ESPN is the worst sports network ever DFJKHSDI***.

[Cornellian]

So, I know this is like the 3,495th thread on the Range about ESPN sucking, but I couldn't resist making another after this morning's headlining NHL "article".

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=frei_terry&id=2949758

As the NBA wrestles with what commissioner David Stern calls the worst crisis of his tenure, the Tim Donaghy mess in the summer of sports scandal, it's not gross misconduct to wonder: Can it happen in the NHL, too?

Of course it can … in theory.

Watch out, fans of the NHL. The referee gambling scandal currently plaguing COULD HAPPEN IN THE NHL TOO!

Frei goes on to insinuate that fixing an NHL game would be easy.

Essentially, it would seem that the NHL is rehashing an ages-old Rick Tocchet gambling story to attempt to dilute a product's integrity that should be getting a boost in wake of the Donaghy shenanigans, all the while failing to mention the important distinction between a referee gambling on games he's officiating and an assistant coach gambling.

Shoot me in the face.

[buffalofan19]

Ehhh...Terry Frei isn't an NHL basher on ESPN.com. It's July, and slow, with not much going on in the league right now to write about.

If an non-hockey writer for ESPN.com came out with this, then I'd be livid. Frei is an NHL guy. He's not bashing the league. He's just playing devil's advocate because there's nothing better to do write now.

[FamousAmos]

just ignore it Cornellian

[Bay Side]

Screw 'em!!

[JLB]

Corny they ****ing suck don't let those ****ing a-holes get to ya!!

[voicekiller]

We all know ESPN sucks...I mean seriously they give more attention to spelling bees, poker, golf, and billiards... Why are real sports like hockey, and rugby given the shaft? Hockey and Rugby are real sports and they are both never shown on ESPN. ESPN is a joke.

[JLB]

We all know ESPN sucks...I mean seriously they give more attention to spelling bees, poker, golf, and billiards... Why are real sports like hockey, and rugby given the shaft? Hockey and Rugby are real sports and they are both never shown on ESPN. ESPN is a joke.

The hockey is what is really surprising to me.
I would love to see some kick ass rugby as well.
Keep the poker love watching that shit.
I imagine taking all their money.

[voicekiller]

The hockey is what is really surprising to me.
I would love to see some kick ass rugby as well.
Keep the poker love watching that shit.
I imagine taking all their money.

I dont mind the poker, but come on poker, spelling bees, and billiards over real sports like hockey and rugby...just doesn't make sense

[JLB]

I dont mind the poker, but come on poker, spelling bees, and billiards over real sports like hockey and rugby...just doesn't make sense

I would prefer hockey 1st without a doubt.
Rugby would be my next choice.

[jlpubarch]

They made this point on WGR not too long ago.

I mean, c'mon, when a huge referee scandal comes down, I think its pretty reasonable to look at other major sports with scrutiny to determine whether or not there might be something wrong.

Personally, I've always thought hockey was ref'd pretty fairly...but it would be really hard to fix a game.

Not every penalty results in an opposition goal (prob only like 25% of the time or less)

Still, tho, I don't blame this guy for raising some eyebrows at other major sports.

[voicekiller]

I would prefer hockey 1st without a doubt.
Rugby would be my next choice.
Well if ESPN was smart we wouldn't have to choose, they would play both...wow what a concept...a sports channel playing sports...how odd

[GalaxyMerchant]

Well if ESPN was smart we wouldn't have to choose, they would play both...wow what a concept...a sports channel playing sports...how odd

Problem is if they did that then there wouldn't be any spots available for the world series of poker, or college cheerleading championships! Those are big ratings grabbers!

:attn:

[voicekiller]

Problem is if they did that then there wouldn't be any spots available for the world series of poker, or college cheerleading championships! Those are big ratings grabbers!

:attn:
Add another ESPN...how about ESPN 8 "The Ocho" for stupid games that aren't really sports...

[two4trippn]

I just got the latest issue of Obscure Sports Weekly myself.

[icecold]

i think it could be possible there are refs who could fix games.
all the ottawa games seemed fishy to me this year. they were constanly get 2 man advantages in the series on suspect calls

[jlpubarch]

although I don't believe that the games are fixed, Ottawa does get a RIDICULOUSLY high number of 5-on-3's against us.

Anyone remember the 2005-2006 season playoffs?

They got a 5-on-3 against us in like 4 of the 5 games we played against them...

[voicekiller]

What does fixed Sens/Sabres games have to do with ESPN?

[anEinherjer]

What does anything regarding the 4-letter have to do with hockey? **** them.

[Papaduke]

If I ran a sports network it would carry Hockey (NHL & College) College Football, Rugby & Aussie Rules Footie (anyone remember when ESPN carried that?) Soccer and Baseball.

