Irresponsible Reporting And Nash 'Trade Rumors'

by UASun on Nov 8, 2010 7:26 PM MST

So I'm watching the Suns-Grizzlies, randomly logging on ESPN, and I see one of the lead stories on the NBA page is . . .

STEVE NASH ON THE MOVE?

So, after a flurry of curse words, I clock on the link (a podcast with Ric Bucher) and listen intently . . . .

And here's the gist of what I here:

HOST: "So, tell me some suprising names on the trade block, some names people haven't heard of yet"

BUCHER: "Well, Steve Nash for one"

HOST: "Steve NASH?? (My reaction as well)

BUCHER: "Well, sure, Steve Nash. The Suns have lost a couple games, they started out horribly . . . I think I overestimated how good Steve Nash is, and if the Suns are gonna rebuild and get anything out of him, they have to trade him now"

HOST: "I should be asking a question like, when/how did you hear this? Why has no-one ever mentioned this? Isn't this an completely unneccesary hypothetical, since the Suns have never said they were rebuilding? Should I mention any of this, or should I laugh like a jackass and move on without any journalistic integrity? (I may have done some editorializing there, myself)?

Seriously, that was it. And it was a leading story on ESPN.

WTF? How was this anything more than a shameless attempt to get people to listen to a shitty podcast?

So here's my question : Were we better off before round the clock sports coverage?

To me, blogs like this are fine, because they basically serve as bar room conversations - they're obviously biased, fun conversations. But are we better off with round the clock ESPN coverage? Does it take away from the sport, when fans get more excited about trades and drafts (as seen by the Nash headline) than the actual games?

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ESPN trying to create a story again

Reason why I try to avoid them as much as possible. There is nothing objecdtive about ESPN. They even try to make more than what is really there out of horse racing. They’ve destroyed Nascar. ESPN is probably the main reason why sports has softened in the last 10 years. No more TD celebrations, no more hard fouls, stiffer penalties for fighting in hockey. Why? Because ESPN creates a controversy that wouldn’t have been there otherwise. They’ve neutered pro sports for the sake of ratings.

Dan Marino (13) and Steve Nash (13) will go down in history as being the greatest passers to never win the last game of the season.

by BravePhin on Nov 8, 2010 8:39 PM MST reply actions

I personally choose to not use ESPN as a source for my sporting news. I don't feel the need to support them after "The Decision" and their round the clock training camp coverage of the Heat.

If it’s something about the Suns, I’ll find it here.
If it’s something about another team, I will go to that teams SB Nation Site.
And if it’s about basketball in general, I will go to NBA.com or watch NBA TV.

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Nov 8, 2010 8:59 PM MST reply actions

It's actually a pretty decent podcast

Ryen Russillo’s a good dude and they manage talking about teams other than the Lakers, Heat and Celtics.

by hcblankscreen on Nov 8, 2010 9:13 PM MST reply actions

Oh, are there actually teams other than the Lakers, Heat and Celtics?

I didn’t realise! Probably because the New Zealand ESPN only shows those BLOODY teams! (We don’t get NBATV, and I’m too poor to get league pass, streaming is the way for me) .

On NZ ESPN, we get two NBA games a week, one on Thursday (which is a live broadcast of a Wednesday game, remember we are a day ahead of you yanks) and one on Saturday. Since the start of the season, the Suns have been shown twice. Against the Lakers. And they’re also showing the Heat vs. Suns game next week. I think the only game so far that they’ve shown that doesn’t have the Heat, Lakers or Celts was a Portland-Clippers game.

"He is probably one of the hardest players I’ve played against since I’ve been in this league."
- Gilbert Arenas

"They have a lot of individual talent, but Steve Nash is the motor that makes the car run."
- Jermaine O'Neal

"He makes the game very easy for his teammates... He’s a true point guard."
- Tim Duncan

by The Solution on Nov 8, 2010 11:29 PM MST up reply actions

I agree.

Here in the Philippines it’s all Lakers, Celtics, and Heat. Every Filipino likes the Celtics because of Kobe. Whatever happened to the fact that 4 years ago they all liked the Heat?

Fucking bandwagoners.

