The X Games are not something that I love to watch or wait all year to see, but they are an entertaining competition to watch during the night. You wouldn’t know it, but they are happening right now. X Games XIII began last Thursday, but has barely been advertised and hardly shown. There seems to be one main reason for this: Barry Bonds. Instead of the normal coverage of the event, ESPN has shifted its schedule to cover every San Francisco Giants’ game until Bonds breaks Aaron’s home run record. Watching Bonds’ at bats is fun, because you know that you could be watching history be made, but I really don’t care about the actual game. Maybe if they were in a pennant race, but the Giants are out of it and I have absolutely no reason to watch the actual game. For those that do, watch it on your local stations, but showing the full game is unnecessary. Show “Live Look Ins” to each at bat, but don’t broadcast every inning. There are many other events that sports fans want to watch, including the X Games, that can be shown instead of the Giants’ game. Continue reading “What Happened to the X Games?”
Tag ESPN
MLB’s Shining Stars
With Bonds getting most focus from baseball fans these days, two stories from the past few days deserve more attention. First, Jon Lester’s return to the mound after beating cancer and second, Craig Biggio’s retirement announcement. Lester’s story is inspirational and should motivate other people, child or adult, to fight against cancer as hard as they can. As Biggio ends his career, he can only be seen as the ultimate professional, the perfect teammate, and a community leader. If only these stories could overshadow Bonds and the circus of media that follows.
Lester was diagnosed with a form of cancer known as anaplastic large cell lymphoma on August 23rd of last year. Since then, he has successfully conquered the long road back to the major leagues, from chemotherapy to half a year at Triple A. Last night’s start, his first start in the majors since the diagnosis, was a moment he will never forget and his family w
ill never forget. That first pitch was a moment that should have gained more publicity from ESPN. They have live cut-ins to every Bonds at bat, but can’t show one pitch from Lester. Even though it wasn’t covered by ESPN, Lester still made his start and shined in it. The Sox batters even provided support for Lester before he took the mound, putting a four spot up in the top of the first. Lester completed the hardest comeback possible, defeating cancer, and now he is finally back in the major leagues, striking out batters and racking up wins.
Continue reading “MLB’s Shining Stars”
Red Sox Feeling the Pressure
The Red Sox recent woes cannot be blamed on the pitching, only on the Sox untimely hitting and inability to produce in pressure situations. In the last five games, the Sox are 1-4 and have amassed only 15 runs. With the Sox only scoring three runs a game, the pitching staff needs to be nearly perfect. The only win in their last five games was a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals in which Kason Gabbard pitched a complete game shutout. Perfection. The worst part about the Sox lack of runs is that they have had more than enough opportunities. Continue reading “Red Sox Feeling the Pressure”
Danny Vinik 
