2014 Big East Tournament

Jay Bilas = Wanna be Kirk Herbstreit.

Quote from: paultzman on March 11, 2014, 10:42:35 AM

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/249388301_College_basketball__Rebuilt_Big_East_faces_test_Big_East_faces_test.html?page=all

Bilas says you don't see Nova on tv.  That's because you don't change your channel from ESPN, Jay!

Bilas and ESPN have an agenda.  The BE teams that do make the dance have to advance and shut them up.  The ACC/ESPN alliance declared themselves the greatest hoops conference of all time till the games started and the returns did not back them up.  Now they are stating that they "will" be the best conference of all time. 

ESPN was the mastermind behind all the conference movement. Now they are stroking it. Bilas is a ball bag

Now ESPN is involved with trying to move the ACC tournament to MSG.  They need to change the name of that conference to ESPN/ACC.

So Xavier is a team to be feared this year? Who was the 3 seed last year in big east tournament?

They are a good team. But you said it like Xavier being a high seed is somehow showing how poor the new big east is. No one is arguing the new big east is just as good as the old one. But it is still a solid conference.

That's what I've been trying to say 212.

Baldi:  Are you rooting for St. John's this week?

Absolutely kid

Bilas doesn't follow an ESPN-driven agenda.   He's just an ACC guy, who thinks tobacco-road is the center of the basketball universe.     That's his experience.   But I doubt very much that he's consciously trying to put down the BE.

ESPN on the other hand obviously does have a stake in the success of the ACC.   But I think they act far less nefarious than most of you suggest.  I don't think it affects their "editorial content" at all.   When an analyst breaks down the bubble teams, they're just as likely to talk about us or Providence as they are a team from any other conference.
The difference is in their marketing.   They run promos for the games they have coming up that night or the next night.  And, surprise, those games are ACC/Big10/Big12 games.    They also select who they interview to coincide with the upcoming games on their network.  Just like on a given Sunday in the fall Fox will interview Brees, while the CBS show interviews Peyton; ESPN does the same thing to promote their upcoming games.   Do I think Fox is anti-AFC?  no.    I just think they know their network shows NFC games, so they build some hype for it.

ESPN sucks for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they're are always 3 years behind the rest of the media in criticizing MLB, NCAA, NFL for things like steroids, concussions, or hypocrisy.    But I don't think they are biased against the BE.   Their analysts provide equal coverage when asked for an opinion.  But they do run ads to promote their games, and choose interviewees based on the upcoming games.

Absolutely kid

Glad to hear it, u were talkin about an NIT matchup btw STJ-IONA that seemed wishful on facebook.  Glad to hear ur still hoping stj makes the dance.

ESPN on the other hand obviously does have a stake in the success of the ACC.   But I think they act far less nefarious than most of you suggest.  I don't think it affects their "editorial content" at all.   

No disrespect intended, but it's been proven a few times that ESPN's bs self promotion actually does impact editorial content.  http://deadspin.com/how-espn-manufactures-a-story-colin-kaepernick-edition-1185400028
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8294309/derek-jeter-laughs-skip-bayless-ped-use-insinuation
there was another one where one of their "personalities" was basically making stuff up, then they followed the puke funnel around until they got to report it as journalistic truth, but I can't find it right now.

and their behavior through conference realignment makes most political media look passive and even-handed by comparison.

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong place to post this. I will be in the city on Thursday for some appointments for the first half of the day. Since I will be in the city, I am looking to catch the game at 2:30. Does anyone have an extra ticket to sell? If so, please PM me. Thanks.

Fwiw, Borzello sees us in final game.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24478309/big-east-tournament-preview-prediction-tv-info

Quote from: desco80 on March 11, 2014, 02:02:47 PM

ESPN on the other hand obviously does have a stake in the success of the ACC.   But I think they act far less nefarious than most of you suggest.  I don't think it affects their "editorial content" at all.   

No disrespect intended, but it's been proven a few times that ESPN's bs self promotion actually does impact editorial content.  http://deadspin.com/how-espn-manufactures-a-story-colin-kaepernick-edition-1185400028
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8294309/derek-jeter-laughs-skip-bayless-ped-use-insinuation
there was another one where one of their "personalities" was basically making stuff up, then they followed the puke funnel around until they got to report it as journalistic truth, but I can't find it right now.

Quote from: desco80 on March 11, 2014, 02:02:47 PM

ESPN on the other hand obviously does have a stake in the success of the ACC.   But I think they act far less nefarious than most of you suggest.  I don't think it affects their "editorial content" at all.   

