Alabama Football: ESPN pares staff and drops Bama in Top 25 Poll
By Ronald Evans
ESPN made news last week firing over 100 employees, many of whom had years of experience. Monday the World Wide Leader issued a new 2017 CFB Top 25 and Alabama football dropped to No. 3
Did ESPN lower its collective intelligence with last week’s purge and if so, does it have anything to do with Alabama football dropping to No. 3 in their latest preseason poll?
May college football polls mean little, the same with those in June, July and August. They offer adequate summer entertainment, but little informational value. More on the poll further down this post.
First, some thoughts on the ESPN changes. In a thinly disguised Shakespearian vein, we neither seek to bury or praise ESPN. Long ago the wall between journalism and entertainment was torn down. The demolition began in 1977 when ABC Sports wizard Roone Arledge was given control over ABC News.
Fast forward to today. Author and sports journalist Dave Zirin wrote:
"“The line between entertainment and journalism at ESPN has never been fuzzier … some of the best shoe-leather reporters at the network—Ethan Strauss, Jean-Jacques Taylor, Ed Werder—were seen as expendable, while the professional pundits—in general paid far more than the journalists—are staying.”"
Dave Zirin is an expert and this writer remains staunchly in the camp that “experts” are indispensable to society. So we are disinclined to debate Zirin, other than to say the line between entertainment and journalism is perpetually obscured.
We share no sympathy with those who argue that ESPN’s action was a necessary free market adjustment. Balance that perspective against the fact that Disney (Owner of ESPN) had almost $15 billion in revenue in the 1st quarter of 2017. The company’s stock price hit a 12 month high in February at a penny under $112 per share per CNBC.
Why should a sports fan care? Zirin suggests consumers suffer when journalism becomes more an avocation than a profession that provides sustainable compensation for its practitioners.
In return for time and/or money, fans expect an exchange of value from media. Denied that reciprocity of exchange, consumers rebel in mostly negative ways. Unsatisfied fans diminish the value of programs and franchises, which in turn degrades the product. Fans, players and coaches all suffer.
Our take is, better information comes from traditional reporting rather than punditry.
Back to the latest preseason Top 25 poll, written by Mark Schlabach. In fairness to Schlabach, he is a professional and worthy of being considered an expert. Here is the poll:
1. Ohio State
2. Florida State
3. Alabama
4. USC
5. Penn State
6. Oklahoma State
7. Clemson
8. Oklahoma
9. Washington
10. Auburn
11. Wisconsin
12. LSU
13. Georgia
14. Michigan
15. Miami
16. Stanford
17. Louisville
18. Kansas State
19. USF
20. West Virginia
21. Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. Texas
24. Boise State
25. Washington State
The good guys are third. Not a bad starting spot. Especially with FSU ranked one spot above.
The SEC has five in the Top 25 which is pretty standard fare.
Schlabach’s Alabama summary suggested Alabama football may need to rebuild rather than its customary reload transition.
Do we think Alabama football dropping to No. 3 had anything to do with the forced exit of ESPN expert opinion? No – but don’t be surprised if you hear different from some Finebaum caller.
Next: Are the Tide's 2017 Linebackers the Best Ever?
We’ll keep posting every too-early Top 25 we run across. Following them can be fun as we work our way to the real polls next fall.