Ryan Clark gonzo @ ESPN?
- Thread starter litespeedhuskerfan
- Start date
Just because you played HS you know and can talk about being an NFl player That’s the most ridiculous take I have ever heard.
I don't watch much baseball on ESPN, but I will miss Karl Ravech. He was really good on the College World Series, and was probably their best MLB voice since Dan Shulman left to be full-time with the Blue Jays.
What is so complex about being an NFL player that people who are around players and football all the time can’t understand? So much so that they shouldn’t even talk about it. We’re talking about Peter Schrager who eats breathes and sleeps football. Serious question.
ESPN knows who butters their bread and it's definitely those two guys whether you like them or not.
Holla
Clark was already working on his second career while he was still a safety on the Steelers. He participated in an NFL draft and it was widely known this was gonna be his next move.
I just laughed at how playing next to Troy helped get him a job at ESPN. Like him or not he got there in his own merits.
Holla
Your wasting your time buddy. Guys are clearly determined to not understand your very valid point. I think sometimes guys take a take like your personal and deep down have inserted themselves into a similar situation.
Not saying this is the case here of course. But fwiw I absolutely agree with you. As much as a fan of a reporter may "know" the game. He can't tell you what is going through a players mind at a certain point in the game. Or what it's like to go through something ON THE FIELD that a player has clearly gone through.
It's levels ...
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While I agree...isn't that true for every single job and every single situation ever?
Feel like the majority of these talking heads are interchangeable. I read he had been at ESPN for over a decade so he certainly was making some decent money. Suppose he will be replaced by someone a tad cheaper. Someone at the network clearly had it out for him by leaking his firing to Outkick of all outlets. That was dirty
That’s all I am saying playing The
game at HS level is not the same as the College level and and the college level is not the same as an NFL level. I think the OP and others would be amazed how many of these reporters never played a sport.
Adam Shefter is a perfect example. He is arguably the most knowledgeable NFL fan there is in reporting of the game . But he would have no clue what is going through a player head at some point.
If this is true, as someone who didn't play in the NFL, if I have no clue what is going through a player's head at a certain point in a game, how does Ryan Clark explaining it to me help me understand it? So what value does he bring to the common fan? Sounds like only a select few viewers could ever understand what is going through his head.
However,
After I hear Ryan Clark or Tom Brady or Tony Romo explain what they see, can I not then take that knowledge and apply it to a situation? If Romo explains why a QB make the read to hit the RB on a check down rather than throw to the receiver running a skinny post based on the particular coverage the defense was in, do I really need to have played to understand that when I see a QB throw a pick when he threw to the receiver Romo said not to throw it to??
I don't have to have NFL experience reading defenses nor do I have the experience in making split second decisions to watch film and say, wow that is exactly what Romo was talking about, against that coverage he should have thrown to the ball to the check down and not try to hit the skinny post.
speed of the game and the physical pounding you take eludes the non-players. That said, there are some doofus ex-players doing analysis.
If Tony Romo or whoever would sit face to face and try to explain to you a situation you would have no clue what he is talking about. Now he could show you a film and tell you the same thing and you could say Oh I get it now . My Point of all of this is a non player has no clue without a player showing them on film what exactly they ate talking about. A non player could not watch a film on his own for the most part and know what a certain player is supposed to do on that particular play .
A few things translate. F=MA doesn’t. The level of detail and technique is in no way similar either.
One of the same reasons some fans will blame a CB when he gives up a TD but everyone on the field, the coaches and anyone who knew the defense understood the ER was passed off to the Safety who was supposed to be there but wasn't.
That is just a simple example but I was talking more in depth things that players would do ,feel or see that even someone who knew the game at a high level couldn't describe .
Holla
The answer to this discussion is simple - but don't let me get in the way of a good disagreement. Lol.
It's not whether Clark is right or wrong about the value a former player brings to a broadcast, it's that his insecurity and likely his lack of ability to defend his position without the cheap shot had him instead lash out and try to prop himself up when it wasn't needed or appropriate. Say your peace and let the audience determine if the insight needed to come from an ex-player.
If someone asks Tom Brady what it's like in the locker room before a Super Bowl - he doesn't need to say "Well Jim, let me tell you - because you've never played the game and I have." Total lack of awareness if he did that. Not needed. THIS was Clark's mistake IMO. Just like if people want to know what the most successful 3rd and 4 play is - it doesn't take a former player to know and understand this.
As always, awareness is key and so many people like Clar lack it. Mix in a little insecurity and there's your controversy where it wasn't needed.
