Do We Really Need Sports Announcers?

Friday night, TBS scored huge numbers for their coverage of the 2010 American League Championship Series between my Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees. TBS did particularly well in the Dallas market earning a 21.9 rating (13.9 rating in NYC), but I have a feeling that given the choice most Rangers would prefer to have an empty announcers booth. The trio of Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling and John Smoltz continue to trivialize the Rangers appearance in the Series and appear to be on YES’s payroll, showering the Yankees with unending praise.

It’s just one more example of how useless sports announcers are in national broadcasts. In basketball and baseball, each team fields their own television and radio broadcast crew. During the course of the regular season, the Rangers and Mavericks crew provide excellent in-game analysis on their respective teams. However, once the post-season begins, the big networks’ contracts kick in, and the local TV crews get pushed out of the picture. Keep in mind, the local TV guys travel with the team throughout the season and know the nuances of the team better than anyone.

The national crews bring in their own guys who know very little about the teams involved. Much of the information they pass along is very basic and adds absolutely nothing to the game itself. Yet the networks sell these guys as the “best in the business.”

I have a couple of suggestions for the networks:

1.) Get rid of announcers completely. As indicated above, they add nothing to the game. Instead, give fans a realistic sense of being at the stadium/arena by showing the game with nothing but the crowd noise and PA announcer. Imagine the money the networks would save in salaries alone.

2.) Use one announcer from each team involved in the game. This way the announcers will have first hand knowledge about the teams the average fan might not be privy to or allow each home market to sync their radio feed with the television broadcast. Again, you’re not losing any revenue. The announcers are still on their respective team’s payroll and the networks end up pocketing more money. It’s a win, win situation.

 

Who does Steve Dennis think he is?

At Monday’s Wade Phillips’ press conference, CBS 11 sports reporter Steve Dennis asked the Cowboys’ coach if he considered his team “winners.” By virtue of owning a winning record, this Cowboys team is, by definition, a “winner.” Of course, “winning” can mean a lot of different things. Dennis posed this question to Wade Phillips to drive home a tired Dallas media talking point–the dreaded “December swoon.” While the Cowboys have enjoyed success September through November under Phillips’ watch, they have not performed well when the season really matters–December and beyond.

In and of itself, this is fine. The Dallas market is flooded with sports media personalities, some good and some bad. If a member of the media wants to talk about the same generic talking points, he has the right to do so, but it makes for very boring radio, TV or print. However, what makes Dennis’ question different is the pattern he has established for himself.

In the summer, he made our “Bottom 5 Dallas Sports Media Personalities,” where we described him as “loud, obnoxious, and pompous,” descriptions we stand by to this day. As part of the best TV sports team in the market, it appears that Dennis feels threatened by his compatriots and seeks to stand out anyway possible. He does this by making himself part of the story, which is exactly what happened with this one.

In addition to his duties at CBS 11, Dennis also hosts “The Keith Brooking Show” on Sunday mornings on their sister station KTXA 21. Somehow, footage of the taping for the upcoming episode was leaked to the media. In the opening, an upset Keith Brooking (Cowboys linebacker) confronts Dennis about his questioning of Wade at the Monday press conference. Evidently, Brooking and other members of the Cowboys team felt that Dennis’ question implied that their team was full of losers. Dennis handles himself very well and seeks to explain his question more thoroughly, but the entire clip I heard was extremely tense.

Tonight, I tuned into the 10 PM news on CBS 11 and when it was time for sports who do I see prancing around the Cowboys locker room but Steve Dennis. They framed it as a segment showing how the Cowboys team is rallying around their coach and using the media as motivation for a successful December, but again it appeared that Dennis was trying to make the story about himself.

I do not know Steve Dennis personally. He may be a great guy for all I know. I only know the Steve Dennis I see on TV and hear on the radio and when I see or hear that Steve Dennis, I scratch my head and ask, “who does Steve Dennis think he is?”  If I could pass along any advice to him, it would be this:

When people tune into a Wade Phillips press conference, they do so to hear Wade Phillips talk about the Cowboys, not to hear Steve Dennis.  When people tune into watch sports on the local news, they do so to catch the latest on their local teams, not to see the local reporter injecting himself into the center of a story. If Mr. Dennis wants to be the center of a program, get your own radio show or start your own blog. Until then, report the news and stay out of it.

