Anchorage Daily News
News Classifieds Marketplace Services Around Alaska Specials
24-Hour News

Today's ads

Search ads

Place an ad
Transportation

Employment

Real Estate
Newspaper ads

Directory

Alaska stores
Travel Deals

Winter Guide

Alaska.com

Iditarod

Photo Galleries

Editors' Picks


Registration

Alaska

Money

Sports

Outdoors
Life
Entertainment
Obituaries

Perfect World

Video Clips

Legislature

Opinion

Letters to the Editor

Voice of the Times

Corrections

Weather

ADN Links

Newsletters

ADN Store

Home



Search
in today's news





• Previous days' news

• Advanced search

• Archives search




Editors' Picks

Read adn.com's best recent stories.

Top Ten Stories

See which stories other readers are sending to their friends.

Crossword

Play our interactive puzzle online.

ALASKA.com

Get information on travel, relocation and entertainment. The business directory allows you to locate stores and services statewide.

School News

Find your child's classroom in SchoolNews. Also, learn about Newspapers in Education.

Community News

Check our free Web sites for non-profit groups.









pixel Printer version Add story to PDA

8 Magazine/Entertainment


Tough to be a sport about ESPN changes




(Published: January 30, 2004)

We have an impostor.

If you look at the top of this page, you'll notice it's titled Page Three. Has been for the past eight, nearly nine, years. Apparently, this page must be wildly entertaining and popular because ESPN has stolen our thunder. The all-sports network recently added an entertainment feature to its Web site. The title? You guessed it: Page 3.

ESPN started moving in this fluffy direction with a section called Page 2 (OK, maybe naming the section Page 3 was a logical progression rather than an inspiration from 8 magazine). Page 2 looks at the world of sports from a more entertaining standpoint. It features humorous columns and offbeat takes on sports stories. In other words, it helps spice up the site a bit. But still, it's mostly in the name of sports. Now, with Page 3, ESPN has turned things upside down and is looking at the world of entertainment through the eyes of sports. And it's just wrong.

Let's hope they don't go all the way to Page 6, because then ESPN would have a beef with the New York Post's gossip page, and you don't mess with the Post's gossip gurus. Bad stuff ensues.

Anyway, Page 3 is where ESPN.com can handle important breaking stories like the one about how New York Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer is going to star as the next "Bachelor." Hmm ... "The Bachelor" is on ABC, which, like ESPN, is owned by Disney. I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

And when "Miracle," a movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team that defeated the powerhouse Soviet Union amid the Cold War, hits theaters next week, you can bet Page 3 is gonna be all over it like Scott Gomez on a loose puck. After all, "Miracle" is being distributed by Buena Vista, also a subsidiary of ... well, what doesn't Disney own?

The page is pretty simple. Down the left side, there's a Quick Pick feature. On Wednesday, this was a bracketed poll question about which TV show is your favorite. Somehow, "SportsCenter" managed to make it to the quarterfinals. But can it beat "The Daily Show"? Head over to sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3 to find out. Drama.

In the middle of the page, there's a series of photos of celebrities posing for the camera (some sports figures, some not). Down the right side, there are quotes about somewhat famous people or athletes talking about something that vaguely has to do with sports.

And at the bottom, you'll find longer stories. For instance, the site featured a countdown of the top 100 sports moments from "The Simpsons." But Wednesday, the features included a breakdown of the Academy Awards nominations that seemed totally out of place. Because who at ESPN knows anything about movies? NO ONE. Oh wait, the Oscars are on ABC this year. That explains it.

What it comes down to is, I don't want ESPN to turn into the next MTV. You know how MTV used to play videos? Hopefully, I won't want to have to say the same thing about ESPN. But we're already moving in the wrong direction. The network debuted "Playmakers," a drama series about a football team's season that actually garnered some critical acclaim. Fortunately, it looks like the show is doomed thanks to pressure by the NFL, which has a big programming contract with the Disney family. Apparently, the league was unhappy about fictional football players doing drugs, having promiscuous sex and coming out of the closet. Because "Playmakers" obviously isn't an accurate portrayal of REAL football players. This stuff NEEEEEEVER, EEEEEEVER really happens. Might hurt the image of the league and stuff.

And don't even get me started on "Cold Pizza."

Have a happy and safe Super Bowl weekend. Oh, and don't forget to watch Janet Jackson at halftime. I'm sure she'll offer more action than the game itself.

Scott Johnson :: sjohnson@adn.com




Contact ADN | Forms | Subscriptions | Advertising | Sister Sites

Daily News Jobs | ADN History | ADN Store | Newspapers in Education

McClatchy Company Privacy Policy

For Alaska travel information and services, visit
ALASKA.com

Copyright © 2004 The Anchorage Daily News