Back Porch FanHouse

The Onion and Comedy Central Join Forces for a Satirical Sports Show

Will Brinson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, TV and Movies, Sports Media

Comedy Central and The Onion have long dominated their respective venues in terms of satirizing the tar out of the general news. There has been, however, a distinctively awkward void in the world of sports -- Versus attempted to fill this with their production of "Sports Soup" but when the best moment of that show includes Brandon Marshall hosting, well, it's pretty much doomed.

But it seems as if the humorous basic cable take on sports that we have all pined longingly for is about to emerge: CC and The Onion are joining forces to create a show. And, yeah, if you didn't just scream, "HOLY YES!" then you're a total, well, um, something.

The as-yet untitled series will take on the whole universe of modern sports - teams, players, leagues, sycophantic fans, ridiculous products and over-hyped sports coverage - with an eye towards appealing to sports fanatics and more casual fans, as well as long-time followers of The Onion and The Onion News Network.

[...]"Get ready for the most intense sports coverage humanity has yet witnessed," [director Will] Graham said. "We won't rest until you're perched in front of your TV, shouting in breathless excitement, neglecting your loved ones and your job because you are so completely addicted to our sports coverage."

Now, here's where I would like to make a really funny and satirical joke and hope that the Onion/CC would pay enough attention to my post in order to email me and hire me away from this wonderful place and write funny jokes about sports that would appear on the teevee and make me famous enough to hang out with that hysterical guy Tosh Oh. He's funny.

But that probably won't happen, and besides, the Yankees winning the World Series last night already caused my heart and funny bone to spontaneously combust, so I'm not even feeling that humerous. (See???)

On the bright side, my liver's still working, so join with me, local area men of semi-ill repute, and celebrate the second greatest comedy-sports union of November so far, because this truly is a great day: we will finally have a syndicated sports-humor combination that's worth DVR'ing. At least until Rupert Murdoch buys it and then cancels it anyway.

The Onion and Comedy Central Join Forces for a Satirical Sports Show originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gus Johnson on Chris Johnson: 'He's Got Gettin' Away From the Cops Speed'

Will Brinson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Sports Media, Current Events, NFL

Is it all the rage to make silly comments in the announcing booth these days? Because, between Bob Griese's taco pop and what Gus Johnson dropped on Sunday, well, it sure seems like announcers are becoming less aware of what they say these days.

Oh, you didn't hear what Gus dropped as Tennessee's Chris Johnson was ripping off a long touchdown run? How about: "First down and 10. Johnson ... gets his shoulders square! Watch out! He's got gettin' away from the cops speed! Touchdown!" Emphasis there was mine (as much as it can be with Mr. Johnson, anyway) and sure, he's got a pretty good reason to think that CJ might be running from the cops -- after all, the Titans running back did attend ECU (I kid, I kid). But my pro-Wolfpack biases aside, if Gus happens to be -- as Brian Powell pointed out -- say, Jim Nantz, this probably doesn't go over quite as well.

Vid after the jump, natch.

Gus Johnson on Chris Johnson: 'He's Got Gettin' Away From the Cops Speed' originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Simmons Appears on Colbert Report

Will Brinson — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, TV and Movies, Sports Media

Bill Simmons is becoming like Brett Favre in the sense that ESPN is shoving him down our throats.

(Except in Simmons' case, it's for his new book, not for his annual coming-out-of-retirement announcement. Unlike Simmons, however, Favre doesn't block random bloggers from following his Twitter account. Moving on...)

And last night he landed on the Colbert Report to talk about his new 700-page basketball book with the world's favorite "fundit."

What resulted was a pretty fantastic interview, particularly when you consider that Simmons managed to stop Colbert in his Air-Bud-mentioning tracks with an "I've got two pages comparing Teen Wolf to Kobe Bryant" line. You could even tell that Colbert was asking if that was real as they cut away, and he somehow managed to let the interview run long, which almost never happens.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bill Simmons

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Religion

Now, I know that he's doing most of these public appearances simply for book publicity, but having seen Simmons on television roughly 8,432 times in the last week, I'm going to go ahead and refuse to stop stating that ESPN will -- after he gets some post-book-tour rest -- give him his own show on ESPN Boston.

Bill Simmons Appears on Colbert Report originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Simmons' Mansion Makes Mike Francesa Very Unhappy

Ryan Wilson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, Sports Media, Twitter

ESPN.com's Bill Simmons is currently on his book tour (more on that here), but on Monday, he and his Beverly Hills mansion were featured on "Mayne Street."

Kenny Mayne has made a career out of his deadpanned quirkiness. That, along with the fact that Simmons doesn't have much of an acting resume, figured to make for an uncomfortable four or five minutes that included me wincing as Simmons stumbled through his lines while Mayne got all the laughs.