Thank you Cowboys fans!

You’ll recall that last week I urged all Dallas Cowboys fans to rush over to the website for the Fox affiliate in Shreveport to vote in a poll asking which NFL game they should show on Sunday. As mentioned, the Shreveport media market contains parts of Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas, which is solid Cowboys country. There was the thought the  Saints fans might be able to cast enough votes to get their game shown instead.

I’m happy to announce that the Cowboys game won and now our East Texas, Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana fan bases will get to the Cowboys/Redskins game on Sunday.

Just another reminder of the greatness of our fan base! Thanks to all the Cowboys fans who went to the website and voted.

5 Shows You Should Be Watching (but probably aren’t)

TV ratings baffle me. While a clever show like 30 Rock struggles in the ratings, CBS’s line-up of generic crap dominates the ratings. I fear the day is coming soon when CBS introduces CSI: Boise and it enters the top of the ratings.  Do Americans not realize what they are missing? Just in case, I’m providing my list of “5 Shows You Should Be Watching (But Probably Aren’t)”.

1.) Friday Night Lights – If you think that Friday Night Lights is just a show about football, you are mistaken. No other movie or TV shows has captured Texas life like FNL, but it transcends the borders, and paints a portrait of small town America rarely seen. Most television shows focus on life in urban and/or suburban environments, where people live in monolithic communities, never interacting with people outside their own demographics. FNL presents a diverse community, where folks are forced to confront their differences and work together for the community. High school football just happens to be one mechanism they use to unite the community together.For some reason, this show continues to struggle in the ratings. Currently, Season 4 is running on The 101, available only on DirectTV, but will also begin a run on NBC in the Spring.

2.)  Bored to Death – Bored to Death premiered this Fall on HBO and just concluded Season 1 last week. It stars indie favorite Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ames, a Brooklyn based writer struggling to churn out his next novel. In the pilot episode, his girlfriend (played by Olivia Thirlby) leaves him,  hurling his life into further chaos. He picks up a classic Noir mystery novel and gets the idea to start a private detective service  as a way to cope with his recent loss. Zach Galifanakis plays Ray Hueston, Ames best friend, and a constant source of support and classic Galifanakis comedy. No review of Bored to Death would be complete without mentioning Ted Danson’s performance as George Christopher, the editor of a magazine for which Ames writes. Cerebral writing, smart humor and great acting combine to make this my choice for top new show in 2009. HBO just announced that it will be picking up Bored to Death for a second season.

3.) Californication - I’ll admit that I was late coming around on Californication. It’s another story about a writer, but one completely different from Jonathan Ames. While Ames struggles with self confidence, Californication’s protagonist, Hank Moody (David Duchovny), exudes it. For Duchovny, the role is a bit of “art of imitating life,” as Moody simply can’t get enough of the “fairer sex,” but Moody and the other characters in the show learn from the mistakes of their sexual promiscuity. Season 3 of Californication currently runs on Showtime at 8 P.M.  (CST) on Sunday nights.

4.) Secret Diary of a Call Girl – Diary gives a fascinating peek into the world of a high priced call girl, Belle, played by Billie Piper. Originally produced for British TV, Showtime picked up the American broadcast rights. Through Piper’s portrayal of Belle, we see a woman trying to come terms with her role in society, trying to keep her business life separated from her personal life and dealing with the constant threat of social ostracism. Through it all, Belle emerges as a fiercely independent, strong, successful woman capable of handling all the bumps along the road she has chosen to travel. Part comedy, part drama, part tragedy, one of the most complete shows on television today.  Production just began on Season 3, so look for a late spring 2010 start to the new season.

