|
|
 |
 |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||||||||
          |
ESPN my obsessionby Lonnie McMillan ESPN has become my obsession. It started with browsing ESPN.com regularly after I got Internet access five years ago. I never had cable until college, so watching the network was not possible. But since then the fixation has grown. SportsCenter is the greatest show ever. The flair added to the highlights is great. I’m not a Florida Gators fan, but I still can’t help repeating Stuart Scott’s phrase “If you ain’t gator, you’re gator bait.” “He must be butter, because he’s on a roll” is also one of my favorites. The nicknames given to players make the show additionally enjoyable. My personal favorite name for a player is Curtis “my favorite” Martin. I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve watched SportsCenter four times in a row to hear something funny again. I could watch the commercials over and over again too. They don’t even have to be complicated. Jerry Stackhouse laughing for 30 seconds at Trey Wingo’s name is genius. Replacing the ESPN studio carpet with natural grass is brilliant. The commercials are so funny, they’re addictive. I even download the commercials from the Web site so I can watch them whenever I feel like it. I still laugh every time. If you want commentary, they have that too. Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon from Pardon the Interruption present their opinions in ways I actually care about. Nothing can keep my attention better than someone pretending to be an arrogant Kobe Bryant. Unscripted also is high quality. With College Game Day previewing the most important college football games every Saturday morning, I have a reason to get up by 10:30. College Hoops Tonight gives me reason to stay up late during basketball season. Neither takes the humorous approach, but both provide excellent information on the greatest sports. Of course there is the actual sports programming. Big Monday is among my favorite days of the week. I often even stay up to watch the midnight West Coast game featuring two WAC, Big West or Mountain West teams I don’t care that much about. ESPN.com has added more infatuating features. Bracketology, previewing what the NCAA Tournament bracket will look like and Page 2, with an abundance of features and the power rankings, are things I always take a look at. I can’t believe how long I was deprived of the greatness that is ESPN. In only one-and-a-half years at OU, I’ve come to the revelation that ESPN is the greatest network of all-time. It is definitely “cool as the other side of the pillow.” —McMillan is a sophomore journalism major. Send him an e-mail at post_sports@hotmail.com |