Best and Worst experts on ESPN

This thread is for discussion about the current experts that are employed at ESPN who discuss their respective sport. Who is the best? Worst?

I think one of the best is Kiper Jr. I know everyone loves to bash him, but he really knows more about the NFL draft than anyone on ESPN. Everytime an unfamiliar player came up on ESPN the others always turned to Kiper and let him go. He is one of the reasons the NFL Draft is so popular nowadays and why is has become very popular to make mock drafts and to devote so much time to the speculation.

If you doubt his knowledge, 3rd in the nation says otherwise


One of the worst? Mary Carillo for tennis. Never adds any knowledge and thinks any tennis player not named Federer or Nadal is a worthless mug.

 

but he really knows more about the NFL draft than anyone on ESPN.

Note your qualifier there. I was driving Friday during the 2nd/3rd rounds, and was listening to the draft on NFL radio... I don't know who those guys were, but they certainly came off as more impressive than Kiper.

And the other ESPN guys defer to Kiper during the draft because that's what ESPN pays Kiper to do - regardless of how well or poorly he actually does.

For worst (and he doesn't qualify as "expert", but I'm throwing his name out here anyway) I nominate Skip Bayless There are some others I'd mention too, but Screamin' A. no longer works for ESPN

Oh, also throw Colin Cowherd under the "worst" category.

Best? Hmmm... first name that pops up for me would probably be Peter Gammons for baseball.

 

Todd McShay is a thousand times better than Kiper. And I might be underestimating. Honestly.

For best ... I really like Mike Greenberg. Peter Gammons is very good. And, just for reading, not for TV spots, give me Bill Simmons, Gregg Easterbrook, and Rick Reilly. Most of the ESPN.com basketball guys are really good, too.

 

I like Greenberg as well. He does a good job.

 

Yeah Mike Mayock really does seem like he knows his stuff. I've actually found NFL Network's broadcast of the Draft on a whole to be a lot more entertaining than ESPN's Draft the last few years.

Peter Gammons now works for the MLB Network.

Skip Bayless may not be the best 'expert' but his opinions and how he expresses them on 1st and 10 are wildly entertaining.

As for Cowherd? He's been on my **** list for a while now, after he made a load of disparaging remarks about Eddie Guerrero following Eddie's death.

McShay is for all you whipper snappers who didn't grow up with Kiper analyzing your drafts. He's just on this side of annoying.

As for Greenberg, He's good, but he's better when he's with Golic. ;-)

R...J Edit: Gotta star that out completely

 

Bayless drives me insane.

I like Hollinger and Thorpe for basketball. And not really what you mean, but I think the Van Gundy/Jackson/Breen announcing team is really good.


edit: I like Wilbon/Kornheiser

 

I really like Greenberg, McShay, and the PTI crew.

My least favorites are Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless. Chris Berman can be a little much at times, too. If Stephen A. still worked at ESPN, he'd be on this list.

 

Dang, McClain, that's almost scary how close it is to my list

The PTI crew is good. And I enjoy Around the Horn, but mostly because of Woody Paige. Certainly not because of Mariotti, whom I can't stand

I think Berman used to be good... but he's lost it over the years. Now he's pretty much just comic relief, and not even good comic relief. Definitely over the top.

EDIT: Is Berman even capable of saying names without adding in nicknames anymore?

 

I guess you have good taste.

I like the idea of Around the Horn more than it's execution. Mariotti is definitely the worst commentator, but sometimes Plaschke gets on my nerves, too. Paige is great. I like Jackie Mac, too.


I'd like to nominate all of SportsNation to the worst category. First Take is right there, too.

 

I don't know how the lady on SportsNation is because the only times I've seen it I'm so sick of Cowherd that I practically don't notice her But Cowherd alone makes that show worthy of "worst".

First Take, back when I used to see it occasionally (a year ago plus) was mediocre at best. Not terrible (except for Bayless), but not particularly good, either.

 

I've always been a fan of Tim Kurkjian.

 

Kurkjian is pretty good. Generally, I'll take ESPN's baseball team over the football or basketball guys.

 

New nomination for worst:

Mel Kiper talking about the Kentucky Derby. Seriously, ESPN? You can't come up with someone else to talk about the Derby on ESPN Radio and have to have Kiper do it?

Direct quote from Kiper: "Somebody is going to win the Derby today" Really? That's right up there with "The team that scores more points will win the game"

 

Wow, that's terrible, ESPN. Does Kiper know anything about horse racing? I really doubt that he knows enough to be provide paid commentary.

 

They tried Rick Reily in the past for the Derby. And, while he's knowledgeable, he has a camera presence made for radio and a voice made for print. That's why I like to READ him.

Maybe we should put together an audition tape for 'sey and she can be there for the Belmont or the Preakness?

 

Sounds good to me.

It was pretty obvious that Mel Kiper knew approximately as much about horse racing as I do. That is to say, not much.

 

This guy isn't an expert on anything...But Stewart Scott is a moron...

There isn't anyone on that network who thinks more highly themselves.

Kiper might be equal to, or just under Scott. If a team doesn't take a player he projects for them, he basically calls them idiots.

Oh, and he has bad hair, so there!

 

To follow along with he Scott thing, I have a couple people who aren't really experts but

#1 - Joe Morgan. How is he on TV? I'm assuming he still has a job. I haven't watched Sunday Night baseball in like 5 years. If he's gone, maybe I'd tune in. Please tell me he's gone.

Likewise, and it is really frustrating cause I love MNF Football but

#2 - Mike Tirico. I can't take his fake enthusiam or his holier than though attitude sometimes. We get it, Lebron is awesome, Kobe is great, *insert star players name* and constantly gush over them or *insert player playing bad* and go on and on about how bad they are playing even though you aren't really an authority on the issue.

Trey Wingo will get on my nerves too, he can have the holier than though attitude as well. And I understand football is really popular but they tend to have way too many football people to begin with, whether is is on SC, NFL Live, Countdown or some other show. Oh yeah, Tom Jackson isn't that good either.

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On the flip side, I love Gruden. He's great on MNF and I loved him at the draft too. I even like the QB thing he did with this years prospects.

I also love the Hockey guys. Maybe cause its playoff time, or because Hockey tends to get less coverage, but I like those guys. And the playoff beards!

 

Melrose annoys me at times, but I do like Matthew Barnaby.

 

Buccigross made a mockery of the top plays today. Terrible. I have noticed they have become a bit of a joke recently or at least the anchors treat it like a joke.

First he calls Wofford Wooford, then says that Blackpool is near Cantebury and then calls Federer Federerer and makes no mention of the actual play.

Not funny

 

Alexis Lalas for soccer is also terrible.

 

Michelle Beadle is one of the most likable (and attractive) people on TV, and SportsNation is really fun show.

But Colin Cowherd is usually so bad I find it hard to watch consistently.

 

I stand by this

 

I can barely watch Sportscenter anymore thanks to the Josh Elliot/Hannah Storm combo.