5.) Mad Men – For those of you who have lived under a rock for the past three years, Mad Men examines life in 1960′s American through the lives of several New York City advertising men (and women). We see nation experiencing growing pains, as she evolves into her modern-day incarnation–a world where minorities and women slowly begin the painful progress of emerging from the depths of oppression and begin the steep ascent towards equality. More than that we see tragically flawed characters struggling to combat their inner demons. It’s amazing to think that HBO passed on this show, allowing AMC to pick it up. Without a doubt, the best written drama currently on TV. For those of you wanting to catch up on the show, you have time. Last week was the Season 3 finale, so you have month’s to watch prior seasons on DVD and get prepared for Season Four.

Calling all Dallas Cowboys fans…

As a lifelong Cowboys fan, I like to think of our fan base as one big family. As such, we come together to help our family members out, especially when it involves watching and rooting on our beloved Cowboys. I’ve been given a message from a loyal Cowboys fan in East Texas that a part of our family may be denied that opportunity. Now East Texas is strong Cowboys country; however, this portion of East Texas is actually in the Shreveport media market.

The Shreveport Fox station, KMSS, is running a poll to see which NFL game they should show at noon on November 22, 2009. Of course, we play the Redskins, but the Saints play Tampa Bay during that same time slot. As part of the Cowboys fan base, we need to do everything possible to make sure our “family” in East Texas, Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana get to watch this game on their local television station. Please visit the station’s website and click on the icon on the right to get to the voting screen. You’ll have to register for a free account, but it’s worth it to help out fellow Cowboys fans.

As you might imagine, the Shreveport area has a strong Saints fan base as well and the Shreveport Fox station (and CBS back in the day) have been known to show Saints games over Cowboys games from time to time.Whenever this happens, there is an uproar from the Cowboys fan base. It seems like it would happen at least once a year when I was a kid and it was always a disappointing week. I live in Dallas now, so we’re not doing this for me. I’ll get to see the game.

Do it for the kids, the 4 or 5 year old kid who loves the Dallas Cowboys and wants to watch them with his daddy. Do it for the elderly grandmother in East Texas who only turns her TV on to watch the evening news and the Cowboys. Most of all, do it for our family.

Remember, this is Louisiana we’re dealing, a land famous for rigged elections. If we want the Cowboys to win this vote, we’re going to have to play by ACORN rules.

61st Emmy Nominations

The nominees for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards were announced today. Leading the way with 22 nominations was NBC’s 30 Rock. NBC fared pretty wel overall with 67 nominationsl (30 Rock,The Office and Saturday Night Live accounted for 44 nominations); however, the cable networks really flexed their muscles, with HBO pulling down 99 nominations alone.

Now I don’t have time to go through every nomination (the complete list of nominations is a 44 page PDF document), but let’s at least look at some of the major catergories.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory
• Jemaine Clement – Flight of the Conchords
• Tony Shalhoub – Monk
• Steve Carell – The Office
• Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
• Charlie Sheen – Two and a Half Men

For the most part, there’s not much to argue with regarding these choices. I don’t understand what is so great about Tony Shalhoub, but I’ve never watched Monk and he seems to be nominated every year for both the Emmy and Golden Globe award in this category, so he must have something. I think I would have found some way to work Larry David into the nominations, probably in place of Charlie Sheen.

For a long time, I looked down on The Big Bang Theory because it was not only on network TV, but it was also on CBS, a network who hasn’t produced a relevant TV show since The Dukes of Hazzard.  However, Netflix recommended Season 1 of Big Bang and though predictable, I found it to be a throwback to the situational comedy of old–a comfort show. Jim Parsons performance is definitely tops on the show and he is well deserving of this nomination.

Though not as groundbreaking as other HBO series, Flight of the Conchords is quirky and hillarious.  For some reason, fusing music and comedy together always packs an extra punch and Clement and co-star, Bret McKenzie definitely deliver in this one.  Of the two, Clement comes off as the more memorable and probably deserves the nod over McKenzie. Either way, it’s good to see the show represented.

NBC offers the top two picks in this category, Steve Carell from The Office and Alec Baldwin from 30 Rock. With all due respect to Carell, Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy character is the best on TV right now and already ranks as one of the top television characters of all time.