It's not whether Clark is right or wrong about the value a former player brings to a broadcast, it's that his insecurity and likely his lack of ability to defend his position without the cheap shot had him instead lash out and try to prop himself up when it wasn't needed or appropriate. Say your peace and let the audience determine if the insight needed to come from an ex-player.
If someone asks Tom Brady what it's like in the locker room before a Super Bowl - he doesn't need to say "Well Jim, let me tell you - because you've never played the game and I have." Total lack of awareness if he did that. Not needed. THIS was Clark's mistake IMO. Just like if people want to know what the most successful 3rd and 4 play is - it doesn't take a former player to know and understand this.
As always, awareness is key and so many people like Clar lack it. Mix in a little insecurity and there's your controversy where it wasn't needed.
I am "too black" in my pants...if you know what I mean
Where's the video of Karl Ravech griping about getting fired? You know, the guy who has actual TALENT and an amazing broadcasting career. Oh, that's right - he was on a broadcast and took the high road.
Some guys want to be victims and will never leave that space.
How is ESPN angry ? They have fired so many people at this point Van Pelt, McAfee and SAS are gonna be the only ones left ...that and PTI
You are missing the point. The point is people like The reporter in question who has never played in the NfL is acting like he knows what a player should do or act like in a certain situation.that’s what Clark is telling him. And I don’t want to hear the BS that he played the game in HS so he knows what a player’s point of is .
I just listened to the clip again. I did not hear anything in this piece that required insight from an NFL player. Granted, the clip only showed 20 seconds before the dumb comments by Clark.
But there was nothing in there that suggested the other guy needed an NFL background to talk about the number of targets Lamb had got that night.
Probably a lot of truth in that. I won't deny it. Could he have probably said it "better" ? Sure if say so. But was what he said wrong ? I don't think so. There are a couple arguments to be made here I think. But your point is not one that should be glossed over for sure.
Holla
Since I started this thread several days ago, I've seen a lot of YouTube shorts of his takes on espn that I have not seen before , and I honestly didn't realize what a butthole that guy is.
Class A race baiting douche bag.. Many current players hate him too. Nick Bosa and Aaron Rodgers to name a couple.
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Yeah, if there's a chance for a former player to provide insight - I'm all for it. And no way do I equate HS ball to NFL ball. Maybe the entire clip shows more context where his comment was justified. From the little bit I saw, it seemed like he pulled out a stick of dynamite to kill a mosquito. Lol.
Anyway... I've heard funny banter with athlete announcers and PBP guys or other analysts saying "Well..... ya know, I was actually IN the show..." and it's their tone and approach that isn't threatening. It's considered fun and jousting. I think deliver got him in the mess in this case. He seemed like he was really jabbing the guy and discounting his opinion because of it. JMO
I think you are correct in the delivery some former players do it in a tone that’s not threatening as you say. And then some like Ryan Clark do it in a more threatening way as you say.but it’s delivering the same message.and that message is STFU you weren’t in the Show . These PBP or sports guys in this case have to know their place when talking amongst Former players.
I totally disagree. Clark was so good with the Redskins that they decided not to resign him. The Steelers got him on a value deal and suddenly he viewed as a good player on one of the best defenses in the NFL. He got a Super Bowl ring. That's how he got the job in my opinion. ESPN doesn't sign many average talent journeymen off of losing teams that nobody has ever heard of.
I think that's Clark trying to reframe his behavior into something more acceptable. The guy was a loose cannon. Those guys don't normally last as long as he did.
But in truth, Ryan Clark was a budget cut. There are a lot of good people that lost their jobs. Maybe Ryan Clark was trying to be edgy and volatile in an effort to save his spot at ESPN and it didn't work.
Heard today that Clark actually interned with ESPN after his playing days and kinda worked his way up through the ranks. Still after 10 years thats a pretty good run for anyone at ESPN. He will be fine.
Was he the guy that couldn’t play in Denver due to some health issue exacerbated by altitude?
YouTube, podcasts, The Ringer- Bill Simmons has a lot of fired ESPN guys over there. Clark will be fine and as long as he hasn't been stupid with his money, he's probably set to retire if he wants. And just to throw this out there again, most or all of these ESPN firings or cuts, etc. are just downsizing and cost saving moves. I'm sure there were people who didn't have great job reviews on the list, but some of the people let go were just veterans who were starting to make more money. Matt Berry, the fantasy football expert, left ESPN a couple years ago instead of taking a pay cut. Some of the vets who are still around, maybe a lot of them, are not getting raises or taking pay cuts.