• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

Stoops calls out ESPN!!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes

Buckmark1

Senior
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1924527

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Associated Press
<!-- template inline --><!-- insertinlineAd -->NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday college football poll voters should be aware that ESPN has a contract with the Southeastern Conference when they consider the cable sports network's analysis that Auburn should be the nation's No. 2 team and not Oklahoma.
<!-- END INLINE UNIT -->

Stoops mentioned ESPN's contract with the SEC during his weekly news conference, but stopped short of accusing the network of bias.

"I'm not saying that," Stoops said. "I'm saying I'm aware of what their contracts are with. Whether people are directed in certain ways, I'm not going to say that. I think all the people ought to be aware who their contracts are with and what some of their agendas may be."

Stoops would not say whether he thought ESPN altered its analysis to favor SEC teams, such as Auburn.

"That would be for everyone else to comment on, not me. I don't think that's appropriate," Stoops said. "I just understand TV and what happens with programs. Ratings matter. I don't know what to say about it."

Josh Krulewitz, a spokesman for ESPN, said the network's rights holders understand that ESPN will not compromise journalistic integrity because of business arrangements. He said the company's business operations and news operations are separated like "church and state."

"The direction we provide our commentators is to be fair, to be objective and to give their opinions," Krulewitz said.

Auburn, which had trailed Oklahoma in the AP media poll all season, moved even with the Sooners this week following a 24-6 win over Georgia, which had been No. 8. Oklahoma beat unranked Nebraska 30-3.

Oklahoma maintained its No. 2 spot in the coaches poll, although its lead was cut to two points over Auburn.

Asked whether he thought ESPN had an impact on poll voters, Stoops said, "It probably impacts some people."

"Surely, AP or the coaches are all aware everybody has agendas," he continued. "Anybody who's on TV has one. You know, that's viewership and ratings and those kinds of things. The closer it becomes, the better for them.

"I think it's fair to say, too, they have a contract with the SEC. I'm fully aware of that. I can't be the only one who recognizes that. It's impossible to remove agendas. They have producers and ratings. I don't know what impact they have, but I'm sure they have some."

ESPN has agreements with the SEC to televise football and men's and women's basketball. The network also televises Big 12 men's and women's basketball.

Big 12 football is televised on ABC, a sister network of ESPN under the Disney umbrella, as well as Fox Sports Net and Turner Broadcast Station.

Stoops also said he agreed with Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville's questioning of why Southern California, which is No. 1 in both polls and in the Bowl Championship Series rankings, was exempted from discussions of who belongs in the top two BCS spots, which decide who will play for the national title.

"That's fair," Stoops said. "I would agree with coach Tuberville there, too. Their schedule strength, who they've beaten away from home and ranked teams all should be scrutinized compared to what everyone else is doing."

Stoops said it was possible that USC was still benefiting from its selection as preseason No. 1. USC, Oklahoma and Auburn are each 10-0.

"There's some people that are up there that have just stayed because they started there," Stoops said. "I would think that would be a great idea to start it once everybody's played four or five games."

However, Stoops said he didn't think the Trojans were getting a "free pass."

"I don't think any of us are," he said. "You still have to play and win. There are no free passes out there. But, you know, the discussion seems to center around us and Auburn and they're left out of that discussion."
 
What a whiner. Stoopsie, did you forget to mention something? ESPN is owned by Disney. Disney also owns ABC. ABC has a contract with the Big12.

Are you trying to say it was the SEC/ESPN conspiracy that kept your starters in the game trying to run up the score against Kansas and Nebraska?
 
Upvote 0
I don't put it past ESPN. It seems like they are going to try their damnedest to have a impact on the results of college football. I think it's fair for Stoops to point out that a lot of people read ESPN.com articles as fact, when they are in fact very biased and sometimes completely fabricated. Why don't we just quit playing the football games all together and just let ESPN tell us who won and why. I felt last year, and feel again this year, that they have a huge impact on the Heisman Trophey winner.
 
Upvote 0
Buckmark1 said:
Josh Krulewitz, a spokesman for ESPN, said the network's rights holders understand that ESPN will not compromise journalistic integrity because of business arrangements. He said the company's business operations and news operations are separated like "church and state."
Click to expand...
What a crock of shit! ESPN has journalistic integrity??? Yeah right. This network has totally strayed away from the path of "news operations". They are entertainment, pure and simple. Just one example that comes to mind is their "fact or fiction" segment where they take one of their has-beens and ask him some questions. He then lets us all know what is a fact and what is a fiction based only on his opinion. Integrity my ass.
 
