OT: My new most despised personality on ESPN is ...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:11 pm

... reporter Rachel Nichols, who has been covering the NBA Playoffs for "SportsCenter."

I didn't think anyone on ESPN could be more annoying than Linda Cohn or Stuart "I'm a BMW-driving, country-club playing homie" Scott, but Nichols is the new queen of annoyance.

Has anyone seen her reports from the NBA Playoffs? I usually turn on the 7 a.m. "SportsCenter" over breakfast this month while working at Indy -- why, I don't know, since "SportsCenter" sucks, but I don't get a paper here. Anyways, Nichols is super-annoying.

She tries to pass herself off as this sexy vamp delivering reports about sports to guys. The sultry, "come f*ck me" looks, the stupid head nods and hand mannerisms ... ugh.

Problem is, the chick is not hot AT ALL. She has a tractor face and reminds me of the ugly chick at every college who will f*ck any guy who moves.

Plus, her interviewing skills are less than top-notch, to be kind. Loved the question to Rip Hamilton in today's "SportsCenter:" "What does it feel like when you make a swat?"

Wow, that's journalism.

Rachel Nichols embodies the decline of ESPN and "SportsCenter" as a serious sports journalism entity. The network and show are more about packaging and sex appeal than sports these days. Sports just provides the backdrop.

Out,
PK

RiverRat · Post by **RiverRat** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:33 pm

Is she the same Rachel Nichols that works/worked for the Washington Post, I wonder? I'll have to pay more attention.

Sports Center at 7 a.m.? That's Arthur time for me.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:37 pm

River:

The only reason I'm watching TV -- hell, the only reason I'm up! -- at 7 a.m. is because I'm in Indy this month. I never watch TV in the morning at home.

Take care,
PK

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:43 pm

PK,

That is so funny you mentioned her because I just started noticing her too.

Your assessment of her is SPOT ON!, However, for those exact same things you mention about her, she kind of turns me on!!! I know, I'm weird.

I think she is hot in an 'abuse me' kind of way. She is not overly, intimidating hot. She is just kind of annoyingly cute and needs to be dirtied.

RiverRat · Post by **RiverRat** » Wed May 26, 2004 1:25 pm

pk500 wrote:The only reason I'm watching TV -- hell, the only reason I'm up! -- at 7 a.m. is because I'm in Indy this month. I never watch TV in the morning at home.
PK

Not up at 7 a.m.? That’s prime gaming time for me, especially in the summer when the kids aren’t in school. Fortunately, I live 10 minutes from work so I can screw around in the morning and still get to work on time if I don’t have to get kids ready for school, but 6-7 a.m.is the best time for me for gaming or running, which I alternate every other day.

I’ll be thinking about you this weekend for Indy! I can’t say I’m a big racing fan, but I love the traditional stuff, and Indy is about as traditional as you get. I especially love all the pre-race stuff, but I watch the race too. I kid you not when I say I tear up a bit when Jim sings “Back Home Again in Indiana”. I’m a real sucker for that kind of stuff. It’s the kind of thing that makes Indy more than just another race.

Between Indy and the 600 in Charlotte, Memorial Day weekend is the one weekend in the year that I really savor auto racing.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:02 pm

You mean there are people on this planet more annoying that Michael 'Drug-Hoover' Irvin and Tom 'I was a good-ish player once, round about the Bronze Age' Jackson ?

I will need proof of this before I believe it.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:06 pm

For some reason, she makes me think that she's a girl Jerry would have dated on Seinfeld. She is pretty annoying, although she didn't inspire the Mary Hart-esque seizures in me the way she did in PK.

Still, IMHO, Stuart Scott is the worst. He is so damn phony it's not even funny. He makes up stuff that sounds like street lingo but makes no sense. I would rather listen to a roundtable panel of Stephen A. Smith, Michael Irvin, Tom Arnold, and Sean Salisbury discussing which Athlete's foot medicine is the best.

