I've done my best over the past couple of years to avoid ESPN programming. It's become a thorn in my side. At one point, SportsCenter was an integral part to my day. Just a few years ago, I would wake up in the morning and eat my breakfast as I caught up on highlights from around the sports world. Then, it would be off to work.
The most valuable part of ESPN, to me, was always the highlights. I knew exactly where to go to watch sports highlights. I didn't have to wade through piles of analytic excrement to find video of the plays I cared about.
That was then, this is now.
Now, ESPN has turned what was once a noble pursuit into simply appealing to the masses, at least that's what they're trying to do. The picture above points that out. The four letter network has embraced debate so much that we're now asking Kevin James, a comedian, whether "Fireman Ed" should return to leading the Jets' fans.
What used to be a place of production excellence has cashed in, apparently, for a lazier broadcast in which we debate the most mundane of details in sports. "Fireman Ed" was, at one point, a fixture at New York Jets games, but why should we care if a famous fan is leading a chant? For the love of all that is good, ESPN, please bring back the old SportsCenter.