Didn't happen. In fact, Simmons stole the episode. Jenn with two n's, the Doug Christie Clippers jersey, Stacy Keibler calling Mayne "Lenny", business associate Scott -- all hilarious. Well, to everybody but Mike Francesa, who was railing about Simmons' performance on his radio show.

(UPDATE: "Mayne Street" segment, Francesa's comments,and Simmons' response all after the jump.)

Via Hot Clicks' Jimmy Traina's Twitter feed:

Just thinking out loud here, but I'm pretty sure that's not really Simmons' mansion. I thought the 50,000 square feet would be a dead giveaway. Or the two girls in bikinis obsessively offering to make out with each other as Simmons' ordered them to fill up the mud pit and "use the good stuff." Then again, maybe I'm just being naïve.

Whatever, Simmons responded via Twitter:

Or just explain to Francesa that the segment was a joke. You know, because he's a funny blogger.

Bill Simmons' Mansion Makes Mike Francesa Very Unhappy originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As Promised, Sean Salisbury Files Lawsuit Against Deadspin

Ryan Wilson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, Sports Media

Sean Salisbury might not be particularly adept at banging out e-mails on an iPhone, but through the misspelled missives and unhinged diatribes he kept his word. This week Salisbury filed a lawsuit against Deadspin for causing him to lose his ESPN job, and later a Dallas radio gig, and damaging his reputation in the process.

Salisbury left ESPN in February 2008, and he was fired from 105.3 The Fan last month.

A few weeks later, Deadspin posted a lengthy e-mail exchange with Salisbury, who vowed legal action: "I just want u to know ur guys lies and carelessness about CBS and espn stories has not only ruined my reputation but has cost me jobs so prepare urself for a lawsuit so big I will own deadpan ..."

And that's exactly what happened. Via the McKinney Courier-Gazette:

Salisbury's attorney, Jeffrey Tillotson of the Dallas law firm Lynn, Tillotson, Pinker & Cox, said in the petition that Deadspin has waged a "long-running smear campaign" against his client since January of 2007. ...

"Unburdened by the truth or any pretense of journalistic standards, Deadspin ignored the facts and instead repeated the malicious lie that Mr. Salisbury 'allegedly' engaged in 'sexting,' which prompting his firing," the petition read. "In the weeks since Mr. Salisbury's departure from The Fan, Deadspin has continued to taunt Mr. Salisbury in emails from Deadspin contributors and has even mockingly asked Mr. Salisbury why he has not filed suit. Deadspin now has its answer."

The Courier-Gazette also reports that "Tommy Craggs, a senior writer for Deadspin, said he could not comment on the lawsuit at this time."

It's been a tough week for Deadspin. A Friday afternoon lawsuit somehow seems fitting.

As Promised, Sean Salisbury Files Lawsuit Against Deadspin originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: ESPN's Kate Lacey Confirms Relationship With David Berson

Will Brinson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, Sports Media, Current Events, Backporch Features

Kate Lacey (or Katie Lacey, according to the post), a Senior VP at ESPN, was one of the names that Deadspin dropped earlier this week when they examined, using reader-submitted rumors, the "sexual depravity" within Bristol. ESPN responded yesterday with a statement calling that examination both "despicable" and "rumor mongering."

Turns out, AJ Daulerio's editorial commentary in this instance was actually spot on: the New York Post confirmed Friday morning in a story titled "2 ESPN Execs Playing Around" that Lacey is indeed in a relationship with co-worker David Berson.

"I'm in an ongoing and known relationship with a peer," Lacey told The Post.

Berson, whom Business Week ranks as the 73rd most powerful man in sports, finalized his divorce from his ex-wife Jane in March, a source said. Lacey and Berson first found romance together two years ago, the source said. A separate ESPN source confirmed Berson and Lacey had been dating for a long time.

Confirmation of the Deadspin rumors serves to do a couple things.

First, while everything that Daulerio published has yet to be confirmed, he was spot-on in his post about Lacey and Berson.

Additionally, and more importantly, Lacey's willingness to admit her inter-office affair removes any possibility that ESPN could file suit for this specific instance (the legal ramifications were, of course, one of the biggest concerns of the entire issue) and also explains why ESPN's comment yesterday contained no denials.

These two issues -- motive and outcome -- are still up in the air. And considering how quickly things are developing in the Phillips Affair turned Media Flame War, this could almost go any direction at this point.

