ESPN NFL Insiders to get their own show; Producer says no former players allowed

by Ed Sherman

May 14, 2013 by admin

Perhaps it was the wildy popular John Clayton TV commercial, or the fact that Adam Schefter has more than 2.2 million followers on Twitter, but ESPN has decided to give its NFL information gurus their own show.

ESPN will announce today that NFL Insiders will make its debut on Aug. 5. The one-hour daily show will be hosted by Suzy Kolber.

Schefter and Chris Mortensen will be the main players with aid from Clayton, Ed Werder, Bill Polian, and other contributors such as former GMs Phil Savage and Billy Devaney.

It won’t feature former players or coaches.

“We have one rule: If you played in the league, you’re not going to be on the show,” said producer Seth Markman.

Indeed, ESPN figures there are plenty of Xs and Os shows on the various networks. It wants a program strictly … Continue Reading

Saturday Flashback II: ESPN analysts rap Dolphins selecting Dan Marino

by Ed Sherman

April 27, 2013 by admin

A young Chris Berman speculates that Miami might want to take a quarterback with its pick late in the first round, but he says, “The guys they wanted might already be gone.”

Then at the 3-minute mark, Paul Zimmerman goes crazy when the Dolphins pick Dan Marino.

“I don’t understand it,” Dr. Z says.

Bud Wilkinson says, “I hope Dan would calm down considerably.”

He did, and everyone understands the pick now.

Saturday flashback: ESPN coverage of 1983 NFL draft; Who is going to get Elway?

by Ed Sherman

April 27, 2013 by admin

Covering off this year’s 30 for 30 documentary, it seems fitting to show how ESPN covered the 1983 draft.

Interesting to note at the top, Paul Zimmerman and Howard Balzer speculated about who would complete the trade for the Baltimore Colts’ No. 1 pick and thus get John Elway. Denver only gets mentioned as “a late entry.”

Then watch the stormy reaction when Pete Rozelle announces the Colts took Elway. The analysts include Bud Wilkinson.

Sorry about the quality of this clip, but still worth watching.

NFL needs to lift restrictions: Twitter is essential part of following draft

by Ed Sherman

April 26, 2013 by admin

Just minutes before the beginning of the NFL draft, Adam Schefter sent out the following tweet:

As one GM texted Tuesday, “Going dark.” As requested, we’ll resume tweeting after 1st round is complete. Enjoy draft on ESPN or @ESPNNFL.

That was it. The NFL reporter with the largest Twitter following at 2.24 million people shut it down during perhaps the biggest Twitter night of the year.

I can almost guarantee that won’t happen in 2014. If you’re ESPN, you can’t allow the NFL to place restrictions on your reporters and muffle your No. 1 Twitter guy.

Last night reaffirmed for me that being on Twitter is an essential part of following the NFL draft. If you’re not on Twitter when those picks start flying, you’re missing out. The tweets don’t detract from the coverage; they enhance it.

I … Continue Reading

Twitter fallout: Harsh reaction to La Canfora’s plan to tweet picks; others say not a big deal

by Ed Sherman

April 25, 2013 by admin

I have been doing this site for little over a year, and I never had more traffic and feedback for a subject than the Twitter issue and the NFL draft.

You’re really passionate about this.

Monday, I did a Q/A with ESPN’s Adam Schefter and how he has been told to cut back on tweeting out picks during the draft.

Wednesday, I did a post in which CBS’ Jason La Canfora said he doesn’t have any restrictions and will be tweeting everything during the draft, including picks if he gets them before they are announced on TV.

I asked readers to weigh with in their views. And brother, did they ever.

I would say it was 70-30 against reporters tweeting picks, and thus spoiling some of the suspense and anticipation from the draft.

The anti-tweeting folks were very vocal and … Continue Reading

No restrictions: CBS’ La Canfora plans to tweet picks during NFL draft

by Ed Sherman

April 24, 2013 by admin

You know that “gentleman’s agreement” between ESPN and the NFL Network to have their reporters be selective about tweeting during NFL draft? Well, it doesn’t apply to Jason La Canfora.

