We hold some truths to remain self-evident. Just as stats don’t make games, games make stats; good games don’t make good TV, good TV makes good TV — even if those who vote on Sports Emmys remain unaware.
In the words of legendary scientist Louis Pasteur, “Chance favors the prepared.”
Preparation and execution makes for superb viewing. Technology, too, but it’s so often misapplied — as seen during ESPN’s distracting and annoying flashing names of those closest the puck during NHL power plays and strike zone boxes that don’t adhere to the official strike zone — are antithetical to practical, useful viewing.
But try telling that to those who know better only because they work in TV. “What else can we do to obstruct the view?”
That brings us to Sunday’s Rays-Yankees on YES. In the third, Yanks starter Luis Gil — hey, yes, a starter still pitching in the third! — was called for a balk that tied the game. As even many lifelong fans can’t quickly recognize several variations of balks, a discussion between Michael Kay and former Yankee pitcher Jeff Nelson ensued.
“They should bring back the first to third,” said Nelson of the fake pickoff to third to then try to nail the runner leaning from first toward second.
Kay: “I used to call that the ‘Jeff Nelson.’ ”
N: “It only worked once in the 100 times I tried it.”
K: “Really, just once?”
N: “Just once.”
K: “Who did it work on?”
N: “Manny Alexander with the Orioles. We were in Baltimore. I used to do it on 3-2 [counts, runners presumed in motion] just to see if I could steal an out.”
K: “We have that play, Jeff.”
And then it suddenly appeared. It was from 1996, 28 years ago and six years before YES was born!
N: “See? Look … the only time it ever worked.”
Nelson then marveled at how YES had that clip then so quickly aired it. He wasn’t alone. It made sensational on-the-move TV. And I needed to know more. Who, how, and holy cow!
YES’s production VP Jared Boshnack explained producer Troy Benjamin, director Dan Barr and tape producer Luke Miller were at the controls. As the chat between Kay and Nelson proceeded, Miller internally reported that they have the tape, presumably filed under “Nelson,” in Miller’s tape library then immediately accessed through a search function.
And there it was! Fabulous!
The only downside was that I was watching alone; no one to share it with. What was I going to do, summon my wife? She wouldn’t know Jeff Nelson from Ozzie Nelson.
So that’s where you come in. You get it.
Soft play, 3s are ruining NBA playoffs
Once upon a time, especially during the playoffs, NBA fans could recognize crunch time without any help from a game clock.
Defense was tighter, inside play was contested like trench warfare.
Now? Wednesday’s Game 2 of Heat-Celts ended the way it began — with a pile of 3-point shots. It was just another game when the first minutes of play didn’t appear much different from the last minutes.
In the Celts’ 11-point home loss, Boston’s 7-foot-2 shooting guard Kristaps Porzingis, though listed as the starting center, was 0-for-4 on 3’s.
Reader Mark Morley: “I didn’t get a chance to see it — who went second in the WNBA draft. I was hoping it was what’s-her-name.”
Not only did CBS and ESPN minimize live coverage of this year’s Masters by showing Tiger Woods finish 27 back — but he made the cut! — this past Sunday’s entire “pregame show” before the Heritage was devoted to Tiger Woods, who wasn’t even playing!
Listening to ESPN NHL studio man P.K. Subban — career “lower-body injury” inflictor — discuss dirty plays that warrant fines or suspensions was a bit like hearing Matt Rempe complain of a headache.
Just when we grew to recognize the Carolina Hurricanes as the team in red, white and a dash of black, they appear in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Islanders dressed all in black. What a novel idea!
Designated hitters have, as Rob Manfred can attest, really added offensive punch to MLB lineups. Monday’s White Sox-Twins featured Chicago DH Eloy Jimenez batting .176, and the Twins’ DH, strikeout specialist Carlos Santana, hitting .141. Seven teams currently have batting averages of .225 or lower. White Sox’s team average is an impossible .189.
This just in: A TNT Sports news release last week proclaimed that TNT’s play-in tournament was “The Most Watched NBA Play-In Tournament Opening Night Ever!” The play-in began in 2020.
With the Kentucky Derby next Saturday, reader Paul Boltax: “In 1979 I was working on 34th Street. Near the corner of Sixth Avenue was an OTB. The place was packed at lunchtime. I made friends I still have.
“On this day, a 50-1 shot wins the first race. What followed was a huge shriek then a thud. Someone hollers, ‘Is there a doctor here?!’
“Someone comes forward to aid the distressed person. He takes his wrist looking for a pulse. Sadly, he shakes his head indicating the man has died.
“Upon opening the dead man’s closed hand he sees a pari-mutuel ticket, gives it a glance, then says, ‘But he’s alive in the double.’ ’’
What if sportscasters just said no to gambling ads
A couple of “what ifs?”:
1) What would happen if noted sportscasters with some seniority or muscle refused to read gambling come-ons, refused to be party to their listeners losing their dough as per the commercials’ design?
Would they be fired? Suspended? Or would their employers avoid the blowback of legions of those who support common social decency?
Better yet, why don’t the gambling operators supply their own audio pimps, those willing to anonymously sell — and on the cheap — their honor to a business predicated on investors losing their investments?
2) What if a network chose to stand out as the one that doesn’t obstruct the live view of sports with misleading data, and as many stats and graphics as a computer can hold?
What if a network became instantly recognized and applauded for choosing to be the one that chooses to maximize the view?
What would happen? Widespread admiration and approval. Who would want that?
How the taxpayer-funded University of Colorado, having fallen eager victim to flim-flam man Deion Sanders, is still brazen enough to call itself a college is all part of the country’s grotesquely diminished standards.
Following Sanders’ recent semi-literate appeal for his players to at least pose as students, his Rolls Royce-driving QB son, Shedeur, attended his first in-person class since enrolling at Colorado in January 2023! He’s a junior.
Video recorded this historic academic event.
Reader Michael Napoliello: The biggest oxymoron in sports has become “college football.”
