Courtesy: New York Times
Written by Dan Jordan, St. Louis, MO
Accolades aside, Stuart Scott wasn’t always lauded for his work. There was criticism, too, criticism glossed over (thankfully) in the immediacy of his death.
Was the criticism valid? That’s what we’ll explore here.
Scott emerged during the “The Golden Age” of SportsCenter. From April 1994 until August 2000 SportsCenter featured a smooth, soulful saxophone-based intro theme with inviting set and neatly organized graphics.
The primary innovator during that time was Keith Olbermann. Olbermann’s technique was to intertwine sports action with sidebar.
Courtesy: sportsworldreport.com
“Hey, look! A bird’s in the outfield. Bottom of the 4th, Matt Williams doubles to right. Giants take a 3-2 lead.”
“These uniforms are giving me a headache. Top of the 7th, 2 outs, Mike Piazza says, “Hel-oooooo!” It’s a 2-run shot to left, his 22nd this year. Dodgers are back on top.
Highlights follow with more sidebar, a clever turn-of-phrase, a final score graphic, and stats…and done. Well, not quite….
It starts up again. Nowwwwww, on SportsCenter….
Life is all about balls. If you can catch a ball, you have, well, balls (a Little Leaguer makes an improbable catch).
When you hit a ball, avoid all those filthy gloves in the outfield (clip from Mariners/Orioles game with an outstanding diving catch).
Courtesy: awfulannouncing.com
They say you don’t use your foot in football, but Morten Anderson disagrees. And judging by the money he’s due to receive, it seems the Falcons disagree, too.
Some people have a ball when they go to a ball (cut to a clip showing dancers), but, then, life’s not all about balls, is it?
Derek Harper left The Big Apple. Hey, Knicks: How do you like ‘dem apples?
And Barry Bonds doesn’t like much of anyone (clip of him yelling at umpire).
So sit down in that chair! This instant! (clip of Pete Sampras throwing his racket and then sitting down).
Don’t fight us! We want what’s best for you (clip of the Reds’ manager face-front of an umpire, being restrained).
SportsCenter is NEXXXXXT….
Dan Patrick followed Olbermann’s lead. Other SportsCenter anchors–influenced by this pair–patterned their on-air performances accordingly, including Scott.
Courtesy: thealistzone.blogspot.com
Scott began doing SportsCenter in early 1996. To my young eyes, he fit in just fine. While Olbermann, Patrick, and others were saying their goofy things, Scott put a “black” twist on his delivery.
So instead of saying “en fuego” or “jumanji,” he would say: “Boo-yah!” Instead of booming, “Hell-oooo!” (an inside joke, mocking an ESPN manager), Scott would say: “And the Lawd says you got to Rise Up-a.”
Scott’s catch phrases were used to punctuate things. He didn’t use catch phrases (as some contend) with exaggeration, and he never delivered important information in Ebonics.
And at no point was there any question about Scott being qualified as a broadcast journalist. He simply showed that he could have fun, just like the others; and he did it by embracing his “blackness.” He intertwined “black stuff” with professionally-delivered information—exactly the way Olbermann, Patrick, and others intertwined their “silly stuff” with professionally-delivered content.
So, was criticism of Scott warranted?
Courtesy: www.thewrap.com-
Scott was establishing himself, and creating his niche, within the bounds of ESPN’s genre. If you preferred Olbermann and Patrick’s style to Scott’s that’s fine, but the difference was a matter of degree not kind.
So here’s the rub: Did some people feel uncomfortable with Scott’s “blackness?” Probably so.
Let’s call it a “problem with his quirky brand of news anchoring.” At the core, though, it’s an attitude about America’s black culture: what it is, how it is, and where it fits into society.
I look at it this way.
Long live Stuart Scott.
Boo-yah!
Courtesy: mfmynews2.com