Speaking of which, I may actually go to Bristol, CN and strangle both John Clayton and Salisbury if they repeat the "geek and the jock" gimmick this year. Clayton is George Will minus the Word-a-Day calendar. Salisbury constantly shouts about how "you never played the game," when I seem to recall that Salisbury, while in the game, didn't really play it either.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:46 pm

Sean Salisbury - living proof that you can get better at a game once you stop playing it.

Did anyone watch the ESPN draft coverage ( I did, like a saddo). At one point, after Coke-Head had interrupted him for the 3rd time to holler something retarded about the Cowboys, I really did think Ron Jaworski was about to tell him to 'shut the f**k up, you thick tw*t!', which is what I would have done.

Michael Irvin - you are a criminal waste of carbon and DNA, and I begrudge every molecule of oxygen that you use.

skidmark · Post by **skidmark** » Wed May 26, 2004 5:06 pm

I think they should have Irvin and Erik Dickerson announce a game together... oh, and afterwards they both get shot.

I really do miss the days when sportscenter was about sports though. The broadcasters used to actually just report the sports news rather than spend all their time displaying a tremendous effort in an attempt at a psuedo-personality. I mean Berman had his name thing and all, but Stuart Scott just exploded the whole thing... what a shame. Now you've got guys screaming "Yahtzee!" and "All you need is glove" on every single highlight. Its like the "I'm Spiiiicy" guy on the Burger King commercials is actually a clever disguise for making fun of ESPN broadcasters.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed May 26, 2004 5:10 pm

Speaking of coke, there's little doubt in my mind that Salisbury drops his face into a Tony Montana-sized pile of blow before he goes on the TV airwaves.

The dude is beyond hyper, yet one time I heard him as a guest on ESPN Radio and he sounded somewhere between a combination of brain dead and asleep. Seriously, the guy was slurring his words in monotone.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed May 26, 2004 5:11 pm

Brando:

>>>Mary Hart-esque seizures<<<

Take care,
PK

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed May 26, 2004 5:56 pm

skidmark wrote:I think they should have Irvin and Erik Dickerson announce a game together... oh, and afterwards they both get shot.

I really do miss the days when sportscenter was about sports though. The broadcasters used to actually just report the sports news rather than spend all their time displaying a tremendous effort in an attempt at a psuedo-personality. I mean Berman had his name thing and all, but Stuart Scott just exploded the whole thing... what a shame. Now you've got guys screaming "Yahtzee!" and "All you need is glove" on every single highlight. Its like the "I'm Spiiiicy" guy on the Burger King commercials is actually a clever disguise for making fun of ESPN broadcasters.

Yeah, now they are running those f---ing short film commercials in the middle as well.

The strategic mistake they have made is that personal catchphrase=personality. Berman, as buffoonish as he can be, still seems genuine to me. I also like Tom Jackson even though he played in the pre-facemask era. They seem to be themselves, or at least a version of themselves.

Funny thing is, Michael Irvin doesn't bother me when he's paired with Steve Young. For some reason, I enjoy the Wonder Bread/Pimpin' Ain't Easy combination of their personalities. But he was unbearable during the draft.

However, I'm sure the TV debut of Shannon Sharpe will have all of us wishing for the halcyon days of Rush Limbaugh on GameDay.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:18 pm

Stuart Scott--Absolutely unbearable. What a tool.

Michael Irvin--Why does he laugh after everything he says? Does he really think he is funny?

Sean Salisbury--No need to repeat what has already been said in this thread.

Stephen A. Smith--Quickly rising on the ranks of annoying-ness with his arrogance. Apparently he thinks if he just speaks louder and with more attitude than the other analysts he must be right.

Now tell me again why I watch Sportscenter for at least a few minutes everyday? Sometimes I really don't know why.

Oh, that's right, because FSW plays fookin' infomercials all morning and afternoon. Allow me to second my suggestion that we need TSN in the states now!

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:48 pm

I don't know who this Rachel chick is.

Stephen A. Smith is the worst.

Stuart Scott never bothered me. He was always being goofy and having fun with the highlights.

About as corny as Berman is sometimes with the nicknames

NoJoke · Post by **NoJoke** » Wed May 26, 2004 7:30 pm

The funniest thing about Steven A. Smith is the impersonation of him done by Scott Van Pelt on ESPN radio. It is dead on.

