Like Other Media In This Country, ESPN Continues To Go Off The Rails

 

The media landscape in the United States of America has, for quite some time,  been going off the rails. 

The latest example of this is ESPN, the so called world wide leader in sports. That company, which is owned by Disney (ESPN, LLC is 72 percent owned by The Walt Disney Company, 18 percent by Hearst, and 10 percent by the National Football League as of March 11, 2026) continued with staff layoffs this week and some big names were axed, including longtime baseball guy Karl Ravech and also NFL insider Tom Pelissero, who was a big kahuna with NFL Network, before they were absorbed by ESPN in recent months. Along with them, Ryan Clark (NFL Live on ESPN), Cam Newton, David Lloyd (SportsCenter), Stephania Bell, Bart Scott (NFL coverage) and Charles Davis, who like Pelissero, was with NFL Network before the merger, were also let go. And just three years ago, the ESPN network fired Suzy Kolber while NFL Network let go of Michael Irvin from the Sunday GameDay Morning show, which stunned many viewers. 

These media/corporate mergers are a bullshit and should be condemned as such as the news media and the like continue to go in the direction of monopolies in this country. Monopolies were declared illegal a long time ago and back in the early 1980s, the phone companies were broken up into several smaller entities to prevent such things from happening. But that was back when the U.S. had a moral compass and big business was regulated so it couldn't just run rampant and go roughshod on the citizens of this country in pursuit of their greed. 

That is not the case any longer. 

Ever since that God forsaken decision by the U.S. Supreme Court called "Citizens United" in 2010 that allowed corporations to donate unlimited amounts of money into political campaigns, this country has gone to hell in rapid fashion. The SCOTUS got it all wrong with that one, but remember that current SCOTUS justice Clarence Thomas was in on that one and he has been taking bribe money from Southern millionaire mogul Harlan Crow for decades, so that explains a lot. Point is the rule of law in this country has gone out the window for the most part and that is the main reason for who is in the White House right now and why the media sucks in this country. 

Money. Money. Money.  

Having been a member of the fourth estate many years ago, I started seeing the writing on the wall back in the early to mid 1990s and exited stage left by my own choice. I wasn't selling out to corporate greed and being a puppet for the system. No way, no how. 

As a member of the media from 1989 to 1995 while also serving a role with a professional sports team, I was definitely in a unique spot, especially for that time when local media wasn't gushing to be in on the good side of said local sports teams. In other words, being boot lickers which was a term thrown at now Baseball Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson back in the early 1990s when he was blasted for his style of play calling for the Chicago White Sox. He even made fun of himself by waving black and white pom poms during a game to counter his many critics at the time. 

It really is sad to see the gradual takeover by corporate media in this country and that continues to ooze into the sports world after so many news media outlets have been gobbled up by these corporations that continue to want to dominate how things are presented to the masses. 

Remembering the late George Carlin comedy bit about it all.  

Infotainment was a term designated to the industry many years ago as the news coverage became more and more maudlin in presentation over time (a perfect example of that is right where I live in Chicago with the WGN Morning News on TV, which is an embarrassment with the way they present news) to viewing audiences. Entertain people like a bunch of clowns and in recent years, ESPN and also NFL Network Sunday pre-game coverage of pro football has gone off the rails with the stupidity and buffoonery of the skits they do. 

Just cover the games and enough with silliness and one-upsmanship presented to viewers. It really saddens me to have to write this way, but it is the candid truth and I am not swayed in presenting as such seeing how things are in modern day coverage. Bring on the bombastic Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith and others from NFL Network merger to entertain people is the way the suits at ESPN see things. 

No corporate boot licking here. Never has been and never will be. There have been numerous advertisers that reached out to me through the years to present themselves on this blog, but I politely refused. 

No monetization on Heftyinfo, which I started as a hobby in 2009 and continues to stay in that lane in my retirement as I see it as the best way for me.

The suits in charge at ESPN and other media in this country have no clue what they are doing as they only care about money. The hell with journalistic integrity.

It is sensationalism they are peddling disguised as journalism. 

Money, money, money is all they care about. Sell it at all costs to the stupid American public is their mantra. 

The hell with any ethics in news/sports coverage. 

Do what we demand or else . . . My way or the highway. 

Sounds a lot like Trump and company in Washington, D.C. politics. 

The greed has been around forever though as is human nature and it continues to get worse. 