After last year’s NFL draft, La Canfora left the NFL Network to become the NFL insider for CBS. As a result, any Twitter restrictions during the draft don’t apply to him; CBS isn’t providing live TV coverage of the draft.

So it’s open season for La Canfora. He intends to tweet as much as possible. Beware: that includes upcoming picks before they are revealed on TV (if he gets them) to his nearly 300,000 followers. He also will be contributing updates to CBSSports.com.

“We’re not a broadcast partner for the draft,” La Canfora said. “I will be trying to get the information out as quickly and accurately as possible. … Continue Reading

Adam Schefter Q/A: Frank comments about Twitter; staunch defense of ESPN on credit issues; setting record straight on not taking vacations

by Ed Sherman

April 23, 2013 by admin

Part 2 of 2

So you want to be Adam Schefter?

ESPN’s NFL reporter is on 24-hour call. He carries a Blackberry and iPhone, both of which are in constant overdrive.

Just from spending a few hours with him during Schefter’s recent visit to Northwestern, you can see it appears to be a manic existence.

“It’s constant,” Schefter said. “It never stops.”

In part 1, I talked to Schefter about his Twitter plans for the NFL draft. In today’s Q/A, he addresses Twitter; ESPN’s credit issues; the pressure to be No. 1; and the real reasons why he doesn’t take a vacation.

You have more than 2.2 million followers on Twitter. Is that amazing to you?

I like to say I paid off a bunch of people to follow me. I honestly can say I don’t even think about … Continue Reading

ESPN, NFL Network agree not to tip picks during draft via Twitter

by Ed Sherman

April 22, 2013 by admin

Richard Deitsch of SI.com also focused on the Twitter dilemma in an All-you-would-ever-want-to-know opus/post about coverage of the NFL draft.

He writes:

While ESPN and NFL Network will compete fiercely for audience this week, they have once again come together for a gentleman’s agreement on the subject of tipping draft picks. Both networks have pledged not to show images of players on the phone in the green room at Radio City Music Hall. In addition to that, both networks tell SI.com that they will tell staffers not to report pick-by-pick selections on their Twitter feeds prior to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the picks on the podium. The Twitter edict will extend into the second round of the draft. Teams have 10 minutes to pick in the first round, seven minutes in the second round and five minutes for the

… Continue Reading

Q/A with Adam Schefter: What he will and won’t tweet during NFL draft; ‘Do you want information?’

by Ed Sherman

April 22, 2013 by admin

Part 1 of 2

The NFL draft begins Thursday, which means Adam Schefter will engage in the Twitter tap dance again.

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question.

Last year, Schefter and other NFL reporters came under fire for tweeting out picks and draft news during the first night. They were the spoilers, much like telling people in a movie theater how the film is going to end as they walked in.

Schefter was in essence scooping his network. While Chris Berman & Co. speculated on air about whom the Bears, or any other team, will select, Schefter’s followers already know the answer. There goes the suspense.

Wrote John Mitchell of Breakingtackles.com:

What is the cost of being the first to report the draft picks? 1.5 million followers being robbed of the draft experience. You want Roger Goodell to

… Continue Reading

Lovie Smith, TV analyst, not much different than Lovie Smith, coach: Dull

by Ed Sherman

April 19, 2013 by admin

The Chicago Tribune David Haugh wasn’t impressed with Lovie Smith’s debut as analyst yesterday on ESPN:

Haugh:

Nobody needs to throw a red challenge flag to review video from Smith’s first media appearance since the Bears fired him. Smith provided indisputable evidence on “SportsCenter” and “NFL Live” that he belongs back on the sideline, not in the studio.

Tony Dungy, he isn’t. Smith came off as genuine but stiff, more like a folksier Eric Mangini. He offered nothing terribly memorable or insightful and said more with what he didn’t say, especially about Jay Cutler.

Coaching on Sundays isn’t as easy as we often made it sound during Smith’s tenure in Chicago and surely now he realizes the same is true about broadcasting. The slight nerves detected in Smith’s voice took Bears fans with good memories back to the day Smith

… Continue Reading