BBReBozo · Post by **BBReBozo** » Wed May 26, 2004 7:42 pm

To me, Stephen A. Smith looks like a guy who felt he was OWED his job, rather than one who earned it.

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Wed May 26, 2004 8:17 pm

HaHa.....ever since I went to digital cable for all the soccer I haven't had ESPN...over a year now. Haven't missed it a bit.

I get all my info from ESPN News...try it...it isn't bad.

Fox Sports Espanol and ESPN Deportes is good also...even though it is in Spanish.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed May 26, 2004 8:29 pm

I can't stand S.A. Smith, he's like the Mike Jarvis of Basketball commentary. But his schtick has gotten him to the "big time," I remember seeing him on CNNSI and thinking he was a putz. Bill Laimbeer is not exactly a holiday either...

I remember I really enjoyed all the catch phrases when they started while I was in Jr. High. Now I share all of your feelings, too much sizzle, not enough steak.

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Wed May 26, 2004 11:12 pm

pk500 wrote:Speaking of coke, there's little doubt in my mind that Salisbury drops his face into a Tony Montana-sized pile of blow before he goes on the TV airwaves.

The dude is beyond hyper, yet one time I heard him as a guest on ESPN Radio and he sounded somewhere between a combination of brain dead and asleep. Seriously, the guy was slurring his words in monotone.

Take care,
PK

speaking of Tony Montana, whoever the dude on Sportcenter in the morning that constantly says "Say hello to my little friend" everytime someone hits a homer gets my vote as the most annoying.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Thu May 27, 2004 3:24 am

I know he's not on ESPN, but I would rather be sodomized by Charles Barkley than listen to 3 words out of Chris Collinsworth mouth.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Thu May 27, 2004 8:23 am

I have never watched 'Cold Pizza' but just the commercials show me enough Kit Hoover to make her my most annoying ESPN personality. And the only person who wears more makeup than Kit is Mike Greenberg.

I used to listen to ESPN radio at work. I like Mike and Mike, but I am not liking the new guy who replaced Kornheiser (I was not a big Kornheiser fan either) and Dan Patrick is smarmy as hell and almost intolerable. I may not listen to sports between now and the start of college football.

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Thu May 27, 2004 10:26 am

ScoopBrady wrote:I know he's not on ESPN, but I would rather be sodomized by Charles Barkley than listen to 3 words out of Chris Collinsworth mouth.

Scoop, I just spit my coffee out all over the desk.

I completely agree, Collinsworth is terrible. Anyone rememeber him doing Olympics coverage?

PS - I sent you a PM. Thanks again.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Thu May 27, 2004 12:51 pm

Naples39 wrote:Stuart Scott--Absolutely unbearable. What a tool.

Michael Irvin--Why does he laugh after everything he says? Does he really think he is funny?

Sean Salisbury--No need to repeat what has already been said in this thread.

Stephen A. Smith--Quickly rising on the ranks of annoying-ness with his arrogance. Apparently he thinks if he just speaks louder and with more attitude than the other analysts he must be right.

Now tell me again why I watch Sportscenter for at least a few minutes everyday? Sometimes I really don't know why.

Oh, that's right, because FSW plays fookin' infomercials all morning and afternoon. Allow me to second my suggestion that we need TSN in the states now!

That pretty much nails it on the head, Naples. I gave up on the morning news shows because they all pretty much became Today Show clones. Sportscenter at least provided some entertainment value. Even though that is diminishing as well, there's nothing else on either. I tune in more for the ticker than what's running above it. I could just not tune in to anything, but like to watch 10 minutes of TV while I eat my cereal in the morning.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri May 28, 2004 4:18 pm

It'd be worth saving up to buy ESPN if I were allowed to execute Irvin, Jackson, Young, Salisbury and Stephen A (as in a**hat) Smith live on air.

Unfortunately I wouldn't be eligible for US medals as I am not a US citizen, but I'm sure an honourary knighthood could be arranged for me.