In retrospect it's pretty embarrassing how much time and energy ESPN dedicated to making Tim Tebow a thing. Actually, it was pretty embarrassing at the time too.
If it's working they don't fix it. He drove ratings through the roof. He's still the fifth most popular QB.
The feedback loop is a real thing. Tebow has been promoted as someone who both maximizes his minimal talent (which is pretty laughable since he's been out of the league for years now), but also as sort of the athletic personification of the culture wars. His success is presented as a counter to intellectualism (those eggheads said he couldn't play!), and his personal life is presented as a counter to liberalism (what if he'd been an abortion?!). There is a certain cross-section of the population for whom the idea of Tim Tebow is something very appealing.
Whether it makes sense for ESPN to promote him isn't really my call, but I will say it positions them as much more of a sports promotions/marketing organization than a sports news one.
Last Edit: Aug 24, 2016 8:38:40 GMT -5 by James Dunne
This is getting meta, but you have to remember that the vast majority of folks who follow sports and watch ESPN don't do so in as in-depth a level as most of us. Frankly, we're the niche audience, and most folks are more interested in the surface-level broad narratives than the nitty-gritty Xs and Os. In other words, ESPN provided exactly the level of analysis that its audience wanted.
Whether it makes sense for ESPN to promote him isn't really my call, but I will say it positions them as much more of a sports promotions/marketing organization than a sports news one.
That's not true, remember the time they put together teams for every major sport made up of star wars characters? Classic sports analysis there with no connections to marketing.
In retrospect it's pretty embarrassing how much time and energy ESPN dedicated to making Tim Tebow a thing. Actually, it was pretty embarrassing at the time too.
If it's working they don't fix it. He drove ratings through the roof. He's still the fifth most popular QB.
So after baseball is over in about 5 minutes, onto politics. And hopefully I'll be on a different planet by then.
“We just lost a World Series game in 18 innings. But after that [meeting], it didn’t feel like we lost. It felt like we won.”
This is getting meta, but you have to remember that the vast majority of folks who follow sports and watch ESPN don't do so in as in-depth a level as most of us. Frankly, we're the niche audience, and most folks are more interested in the surface-level broad narratives than the nitty-gritty Xs and Os. In other words, ESPN provided exactly the level of analysis that its audience wanted.
Kind of like what MTV did for music. And every news channel did for politics.
“We just lost a World Series game in 18 innings. But after that [meeting], it didn’t feel like we lost. It felt like we won.”
This is getting meta, but you have to remember that the vast majority of folks who follow sports and watch ESPN don't do so in as in-depth a level as most of us. Frankly, we're the niche audience, and most folks are more interested in the surface-level broad narratives than the nitty-gritty Xs and Os. In other words, ESPN provided exactly the level of analysis that its audience wanted.
That is so unfortunately true.
As a child little did you know when you picked up a baseball it would grip you for life.
Post by Chris Hatfield on Aug 24, 2016 11:16:27 GMT -5
Making the questionable decision to make a serious post in here, but apparently he was good enough in high school that teams did consider drafting him, but he was heavily committed to play football. If course, this also wouldn't have stopped them, so it's not like he was early-round good.
Hey, looking is free. Nothing is lovely to come from it, but a scout could easily see the workout and still go to whatever game that evening, so it's not even a diversion of resources.
In all seriousness, there could be a colorable argument that signing him rather than some other org guy who will never make it to AA makes sense to help generate good will with the affiliate who prospers in ticket sales, so long as he's just as good as that other org guy. He just needs to do his part in fielding his position cleanly and turning over the lineup often enough.
Is there any reason he couldn't be a more famous Brandon Magee, for example?
Last Edit: Aug 24, 2016 11:17:33 GMT -5 by Chris Hatfield
"We really don't need the whole commercial break/warm-up routine every time a new reliever comes into the game. It certainly made sense in 1884 when they only switched pitchers when the starter was attacked by pickaxe or caught consumption, and no reliever was warming up because he was busy gambling and drinking." - JD
I still think I'm going to wake up and say "I shouldn't listen to the podcast before bed, I dreamed the Sox signed a guy from Curaçao named Charlie Zink." - KOC
Post by James Dunne on Aug 24, 2016 11:31:49 GMT -5
Can Tim Tebow be the good teammate slash punching bag that an org guy needs to be, though? Can Tebow defer when a more talented player takes his position or playing time? Can he deal with riding the bus to Hagerstown?
If he's willing to do those things then what the hell. But we're talking about a guy who was resistant to playing fullback. Going from that to being okay with being a three-times a week outfielder in the SAL seems tough to believe, but maybe he's grown up.
Vid with some analysis of his swing. Looks like he'd be AWESOME at slow-pitch softball, and maybe even at HR Derby, but he looks awkward and muscle-bound.
"Say something once, why say it again?" Talking Heads Μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ, "A single swallow does not make a Spring." Aristotle
Tebow had his tryout on Tuesday. The only two teams who didn't attend were the Cubs and the Athletics, which I found amusing. He apparently showed decent raw power but couldn't hit offspeed stuff. Someone will give him a minor league stint (as discussed above, there's every financial incentive to do so), but he'll almost certainly never be a real prospect.
"We really don't need the whole commercial break/warm-up routine every time a new reliever comes into the game. It certainly made sense in 1884 when they only switched pitchers when the starter was attacked by pickaxe or caught consumption, and no reliever was warming up because he was busy gambling and drinking." - JD
I still think I'm going to wake up and say "I shouldn't listen to the podcast before bed, I dreamed the Sox signed a guy from Curaçao named Charlie Zink." - KOC
If this review of his hitting tool is accurate, teams will bid to sign Tebow. His 450 foot bombs will sell tickets and merchandise.
The contract can be viewed as a percentage of revenue generated, which will be substantial. Michael Jordan got $4 million to play baseball, and it turned out to be a good deal for the team.
Post by Chris Hatfield on Oct 4, 2016 15:44:04 GMT -5
Wow, Tebow now heading to the AFL.
If he's able to even keep his head above water there, I'll be very, very impressed.
"We really don't need the whole commercial break/warm-up routine every time a new reliever comes into the game. It certainly made sense in 1884 when they only switched pitchers when the starter was attacked by pickaxe or caught consumption, and no reliever was warming up because he was busy gambling and drinking." - JD
I still think I'm going to wake up and say "I shouldn't listen to the podcast before bed, I dreamed the Sox signed a guy from Curaçao named Charlie Zink." - KOC
This is getting meta, but you have to remember that the vast majority of folks who follow sports and watch ESPN don't do so in as in-depth a level as most of us. Frankly, we're the niche audience, and most folks are more interested in the surface-level broad narratives than the nitty-gritty Xs and Os. In other words, ESPN provided exactly the level of analysis that its audience wanted.
Yes. Hence, the popularity of American Idol, the Big Mac, and Budweiser. Consumption-based production.