Thomas Libeto

ESPN
When asked why ESPN is my favorite news source, it took a little time to go through all of the reasons.
n order to do this, must first go back to my love of s!orts. "rom my earliest memories, all can remember is
!laying s!orts. Like all kids in the early #$s, en%oyed being out side and being active. The good ole days of
!laying outside with neighbors after school and then !laying s!orts at night. Sadly, these times don&t last forever
and everything changes.
's grew u!, found myself not only !laying s!orts but watching s!orts as well. While may not be
able to !in!oint the e(act date was introduced to ESPN, do remember a lot. "or e(am!le, remember
kee!ing u! with the home run race of )##* between Sammy Sosa and +ark +cgwire by watching S!orts,enter.
'lso, since my favorite baseball !layer, -en .riffey /r. !layed for Seattle, was only able to see highlights via
ESPN. 0ecause of ESPN, can remember from 1$$$21$$1, when the Los 'ngeles Lakers won three N0'
cham!ionshi!s in a row. 0asically, the thing am trying to get across is that because of ESPN has been a !art of
my life my as long as can remember.
Lets fast forward to the !resent. 's a normal young male adult in this technological age, really don&t
watch the News. The way see it, if there is something need to know about, will see it on twitter or hear
about it from a friend. Sadly, this is the way !eo!le are now raised. So if we add my !reviously stated love for
s!orts and my disdain for news, what do we get3 Well, thankfully because of ESPN don&t have to answer that.
get to en%oy my news through s!orts.
ESPN has a wonderful lineu! that not only gives me all the hot to!ics numerous times throughout the
day but it also allows me to take in the information different ways by a number of e(tremely talented %ournalists
and s!orts !ersonalities. "or e(am!le, if have a day all to myself could !ossibly watch T4 from 5am26!m
without leaving the ESPN network and en%oy myself com!letely. "irst, there is Mike and Mike in the Morning, a
radio show that is also televised on ESPN1. 7ere we have a former football !layer, +ike .olic and %ournalist
+ike .reenberg. They are com!letely different and argue constantly but this show is a wonderful start to the
day. 8! Ne(t on ESPN1 we have one of the networks most talked about show, First Take. This is a debate
styled show, from )$am2Noon that !its Ste!hen '. Smith against Ski! 0ayless. These two may have started out
as %ournalists but they have undoubtedly became huge !ersonalities. The way these two touch on sub%ects can
get anyone fired u!. While there may be some things said for shock value, you can&t deny this show is !ure
entertainment. Staying with the ESPN1 theme, Numbers Never Lie, featuring +ichael Smith and /emele 7ill.
's you can tell my the name this show brings out the analytical side to s!orts. This allows !eo!le who en%oy
numbers and s!orts to be able to have a show with two e(tremely credible %ournalists that know what they are
talking about. 'fter that incredible show, there is one of the most famous members of the ESPN family, Scott
4an Pelt and his SVP and Russillo show from )!m29!m. This show has some of the best segments and creative
ideas on tv. Without a doubt, this show is !ure class. "rom 9!m2:!m, there is SportsNation with the attractive
+ichelle 0eadle, bo(ing announcer +a( -ellerman, and former "ootball !layer +arcellus Whiley. This show
always has incredible guests and hilarious games during its duration. "rom :!m2:;9$!m, ESPN1 is the !lace to
be with the incredibly funny Highly uestionable! Whenever there is a senior citi<en on a show who s!eaks as
freely as =Pa!i> does, there is no way you can not love it. "ast forward to ?!m on ESPN where "round The
Horn, 7osted by Tony @eali, is incredibly successful! This show, =scores the argument> by adding or
subtracting !oints based on the facts brought to the discussion from : %ournalists stations throughout the country.
' few hugely creditable %ournalists such as 0ob @yan, Woody Paige, Tim ,owlishaw, 0ill Plaschke, /' 'dande,
-evin 0lackistone, /ackie +ac+ullan, +ichael Smith, /emele 7ill, 0omani /ones, and srael .utierre<.
"ollowing a half hour of "TH thereis Pardon The #nteruption, featuring two critically acclaimed %ournalists,
+ichael Wilbon and Tony -ornheiser. PT# is a discussion ty!e show tackling to!ics with segments like
=7eadlines, "ive .ood +inutes, Adds +akers, AverB8nder, Psychic 7otline, "air or "oul, and Something or
Nothing.> With =games> like those, the only choice you have is to watch. "inally, to tem!orarily end my ESPN
fi( there is the flagshi! !rogram, S!orts,enter. "rom 526, this e!isode usually reca!s and of the days !reviously
!layed and !reviews games to come. The To! Ten !lays of the day, at the end the show, is always can&t miss.
Who doesn&t like to be able to be able to see the )$ best !lays shown in ) minute. 'fter this incredible tv lineu!
with an ama<ing cast dis!laying s!orts at its highest level, it is clear why ESPN is my favorite new source.
The ,ombination of my love for s!orts and the e(citing shows with incredible conce!ts and an award
winning cast, it&s easy to see why !eo!le, such as myself, love the news ESPN is su!!lying.