Report: ESPN's Kate Lacey Confirms Relationship With David Berson originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CFL Player Leaves Practice Following Fight, Returns With Shovel

Adam Gretz — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Random Acts of Sport, Blogs

We've already established this week that the football fans in Canada are more determined in their efforts to grab attention than their counterparts in the States. On Thursday, we learned that the players are a notch or two above their American counterparts on the crazy meter, as well. Take, for example, the case of Edmonton Eskimos defensive tackle Xzavie Jackson who was involved in a skirmish on the practice field with teammate Aaron Fiacconi.

Now, fights on the practice field and feuds in the locker room are nothing new in sports, especially on the gridiron. Stuff happens. Tempers flare. Emotions get the best of people.

What makes the Jackson vs. Fiacconi throwdown notable, and somewhat different than your typical practice scuffle, is the fact it involved Jackson leaving the practice field and returning with a shovel he found behind a dumpster. You know, so he could dig his way out of the hole he put himself in.

From TSN:

The incident occurred after a practice altercation between six-foot-four 285-pound Jackson and six-foot-four, 298-pound centre Aaron Fiacconi. No one intervened in the tussle. Jackson, who got the worst of it, flung off his practice jersey and headed off the field -- returning with a shovel from behind some nearby dumpsters. Jackson's shouts alerted head coach Richie Hall and general manager Danny Maciocia, who stopped him from entering the field at Clarke Park and talked him back down to reality before he was escorted to the dressing room by a team doctor.

Head coach Rich Hall added that he was disappointed because they're a football team, but, at the same time, understands "that like in a family, sometimes some things don't go as smoothly as you want. We'll address it with those guys and we'll take care of matters."

Jackson is currently on the Eskimos practice roster and has recorded four tackles in 2009. The Eskimos are in a three-way tie for first-place in the CFL's West Division with a 6-5 mark, and host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (not to be confused with the now defunct Ottawa Rough Riders) on Saturday.

*Picture is, obviously, completely unrelated to the story, but we had no access to Edmonton Eskimos pictures and it was the best one we could find in our library that featured a shovel. So, enjoy!

(H/T SportsbyBrooks)

CFL Player Leaves Practice Following Fight, Returns With Shovel originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CFL Fan Climbs Goalpost, Somehow Avoids Breaking Neck

Adam Gretz — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs

And you thought American sports fans were a little off their rocker. Here, we simply fight in the stands and run across the field allowing security guards to tackle us in the outfield. Our friendly neighbors to the north? Well, they raise the stakes to daredevil levels and climb the goalposts.

During the Hamilton Tiger-cats vs. Calgary Stampeders game on September 18, which the Tiger-cats won 24-17, a fan decided to scale the goalpost, climb the upright, slide down like a fireman's pole, and then tightrope walk across the crossbar, all before falling into the waiting hands of stadium security.

Multiple videos after the jump.

Was that a pole dance at the end?

Just because one video isn't enough, here's another angle from higher up in the stadium.

CFL Fan Climbs Goalpost, Somehow Avoids Breaking Neck originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ric Flair Is Honored With His Own Commemorative Lottery Tickets (WOO!)

Will Brinson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wrestling, Blogs, Sports Media, Sports Advertising, Current Events

Ric Flair is an icon among wrestling fans, not only worldwide but in North Carolina as well. He's always appearing on the Carolina Panthers jumbotron, screaming something or another about not drinking and driving (WOO!) and he's been known to show up at college football games and tailgates across the state.

And now he's been honored with his own commemorative scratch-off lottery tickets, designed specifically to help the children of North Carolina become more smarter. Or something.

Lottery executive director Tom Shaheen said the ticket could help attract new players.

"We are always looking for ways to appeal to new players so we can maximize sales and generate as much money as possible for education."

The tickets feature SIXTEEN different scratchy areas, which represent the 16 separate championship belts that Flair won during his career. So, yeah, that's awesome.

Also awesome: the chance to win $100,000, which is the top payout for the Flair tix (on sale September 22, resident NC degenerates!).

Something else to look out for: me writing a post about "Top 10 Athletes Who Need Their Own Lottery Ticket," because that's just too much comedy gold to pass up. Or, alternately, good luck. Would you really not buy a ticket with Big Shot Robert Horry on it?

Ric Flair Is Honored With His Own Commemorative Lottery Tickets (WOO!) originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jake Delhomme Is, Naturally, Available for Purchase/Trade on Craigslist

Will Brinson — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Sports Media, Current Events, NFL

Craigslist: the hottest place on the planet to sell athletes. Why? Because it's free, man. And when you think about associated costs of trafficking in real human people vs. being able to just sell someone online for nothing, well, it's a no-brainer: the latter is a better option. Also, it's pretty damn funny.

For instance, Jake Delhomme, everyone's ~~least~~ favorite Carolina Panthers ~~turnover machine~~ quarterback, was available for purchase on Craigslist as late as today (thank you, Jeebus and CLTBlog, for "print screen" though). Serious analysis of the sale ... after the jump!