I can remember when I was twelve years old and wanting to be involved in some capacity in sports to make a living when I was old enough to do so. I recall there were competing sports magazines at the time (and many of them to choose from at that) but in particular Sports Illustrated and Sport Magazine were the two main competitors for sports nuts back then. There were articles written in each publication in the 1977-78 time span about how greed was ruining sports. And how right they were nearly 50 years ago when those pieces were published. 

Fast forward to today as it continually worsened with the games and in particular college sports, which have become an abomination of what they were as an amateur status decades ago. That topic would require writing a book to go over that history. 

Again, having been a member of the media (sports coverage was my area) decades ago and also being a part of the three-peat NBA champion Chicago Bulls Organization (from 1987-1995) as the sound engineer/Bulls DJ at old Chicago Stadium and part of the first season in 1994-95 at the United Center in the Windy City, I was able to experience first hand the best of both worlds. Championship teams and the spoils of it all while also covering the events. Definitely a unique situation and many memories came from that time. Proud to have been a part of it all and again I speak from experience when I see the current state of events regrading the media in the present day. 

And it isn't good. 

Not from this retired American's vantage point. 

What will happen going forward remains to be seen, but as for the corporate greed which will only continue to escalate, I wish all involved the best. But they must do so at their own peril because what they have is definitely a gift and they should choose wisely in their role as the fourth estate or else one day they just might be on the wrong side of history. 

Be well sports and news brethren and in the words of media legend Edward R. Murrow . . . 

Good night and good luck.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Different Names, Same Results

 

Here we go again. 

It's like Deja Vu all over again. 

Pick your phrase because the Democratic party is doing it again when it comes to political races by doing the outdated "When they go low, we go high" routine. 

There are those who will disagree with the take here on the subject, but if you really want the republicans OUT OF POWER in our U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, then stop with the circular firing squad stuff. It seems that another accusation against the Democratic nominee (from Maine) for the U.S. Senate surfaced just in time for the November elections. Graham Platner has been under fire by corporate establishment Dems since he became relevant in that state race for the U.S. Senate seat to get rid of the useless republican senator named Susan Collins.

Granted, there is shadiness to the guy and if indeed he did sexually assault a female, there should be repercussions. However, how many REPUBLICANS do we KNOW (as proved in a court of law or otherwise) that did the same things and either are currently running for political office (Ken Paxton, a republican in Texas) or are still holding their job, like say DONALD J. TRUMP in the White House?  

Can you say Epstein files? 

Point is that the double standards continue to happen and then the same people crying about how bad things are help to make it happen and then make it worse with the finger pointing and "witch burning" as they condemn this guy in Maine or a few years ago pushing then Senator Al Franken (Democrat from Minnesota) out the door over a silly chessecake style photo. On the republican side of things, they just look the other way and their candidates continue on regardless and serve in Congress or on the U.S. Supreme Court. Looking at you Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh.

Stop with the double standards!  

The chances for the Dems to get back the U.S. Senate are not likely to happen even if Platner was to win that Maine senate seat. The party needs to realistically win five seats or more to get back control from the republicans. Currently it's 53-47 for the GOP and the Dems (even with 51 seats) wouldn't really control the Senate because turncoat John Fetterman actually sides with Trump and the republicans. With a 51-49 edge, the Dems would have control over committees and the like, which would help, but on voting over bills and other business, it would be a stalemate as the divide between the party lines has shown so many times. 

Throw into the mix that Trump and his minions in the administration are doing all they can to gum up the works for the upcoming Congressional mid-term elections and it is a recipe for the fascists to remain in control of political power. 

Is that what sane people really want? 

It's no holds barred time folks and the gloves have to be off for good this time around. 

Trump was accused by so many women of sexual assaults and harassment, but still was allowed to run back in 2016 by his party because they don't give a fuck. The same crap happened in 2024 even though he helped lead a coup attempt of our government on January 6th, 2021 in Washington, D.C. 

How does that happen? 

Now is the time for the Democratic party to adapt a new strategy or else they will not win back power. The only hope would be for so many people to turn out and stick it to the traitorous republican party in the elections all across America. The results have gone in favor of the Democratic party in many elections since Trump came back to the presidency, so there is that going for them.

The republicans fear the BLUE WAVE that will take them out of power this November.