[SCBILLFAN1]

one more time, espn is the mtv of sports.

[Proteus]

But, who's now?

[FamousAmos]

i think it's who's more now, as if an athlete can be more now than an athlete already considered now, but not as now as an athlete who is more now, now.

who comes up with this shit?

[stevesy]

The article is legit. If you don't like it don't read it. Hockey is not the king of all sports when it comes to morality. It might be up there, but shit happens behind the scenes in every sport.

Since I've been watching hockey I've seen refs that I would consider fishy. I wouldn't put it past any refs honestly. Why should hockey be immune to scandal? The Great One's wife anyone? Boy did that blow over like a cheap toupè...

I move to ban all threads bashing ESPN. Or make a new forum for it so that people who actually give a shit can go and whine about it when some guy loosely affiliated with ESPN, who has no say in upper management decisions, writes an article that people disagree with.

Because apparently these disagreements between certain Buffalo sports fans and ESPN point only to one thing! A conspiracy! ESPN OBVIOUSLY possesses a hatred of Buffalo sports so deep that ESPN aims to destroy them and incapacitate them until Buffalo implodes in a seeping pile of utter disappointment. They also aim to break the NHL in half.

None of this could be explained by simple business decisions, including talking up big market teams so big market fans watch the network. No way that's unheard of and is totally new! It couldn't be because no one really cares about hockey outside of its relatively small niche of fans, and it gets horrible ratings. Nope. It's just because ESPN hates hockey and Buffalo. That's it and that's all.

I say, if you don't like ESPN, move to Canada. But even then you might be saddened that they revolve most of their sports programs around Canadian teams. The sports world doesn't revolve around Buffalo and hockey and that is just so painfully apparent. The attitude that somehow ESPN had a hand in that is total bullshit and makes me sick that some of you actually think that.

Somebody's gotta defend ESPN around here...

[Cornellian]

Stevesy, you're right to make fun of the silly idea that ESPN has an anti-Buffalo conspiracy. Problem is, I never made that argument.

I think we can call to question the legitimacy of the article: namely, the logical hop, skip and jump that because the NBA is undergoing a scandal the NHL is every bit as privy to such a controversy. But more important than that, the article's timing is what was incredibly suspect. I'm sorry if you don't believe ESPN is consciously trying to denigrate a product they no longer have on their airwaves, but the pattern of behavior is fairly alarming.

Moreover, I think it's really important for the fans to scrutinize ESPN's editorials because of the unique position they have in the sports marketplace. As ESPN's own ombudsman admits, ESPN's role as it exists in the status quo is tantamount to "the New York Times owning half of the Broadway theaters whose plays it reviews" or "CNN paying billions of dollars for exclusive multiyear rights to cover the War in Iraq." It would be okay to scrutinize the NYT or CNN in these situations; how is it any different with ESPN?

So even if you don't think I have a point with Frei's most recent artcle, you shouldn't call out to members of the Range to stop critcizing ESPN on this forum.

[Papaduke]

There were a couple games last season where Mick Maghue (Edmonton vs Dallas & St Louis vs Ottawa) made some horric calls this season... however I think he is just incompetent.

[Griffs77]

ESPN is a micky mouse organization

[Jeanneret's LaLaLa]

theres one way to fix this. just dont watch it cause its ridiculous how obsessed they are about basketball and baseball and other crap. hockey during the playoffs gets a 2 minute segment tops, while preseason NBA gets like a 15 minute segment. TSN's Sportscentre really gives good quality footage and coverage on the NHL, thats what i watch cause during hockey season i cant stand ESPN's sports center

[stevesy]

I'm sorry if you don't believe ESPN is consciously trying to denigrate a product they no longer have on their airwaves, but the pattern of behavior is fairly alarming.

Oh please. They don't have to try! Hockey screws itself out of ratings.

Sure they made a jump to hockey in the article, but it's just another sport with very controversial calls. So what? This week has been all about scandal in sports and people are questioning all sports.

I find it EXTREMELY hard to believe that this writer has some sort of vendetta against the NHL. And even harder still to believe that someone higher up forced him to do this just because ESPN doesn't have a deal with the NHL.

Consider the amount of people that would even read this article. Please! It talks about the NHL, don't be silly. This is the type of article that you only stumble upon.

The fact is that negative attention is still attention and it's often the type of attention that gets you the most ratings. Just be happy they're actually talking about a sport that gave a major network it's worst ever primetime ratings. There are bigger problems on the table for the NHL than ESPN making snide remarks or stupid articles.

[tmcgeefan]

I HATE ESPN WITH A PASSION....I JUST REFUSE IT NOW....ITS A FRIEKEN JOKE.... SCREW YOU ESPN:phaser: