If you are a die-hard sports fan like me, you probably get your sports news the same way. You read things online, you check your Google reader every few minutes to see updated news, and you keep ESPNews on in the background just in case a press conference or something is breaking.What you might not do is tune in to ESPN that much anymore, just because most of the shows are aimed at people that might not have enough time in their day to read up on everything going on, so hitting the big stories is good enough. (Or you might just avoid most of the shows because, at times, they can be obnoxious.)
Good news if you're more on the side of sports features that don't really break the concrete, if you will. ESPN has decided to give Rick Reilly, their $17 million dollar journalist hire, his own television show called "Homecoming." Trust me, it gets better.
ESPN2's new series -- Homecoming -- challenges that old adage "you can't go home again." Hosted by 10-time Sportswriter of the Year Rick Reilly, Homecoming will debut Friday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m. ET with an episode on Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers in his hometown of Raleigh, N.C. The following week, Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway returns to Van Nuys, Calif. The shows are the first two of a six-part series featuring one-on-one, hour-long interviews of today's top names in sports from the towns and cities where they grew up.Awful Announcing, in its infinite wisdom, jokes about the softball pitch that is the John Elway interview. The guy is from Colorado and has been buddies with Reilly since his mug hit the back of Sports Illustrated. It would be like having your own radio show and just interviewing your dad every time because you have no other guests (I actually thought about that idea once).
I'm sure some people will find the show interesting, but I probably won't be one of them. The show is an hour long and is loosely based on the Thomas Wolfe book You Can't Go Home Again.
In the sports sense, I don't even really get it. Why can't these guys go home? They are extremely famous people that probably get handed free drinks and tacos and hugs in every city they go to, especially in their hometown. I have a friend that got drafted out of high school and has never pitched an inning in the bigs, and when the guy comes home he damn near needs the Pope Mobile.
I can guarantee a couple of things that you'll get with "Homecoming." Pinstripe suits and Ed Hardy shirts. Aren't those the "in" looks right now?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-07-2009 @ 4:57PM
Slangdini said...
well what i find interesting is the slurping of certain athletes with supposed "all american" attributes and home backgrounds. ESPN is so obvious in their creation or should i say obsession with identifying who is a hero and who is a villain. And its all based on demo research and columinist's man crushes.
Although, I will say for some athletes going home is kinda dangerous. Poor people may be happy you made it, but also jealous. or they want you to save everyone and privately gripe how your aunt still drives an old car. And we've seen how that can work out.
For some reason I don't expect him to be with Baron Davis (someone who does a lot for his community) on this show.
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1-07-2009 @ 5:08PM
Adam said...
It's a bad day to be an atheist!
Reilly is a religious bigot. Insert any other major religious group in there, and he's fired on the spot. Go ef yourself, Rick.
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1-07-2009 @ 5:39PM
fredodeservedit said...
Giving Reilly his own show?
What? ESPN doesn't have enough crap to make you vomit in your own mouth.
How about a Skip Bayless variety hour
give this guy his own show
Way better
www.dbbsports.com
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1-08-2009 @ 12:56PM
William (utah) said...
Comment on the Utah Sugar bowl articale
Wow, absolutely amazing, I truly thought that only the state of Utah felt that way. While reading that article I almost started to tear up (really). I am the biggest college football fan there is. Not only do I go to Utah and BYU football games every year I also go to about 3 or 4 different states to see random games every year. Miami vs. Louisville, USC vs. Stanford (Stanford won), Colorado vs. Arizona st., Georgia vs. Arizona st., Appalachian st. vs. Michigan, South Carolina vs. Tennessee, Oregon, Purdue and even Ohio st. and I could keep going. My point is to show you that I really die college football. Last week was very different then all the games I have ever seen. All week and prior to the game I wasn’t the old nervous usual person that I was before my team played I came to grasp that they probably would win, I knew it would be a good game but “it’s the amazing Alabama” the too strong to fast for us team. But after 3 touchdowns I became more nervous than any other game “it gave me heart burn”, because I knew it could happen. After the game I wasn’t really happy like in 2004. In fact my friends thought I was crazy that I wasn’t celebrating, it was because right then I realized that I HATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL. It was wrong in every way shape or form. Before the game Alabama was talked by analysis like they were everything in what they proved in the SEC., Saban WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD, just one bad quarter. But now that Utah beat them everything they did this year sucked (good luck recruiting this year), or did they suck? I hate this so much that I haven’t even watched or cared to see any other bowl game (wife loves it though). Anyway thank you so much again because it does feel good that someone cares about not just Utah but about college football!
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