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I’m sick of the folks that go by their initials. The LGBT mess about bathrooms. The ACLU that sticks their legal noses into everything. The NCAA that pompously puts in their administrative noses and makes threats and, finally, the ESPN television network. So much so that I am thinking about sponsoring a contest for the best description for what the letters ESPN stand for. Think about it and give me yours.
For starters, here’s a few suggestions: ESPN, Exceedingly Self-serving Pitiful Network. Or, how about ESPN, Ego-centered Spiteful Pansy Network or ESPN, Extra Special Politically-correct Network. All of them work. Have you got better ones?
Launched in 1979, ESPN is one of the most successful television networks in history, most certainly so in sports programming. They, in fact, pioneered it and have been innovative leaders. They are so big that it now seems they have gotten “too big for their britches!” Not content to lead the world in sports radio and television, they now want to lead-no, make that push - the world into their view of social issues, how societies should live. My thoughts are, “You ain’t got a dog in that fight!”
A number of years ago ESPN fired Rush Limbaugh for daring to discuss the merits and failings of a quarterback and mentioning how the news media had a vested interest in making sure that a quarterback of color succeeded. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when ESPN fired former major league pitcher Curt Schilling for stating that he favored states that were enforcing strict bathroom choice procedures. States rights he said were most important, not what the Federal government thought. Bingo, he was gone!
This week a new poll came out that showed that 90% of American Indians were not offended by the Redskin mascot for the Washington NFL team. Promptly, ESPN put a quartet of their mouthpieces on the air, masquerading as thoughtful analysts, spouting  the “company” line that, by gosh, what those Indians think doesn’t matter, they should be offended because we at ESPN have long taken that position and by golly, we refuse to listen to facts!
I don’t understand what it is about most media organizations that makes them drift towards socialism as their desired norm but they can’t hide from it. In 1979, ESPN embarked on their historic road. The letters ESPN stand for Entertainment and Sports Programming. They have done an outstanding job of bringing everything called sport to the television screen.
ESPN would be better served by restricting their efforts to what they are good at; sports broadcasting. Political correct social statements? Not so much!
CHALK TALK: Rain, Rain, Go Away! It might be a looong week for state officials as they try to get all of the softball and baseball games played with rain threatening every day. The 3A Baseball tournament might be the most likely to come through unscathed. It is being played in Manhattan, on the K-State campus and is played on a field made up entirely of artificial turf, except for the pitching mound. Only storms will slow it. Larned tangled with Cheney in the last game Thursday evening.............It seems strange to see Wichita seeded 6th in the Missouri Valley baseball tournament with a losing record for the second straight year. I wonder if that coaching seat is getting a little hot?.....The OKC Thunder don’t seem overawed by that “best team in the NBA” label put on the Golden State Warriors. Wasn’t that a great hire by Bill Snyder and Kansas State? Former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill is a great football mind and a native Kansan............I am a first class marksman. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target!
You can contact Charlie at budtabler@gmail.com