ESPN: Making a mockery of OU-UConn women’s game
ESPN made a mockery of the Oklahoma-Connecticut women’s basketball game. You can’t blame ESPN if the decision was made mid-game, when it quickly became obvious the Sooners weren’t going to put up a fight — they eventually lost 86-45.
But from the opening tip, ESPN employed a Maya cam — a camera solely dedicated to a tight shot on Connecticut all-American Maya Moore. Interesting device that might have worked well in selected replays or even an occasional possession.
But ESPN used the device the entire game, so long as Moore was on the court.
Connecticut's Maya Moore goes head-to-head with Oklahoma's Aaryn Ellenberg (3) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Hartford, Conn., Monday, Feb. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Bob Child)
Let me try to explain what ESPN did. They shrunk the video window into a rectangle, sort of like the widescream movie method you see on Turner Classic Movies or something. That left ESPN background border along the top and sides of my television and I assume yours. I figure ESPN was using two-thirds of the screen for the ballgame. Then ESPN took a third of the ballgame screen and used it for video strictly of Moore, who might be driving the ball or blocking or shot, or who might be standing there watching her teammates do the same.
That left two-thirds of the action rectangle for the actual ballgame, which means the ballgame itself was shown on less than half the television screen, about 44 percent, best I could figure.
Think about that. You’ve got a 60-inch big screen; suddenly you’re really watching a game on a 26-inch screen. Or you’ve got a 32-inch screen, which I do. Suddenly you’re watching the game on a 14-inch screen.
It was an abomination. ESPN kept plugging the device for the next game of the ESPN2 doubleheader — Texas A&M at Baylor — saying it would air a feed from a dedicated camera on Baylor star Brittney Griner. But the several times I clicked over to catch some A&M-Baylor action, the device was not used. I like to believe our good friends down in Waco and College Station caught some of the OU-UConn fiasco and deluged ESPN with protests.
Anyway, the split-cam was an awful decision for several reasons.
1. It made the game itself difficult to view, as previously stated.
2. Uninteresting. It is not the least bit insightful to follow a closeup shot of a basketball player. You need context to understand or appreciate why a player is moving or not moving. We would have learned a lot more about Maya Moore on Monday night if we had just one full screen and been able to focus on her.
3. Some fans claimed it elevated Moore to exalted status at the expense of other players. Reader John Brack wrote me during the game: “Please, please, please write something about the despicable way ESPN covered this game. We preach team player and vilify prima donnas, then allow something like this disgusting broadcast.” It didn’t strike me in that vein, though I understand that viewpoint. We exalt players all the time. One of the OU-UConn broadcasters claimed anyone who didn’t vote Moore the national player of the year should have their vote removed, then in the Baylor game one of the broadcasters said the player of the year race was between Moore and Griner. Take it outside.
4. But here’s the real rub on the broadcast technique. Total disrespect for the game.
It’s women’s basketball? Oh, then it doesn’t matter what we do. That had to be ESPN’s attitude. No way would ESPN show a Kentucky-Louisville game like that. Or Duke-North Carolina. Or Lakers-Heat. My wife said they don’t show Kobe Bryant with that kind of video surveillance, why show Maya Moore?
And I have the answer. ESPN’s actions and attitude declare that it was just women’s basketball. Who cares? You must have to turn to some sideshow device to make people interested.
Again, the game was awful. The Sooners didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, and I couldn’t blame ESPN if it had shown the popcorn stand the entire second half. But before we knew the Sooners were doomed to their worst defeat in 33 years, ESPN committed to a split screen format that made the game itself irrelevant and virtually unwatchable.
And it hacked me off. I spend some of my professional time defending women’s basketball, usually on the radio with The Sports Animal’s Jim Traber. I have to shout down Traber from time to time on women’s hoops, when he goes off on what an awful sport it is.
But you know what? I have no comeback if he wants to dog women’s basketball today. How can I believe in women’s basketball when women’s basketball doesn’t believe in itself? When a marquee women’s basketball game, with Sherri Coale and Geno Auriemma and Maya Moore and Danielle Robinson, doesn’t trust itself enough to stand on its own merits?
How women’s basketball leaders could allow a broadcast like this is puzzling. Are they that subservient to ESPN? Are they that desperate for ESPN to pay attention?
ESPN has done a nice job promoting women’s basketball. I don’t believe ESPN set out to make a mocumentary. ESPN has treated many women’s sports well and has made the NCAA women’s tournament an excellent television event.
But this was an awful idea. It was an awful idea 10 seconds into the game, when any neutral watcher could see this was going nowhere in terms of entertainment value. It was an awful idea at halftime. It remains an awful idea now.
