvB
03-02-2007, 03:00 PM
ESPN . . . sigh. There's so much incompetence there, it's postitively heartbreaking. I wonder how many regular ESPN viewers were aware that the largerst bicycle race in North America was going on last week, with one of the best international fields ever assembled on American soil. A race that drew over a million roadside spectators. A race with BOTH reigning road cycling world champions (road race and time trial).

We were kept VERY well apprised, however, of NFL draft speculation. Thank goodness.

Kudos to Mike Patrick for switching into radio play-by-play mode when the video feed cut out (something he did quite well, actually). Vital's absolute obliviousness was certainly not surprising, but does ESPN "management" need any more evidence that the guy's best years are DECADES behind him? How many years left on that godforsaken contract of his???

Anyway, GTHC GTH.

--D

DUKIECB
03-02-2007, 03:42 PM
It makes no sense to me that they can split the screen for their preciouse 30 at 30 news updates, but they can't at least put a small picture of the 9:00 game in the upper corner of the screen. I almost went insane waiting for the UCONN game to go off. What are you going to do though?

ron mckernan
03-02-2007, 04:14 PM
Listening to Patrick & Dickie V try to do play-by-play during the outage was just hilarious -- Patrick even said something to effect that they were going to do it, and within 10 seconds it was obvious that neither were capable of actually reporting on the game.

On a related note, I watched the 92 Duke-UK on ESPN Classic a couple weeks back and was struck by how little the announcers said, letting the game speak for itself. I do enjoy Majerus & Bilas & Daugherty, because they actually add some depth & understanding, but ESPN's compulsive need to fill every, single second with talking is killing their broadcasts.

I'd also add that Len Elmore is drifting dangerously close to Dickie V land as far as blithering aimlessly. Used to like him, but this season has been a marked change in style.

Cavlaw
03-02-2007, 04:18 PM
It makes no sense to me that they can split the screen for their preciouse 30 at 30 news updates, but they can't at least put a small picture of the 9:00 game in the upper corner of the screen. I almost went insane waiting for the UCONN game to go off. What are you going to do though?
I have to wonder, does anyone out there actually like the :30 at :30? I mean anyone, anywhere, not just here.

I suppose even if their market research is showing it to be an unpopular idea, they will continue it through the end of the season. I just hope it does not return next year.

ZMan83
03-02-2007, 04:35 PM
I have to wonder, does anyone out there actually like the :30 at :30? I mean anyone, anywhere, not just here.


I find it pretty annoying. ESPN already has the "crawl" at the bottom of the screen for scores and stories. I am happy to get the latest news from the crawl rather than the 30 at 30 overlay on part of a game.

Duke15304
03-02-2007, 04:51 PM
that for a while now, on college football, baseball, so i assume they will continue

dukemath
03-02-2007, 06:48 PM
There is a "Contact Us" button on ESPN's website. Maybe we should all write in to complain about the game scheduling at 30 at 30 update. I just did and if a lot more did too, then they just might get the message.

Duke15304
03-02-2007, 10:40 PM
I maybe beating a dead horse, but the other night made me mad, I have direct tv, so they have espn alternative channels so i go over there and they have the nova uconn game on as well, but i assume at 910 they will flip over, well they keep that game on, so i had that dumb game on two channels while i missed 8 mins of the duke games, it was ridicolous, whatss the point of the alternative channel if you arent going to use it

feldspar
03-02-2007, 10:50 PM
I maybe beating a dead horse,

I'd say so (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122)

Jumbo
03-02-2007, 10:52 PM
I'd say so (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122)

This is a good test for me to see if I can merge this thread into the other one. Let's see how this goes...

feldspar
03-02-2007, 11:08 PM
This is a good test for me to see if I can merge this thread into the other one. Let's see how this goes...

Well done!

Duke15304
03-02-2007, 11:09 PM
srry about putting it in a new thread in the first place

MattyB.
03-02-2007, 11:10 PM
ESPN . . . sigh. There's so much incompetence there, it's postitively heartbreaking. I wonder how many regular ESPN viewers were aware that the largerst bicycle race in North America was going on last week, with one of the best international fields ever assembled on American soil. A race that drew over a million roadside spectators. A race with BOTH reigning road cycling world champions (road race and time trial).

