ESPN Analysts are Simply Awful

I was watching ESPN for several nights of the week and it occurred to me just how awful the analysts on the show really are. I'm not being picky here: almost every analyst in every sport just about sucks. The commentary they give could've ben given a grade school student. Honestly, have you ever heard the stuff that is coming out an ESPN analysts mouth on the air?

Let's take John Kruk, a Baseball analyst for Baseball tonite. Some of the highlight dumb John Kruk comments have included, (and I'm paraphrasing here): the team with the most runs usually wins the game", "his leg injury is going to make it awfully difficult for him to run tonite", "that coach's job is in jeopardy" etc. These are just of few that I remembered from watching baseball tonite. The information that he gives is simply dumbfounding. Of course if a guy had injured his leg and is playing in the baseball game he will have trouble running and can't steal bases. Of course the team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. Finally, of course a coach who almost set a MLB record for the most losses in a single season (Alan Trammel) is going to get fired. These comments made by Kruk are retarded and provide the viewer with no information of any use at all.

In football, analysts are providing the commetary that Michal Vick, quarterback of the Falcons, is getting pissed that his receivers are dropping the ball? Gee ya thing! I would be pissed too if I was the quarterback and made good throws, only to see the receiver drop the ball. Then the football analysts had th nerve to say that Vick wasn't a team player and compared Michael Vick to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The reason why you never see Manning or Brady call out their teammates or get angry at them is because their receivers catch the ball for them. Marvin Harrison is an All Pro Wide Receiver and Tom Brady had Deion Branch who was a Super Bowl MVP. Vick has no one who can catch the ball for him with the exception of Algie Crumpler and even he has had numerous droppings of the football.

In basketball, an analyst will point to a team giving up 120 points in a game and say that they are not going to win basketball games unless they play better defense. Yet the person never says what that team can do to improve teir defense. Any fan can see Kobe shredding a team's Defense but it is the job of an analyst to show what that team could've done differently or better to stop Kobe Bryant.

There are very few reporters and analysts whom I enjoy watching. Here is my top 5:

Peter Gammons: Baseball. Gammons keeps getting better and better each year and is the best reporter and analyst on the ESPN staff. Although I am a Yankees fan and dislike him for being a Red Sox fan, he always provides some great insight on trade rumors, player injuries, coaching analysis and much more. He is a pleasure to watch on television.

John Clayton: Football. John Clayton is also an old school guy like Gammons. They have both been around a very long time and provide great insight. I remember one show this past year in which Gammons predicted that Jets rookie head coach Eric Mangini would lead the Jets to the playoffs with their weak schedule. I remember sitting on my couch wondering if Clayton had lost his mind. Of course, Clayton's prediction looks great with the Jets in the hunt at 7-5.

Barry Melrose: Despite not being a huge hockey fan, I can appreciate the energy, passion and excitement that Barry Melrose brings to the show whenever they are showing hockey highlights. He knows all the players by heart and has been around the game for a very long time. He helps sports fans better understand the game of hockey.

Tim Kurjian is another great baseball analyst who has been around the game along time. He has a nice sounding voice and tells it like it is and ought to be. His has great gossip stories and rumors that usually are true. He shows no favoritism toward any particular team, unlike Joe Buck. He has been around the game of baseball and knows it inside and out.

The final person on my list is Dick Vitale who does college basketball games. He displays a passion and energy for his sport like no other person I have ever seen and his bond with the players and coaches alike is equally great. He knows everything about every Division 1 basketball team and knows the players names on each team. He always gets excited for games and his knowledge is insurmountable.