Someone with influence needed to step up and stop it. Needed to step up and say, we’ve got a good product that doesn’t need to act like a traveling carnival. No one did. No one stood up and said women’s basketball can stand on its own. For one night, at least, Traber and the critics were correct. This sport didn’t believe in itself, and there was no reason for anyone else to believe in it.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
What ? You mean UConn’s dominance itself, is not making a mockery of women’s basketball.
Hey, when you know who is going to win before they tip-off, then how else are they going to create interest ?
Totally agree with every word, and I let ESPN know it. I e-mailed them during each game, complaining. What a joke — Big Monday? Miniature Monday is what it was. I tuned in to watch a game, not “The Maya Moore Show”. It was the worst production decision I can remember, and would never have happened in a men’s game. If the researchers, analysts, and director had nothing to say about the #2 and #12 teams on the court other than one player, they need to find new jobs. I turned the UCONN/OU game off — NOT because of the score, but because of the broadcast format. As for the A&M game, granted it was a much better game — down to the last minute as to who would be the victor. But again, ESPN made the decision that the game itself was not going to hold the audience interest, and they thought they needed to create the drama. Still not respecting the Women’s game. Well this game proved them wrong. Finally, with about 5 minutes left in 2nd half the analysts admitted it was one of the best games they’d seen all year.
ESPN you were bigger losers than OU this time out.
I am a womens basketball fan and i couldn’t watch it after about 2 minutes. Terrible idea. Iwanted to see a game not the Maya Moore show.
Obviously ESPN doesn’t understand that Women’s Basketball/UCONN is a team sport. This is what UCONN teaches and I am sure all of the other NCAA teams. Please do not ever do that again to us fans!!!!!!!
Berry – please tell us HOW we as fans can deluge ESPN with comments. Seems to me that they have erected an iron curtain when it comes to real-time feedback on televised content.
I totally agree. It was terrible and I could not watch this travesty of a great sport. OU may have lost the game, but ESPN was the biggest loser. It lost respect as an impartial broadcaster. What next? Will we see the Labron James game? Will this gimmick be used on other games or was this debacle just for Women’s Basketball? ESPN, you should be ashamed!
The iso-cam was used extensively in the Baylor-A&M game, and it totally ruined the game with the distraction, just as it ruined the viewing of the UCONN-OU game. EPSN needs to put that iso-cam bit where the sun doesn’t shine.
“How can I believe in women’s basketball when women’s basketball doesn’t believe in itself?”
This either belongs in the first paragraph. It’s really all that needs to be said.
Well it was a woman’s basketball game, and a total non- competitive game, so noone was probably watching it anyways.
Yes, Berry, would you please tell us where to snd our emails, etc. to ESPN. As soon as ESPN did their fiasco, I thought why do I have a 42 in. TV? I can’t even tell who has the ball. It was no fun and I’m a big women’s basketball fan too!
Women’s basketball = mind-numbingly boring under the best of circumstances, which this surely wasn’t
This is hilarious to hear the sooner nation whining about their girls getting tromped…if it had been a watch cam for Ben’s sister tromping the cowgirls I’m sure it would have been fine. By the way, I don’t know if ESPN did this during the game, but the highlights of the clippers game from last night had a blake cam…but I’m sure that’s ok. Still laughing…
Snikes & Vince, you must not have watched the A&M/Baylor game. But then I suspect you never watch women’s basketball. Those women would run circles around you.
Nice commentary, Berry. Fortunately for myself, I was unable to watch the game but I from what I understand of it, you are absolutely correct in your criticism. What a joke!
i agree with the majority. i would have like to counted how many times the announcers said miya moore or how many sentences they didnt say her name,i am still proud of my sooner girls, they were a little off last night and got off to a slow start and you cant do that with uconn.
I cannot agree more with you. It almost ruined the game for me more than losing. I had looked forward to watching the game on my 65 inch TV to only get to see it in mini version!!!!Then they did the same thing (not quit to the extent) on the Baylor game. What was ESPN thinking!!!!!
[...] at Storrs is a little too painful to review — what with the pink and the idiotic Maya-cam (Making a mockery of OU-UConn women’s game). But, it’s hard not to disagree with Graham: We live in a world where it increasingly, quite [...]
I already sent a nasty email to ESPN about their disrespect of women’s basketball. It isn’t the first time. Go to the bottom of ESPN’s website. In very small type you will find “contact us” You will also not find women’s basketball under NCAA basketball, but under “other sports”. You know like “Poker” or “driving cars fast around an oval”. Those “sports”. For those of you who are unable to appreciate the way the UCONN women play the game on both ends of the court, the only answer is you really don’t know anything about basketball.
