ESPN a few bricks shy of load in NASCAR return -- themorningcal...

It took less than a minute on Sunday for ESPN to ESPN-ize NASCAR, which is to say over-dramatize, over-produce and over-hype everything it has a financial interest in.

[BRUCE]

IT WAS BAD AND I HOPE THEY STAY WITH BASEBALL

[JJJ]

Rusty is surely no Darrell. Article is spot on. Brewer's segments were great, but he's back in the studio and not at the track. Tough duty!! They will all come around with some time. Rusty needs to chill some and kill the painted-on smile.....

[Terri]

Maybe you thought Tim Brewer's analysis of Jimmie's wreck was spot-on. But apparently you didn't hear the booth guys mention that the 48 was using the mechanical fuel pump in the gas tank?

Therefore, Tim was spot-OFF.

[Norbert]

The purity, the beauty, the VERY GRANDUER OF NASCAR must never again be sullied by ESPN!

[Top 5]

Wasn't terrible, but can't stand the annoucers......the guys in the booth just put me to sleep. And the camera work or who ever calls the camera shots in the production truck really lack at times , at having a feel for what the viewers want to see...

[nanmag19]

ESPN's coverage was AWFUL...I had to mute my TV and listen to Track Pass. Susie was like nails on a chalkboard. It's ridiculous how they take commentators from other sports and toss them in their NASCAR coverage. Rusty did try to save it, but in my opinion, the overall effort fell way short of acceptable.

[daly planet editor]

Mr. Hart,
Great article on ESPN's return. If you have a chance, you might like to view my site at thedalyplanet.tv which has been documenting the NASCAR TV partners activities since February and The Daytona 500. Thanks.

[Ski]

Norbert wrote:

The purity, the beauty, the VERY GRANDUER OF NASCAR must never again be sullied by ESPN!

You Have Got To Be Kidding!!! Purity??? Beauty??? Granduer??? Dude...that has got to be the funniest thing I have heard ALL week! Thanks for the laugh. I'll check back later and see what other jokes you have for us. MAN...my tummy hurts from laughing sooo hard!

[Smokefan]

Maybe ESPN should concentrate more on a good race broadcast than criticizing a man for wanting to celebrate a win. I thought they would be more professional than that, but once again, they have proved to be a disappointment.

[Glenn]

Just when I thought we were done with the likes of DW and JH they bring this brew in. Man they just can't make this thing Hollywood enough. So many reporters and analyists with big fancy stages. Why can't they just do a couple of good pit reports and put on the damn race.

I must say the draft track is somewhat better than the cheap GPS computer animated replay system them have - not much better, but a bit. We just watched the wreck, we don't need a SIM game to replay it for us.

And finally, Brewer, gawd, get me a rope so I can finish myself off. Think of how many thousands of dollars of technology he has on hand and then provides us an explanation with as much insight as you would expect from a football commentator. His Cup segments are only slightly better than his Busch segments.

These guys are brutal.

[8sfast]

If you had any racing knowledge at all! You would know that ESPN, along with TNN were the only stations to show racing before FOX and NBC. ESPN has more race footage than any other company could ever dream of.i'm sure you do'nt remember that.I would bet my paycheck that you have only been a fan for a short time FOX and NBC.NASCAR put a ban on ESPN after thay signed on with fOX and NBC, so how can you cover a sport when the sport bans your reporters from the track? You're an IDIOT

[8sfast]

Tony stewart is a crybay jerk. Everytime he messes up, weather on or off the track he blames someone else.He leads me to believe (since everything that happens to him is because of someone else)if it was'nt for Zippy he would never win.The man is a head case.If Harvick or anybody else would have raced him the way he raced Harvick,he would have been irate.Nascar needs a jerk, a he is doing a fine job at being one. I knoe several people who were Tony fans at the begining of 2007.But hate him now.

[Kasey]

I haven't watched a race in 3 years because I can't stomach hearing and watching the cornball TV coverage. I turned the race on Sunday hoping for a miracle but 5 mins later I shut it off in disgust.

[rolland]

this was an awesome article- the ESPN coverage was TERRIBLE! The only good thing about it was that it wasn't TNT. Boy do i miss fox. Rusty wallace is terrible.

[nascar_racing_fa n]

The article was so right on. ESPN is horrible at broadcasting NASCAR. They need to get race experts, not football analysts!

[Norbert]

ESPN has desecrated my church, the House of NASCAR, where I worship.
BEGONE SATAN!

[Chuck L]

Here I thought we were getting the formerly excellent coverage that ESPN brought us before they were shut out of the garage.
But no, they sank to the same level as FOX & NBC. Way too many showings of past winners kissing bricks and other canned highlights. Anytime there is green on the track we want to see racing, not features. Oh and by the way Tim, take the bling off and lighten up a bit, you look like a pimp. Jerry Punch used to be the best pit reporter ever, put him back and bring Bob Jenkins back. Too bad Larry Nuber passed away. Overall the coverage was making me sick.
Your article was spot on.

[Diane B]

Ditto! Great analysis. Just emailed ESPN telling them they lost me as a viewer. Will use HotPass exclusively until they decide to kill the hype and just show the race and the stories within the race. I doubt they are listening.

[JRFAN1946]

Please!!! Bring back Bob Jenkins!!

[Sophiaz]

I also loathe and detest the ESPN coverage.

Nice to see some writers BESIDES John Daly addressing the HUGE GORILLA In the room. DREADFUL COVERAGE.

NASCAR NOW show STINKS.

ESPN should be fired. I guess they and NASCAR car not one WHIT what fans want and are laughing all the way to the bank.

Thanks for the great article.