Now, I should probably mention that I'm a Panthers fan, so, as of this writing, I'm wholeheartedly on board with the notion of slinging @JakeSixPicks wherever the hell we can for whatever the hell price we can get him for.

That said, this is, relatively speaking, one of the least creative Craigslist athlete sales I've ever seen. I mean, sure it references the "For Sale by Contract" thing, but what it fails to mention is the whole "Interesting Trades Considered" angle. For instance, as a Panthers fan, what would I trade Delhomme for right now? Well, for starters, certainly two pairs of dainty white mittens, Steve Beuerlein's cadaver, and possibly Kerry Collins' liver.

It also fails to play up the obvious "Buy This Item for Your Arch-Rival -- an Injury Come Playoff Time Means Certain Elimination!" side of things, which is always fun. And perhaps funny. Or not. Whatever -- look, the point is that right now, Delhomme is so unwelcome in Charlotte that Panthers' fans would probably take anything short of Jay Cutler for him.

Jake Delhomme Is, Naturally, Available for Purchase/Trade on Craigslist originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video Parody: Kanye West Interrupts Mike Tomlin Press Conference

Adam Gretz — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, NFL

By now, you've probably seen the video of Kanye West, the biggest and most annoying attention whore in the music industry, interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday so he could express his love for a Beyonce music video as one of the greatest of all time (Frankly, I always preferred the Foo Fighters video for "Big Me" as the best video ever, but, hey, just my opinion and we'll agree to disagree).

Anyway, the outburst led to the folks at Benstonium (and seemingly every other person and website on the internet) to create a parody video, modeled after the Coors Light commercials, that has West interrupting the press conference of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Video after the jump.

Visit their site and see more of their video's here.

(H/T Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies)

Video Parody: Kanye West Interrupts Mike Tomlin Press Conference originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cris Collinsworth's Interview, Apology, Great Examples of Modern Media Shifts

Will Brinson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, TV and Movies, Sports Media, Current Events, NFL

There was a big stink made last week over a quarter-century-old Cris Collinsworth interview. In the video the former Bengals wide receiver is interviewed about his life as a bachelor in the NFL.

Naturally, Cris made some, ahem, awkward remarks about the types of ladies that he preferred to date, which you can read after the jump.

Though the NFL has rushed to get all copies of the video removed, here's what Collinsworth said (via With Leather):

I'm not gonna deny it, I walk around with hundred dollar bills hanging out of my pocket...I like girls that aren't too bright because you can trick 'em a little bit...high school girls love me. Fourteen to eighteen, I'm a big star with them. As soon as they mature, after they turn 18 years old, they start to figure it out.

Deadspin subsequently retrieved an apology from the announcer, reprinted here:

As a family man I am extremely embarrassed by an interview I did when I was in my early twenties about dating. My comments were insulting, immature, and foolishly intended as a joke. They do not reflect how I lived my life then or now.

I was asked to do something humorous about dating, and it has been a major embarrassment to me since the day I said it.

I apologize to anyone who has ever had the misfortune to see it now or a quarter-century ago.

Sincerely
Cris Collinsworth

Now there's really no sense in trying to judge what Collinsworth said in the 1980s, although you have to appreciate the irony that one of America's best NFL announcers was, at one time, stupid enough to say these words in front of a camera.

No, what I find amazing about this is that we never saw this freaking thing until LAST WEEK. I find this amazing because it's nearly impossible in the YouTube era for any interview to not be widely distributed across the web (and that includes approximately 5,342 sports blogs) within 24 hours of its airing.

But the lesson that Collinsworth learned from this past week applies to today's standards anyway -- whenever there is a camera in your face, you'll be held responsible for anything you say. Whether it's a Hitler reference, a ludicrous and racist rant about a referee's call, or simply selling pork outside a football stadium, people are listening and they will hold you accountable.

And, yeah, sometimes it sucks that our lives are so tied to technology but you know what? Welcome to the rest of your life, everyone.

Cris Collinsworth's Interview, Apology, Great Examples of Modern Media Shifts originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Erin Andrews' Bodyguard at NCSU Game Was Trained by Secret Service

Will Brinson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, TV and Movies, Sports Media, Current Events

As it turns out, ESPN and Erin Andrews were very, very serious about the security surrounding the "sideline princess" at last Thursday's NC State-South Carolina game. How do we know? Well, that's because her bodyguard (one dude primed to guard her) was trained by the Secret Service. Oy. Vey.

Of course, you may actually remember hearing something like this from FanHouse's David Whitley who was on assignment for the official AOL Erin Andrews Watch (trademark pending!) in Raleigh last week. Whitley was able to get close enough to Andrews to notice a "Secret Service-looking guy" shadowing her.

