Saturday, February 24, 2007

ESPN Page 2 Ombudsman: Pearlman and Buckheit

MC Bias started paying attention to sports on-line because of ESPN Page 2's launch, and read ESPN Page 2 almost exclusively for about 3 years. Crazy? Yes. But I go way back with them, and thus, I'd like to offer my services as an ombudsman. Hey, George Solomon is busy enough taking care of the ESPN TV blunders.

Good: Maybe it's simply the work I've seen, but most of Jeff Pearlman's work screams "I'm smarter than these dumb jocks", an attitude I abhor in sportswriting. He picks easy targets like Bonds, Rocker, and homo-hater athletes and hammers them as if he's providing society a courageous service. However, for once he has decided to show a deserving athlete some appreciation. His article gives Ken Griffey Jr. respect as the best clean hitter of his generation. Wonderful article, once you get past the Bonds-bashing. Ok, Jeff, we get it, you're smart and not easily taken in by Bonds' attitude...just like 90% of us. Get over yourself.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/070222

Still, though, Jeff's Page 2 Profile pic looks a LOT like Ben from the Others. That may not be so forgiveable:




Bad:
After Mary Buckheit hints in an article that her sexuality is not purely hetero (apparently, her favorite letters in MCBias are the middle two), her bosses choose her to interview the previous "Page 2 Hottest Female Athletes." What a terrible idea, beginning with the fact that your favorite Biased Blogger wasn't chosen to lob softball questions at Jennie Finch.

Seriously, it's odd enough if it's the same gender interviewing women (or men) about how attractive they are. You wouldn't want to read Bill Simmons asking Tom Brady what makes him so attractive, would you? It's worse when each question asked makes you wonder "hetero Mary or homo Mary?". It's just confusing as can be not knowing which it is, and dreadfully awkward.

On the other hand, I appreciate the women themselves (Jennie Finch, Amanda Beard, and Heather Mitts) in the interviews. They are not only attractive but genuinely level-headed and charming. That's RARE for good-looking females (and males) to be socially adept, funny, and humble. (The obligatory PSA; if you are such a female and you are angry at my sterotypeing against the good-looking, call 1-800-MCBIASNOW. Really, I want to change my Biased ways, my stereotype is due to my upbringing, and only you can rehabilitate me. :-p )

2 comments:

  1. Yes MC, you nailed it! Pearlman is in love with his own intellect and needs to put down athletes to uplift himself!!! His Gary Sheffield column was simply retarded. In many ways he is symbolic about what is wrong with sports writing in that he represents the "good vs. evil" paradigm. He annoys the hell out of me in a more subtle way than your everyday hack.

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  2. I just read that Pearlman-Griffey article for the first time. You're right, he could have easily done the same article without being such an ass to Barry. I mean is this shit really necessary:

    "He is an awkward, off-putting man with the social skills of a knee brace. His marriage is, at best, scarred by years of infidelity. His relationship with the two children from his first marriage is strained."

    What an asshole.

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