No disrespect intended, but it's been proven a few times that ESPN's bs self promotion actually does impact editorial content.  http://deadspin.com/how-espn-manufactures-a-story-colin-kaepernick-edition-1185400028
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8294309/derek-jeter-laughs-skip-bayless-ped-use-insinuation
there was another one where one of their "personalities" was basically making stuff up, then they followed the puke funnel around until they got to report it as journalistic truth, but I can't find it right now.

That's some good stuff Dandy.  You should post more often.
  But I think the Jaws piece is more an example of them running with something and getting the most out of it no?   Jaws makes a stupid comment, they ask Kapernick about, ask the talking heads on Sports Center, do a headline on Sports Illustrated etc.   But I don't think any boss at ESPN told Jaworski to say Kapernick could be one of the best qbs in history.   He's just an idiot and said that, so they ran with it. 

Just like I dont think ESPN tells Bilas or anyone else not to talk about the Big East, or to put the BE down.    I think they hired ACC-guys because thats the games they show, and obviously a guy from Duke has a higher opinion of ACC ball then BE ball.   

Like I said, I have no love for ESPN.   I think they shy away from real journalism whenever it can affect one of their properties.    But i dont think they go out of their way to discredit the BE.    But you are entirely right that they pushed the ACC to grab Syracuse and ND especially.

Bilas doesn't follow an ESPN-driven agenda.   He's just an ACC guy, who thinks tobacco-road is the center of the basketball universe.     That's his experience.   But I doubt very much that he's consciously trying to put down the BE.

ESPN on the other hand obviously does have a stake in the success of the ACC.   But I think they act far less nefarious than most of you suggest.  I don't think it affects their "editorial content" at all.   When an analyst breaks down the bubble teams, they're just as likely to talk about us or Providence as they are a team from any other conference.
The difference is in their marketing.   They run promos for the games they have coming up that night or the next night.  And, surprise, those games are ACC/Big10/Big12 games.    They also select who they interview to coincide with the upcoming games on their network.  Just like on a given Sunday in the fall Fox will interview Brees, while the CBS show interviews Peyton; ESPN does the same thing to promote their upcoming games.   Do I think Fox is anti-AFC?  no.    I just think they know their network shows NFC games, so they build some hype for it.

ESPN sucks for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they're are always 3 years behind the rest of the media in criticizing MLB, NCAA, NFL for things like steroids, concussions, or hypocrisy.    But I don't think they are biased against the BE.   Their analysts provide equal coverage when asked for an opinion.  But they do run ads to promote their games, and choose interviewees based on the upcoming games.

Desco,  These media companies have a major conflict of interest covering this sport.  They have large financial stakes in some leagues and none in other leagues.  They should just disclaim in a screen scrawl that they are not impartial.   In the case of the Big East, ESPN was trying to hose the league and the new league pulled off a surprising deal with Fox.  We know this, but the casual viewers have no knowledge and think that ESPN and Fox are providing balances coverage of this sport. 

As for  Bilas, I agree that he is biased by affiliation to the ACC.  However, do you think he really does not know that Nova has been featured on many national games on Fox and CBS? 

I am very excited for Thursday . Will be fun . Hope u guys are able to get off work

I actually think Bilas is great. One of the few ESPN people I really respect

That's some good stuff Dandy.  You should post more often.
  But I think the Jaws piece is more an example of them running with something and getting the most out of it no?   Jaws makes a stupid comment, they ask Kapernick about, ask the talking heads on Sports Center, do a headline on Sports Illustrated etc.   But I don't think any boss at ESPN told Jaworski to say Kapernick could be one of the best qbs in history.   He's just an idiot and said that, so they ran with it. 

Just like I dont think ESPN tells Bilas or anyone else not to talk about the Big East, or to put the BE down.    I think they hired ACC-guys because thats the games they show, and obviously a guy from Duke has a higher opinion of ACC ball then BE ball.   

Like I said, I have no love for ESPN.   I think they shy away from real journalism whenever it can affect one of their properties.    But i dont think they go out of their way to discredit the BE.    But you are entirely right that they pushed the ACC to grab Syracuse and ND especially.

Thanks.  And the point wasn't meant to draw a 1:1 comparison between what jaws or skip bayless did and what bilas is doing, it was just meant to highlight the general disregard for editorial integrity over there.  If they encourage paper bags like bayless or hucksters like jaworski peddle their crap on espn, and then try and pass it off as news by third hand reporting, they're definitely the kind of organization that would send a memo that says "throw shade at the new big east."  I don't think they ever did something that blatant, but there's no doubt in my mind that there is a general attitude in Bristol that says "push the ACC and if you want to put down the BE teams that didn't come, feel free."

also, there are definitely a preponderance of ACC guys working the college basketball circuit, but the way i see it, that's mostly because that was all coach K could graduate; tv analysts.