First post btw.

by Yuki on Nov 11, 2010 5:21 AM MST up reply actions

agree

love the podcast…I think the problem here is more about how ESPN editors over-hyped what Bucher said which to me is basically the same kind of speculation and trade chatter we have but instead of bloggers and commenters it’s between media and other front office personnel. And yes, you better believe they sit around and make up the same dumb stuff we do.

That said, my personal belief is the Suns won’t do anything for a few months BUT if the Suns are looking bad and not in the mix come January it would only make sense to explore Nash trade ideas. Not the use of the word “explore”.

Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo

by Seth Pollack on Nov 9, 2010 8:55 AM MST up reply actions

*Note the use of the word "explore."

Using ‘not’ gives a different impression than I’m sure you intended.

It appears as if my signature carries a certain weight with the Suns front office. I called for Jared Dudley to be extended, and they obeyed. I'm kind of a big deal. So BSotS, what should I demand next?

EXTEND JASON RICHARDSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Omaha Sun on Nov 9, 2010 3:22 PM MST up reply actions

Noted

Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo

by Seth Pollack on Nov 9, 2010 6:06 PM MST up reply actions

there is a difference

between talking about what we think the Suns should do and talking about what the Suns are thinking about doing. The problem you have with ESPN, as well as all the broadcast media is that they have moved away from reporting and into rumor mongering. They have a professional ethic and responsibility to the public, yet they continually cross the line. And it isn’t simply ESPN. I have seen this done by every “reputable” sports news outlet.

When they have these “experts” spouting off about something they have found out about regarding a team or player, yet that piece of information actually comes from a “blogger” or another “reporter” from a different outlet, it is plain irresponsible to discuss it in the manner in which they present it. They put it out there as a “source” telling them that this is factual, when in fact it is the pinion of someone that doesn’t have any real relationship to decision making for the player or team in question.

IF they are presenting the information as the opinion of fans or of reporters who cover the teams/individual, then sure, write about it that way. But they don’t, and they mislead us into believing things that may or may not be true. That is just plain irresponsible.

In my OPINION, I would be very confident to say that I don’t believe the Suns Management is even considering trading Nash, regardless of any valid points brought up in the discussion. In fact, I would bet that their response to all of this would be the typical laughter and rolling of the eyes.

by coachj14 on Nov 10, 2010 6:21 AM MST up reply actions

BTW

I actually think it might be time to start considering it. Considering it, not actually doing it. Nash despite his age, his noted defensive “abilities” and his turnovers, is still better than every single poing guard in this league besides possibly CP3 & D Will. [and i am talking about pure effectiveness, not age related decision making] – as of course, trading for a Rose or wall would yield benefits later down the road]. However, purely on what he can do right now for the Suns, he is still a top 3 PG and you don’t trade him unless you seriously upgrade the team for a significant amount of time.

by coachj14 on Nov 10, 2010 6:25 AM MST up reply actions

We are in the 'too much information' age.

I think it’s true in sports, and politics, and even social networking. it’s very damaging. When you have 24/7 to fill up, you sometimes have to create controversy. Colin Cowherd openly states that it’s not the truth that matters, but how many people he can piss off and get to call in.
It’s an echo chamber. It happens here – a comment as innocent as “Maybe Robin is still recovering from his back” can turn into an accomplished fact in a couple of hours on BSotS. The only answer is self-policing, and that’s not easy to do when you have such a rapidly moving target. I encourage people to get the scores and highlights from wherever, but get your news from an newspapers – at least they have a tiny bit of accountability. And be very careful what you believe.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Nov 9, 2010 8:11 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

We are in the 'too much disinformation' age

And, too many people need to pick up their game at the skill of critical thinking. This particular instance is only about basketball, so no big deal. Sadly, people accept disinformation as facts on important issues too, and that’s the real danger.

"One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant."
~Sun Tzu

by East Bay Ray on Nov 9, 2010 10:23 AM MST up reply actions

by RMason on Nov 9, 2010 9:40 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

ESPN is the MTV of sports.

by 8472species on Nov 9, 2010 1:10 PM MST reply actions 1 recs

It runs a lot of "reality TV" that has no grounding in reality?

by jc79 on Nov 9, 2010 5:59 PM MST up reply actions

ESPN does suck but....

Bill Simmons is the sht! The BS report is actually very very good. For those that have not heard it, that is about the only thing I would give a thumbs up to on ESPN.

by iphxsuns on Nov 10, 2010 4:10 PM MST reply actions