In my opinion, the choice in this category is rather easy, give me Alec Baldwin from 30 Rock.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Bryan Cranson – Breaking Bad
• Michael C. Hall – Dexter
• Hugh Laurie – House
• Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment
• Jon Hamm – Mad Men
• Simon Baker -  The Mentalist

This group seems a bit more curious. I’ve heard great things about Breaking Bad, Dexter, and In Treatment, but of the three I’m only seen one episode of In Treatment. It was late at night and I ended up falling asleep. I’m willing to give each of those three shows another shot.  The Simon Baker nod makes me scratchc my head. I haven’t seen The Mentalist either, but from the previews it looks rather generic, like most CBS programs. This looks like a nomination to satisfy CBS since it’s their season to show the awards ceremony.

I think Friday Night Lights’ Kyle Chandler and Jonathan Rhys Meyers from The Tudors both continue to amaze me with the way they develop their characters, yet neither one received a nomination.

Be not confused, this is a highly competitive field, but in my opinion it’s a two man race between Laurie and Hamm. Choosing between the two is like choosing between Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton to to play lead in your fantasy rock band–you can’t go wrong either way. One is a crazy Brit who has battled through addiction, the other a smooth American, both excel at their art. I think I have to give the nod to Hugh Laurie from  House, just because he is a Brit who flawlessly masters the American dialect.

Outstanding  Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Julia Louise-Dreyfus – The New Adventures of Old Christine
• Cristina Applegate – Samantha Who?
• Sarah Silverman – The Sarah Silverman Program
• Tina Fey – 30 Rock
• Toni Collette – United States of Tara
• Mary Louise-Parker – Weeds

My main experience with this group has been with Tina Fey and Mary Louise-Parker. I feel that over the course of the past year, Tina Fey have been over exposed.  No doubt that she has talent, but between her Sarah Palin bits and the media’s growing fascination with 30 Rock, it seems like she has been on the cover of every magazine, the star of every awards show and the subject of every podcast. It’s gotten just a tad bit old and stale.

Mary Louise-Parker’s first couple of seasons were amazing.  Over the past few seasons, the writing has gotten sloppy and Parker has tried to overcompensate with her acting. Her character has gone way over the top and the show jumped the shark a bit last season. Thankfully, the show has pulled back a bit during the current season, but this award is based on work from last season. Overexposed or not, Tina Fey deserves another award for 30 Rock.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Sally Field – Brothers and Sisters
• Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer
• Glenn Close – Damages
• Mariska Hargitay – Law &  Order: Special Victims Unit
• Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men
• Holly Hunter – Saving Grace

I classify these nominations in the category of  ‘Things That Make You Go Hmmm”. Question marks pop up all over my head when I look at these nominees, are rather the people not on the list.

Let’s start with Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights. I watch her character and I see the small town, Texas mother. I can relate to her character. I see bits of my former teachers, my friends’ mothers and my own mother. No other actress on TV plays such a real character–a character I feel that I walk out my door and see on Main Street.

I’m just as baffled regarding the snub of Chloe Sevigny from HBO’s Big Love.  Sevigny has created a character some would describe as a monster, cunning, yet naive. However, you choose to describe her character, you have to be amazed at the depth she gives her character.

If I had to choose between the nominees, I would choose Elisabeth Moss from Mad Men. However, I still maintain that either Sevigny or Britton are more deserving.

Outstanding Supporting Actor ina Comedy Series

• Kevin Dillon – Entourage
• Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother
• Rainn Wilson – The Office
• Tracy Morgan – 30 Rock
• Jack McBrayer – 30 Rock
• Jon Cryer – Two and a Half Men

At first glance, this looks like a pretty solid category, filled with big names.  On closer inspection, I’m left wondering if some of the nominees are really tht great. Like Weeds, Entourage jumped the shark a couple of seasons ago.  If anyone from that cast deserves a nomination, it’s Jeremy Piven, not Dillon.  Jack McBrayer’s character is funny because he is goofy, not because of great acting. The only thing more annoying than Tracy Morgan is the character he plays on 30 Rock, Tracy Jordan. Neil Patrick Harris will forever be Doogie Howser, M.D. to me. The Office’s Rainn Wilson deserves this award hands down.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• William Shatner – Boston Legal
• Christian Clemenson – Boston Legal
• Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
• William Hurt – Damages
• Michael Emerson – Lost
• John Slattery – Mad Men

Michael Emerson’s “Benjamin Linus” is the best character on television today–period.

