Jan
12
Last week I listed my top five ESPN personalities that in my opinion and many others should get canned. Here are my top five that should get raises:
- Jim Rome: Says what every fan wants to say. This video of him calling Jim Everett “Chris” is a classic. Jim Rome went on to bigger and better things (Rome is Burning), Jim Everett didn’t.
- Stephen A. Smith: This is my house, but you’re welcome anytime! Leno and Letterman are snoozefests compared to Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.
- Kenny Mayne: His trademark dry wit is well suited for his segment on Sportscenter called the Mayne Event. He’s also the pitchman for Progressive Insurance.
- Chris Berman: ESPN without Chris Berman is like the White House without a President. Three words: Curtis “My Favorite” Martin.
- Suzy Kolber: With all the grace in the world she handled Joe Namath’s infamous “I want to kiss you” pick up line. Sideline reporting at NFL games are ridiculous except for Monday Night Football when Suzy is around.
Jan
5
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with ESPN. For the past two decades it’s been the only channel I really watch. I can watch Sportscenter repeatedly. In the past, ESPN’s Primetime was the greatest thing before DirecTV’s NFL Ticket. However, there are certain ESPN personalities that are just plain awful and should be canned. Here are my top 5 current ESPN personalities that deserve a pink slip:
- (tie)Joe Theismann (Monday Night Football) and Michael Irvin (Football Analyst): These two were exceptional football players, these are two exceptionally terrible football commentators. Theismann continues to contradict himself and is at his best when he doesn’t talk. As for Irvin, when your co-host (Tom Jackson) ridicules you on a regular basis, it’s because you’re not very good.
- Sean Salisbury (Football Analyst): This former backup quarterback delivers “straight talk” about today’s NFL but never delivered on Sundays.
- Tony Kornheiser (Monday Night Football): This is a tough one. When I lived in DC, I enjoyed Kornheiser’s articles in the Washington Post. As part of Pardon the Interruption, he’s cool as ice. As part of Monday Night Football, his trademark sarcastic wit is misplaced.
- Stuart Scott (Sportscenter): At first his gangsta colloquialisms were cool, but after several years of “booyah” among others, they’ve simply lost their luster.