I checked out ESPN this morning - hoping to see details of the Jazz's latest win.
Not being a particularly early riser - especially when I'm at my parents' place - I caught the tail end of Sports Center, where they were showing the plays of the day.
Now I had seen a Play Of The Day a few days ago, which was a rather impressive dunk by Ronnie Price of Sacramento against the Jazz. Today's play? Kobe Bryant with a rather impressive block of Deron Williams.
Apparently, ESPN has forgotten that the objective of sports is to WIN. Two days, two plays of the day, both of them by members of losing teams, on plays not critical to the outcome of the game.
Now maybe it's just me, but shouldn't these plays be more relevant to the outcome of the game? When I'm thinking Play of the Day, I'm thinking about go-ahead baskets, sideline catches that keep the game-winning drive going, a diving, inning-ending double-play with the bases loaded, or a kick-save of a would-be tying goal. I'm not thinking about an irrelevant dunk or an irrelevant block, no matter how athletic it was.
Come on, ESPN. A play of the day is "Havlicek stole the ball!", not an impressive block by Wilt in the 2nd quarter of a losing effort. Derek Fisher's buzzer-beater at the end of the quarter makes for a better choice than a block by the losing team. Now I understand that Kobe is an impressive athlete whereas Derek Fisher is not. But if we're just going to show the most impressive athletes, why bother to make it "Plays of The Day." Why not just something like, "Here are some great athletes." Because it's not exciting - right? So, instead, you generate false excitement? Doesn't sound all that impressive to me.
For the two days I watched Sports Center, for it to have "Plays Of The Day" that were of no relevance to the outcome of the game sort of validates the criticism of ESPN that I've generally blown off in times past. To have two of them AGAINST THE SAME TEAM, the hottest team in the NBA as I write this message, is just a little over the top.