We were kept VERY well apprised, however, of NFL draft speculation. Thank goodness.

Kudos to Mike Patrick for switching into radio play-by-play mode when the video feed cut out (something he did quite well, actually). Vital's absolute obliviousness was certainly not surprising, but does ESPN "management" need any more evidence that the guy's best years are DECADES behind him? How many years left on that godforsaken contract of his???

Anyway, GTHC GTH.

--D
Mostly testing out the "quick reply" feature here, which the new boards seemed to botch previously... but in any event:

seriously? are you really trying to bolster your case of poor ESPN coverage by using a BIKE RACE vs. NFL FOOTBALL?? NFL is by far the most wildly popular sport in the US. last i checked, they don't have wagering on bike races, nor do they have Fantasy Tour de France. i'm sorry - i love the Tour (have actually be in France for it), and i think the NFL combine coverage is overkill, but a bike race of any sort will never, EVER win against NFL football in this country.

i agree with the premise, tho: ESPN coverage of NCAA Bball games has gone precipitously down hill the last several years, only to arrive at downright awful at this point. the 30-in-30 thing has GOT TO GO. that, would be a start....

Jumbo
03-02-2007, 11:10 PM
Well done!

Woohoo! I've figured out how to use one tiny facet of this monstrous board. Of course, I can't figure out how to delete the other thread. I guess we'll just have to let it fade away unless an admin or mod knows what to do.

MattyB.
03-02-2007, 11:13 PM
didn't mean to be overly harsh there, esp. when we agree: ESPN really needs to shape up. sure, they can do a lot of neat fancy things with their graphics/feeds, but please: not at the viewer's expense!

and take a note from FSN: run your NCAA bball games in 2.5 hour slots!

feldspar
03-02-2007, 11:14 PM
Woohoo! I've figured out how to use one tiny facet of this monstrous board. Of course, I can't figure out how to delete the other thread. I guess we'll just have to let it fade away unless an admin or mod knows what to do.

Meh, I think it's fine to just let it wither away. Even when you click on it, it just leads you to the merged thread.

That's a tight feature. I get frustrated sometimes at how often topics get repeated and repeated and repeated....

MattyB.
03-02-2007, 11:14 PM
Woohoo! I've figured out how to use one tiny facet of this monstrous board. Of course, I can't figure out how to delete the other thread. I guess we'll just have to let it fade away unless an admin or mod knows what to do.

well done, indeed. the other thread refers/redirects to this one, tho, so i guess it works as designed. ;-)

DvB
03-05-2007, 11:52 AM
Mostly testing out the "quick reply" feature here, which the new boards seemed to botch previously... but in any event:

seriously? are you really trying to bolster your case of poor ESPN coverage by using a BIKE RACE vs. NFL FOOTBALL?? NFL is by far the most wildly popular sport in the US. last i checked, they don't have wagering on bike races, nor do they have Fantasy Tour de France. i'm sorry - i love the Tour (have actually be in France for it), and i think the NFL combine coverage is overkill, but a bike race of any sort will never, EVER win against NFL football in this country.

i agree with the premise, tho: ESPN coverage of NCAA Bball games has gone precipitously down hill the last several years, only to arrive at downright awful at this point. the 30-in-30 thing has GOT TO GO. that, would be a start....

I think I didn't adquately communicate my point. I'd never argue that the NFL isn't (unfortunately) "the most wildly popular sport in the US." I was simply mentioning that while an actual sporting event was actually going on -- that is, a drama-filled, star-laden bike race that was drawing over one million roadside spectators -- ESPN felt more compelled to offer air time to talking heads offering jabber on the upcoming NFL draft. Regardless of your athletic loyalties, I ask you: Which "story," at that moment in time, was more newsworthy?

