Homerism Clause In Longhorn ESPN Contract?

Clearly, controlling the message is beneficial to the long term survival of any institution or government

PB has a pretty good breakdown of it on BON. His reasoning for such a clause (from UT’s perspective) is that the University has different interests than the mouse house owners of ESPN. His example of UT firing someone that ESPN wouldn’t was perhaps if good ’ol boy Bob Griese was calling a game and made some derogatory comments akin to his Nascar-Taco one. A rep for the University is different than a rep for ESPN, in theory.

I thought they were good points, but I can’t imagine this not affecting the analysts’ comments a little if not a lot. Since it’s already the UT Network, just hire guys who are already homers for the games only on the station, let’s just go all the way with this I say. Because who DOESN’T want to hear Rod Babers talk about the on-field intelligence Blake Gideon every game???

I’m interested to see how SportsCenter on the Mother Ship handles it when one of our players runs into a “Midnight Opporrtunity to see how the Texas Law Enforcement Systerm Works Up Close and Personal.”

"Mack Brown is both a legendary football coach and, according to word on the street, a skilled, sensitive lover."

People talkin’.

There are two separate issues, in my opinion. The first, as Burnt Orange Wookie explained in his comment above, relates to the University protecting its rights to draw the line with respect to what is and isn’t appropriate enough to warrant dismissal. On that count, this clause is prudent and will not, as some opposing fans will falsely whine, authorization for Texas to fire anyone who says anything negative about the program. It isn’t, and Texas won’t.

The second issue is the one Scipio is getting at: the likely flavor of the commentary we’re likely to get, thanks to the network being a representative of the University. Given everything we know about both entities — Hi, Bill Little! — I think it’s all but certain that the broadcasters who are hired will be as non-controversial as possible. The only real question is how far they’ll go the other way, to actively put a positive spin on everything, good and bad.

As I stated in my post, I personally will be disappointed if we get our equivalent of Sean Elliott cheerleading us through various games. Then again, most Texas fans go bananas and scream bias any time an announcer states a plain truth about our teams. “Bob Knight hates Texas! He is biased against Rick Barnes!”

We’ll get what we deserve, I’m afraid.

Andre Ware will not be working for The Network. Just an assumption.

Five-seven record, rectify to eleven-two. Double plus good bowl victory over Oceania.

The only real question is how far they’ll go the other way, to actively put a positive spin on everything, good and bad.

This will be most prevalent during the massive pre-and and post-game shows on the Longhorn Network, at least for football.

I have no doubt the we will have our very own Sean Elliot - Hi, Drew Gressett! - but that is one of the perks for the department in having your own network.

If the announcers’ extreme emphasis on how well GG seized the opportunity for growth and reflection following his first antipodal completion in the Spring Game is any indication, I’d be prepared to lift up my watch since the BS is going to be running about hip deep.

The crew going all Linda Lovelace on GD and Mad Dog during the A&M game provides an early preview of Scip’s ‘Rotten in Denmark’ scenario. That’s the only area where I could see potential harm (the rest will just be good for pissing off Aggies), but the Big Cigars who made sure Mack’s 2011 Hope and Change Revolution didn’t begin and end with a McWhorter reassignment aren’t likely to be taken in by such verbal chicanery.

Yeah, that’s a given. You won’t be tuning in the LHN to hear about the problems with Manny Diaz’s defense or a primer on Garrett Gilbert’s penchant for interceptions.

They won’t avoid that stuff, but they’re not going to focus on it, either.

“Stay on message.”

FKT: I am in awe of your ability to strike so quickly.

Maybe ESPN will steal Dave Lapham from Fox just to punish you. That would be a win-win in my book.

Alas, poor Porkins! I knew him, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.

Happy star wars day to all, btw.

I hear Gary McCord applied for the job.
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1591495,00.html

Well played RomaVitca (we were told we won the war!)

"Mack Brown is both a legendary football coach and, according to word on the street, a skilled, sensitive lover."

Well done sir! I spewed coffee all over my keyboard.

What kind of a moron starts his own 20 million dollar TV network and then uses it to criticize himself?

It’ll end up a wash. Tune into the LHN to hear the cheerleading, tune in to the Big12 Network to hear the bashing, read BC and BON to get the truth.

Did Daniel Snyder draw this thing up?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/360181-frank-herzog-the-longtime-voice-of-the-washington-redskins-retires

This provision isn’t to cover announcers who are found naked in a Chuck-E-Cheese foam ball pit

Brings back good memories of BC Basic Training.

Tune into the LHN to hear the cheerleading, tune in to the Big12 Network to hear the bashing, read BC and BON to get the truth.
 
That’s a t-shirt!

Having seen similar clauses in media deals, I would imagine this provision goes in the proverbial drawer and only comes out, if ever, in some extraordinary circumstance.

So we’re getting Bob Uecker’s Harry Doyle from Major League?

Harry Doyle: “Low, and Vaughn walks the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. How can these guys lay off pitches that close?”

@srr50

Gressett is an old chum of mine.

He makes a pretty good burger.