Outstanding Support Actress in a Comedy Series

• Kristin Chenoweth – Pushing Daisies
• Amy Poehler – Saturday Night Live
• Kristin Wiig – Saturday Night Live
• Jane Krakowski – 30 Rock
• Vanessa Williams – Ugly Betty
• Elizabeth Perkins – Weeds

Another catergory with some big names, but notably absent is The Office’s Jenna Fisher. I’m a huge fan of Chenoweth, but moreso on stage than on screen. I find Poehler and Krakowski both to be funny, but worth of an Emmy? I look at Elizabeth Perkins from Weeds the ideal comedic character, both in the heroic and tragic sense, for this reason I give her my vote in this category.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Rose Byrne – Damages
• Sandra Oh – Grey’s Anatonmy
• Dianne Wiest – In Treatment
• Hope Davis – In Treatment
• Cherry Jones – 24
• Chandra Wilson – Grey’s Anatonmy

Another puzzling group of nominees.  Where to begin? Where is Lisa Edelstein from House? What ab0ut Lost’s Elizabeth Mitchell? No love for Cristine Rose of  Heroes? So many great supporting females and these are the 6 nominated for an Emmy? Please. None of the nominees are worth of an Emmy, instead I choose to cast vote for another snub, January Jones from Mad Men.

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Entourage – This started out as a great show, but has slowly morphed into Douchebags for Dummies and has far more eye candy than substance. Hopefully, Season 6 will see a return to the roots that made this show so great in the early going.
• Family Guy – Another on the long list of shows that were better when they began. I still get a ton of laughs from Family Guy, but it just hasn’t been the same since it returned from being canceled the first go-round.
• Flight of the Conchords – I used the word “quirky” to describe the cast and the same word can be used for the show. A lot of great moments, but there are also some dry spots. I see a lot of potential for this one, but Emmy worthy?
• How I Met Your Mother – I have not seen a single episode.
• The Office – It’s one of those rare shows that is so funny and so good that we’re seeing a whole new genre of programming created in its image (see Parks & Recreation). They’ve managed to keep the train on the tracks. The show remains funny and relevant and has yet to go over the top.
• 30 Rock – The show features a good staff, but two things make 30 Rock great, the writing and Alec Baldwin.
• Weeds – Perhaps its’ my ADD and I’ve grown restless with a lot of my favorite shows, but this is another program that has gone overboard with their storylines.

When all is said and done, I put The Office, just slightly ahead of 30 Rock.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Big Love – I’m glad to see this show finally starting to get some well deserved respect. Everything about the show–the writing, the directing and, without a doubt, the acting, is extraordinary.
• Breaking Bad – See my other earlier post regarding Bryan Cranson.
• Damages - Another show I haven’t had the opportunity to watch.
• Dexter – See above
• House – It’s predictable, but in this case that’s a good thing. You know that every week when you tune in you’re going to laugh, your going to be moved and, most importantly, you’re going to be entertained.
• Lost – What can I say? Amazing! So many twists and turns, it’s like a drug–highly addictive and you can never satisfy your appetitie, you constantly crave more and more.
• Mad Men – HBO quality on a basic cable budget. My biggest comlaint, as of last season, it wasn’t available in HD on DirectTV yet. Hopefully, that will soon change. That’s about that is missing from this show.

It really is nearly impossible to pick a top drama series from the above mentioned shows, so I won’t. Instead, I choose Friday Night Lights as the top dramatic television series.  When I watch the show, I see my hometown. I see a reflection of my life. I see a program that I can relate to in every episode. The characters, story lines and places are all very real to me.
—————-
Now playing: Explosions In The Sky – Your Hand In Mine
via FoxyTunes

Best (and worst) Sports Media Personality in Dallas

I’ve devoted several posts on this blog to sports media, a particular industry that combines two of my very favorite things–sports and communication.  I consider myself lucky that I live in a city with such a strong sports media contingency.  Though I’ve lived either directly in or on the fringe of the Dallas market my entire life, it wasn’t until I moved to Dallas proper in 2005 that I realized how large and diverse the sports media was here. I grew up reading Randy Galloway in the Dallas Morning News and watching Dale Hansen on Channel 8, but I soon learned there was much more out there,  so much that I was a little lost and confused.