Upvote 0
i can't stand bob stoops.

maybe if the big xii wasn't a horrible, overrated conference and your team could actually play DEFENSE, then you would be deserving of the #2 spot.

what more does auburn have to do? they've gone undefeated in the SEC and thoroughly dominated a very good georgia team.

as for USC? I ain't buying this lame "the pac 10 is weak" argument that i hear from everybody across the country. it simply is not true this year. in my opinion, they are the 3rd best conference. much better than the big xii. much better than the acc, a conference which features TERRIBLE quarterbacks.

usc is getting "a free pass" because in the last 2 years, they have absolutely crushed Big Ten champions Iowa and Michigan in their bowl games. they are getting a "free pass" because they have a smart QB, talent everywhere on the roster, a smart offensive mind in norm chow, and a smart defensive mind in pete carroll. any time that they have "struggled" this year, they have woken up and completely dominated in the 2nd half.

do I hate ESPN? of course. But I don't need them to tell me that Auburn is 100 times more deserving to play for the title than Oklahoma.

I am hoping for a USC-Auburn orange bowl. why? because it will be a close, hard fought game. if USC plays Oklahoma, USC will absolutely KILL them, and then the media will proclaim USC to be the greatest team in the history of the universe, and it will make me nauseous.

I've hated that arrogant jackass Bob Stoops since the halftime of last year's Sugar Bowl. the reporter asked a question like "how do you plan on attacking the #1 defense in the country in the 2nd half?" and stoops shot back "they're not the #1 defense, we are" or something like that. Hey Stoops, instead of trying to convince everybody that your team is the best by talking a lot of shit and running up the score, how about you convince us by actually BEATING some good teams? Oklahoma got thoroughly dominated in every way by LSU (it really is amazing that the final score was as close as it was).

I can't stand Oklahoma. Very, very overrated.

Hey Stoops, do you ever watch the ABC halftime shows with John Saunders? All that guy does is suck Oklahoma's dick in front of a national audience. If you are going to claim that ESPN is biased against you, at least admit that ABC (which has just as much college football exposure and impact as ESPN) is extremely biased in your favor. You can't have it both ways. Now stop bitching and turn your attention to running up the score against Baylor, you dick.
 
Upvote 0
ArtilleryBuck said:
What a crock of shit! ESPN has journalistic integrity??? Yeah right. This network has totally strayed away from the path of "news operations". They are entertainment, pure and simple. Just one example that comes to mind is their "fact or fiction" segment where they take one of their has-beens and ask him some questions. He then lets us all know what is a fact and what is a fiction based only on his opinion. Integrity my ass.
Click to expand...
to further expand on this.....did anybody see the MNF opening? and then see it AGAIN on sportscenter?

I just find it awfully convenient that ABC makes their opening to MNF a commercial for one of their shows, make it racey enough to where people will be talking about it the next day, then show it again on sportscenter. a pretty sleazy way to get publicity. shocking this comes from ABC/ESPN :roll1:
 
Upvote 0
MaxBuck said:
I really don't see what everybody's problem is with this statement. I mean, it isn't as though ESPN has any journalistic integrity to compromise ...
Click to expand...

Exactly, ESPIN and ABC won't sell their journalistic integrity...they give it away.

You can read all about it in ESPN 25 the book, or ESPN 25 the magazine or ESPN 25 the DVD or........you get the point. The merchandizing whores from the shrine to the immaculate rodent(disney) absolutely dominate ESPN and all they do.
 
Upvote 0
i dont see what stoops is bitching about. ou was the benefactor of media hype beyond all reason last year. I dont see how he can cry about getting jumped in the polls when prior to last saturday, ou gave up 70+ points in 2 games, barely sqeaking out victories in both. He especially shouldnt cry about the polls since his media hyped chump squad from last year was still in the national championship game after getting waxed by 4 TD's in the big 12 title game.

ou better pray that UT doesnt lay an egg against A&M since all ou can really hand their hat on is beating texas.
 
Upvote 0
Josh Krulewitz, a spokesman for ESPN, said the network's rights holders understand that ESPN will not compromise journalistic integrity because of business arrangements. He said the company's business operations and news operations are separated like "church and state."

ESPN doesn't have journalistic integrity... what a crock of junk!!
 
Upvote 0
methomps said:
What a whiner. Stoopsie, did you forget to mention something? ESPN is owned by Disney. Disney also owns ABC. ABC has a contract with the Big12.

Are you trying to say it was the SEC/ESPN conspiracy that kept your starters in the game trying to run up the score against Kansas and Nebraska?
Click to expand...
In one of the rare occurrences of true justice, Okla's attempt to run up the score failed, and allowed Nebraska time to get a late FG to avoid the shutout. I loved seeing some Okla fans booing Nebraska for calling a timeout in the last second to kick the FG. A minute after Stoops has Adrien Peterson in the game and Jason White throwing long with a 30-0 lead.

Obviously, Stoops opinion of the intelligence of the football voters is similar to Karl Rove's opinion of voters. And unfortunately, Stoops is correct about the poll voters.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top