What this information tells us, specifically, is that ESPN cares a whole helluva lot about Andrews' safety, which makes sense. Not only was her privacy violated, but she's a valuable commodity for the network -- particularly with her exclusive Oprah interview coming up Friday.

And honestly, having ~~been kicked out of~~ gone to an NCSU game or two, I can tell you that the crowd in Raleigh can get a little rowdy; the prospect of a blowout on either side with nothing else to focus on had to have been terrifying for the WWL.

Fortunately, the game was close. And the crowd was lulled into lethargy by one of the most boring football get-togethers in the history of the sport. So EA was able to do her job at Carter-Finley stadium without awkward interruptions. And we'll probably see the same level of security for Andrews this Thursday when Clemson and the ESPN Gameday crew come to town.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if "Secret Service bodyguard" is a refrain we're hearing around Andrews for the rest of the season.

Erin Andrews' Bodyguard at NCSU Game Was Trained by Secret Service originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phil Jackson Is Going to Scare Hipsters Away From the New T-Mobile Android

Will Brinson — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Video Games, Sports Media, Current Events

Google and T-Mobile have a lot of work to do in terms of PR if they want to catch up with RIM and Apple for a share of the smart phone market. The BlackBerry -- in all its forms -- and the iPhone are, clearly, head and shoulders above anyone else. Which is why T-Mobile busted out the big dogs for their newest myTouch Android commercial.

And yes, by "big dogs" I mean "a rather terrifyingly unhip group that features Whoopi Goldberg, Phil Jackson and Jesse James." Look, they're big names, but when a 60-something NBA coach is the most relevant celeb in your commercial, well, you've probably got a marketing problem or two. Via Techcrunch.

Phil Jackson Is Going to Scare Hipsters Away From the New T-Mobile Android originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Favre Was More Popular Than Michael Vick on Twitter (Or Something)

Will Brinson — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Sports Media, Current Events

The beauty of Twitter is that its force is relatively measurable. For instance, let's say -- hypothetically, of course -- that a famous convicted felon manages to secure employment with the Philadelphia Eagles as a professional football player. And then, just a few short days later, a famous, annoying, hypothetical gunslinger who's retired four billion times happens to stab his former fanbase in the back and get a job as a professional football player with the Minnesota Vikings.

Well, IF that all managed to happen, people would tweet about it. A lot. Because Michael Vick and Brett Favre are quite famous and everyone talks about them whenever they do something. Fortunately (it's all relative; in this case because we care deeply about the science of Twitter, obviously) for us, it did. And even more fortunately, Kevin Kilduff remembered to check and see whose "Twitter trend" -- i.e. who got mentioned in more tweets -- was higher, as you can see from the graphic above.

What does this graph tell us exactly? Well, that Favre is immensely more popular than Vick, duh! Actually, I kid. What it tells is that Favre's signing with the Vikings was more interesting than Vick's signing with the Eagles. Which, frankly, shouldn't be that surprising.

The actual act of Vick inking with a team was bound to happen -- that it was Philly was somewhat shocking, but not terribly enticing, as Vick's unlikely to see the field anytime soon, at least until he learns the playbook and/or Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook get hurt, which could actually be Week 1.

Favre, on the other hand, is almost just as hate-able at this point as Vick (again, all relative) and immediately spurred two different fan bases -- the Vikings and Packers, natch -- to discuss the signing, on top of the national/general football discussion.

So, there you have it: we all hate/love/can't stop talking about Favre even more than Vick. And yes, it's alternately fascinating and horribly depressing.

Brett Favre Was More Popular Than Michael Vick on Twitter (Or Something) originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN's New Twitter Policy Seems Short-Sighted, May Be Oddly Sensible

Will Brinson — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, Sports Media, Current Events

ESPN recently issued a new stance for its employees regarding social media (the full policy is after the jump). Presumably, Twitter and Facebook are the primary causes of the edicts coming from on high; and ESPN immediately received a substantial amount of backlash regarding the new policies.

That's logical of course -- anytime that ESPN sends a company-wide memo around, the standard course of action is to freak the mess out and blame them for being a corporate monolith that just doesn't get it (if I recall correctly, there was a similar dismissal of blogs, which means Twitter has yet to fully jump ye old dorsal fin). But the policy -- which was ironically "broken" by ESPN employee Ric Bucher -- isn't all just ridiculously inane corporate behavior. There's some thought process behind it. I think.

The hammer just came down, tweeps: ESPN memo prohibiting tweeting info unless it serves ESPN. Kinda figured this was coming. Not sure what this means but

[...]I'm probably violating some sort of policy just by telling you. In any case, stay tuned.