I'm in the VAST, VAST minority when it comes to enjoying bike racing more than NFL football, granted. But that's irrelevant. I'd still rather see timely coverage of a great play in [curling, cricket, figure skating, pole-vault . . . name your unpopular sport] than conjecture in draft positions and contract values.

Since I wrote my original post, I noticed Dick Vitale in a Hooters commercial. That -- right there -- is reason enough to boycott ESPN. Vitale. Ugh. Nance and Packer were actually REFRESHING yesterday. Did I just write that?

--DvB

dukemsu
03-05-2007, 08:42 PM
Been a rough day to be a Duke fan. Looking forward to the day being over.

Anyway, as I've read, viewed, and listened to ESPN's "macro" level personnel (Patrick, Sports Guy, etc) and found myself curling my toes in anger at their short-sighted hatred and knee-jerk reaction, I was able to make myself feel better by reminding myself of the following fact:

These guys only watch college basketball for one month. March.

ESPN is so far in bed with the NFL that the NFL is almost all the major talking heads and writers cover-and for one month a year, they watch college basketball. The one overriding theme that hasn't changed for 20 years in college basketball?

Everyone hates Duke.

Therefore, these clowns (other offenders include Bob Ley, Greenberg and Golic {so ignorant about the sport that they should be forbidden to discuss it} and on and on) play to that storyline repeatedly. Then, when the Final 4 ends and the NFL Draft nonsense starts, they go back to football. This is the only logical explanation for anyone referring to Billy Packer as a Duke homer. Complete and total ignorance.

As for the Micro guys, (Elmore, Davis, Bilas, Phelps, etc) I just try and listen with a grain of salt remembering their school and conference affiliation (especially with Gottlieb, who's emerging as the newest loudmouth flamethrower) and hope that every once in a while, they speak objectively.

I haven't posted much, but I see many of those listed here in chat. I must confess I'm a bit embarassed at my reaction to the incident yesterday that I posted in chat-I was a bit overheated and said I was glad G went after Hansblahblah. My apologies. Hope to see you in chat on Thursday.

dukemsu

weezie
03-05-2007, 09:05 PM
And bear in mind that espn has also fallen head over heals in love with Nascar.
They're loopy for the car racing now.
So who cares what they think, anyway.

hurleyfor3
03-05-2007, 09:10 PM
Espn does not hate Duke. Espn, in fact, LOVES Duke.

Duke = ratings.
Ratings = $.
$ = love.

If Espn hates Duke so much, why did the unc game in Cameron last year have the Sideline Cam, the Endzone Cam, the Cameron Crazy Cam, the Krzyzewski Cam and the Tyler Hansbroken Nostril Cam occupying every espn in existence?

If espn really hated Duke, we wouldn't be on their precious network so damn much.

dukemsu
03-05-2007, 09:13 PM
Espn does not hate Duke. Espn, in fact, LOVES Duke.

Duke = ratings.
Ratings = $.
$ = love.

If Espn hates Duke so much, why did the unc game in Cameron last year have the Sideline Cam, the Endzone Cam, the Cameron Crazy Cam, the Krzyzewski Cam and the Tyler Hansbroken Nostril Cam occupying every espn in existence?

If espn really hated Duke, we wouldn't be on their precious network so damn much.
Not saying the Network hates them, you're right....they clearly like showing Duke games. I'm talking about the obnoxious, ignorant "personalities" who don't watch college ball but for four or five weeks a year because they're too busy talking about potential trades for 4th round NFL draft choices or whatever Terrell Owens is doing today.

jafarr1
03-05-2007, 09:57 PM
ESPN loves putting Duke in the role of the villain. They bring in the most money that way.

SMO
03-05-2007, 10:37 PM
You hit it on the head! Televise Duke and talk about Duke as much as possible because most college basketball fans (even passive ones) either love or hate the team so much they'll tune in, click to read more, or listen on the radio just to hear more. Just look at this site for crying out loud (like Tyler)! ESPN, like many major media, does not care about objectivity, but ratings.


ESPN loves putting Duke in the role of the villain. They bring in the most money that way.