I didn’t enjoy the “Mayacam” at all. It distracted from the game. Even though the OU women weren’t playing their best game, I was still interested in watching them. The display prevented me from doing that. I dont’ know why they think all viewers are interested in this type of broadcast format.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I sent a complaint to ESPN 5minutes into “Maya Cam” listing the exact same issues you raise. ESPN does sports pretty well. Whatever made them think this was a good idea?
So glad to see I wasn’t the only one so pissed off about this.
You hit the nail on the head! Disrespect for the game and also for the OU young women who came to play. This Old Lady is disgusted!
You guys have really made me sick. I bleed UCONN blue and you’re ticked off at ESPN – as am I – but you’re placing the blame on UCONN and Maya Moore. Unfairly! Maya is one of the nicest, unselfish young LADIES you would hope to meet. I agree the “cam” was a sham, but UCONN or Maya didn’t ask for it. And when a team is winning – whether it’s by 1 or 100 – you declare it a “boring”, “the Maya Moore Show”, “Uconn’s dominance” so you don’t have to watch because you know the outcome? I’m appalled at the animosity the majority of you have aimed at UCONN – and Maya. You think it’s “mockery”? You try keeping up with them at one practice. I guarantee you’ll be looking for oxygen.
AGREED Berry!! even though my husband was making fun of me, i also e-mailed ESPN during the game and noticed it was used very little in the next game (something i would like to think was thanks to me! ha ha!) it actually gave me a headache to watch it. i love Moore’s game and i think she is great player, but it made no sense to me to just iso on her. you are correct that it made it hard to actually see what she was doing just by herself. without the entire game, it looked like she was just running around the court! lol! thanks for sticking up for the women’s game when so many other media types won’t!
OU played an awful game, but I just could not believe the Mayacam was on for so long. Even on a 36″ TV, it was hard to see the game progress.
What an awful idea!
Continuing to watch OU just disintegrate before my eyes was difficult enough, but this mockery of a team game was just awful. I am sick of ESPN in almost every sport. I hope they fall into the ocean.
I agreed with everything Berry said. The stupid Maya cam was extremely distracting and humiliating for all the other team members of UConn & OU. It was extremely difficult to watch this game and the Baylor/A&M game. Even Doris Burke espn commentator on the Baylor/A&M game was decent about OU getting beat so badly, because sometimes she is snide about OU women. Berry, please let me know where to send an e-mail to espn about my disgust over this maya cam crap.
Carol Lee, did you read all of the comments? Not everyone was putting down Uconn, etc. I am a big OU bb fan and it took me all of 15 seconds to see I hated the format espn was using—WIN OR LOSE. Our girls play hard also (maybe not so much last night) and believe it or not, we have a lot of fans at OU games and we are proud of our team also!We also have a lot of girls that have wonderful personalities.
If your team had been down 40 points, you probably would have thought it was boring also. I’m still proud of my team and where it’s been and where it’s going.
I tuned in to watch 2 sets of 5 young women work together toward a common goal, what I got was a very boring, even monotonous game…..who wants to watch 1 BB player bend over with her hands on her knees while her teammate scores or rebounds the ball? Maya Moore is a great BB player, but not even the greatest player of all time (in my opinion), Michael Jordan, was allowed this kind of idolization.
While I realize Miss Moore had nothing to do with this, it not only made her teammates seem unnecessary (I must confess that it made me want to see Maya vs. OU’s starting five…..if she really is ALL-WORLD!!!), but very disrespected. The only thing even close to this disrespect is to watch a track meet on ESPN or another network….they have NO CLUE when it comes to televising races…..watch the winner walk, bend over, catch his/her breath while runners 2 – 12 are still competing….total joke!!!
Berry got this one right. Rodeo also got it right. ESPN does whatever ESPN wants to do. What they need is some good competition.
I’m a UConn fan in North Carolina. I was curious what Huskies fans thought of the iso coverage of Maya Moore, so I went to the women’s basketball blog on the Hartford Courant website. You might or might not be surprised to learn that nearly all UConn fans hated the iso, and for the same reasons you all hated it: basketball is a team game, the window devoted to the game action was way too small, etc.
I am glad to hear That I was not the only one who did not like ESPN coverage. I just want to say I have watched women basketball for years,and cant understand some of the radio/TV announcers,saying how bad the game really is. The womens sport is so much better,for the fact that all the girls play as a team and do not promote themselves.They Play smart basketball,like a chess match,and are smart girls.They mostly get out and give it there all,and still winner or looser,walk the line slapping hands with the other team. I happen to be a Uconn fan because I am from there,but I also like Tennessee,duke and others.I understand the fuss over how well uconn has done,as I probally would do the same if it was another team. Just remember, it is just a game,and enjoy it. Thanks
I did not watch that game but this very thing is happening way too much. The actual sporting event is shrunk to the size of a 20 inch tv while statistics, records, players relatives etc. are highlighted on the big screen. Even the announcers talk non-stop about everything but what is going on. Why do I have a 46 in screen in they choose to shrink the event to a 20 inch screen? And why do I need a sound system to listen to commentators that apparently like to hear themselves talk? I turn my sound down to levels I can barely hear.