Also ironically (or not, who really even knows, right?), Bucher managed to report it twice, thereby misusing Twitter; and may or may not be getting in trouble for the whole shebang because he immediately tested the guidelines. What are those guidelines? Glad you asked.

ESPN regards social networks such as message boards, conversation pages and other forms of social networking such as Facebook and Twitter as important new forms of content. As such, we expect to hold all talent who participate in social networking to the same standards we hold for interaction with our audiences across TV, radio and our digital platforms. This applies to all ESPN Talent, anchors, play by play, hosts, analysts, commentators, reporters and writers who participate in any form of personal social networking that contain sports related content.

ESPN Digital Media is currently building and testing modules designed to publish Twitter and Facebook entries simultaneously on ESPN.com, SportsCenter.com, Page 2, ESPN Profile pages and other similar pages across our web site and mobile platforms. The plan is to fully deploy these modules this fall.

Specific Guidelines

* Personal websites and blogs that contain sports content are not permitted
* Prior to engaging in any form of social networking dealing with sports, you must receive permission from the supervisor as appointed by your department head
* ESPN.COM may choose to post sports related social media content
* If ESPN.com opts not to post sports related social media content created by ESPN talent, you are not permitted to report, speculate, discuss or give any opinions on sports related topics or personalities on your personal platforms
* The first and only priority is to serve ESPN sanctioned efforts, including sports news, information and content
* Assume at all times you are representing ESPN
* If you wouldn't say it on the air or write it in your column, don't tweet it
* Exercise discretion, thoughtfulness and respect for your colleagues, business associates and our fans
* Avoid discussing internal policies or detailing how a story or feature was reported, written, edited or produced and discussing stories or features in progress, those that haven't been posted or produced, interviews you've conducted, or any future coverage plans.
* Steer clear of engaging in dialogue that defends your work against those who challenge it and do not engage in media criticism or disparage colleagues or competitors
* Be mindful that all posted content is subject to review in accordance with ESPN's employee policies and editorial guidelines
* Confidential or proprietary company information or similar information of third parties who have shared such information with ESPN, should not be shared Any violation of these guidelines could result in a range of consequences, including but not limited to suspension or dismissal.

So, yeah, that seems pretty, um, stringent. But then again, maybe it's not. If you sign a full-time contract with ESPN, odds are pretty good that you have also inked a non-compete clause. This means, of course, that you can't do anything anywhere else that's sports related, and that at all times when you discuss sports, you are, in fact, representing ESPN. It's just the nature of the job (sports media is, whether people who work in the field want to recognize it or not, a 24/7 job, just like any other news coverage).

And, of course, as my colleague Jay Mariotti so eloquently wrote yesterday, there are athletes shattering the First Amendment barrier daily; as a result, interaction occurs not only with fans but with the media as well. See: Mark Schlereth and Chad Ochocinco engaging in a "Twitter war."

Now, of course, I'm not saying that ESPN's Twitter policy stemmed from that "war," but that was most certainly a tame version of something bigger that could have erupted (or will eventually erupt). So from the sense of making sure that the talent "behaves" online, this isn't a horrible policy.

Especially considering, as an ESPN PR confirmed to FanHouse, that this policy applies all ESPN employees. Yes, that's already in the guideline, but that means that anyone who provides a "Special to ESPN" or is an affiliated radio host also has to watch their Tweeting, because, obviously, they don't want the WWL pipeline cut off.

On the other hand, from the sense of breaking news, as well as engaging readers/viewers, well, it's not so smart; Twitter has become a tremendous source of information for every news outlet to bring in new fans, to interact with current consumers and to break news.

The fact of the matter is that tweeting a piece of information is obviously faster than bogging through the editorial process that sometimes occurs even for the online media (it's even faster than blogging; hence, "micro-blogging") and certain people -- FanHouse's own Ed Price is a fantastic example -- have quickly developed large Twitter followings because of the information they disseminate via tweet.

So, yeah, this is probably a touch of a knee-jerk reaction from ESPN; sure it's "smart" to have rules in place that will make sure your employees don't cross any lines while representing the Mouse on Twitter or Facebook, but implementing such a policy in such a rapid and stringent manner seems short-sighted. I mean, even Roger Goodell is going to wait until the season starts before he starts throwing the Twit-gauntlet down, so it's surprising to see even the WLL beat him to the punch.

ESPN's New Twitter Policy Seems Short-Sighted, May Be Oddly Sensible originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lawyer Vows Charges in Erin Andrews Peephole Video Case

Tom Ziller — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, ESPN, Sports Media

ESPN has confirmed that sideline reporter Erin Andrews was the victim of an egregious invasion of privacy, in which someone videotaped an undressed EA in her hotel room through a peephole and posted the results to the Internet. Marshall B. Grossman, a high-powered lawyer representing Andrews, put out a release late Friday promising a push to bring criminal and civil charges to the unknown videographer as well as "anyone who has published the material."