With so many different media outlets and so many media personalities I wasn’t sure where I could get the information I wanted delivered in a an entertaining and engaging manner.  Over time, I feel that I’ve become a Barry Horn of sorts and have a pretty good handle on the sports media personalities in Dallas. One thing all sports media personalities seem to agree on is the importance of rankings and lists. Therefore, I decided to compile a list, ranking the Top 5 and Bottom 5 Sports Media Personalities in the Dallas/Fort Worth media market.

Top 5

1. Bob Sturm – Bob gets “it”! Sports are fun; sports are entertaining. It’s fun to be a fan, to be passionate about a particular team (or player) and it’s even more fun to be a sports dork and possess a mind full of sports trivia, capable of numerous parlor tricks. However, in the end, sports are sports.  It’s foolish to take the games too seriously.  Sturm is the co-host of a mid-day program on the The Ticket, a sports talk station known as much for their bits as their “hot sports opinion.” Out of all The Ticket personalities, Sturm finds the best mix of sports and “guy talk.” There are not many weaknesses in his game.

2. Norm Hitzges – Hitzges is one of the D/FW sports media personalities I grew up with because of his work with the Texas Rangers. Sure, his rants against steroids can be a kick in the shorts and his obsession with gambling is worrisome (and annoying), but those are small prices to pay for the overall content and entertainment of his program (also heard on The Ticket).  No sports media personality in the Dallas market is as knowledgeable about sports in general as Hitzges and though he may not mix in obtuse pop culture references in his shows, Hitzges often appeals to the cerebral listener with his poingnant, nuanced approach to sports talk radio.

3.  Jamey Newberg – A lot of fans publish blogs about their favorite teams, few fans can say they are the leading authority on the team they cover. Jamey Newberg can. His Newberg Report is a must read for all Texas Rangers fans. Newberg earned the number 3 spot for a number of reasons. First, he understands the changing face of emerging media, something lost on some of the area’s “old baseball guys” (i.e. Randy Galloway). Additionally, Newberg published the Newberg Report as a “hobby”; he is an attorney by trade. Yet even though it’s his hobby, his report contains  complete analysis of the Rangers system from low A to the “big leagues.” Newberg represents the future of sports media.

4. Babe Laufenberg – Dallas may not have a Bob Griffin, but Babe Laufenberg comes close.  Plus, I have a soft spot for most former Cowboys.  When it comes to Cowboys coverage, no one comes close to the job that Laufenberg does with Channel 11. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a former player and current color man for the radio broadcasts. Regardless, his Cowboys analysis is always down the middle. While other TV sports guys enjoy employing a “shock and awe” method of operation when it comes to the Cowboys, Laufenberg secures the best interviews, presents the best analysis and still manages to be more entertaining than the other TV stations in town.

5. Evan Grant – If Grant were still with the Dallas Morning News, he probably wouldn’t appear on this list. Though Grant’s coverage of the Rangers was always top notch, newspaper are so 1985 and I refuse to put any newspaper people in the Top 5.  Grant has evolved with the world of emerging media and currently runs the “Inside Corner” blog/website on D Magazine’s website.  Like Newberg and Sturm, Grant has successfully integrated social networking into his craft and his Tweets on Twitter are not to be missed.  Grant’s new gig allows his personality and humor to come out in ways that print media couldn’t.

Bottom 5

1. Fort Worth Star Telegram Sports Staff – Randy Galloway leads this cast of characters and they all strive to mimick his caustic style. They are masters in an archaic craft and they have been left behind. Jim Reeves, Jennifer Floyd Engel–the entire sports staff–lacks any relevancy with anyone under the age of 50. They resist change and continue to embrace the dying print media. I wouldn’t be surpised if they favor typewritters over computers.

