First Call
Posted by raisingthebar on July 9, 2007
Here it is, the first of hopefully many posts.
Today was the big announcement of Dan Patrick leaving ESPN. Ever since I was a child I wanted to be a sports caster and have watched ESPN. Dan Patrick has been on ESPN for 18 years. I’m only 19 so you can figure out the math.
Patrick leaving ESPN is definitely a passing of time for the network. He was one of the old school guys that helped steer the network to its prominance it has today. He has done amazing things there and should be rewarded for that. Well, according to everyone else.
I do believe Dan Patrick is an all time great when it comes to sports casters. Although, I also blame him for the reasons why it is increasingly harder to watch ESPN. He helped make “The Big Show” more about him and Keith Olbermann than the highlights they gave. With his catch phrases (“en fuego”) to his ability to get the best out of his guests (David Stern during the NBA 2007 Western Conference Finals) he made sports not just wins and losses but more entertainment.
Yes Patrick is responsible for making SportsCenter and ESPN not only just a show that sports fans watch but part of the culture itself. Patrick also was able to transcend the sports world by doing Good Morning America and asked to do the Price is Right. But also reponsible for making the E (Entertainment) in ESPN bigger than the S (Sports).
I have a lot to learn in the business being only a student. Dan Patrick is a great to learn from, for more than one reason, good and bad.