ESPN released a brief statement Saturday vowing the network's support of Andrews as she deals with the situation.

Grossman wrote the following for a press release distributed widely by his firm:

"While alone in the privacy of her hotel room, Erin Andrews was surreptitiously videotaped without her knowledge or consent. She was the victim of a crime and is taking action to protect herself and help ensure that others are not similarly violated in the future. Although the perpetrator or perpetrators of this criminal act have not yet been identified, when they are identified she intends to bring both civil and criminal charges against them and against anyone who has published the material. We request respect of Erin's privacy at this time, while she and her representatives are working with the authorities."

News of the video circulated late this week, though it seems most did not believe the woman captured on tape was actually the ESPN star. The news gained particular steam with a Friday link from Deadspin to a blog which had hosted the video before being contacted by an ESPN lawyer. That an ESPN lawyer contacted the blog in question -- run by Doug Sheckler, a peddler of a few half-sports/half-softcore blogs -- seemed to initially implicate it was in fact Andrews in the video.

Deadspin's post ended up sending the story into overdrive, where it currently resides. (As of this posting, Andrews is involved in two of the top 10 Google hot trends for Saturday, narrowly edged by Tom Watson at the British Open.) Deadspin editor A.J. Daulerio has since apologized for calling attention to the particular blog where the video was most recently posted. Though the video had already been removed, knowing where it was has given savvy web users a virtual roadmap to the video.

There will be a time for delving deeper into the root causes of the type of behavior that results in the criminal action Andrews has to deal with. But suffice to say that while misogyny is not limited to Internet culture, a wide swath of sports blogs -- dominated by the young male demographic -- enable the sort of gross attitude that makes something like this seem like a conquest instead of a violation.

Bloggers can't police the world, but they can police their own writing and the general tone their blog embodies regarding the female perspective. Many don't, and that's at least in part to blame for the disgusting objectification that leads someone to videotape a sideline reporter through a hotel peephole.

Sports Internet Scandals

While undressed in her hotel room, popular ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was videotaped through a peephole, and the resulting footage was posted on the Internet. Now her lawyer vows that civil and criminal charges will be filed against the perpetrator(s). Click through to see more web scandals from the sports world.

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

Blue Jays outfielder Alex Rios apologized after his profane exchange with a heckler was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube in early June. "That's not the person that I am," Rios said.

Mark Cunningham, MLB / Getty Images

Just days after British tabloid News of the World published this photo of Michael Phelps with a marijuana pipe, USA Swimming suspended the Olympic legend from competition for three months.

News of the World

In late January, Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett was reportedly fined $22,647 for a profane YouTube rap video in which he used derogatory terms for blacks and gays.

YouTube

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart took a dip in some hot water, both figuratively and literally, when Web site TheDirty.com released a photo of him partying with four women in a hot tub. The photo was even featured on SportsCenter and drew the ire of head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

thedirty.com

In 2008, controversial Mavericks star Josh Howard was caught on video disrespecting the national anthem before Allen Iverson's charity flag football game. Facing the camera during the anthem, Howard said, "I don't celebrate this s--t. I'm black."

YouTube

Redskins tight end Chris Cooley revealed a little too much private information when he snapped a photo of himself with the team playbook on his lap. Underneath the playbook, Cooley's penis was visible, and he later had to offer up a public apology on his personal blog.

Joe Robbins, Getty Images

Vince Young's 2008 season was full of more questions than game play for the Tennessee Titans. Some fans doubted Vince Young's commitment to the team when photos of him partying and swigging Patron tequila were leaked on the net.

Blogxilla.com

Jeff Reed became part of a running joke on sports blogs when numerous photos leaked of the Steelers kicker clubbing with his shirt off and hair gelled up to the heavens.

Deadspin.com

Even legends get caught in an awkward position from time to time. After Michael Jordan was photographed looking intoxicated, the "drunk athlete" snapshot became Photoshop material for dozens of sports sites.

Lioninoil.blogspot.com

Lawyer Vows Charges in Erin Andrews Peephole Video Case originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HausCast 25: Elie Seckbach on Life as the Embedded Correspondent

Will Brinson — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, TV and Movies, Sports Media, Sports Advertising, Current Events, Podcast

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

As Elie Seckbach noted when we finished the HausCast, this thing could have gone for three days -- that's how smart and insightful FanHouse's embedded correspondent is when it comes to the changing course of media in today's society. Plus, he has multiple stories that caused Wilson to emit a Brinson-like overlaugh. If you're a Seckbach fan -- and if you're not, God rest your soul -- follow him on Twitter, watch his vids on YouTube, or keep up with him on Facebook. And listen now to learn why video is the future, in addition to the funniest stories you'll hear about anyone spending time in and around NBA players on a regular basis.