2. Brian Estridge – Even though I can’t stand print guys interviewing other print guys on the radio, I can tolerate Galloway’s radio program in small doses, until Brian Estridge chimes in…I don’t believe I have ever heard Estridge utter single positive thing about any local team with the exception of TCU. Estridge is the perfect lap dog for Galloway, echoing his every crotchety syllable.  He’s more pretentious than Chuck Cooperstein, but at least Coop knows what he is talking about.  I have never heard an original thought come out of the mouth of Estridge.   I’m still trying to determine how he got a gig in a top 5 market.

3. Steve Dennis – Yet another disciple of Randy Galloway. He’s loud, obnoxious, pompous and totally incapable of talking about anything not related to sports. Even though he is not a print guy, he embraces many of their archaic principles and rejects younger journalists who represent the emerging media.  Laufenberg is the brains behind CBS 11′s sports department, Gina Miller is the beauty (and a quality journalist I might add) and Steve Dennis is the dunce.

4. Craig “Junior” Miller – I like The Ticket, but I’ve never understood the allure of the Dunham & Miller Show. To me, it’s generic morning radio talk show–loud, obnoxious and annoying (sounds like Steve Dennis). I hear P1′s rave about “Junior” Miller and I don’t get it. I find “Gordo” to be annoying, but I can see where his humor could appeal to some people, a rather large swath of the 18-45 crowd actually. Miller’s appeal mystifies me. He isn’t funny; he has virtually no personality. He doesn’t seem to have any great knowledge on anything except for bicycles and Oklahoma football. So, he appeals to a few yuppy listeners in Lakewood and Collin County and a few Okies north of the Red River? Am I missing something with him?

5. Rick “Goose” Gosselin – I realize that I will be crucified by die hard NFL fans on this one. I realize he is a Hall of Famer; I realize that he is well respected by most of my Top 5. Again, I just don’t see the greatness.  In full disclosure, I am a fan of the NFL because of the Dallas Cowboys. I was born into a family of Cowboys’ fans and will be a Cowboys fan until my dying day. More than any other sport, I am extremely biased when it comes to the NFL and I don’t really care about other NFL teams unless they are playing the Cowboys or battling the Cowboys for a playoff spot. Gosselin is extremely straight laced and there seems to be very little room for fun in his world. All in all, I find him to be very dry and biased AGAINST the Cowboys. I don’t like boring and I don’t like Cowboys haters.

—————-
Now playing: Kenny Wayne Shepherd – While We Cry
via FoxyTunes

True Blood

I finally got around to watching the premier episode of the HBO series, True Blood. Vampires never fascinated me, but at the same time, HBO series have never disappointed me. Hell, I’m one of the few people who loved, and still love to this day, Carnivale. With True Blood, I’m left wondering if HBO will disappoint me with a show or if I’ll finally develop some sort of interest in the undead.

I hate cultural stereotype, especially when they involve areas native to me. True Bloodis set among the bayous of Louisiana, an area not that foreign to me. Many of the characters force an unnatural Southern accent, creating an unrealistic feel to a show before the subject of vampires is even introduced.  Likewise, it appears that the creative staff has little, if any, knowledge of the geography of Louisiana. It appears that the story takes place either in eastern Louisiana or in southern Louisiana, as supported by several visual and cultural references. However, after sustaining injuries in a bar fight, one character mentions driving to “the hospital in Monroe,” which is in the western corner of the state.

I accept that with a subject matter like vampires, reality must temporarily be suspended. If I look past some of the negative cultural stereotypes (don’t think I didn’t notice the not-so-subtle references to racism and intolerance in the rural south) and geographic inaccuracies, the series presents several promising possibilities. I suspect that over the course of the next few episodes we will see some serious character development, a speciality of HBO.  The possibilities of Anna Paquin’s character (“Sookie Stackhouse”) alone intrigue me enough to give HBO my time for at least two more episodes. Also, will we find out that Bill Compton, played by Stephen Moyer, is some historical figure from the past.

All in all, I think it’s far too early to make a decision on True Blood, though its’ debut wasn’t as impressive as Fringe.