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Who's Now?!

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By Matt Hinton
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Nixon nostalgia or the Stanford Tree?

vs.

Debate!

Actually, the moment is increasingly dominated by the spirit of the revolt, as the much-loved, quasi-subversive art of ESPN broadsiding appears to be reaching its critical mass, its "tipping point," if you will, highlighted this weekend in fine snipes by the grassroots and Southern and the mainstream and metropolitan alike (two guesses which makes the more eloquent, deep-thinking case).

I had the opportunity Monday to watch the debut of the Leader's new college football show, one I've cynically previewed before, but I forgot about it until a blog reminded me it was on. That pretty much sums up the situation: outside of actual games, ESPN is dead to me.

So much so, in fact, the blog's laying down its first hard vow of the season:

I, Sunday Morning Quarterback, do herewith resolve to avoid all programming on the Worldwide Leader, aka ESPN, and its affiliates, up to and including ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Mobile and any of its various ESPN Zone bazaars, excepting the broadcast of actual sporting events presented live! or in the nostalgic "classic" format.  Games are cool, even old games.

Yes, the 2007 season shall be Leader-free. That means no SportsCenter, no NFL Live, no Pardon the Interruption, no Stump the Schwab, no Sports Reporters and, most painfully, no Edge EA Sports NFL Matchup, all regular viewing in my quarters. These are the sacrifices one must make for the greater good.

One question I do put to readers: is an exception allowed for Gameday and other college football studio shows? I'm thinking especially here of the highlights from Gameday Final. Would extending the boycott to college football paraphernalia undermine SMQ's ability to cover the sport's hidden gems and idiosyncratic glories? I'm  committed to cutting the Leader's banal influence from my own to the greatest extent possible, but what do you think?

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