Oh: Subscribe to our Itunes Feed. Support the revolution.

HausCast 25: Elie Seckbach on Life as the Embedded Correspondent originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 22 May 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Talks to Brandon Roy

Will Brinson — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:09:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Sports Media, Sports Advertising, Current Events, FanHouse Exclusive

Will Brinson kicked it at The OC for the Nike Global Training Summit.

Even as his team was booted from the playoffs by the Houston Rockets, Brandon Roy recently received high praise from Ron Artest. Artest decided to give him the highest compliment possible, stating that Roy, not Kobe Bryant, was the toughest player he's ever had to guard.

And you best believe FanHouse (specifically my homie Elie Seckbach) was jumping on that question when Roy made an appearance at the Global Training Summit, sporting his customized B-Roy Trainer 1's. We also discuss his offseason plans, what the Blazers' goals are for next year and what he's doing in the offseason.

FanHouse: We gotta ask you -- Ron Artest said you're better than Kobe, what do you think about that?

Brandon Roy: "Nah, he didn't say I was better than Kobe -- he said I was the hardest guy he's ever guarded."

FH: You're the only guy to ever score 40 on him though, right?

Roy: "Yeah, so, for me that was a tremendous compliment. But that has nothing to do with me and Kobe head-to-head. Kobe does his thing, I'm a fan of what Kobe does. So, you know, great compliment by Ron Artest, but you'll have to ask him what he meant by it."

FH: You guys had a tremendous season, you went to the playoffs -- what can we expect from the Portland Trail Blazers next year?

Roy: "Well, our goal is to try and play for a championship next year. We feel like if we can add the right pieces this summer and continue to develop Greg [Oden] -- he's a big part of what we want to do -- and then with the guys that played well this year, to come back even better next year, we feel like we have the pieces to try and make a push for the championship. So we're going to set our goals that high and we're going to try and do everything we can to reach them."

FH: So what are you doing this summer now that you're not playing and not working out?

Roy: "Right now, just relaxing, spending time with family. Spending time with my two little ones and just trying to get as much time as I can because the season is long and you travel a lot, so, just trying to relax as much as possible and just mentally take my mind out of it for a little bit."

FH: Who's tougher to guard -- Kobe or LeBron?

Roy: "Just different ... they're both tough to guard. I can't say who's tougher, because I've had moments where -- Kobe he went for, I think my rookie year, 60-some points against us and LeBron went for 40. So I've had my work cut out for me against both of them, but they're just different. They're both dominant but in different ways."

FH: Channing Frye, Steve Blake and Joel Pryzbilla all practice martial arts in the offseason -- are you planning on joining them?

Roy: [Laughing] "Nah, I'm not going to join them. Maybe in the future, but not this summer."

FanHouse Talks to Brandon Roy originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 18 May 2009 14:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse at the Nike Global Training Summit in Newport Beach

Will Brinson — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Sports Media, Sports Advertising, Current Events, FanHouse Exclusive

Last week, I left the comfort of my ~~mother's basement~~ shoddy little East Coast apartment to rep FanHouse at the 2009 Nike Global Training Summit in Newport Beach, California. The primary reason for convening 50-some media members in sunny SoCal? The introduction of the Nike Trainer 1, the Swoosh's newest crosstraining shoe, which celebrates the 20-year anniversary of the "Bo Knows" campaign, featuring Bo Jackson.

That campaign, of course, was a milestone in athletic advertising as well as shoe design -- not only did Jackson capture the hearts of Americans everywhere, but the wildly popular crosstrainer, "Bo Knows" Trainer I, helped to springboard Nike's shoe sales.

On hand for the celebration were NFL All-Pros Adrian Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Troy Polamalu; NBA All-Stars Amare Stoudemire and Brandon Roy; and Olympic Gold Medalist Bryan Clay.

Plus, you know ... me. Oh, and Elie Seckbach, who created a fantastic mashup video that you can view here.

Part 1: Nike Presents ... the Nike Trainer I (coming shortly, reverse order FTW!)
Part 2: FanHouse Talks to Larry Fitzgerald
Part 3: FanHouse Talks to Amare Stoudemire
Part 4: FanHouse Talks to Brandon Roy
Part 5: FanHouse Talks to Adrian Peterson
Part 6: FanHouse Talks to Troy Polamalu
Part 7: Nike Trainer 1 Shoe Review

FanHouse at the Nike Global Training Summit in Newport Beach originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 18 May 2009 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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