I am not surprised to learn that UConn fans were upset! They have a great program – their players (all of them) deserve to be seen – and you could not see anything but little pink and white stick people! I so wanted to watch it (taped) but could not stand the split screen. And no, I would not love it if it were Rothleisberger against OSU, or any of our players. It just was not a good idea! Silly me, I thought during the Baylor game they were having technical difficulties!– then I heard them bragging about the Griner cam! All I can say is, they weren’t watching the game that way!
They’ve made a mockery of sport and continue to systematically build and destroy sports one by one. Bye-bye, LLWS. See ya, Poker (really poker?). High school football, in the works. Time to pick out your favorite middle school linebackers before it’s all over.
This news institution shouldn’t even give that network pub.
I am a long time fan of college basketball, mens and womens
your ISO camera highlighting one player distracted from the game and diminished what the game is all about TEAMWORK! The beauty of basketball is five players playing as a unit. Not to mention having to watch (or trying to watch) a small screen off center on my big screen. The player highlighted may indeed be a super star, but if they are they will be visible in most plays…in context of the game. I ended up zooming my picture and draping a blanket over the solo cam…and turning the sound off because the annnouncers were doing play by plays of the solo screen. I am SO disappointed in ESPN. The game of basketball is a beautiful game and you made a joke of it!
Berry : Living in Dayton, OH I seldom see OU and this ESPN split screen experiment made me so upset that my wife had to calm me down. Sometimes I couldn’t even see the ball on the reduced screen on my 26″ TV. I turned game off at halftime not because of the score, but because of ESPN ( Extemely, Sorry, Poor, Network )had to experiment with another sporting event.One of the worst broadcast ideas ever !
ESPN did the exact same thing for Blake Griffin during Bedlam two years ago, but all the OU fans loved it then!
I had as much a problem with the talking heads at halftime indicating OU only scheduled UCONN to build up their RPI for the NCAA tournament. Do they not play top ranked teams in the big 12 weekly. Yes they got it handed to them but they are still a top team. That was very disrespecful. The
Maya Moore seperate screen was terrible as we couldn’t watch the entire floor.
Response to Connie White who addressed me personally. Yes Connie, I did – and continue to – read all the comments. Thankfully everyone seems to be placing the blame where it belongs – squarely on ESPN. I cannot, however, accept the negative remarks about women’s sports and UCONN in particular. I guess we have to go back to that old saying, “….until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes…” (I apologize for then paraphrasing) or in that case ‘played awhile in my Nike’s'…don’t spout the negativism. And that started with your Mr. Tramel’s blog. These girls for the most part excel academically and work their tails off earning their scholarships. This incident has been so blown out of proportion that I fear someone will hear the name UCONN and/or Maya Moore and automatically think of this. What a shame. They deserve much better!
Good read:
Had the same neg experience for TT vs Mizzou. They did a Doug Gotlieb iso cam from the truck as he fake directed the broadcast. Shrunk the TV window down the same way you describe so that we could hear Gotlieb say “camera 1 take 1″ & junk like that. Its not enough for espn to mess with conferences like they did last summer, now they have to mess with actual sport viewing. Horrible.
Insulting to women’s basketball and especially to the other team members in the game. Were they the only two players on the court worth watching? Let me help you – NO!!!!! A Maya cam or a Griner cam – what crap! Maya may be a great player, and Griner (as witnessed by your Griner cam) may be a thug, bully, and oh yeah, tall, but neither is deserving of their own camera. That was one big experiment that failed horrifically.
It was a travesty. I was on the conversation part of the ESPN gameday online and everyone there was complaining. Someone finally sent a tweet to Kara Lawson and there was some response from both she and Carolyn Peck that there would be limited use of ISO cam.
I’d like to know the idiot who thought it was a a good idea. Really?
The conversation I was participating in had fans from all over the US and no one thought it was a good idea. We all started calling the ESPN number and had to sit on hold for about 30 minutes.
Those same boards were not available in the next game, I thought it was my computer, but I think ESPN pulled them and made them unavailable.
voted ‘didn’t see it’. I pretty much knew OU wasn’t gonna have much success against uconn. i would have hated the moore cam.
They had gimmicks during last night’s KU-KSU game as well. The two coaches were in the left corner while the game was played, so you could see their reactions.
Apparently they’re doing this crap all week. Thanks for nothing.