Taking back the U.S. House will be a slam dunk for the Dems, but not having the Senate will make it a moot point until Trump is gone from the White House. It's too bad Collins (from Maine) would be the deciding vote to keep republicans in the majority in the Senate. But with all the crap going on now with Platner and the corporate Democratic party leaders, that is the likely outcome.

The younger people in this country will be the ones having to deal with whatever happens this November as far as long term consequences goes, so we will see what's going to happen with the United States of America going forward once the votes are counted. And they will be counted in spite of pedophile Trump and his illegal efforts to thwart a free and fair election. 

Count on it. 

And remember this come election time . . . VOTE !  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

America

 Happy 4th of July my fellow Americans ! 

 

 

Carolina Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup

 

Twenty years after winning their only other Stanley Cup title, the Carolina Hurricanes are once again the 

STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS as they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-0 to wrap the title up in six games. 

 

Congratulations to the  CAROLINA HURRICANES  -  2025-26 Stanley Cup Champions !!  

AT LAST

For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knickerbockers are the NBA Champions! 

Congrats to the Knicks for getting it done against a young team of the future in the San Antonio Spurs in five games of the NBA Finals.  

 

Here We Go

How about that Donald Trump?  Bitching and whining about elections in California. What a pussy he is. 

Can the New York Knicks win the NBA title, which would be their first in 53 years? Who knows, but the San Antonio Spurs are looking like the team of the future in the NBA. 

Oh yeah, it's being reported Trump will attend Game Three in NYC at Madison Square Garden. The majority of New Yorkers hate Trump, so he will be soundly booed if they make a spectacle of him attending.  

The NHL Stanley Cup Finals feature two warm weather cities as the Carolina Hurricanes and Las Vegas Golden Knights battle it out . . . meh. 

The baseball season is in full swing and once again, the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers are confounding the so called experts as they sit in first place in their divisions. And the Atlanta Braves have the best overall record in Major League Baseball in early June. How about that? 

The U.S.A. is celebrating the 250th birthday of the country in about one month from now and Trump is ruining that with all the nonsense at the White House. UFC fights? Seriously?

Some of us were alive back in 1976 when the U.S.A. celebrated the Bicentennial that year and President Ford didn't make a big spectacle of things. The country just went about the events with traditional celebrations, parades, picnics and fireworks. 

The United States will bounce back from all this crap with a ridiculously corrupt government led by Trump and his cronies . . . count on it. Justice always prevails. 

Summer time is near and it's time to get out and enjoy the weather and fun times ahead. 

God Bless America!  

 

 

 

 

 

Observations On This Memorial Day Weekend

 

Here we are late in May (2026) and another Memorial Day weekend is upon us. 

As the so called war in Iran drags on and on under the rudderless Presidential Administration currently serving in Washington, D.C. and the profits continue to pile up for the oil companies that gave the so called current President of the United States billions of dollars two years ago during the campaign, but what is the point of it all? 

The greedy people of this world continue to grab all they can for their own financial coffers and the hell with the rest of the world.

Yeah, that sounds like a real plan for success. 

The problem is too many people are complacent and the news media they choose to follow is being narrowed down to a nub in some cases as the greedy rich people and corporations buy up more and more of the information that is put out to we the people. When all is said and done, it doesn't really matter much because those greedy people are going to die just like everybody else who comes into this world. When it's time, it's time. 

They are futile in their efforts to gain as much as they can while diminishing living conditions on earth for the rest of the people. 

Greed is never successful. 

It might look like it is in material goods and a bank account or asset holdings and corporate bottom lines, but the people responsible are made of flesh and bone and someday will be long gone from the planet. So while the news media tends to fawn all over these billionaire types and heaps praise upon them as the people who watch those news outlets continue to idolize them, remember that nothing lasts forever and corruption always gets exposed in due time. 

Always. 

On this Memorial Day weekend, take some time to remember those who truly gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in military service so this country could continue to have what we call freedoms and God given rights to all people. The world continues to evolve and people have choices to make, but let it be known and said that this too shall pass. The current mess the president and his cohorts have made will eventually go away.  

Whether or not the people of this world want to have changes made depends on how they view their world. If they choose new leadership, perhaps things can go in a different, more sensible direction. When does the greed stop? Who knows, but one thing for certain, it cannot be allowed to continue at the current pace or this world will no longer be what it was for so many years. 

Livable for the billions of us people who inhabit the planet earth.