This Is Sportscenter (... at least it used to be)

There are many people in my life who will argue that sports are an unhealthy obsession for me, and maybe they're right. But as much as I might try, I can't pry myself away. Watching sporting events -- as a 30-something man who always thought his athletic talent was underappreciated -- allows me to almost live vicariously through my favorite athletes and my favorite teams. I experience the highs and lows with them, sometimes the outcomes affecting me for days and weeks. It's just who I am.

And being a sports fanatic from a very early age, it makes sense that ESPN has been such a big deal. I've watched the network grow its coverage across countless sports and multiple channels with some of the most respected analysts in their fields.

But all great things come to an end, and I'm one of the many who think that ESPN's best days are clearly in the past. Never was this more relevant than Christmas night when I watched "The Best of This Is Sportscenter."

The title refers to a series of what most of us would likely refer to as the Sportscenter commercials. They have for years featured ESPN anchors in odd situations, often times alongside recognizable athletes or, in some of the best cases, various sports mascots. I watched the full hour-long program last night and laughed consistently as if I were watching a Judd Apatow comedy. And while Larry Biel and Karl Ravech may never be confused for Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, many of these 30-second spots are absolute classics.

But as I enjoyed this self-congratulatory compilation, I couldn't help but be struck with its underlying moral: This seemingly harmless hour of television, in fact, was a microcosm of the downfall of The Worldwide Leader in Sports. ESPN has grown far too big for its britches.

I've actually known this for a while. Any truly devoted sports fan surely has caught on after watching years of Chris Berman, the original face of the network who has long since made himself into more of a cartoon character than a credible sports journalist. (Interestingly, though, I don't recall seeing a single This Is Sportscenter commercial that featured Berman.)

But I now can't help but think about all of the Sportscenter celebrities that have been created. One of my former favorites, Craig Kilborn, felt the need to test the waters of comedy and later Hollywood. One of my former least favorites, Keith Olberrman, thought so highly of himself that he preferred to attempt to become a more legitimate journalist.

ESPN's personalities created the need for other ESPN personalities, and thus we became overloaded with men and women dying to create the next great catch-phrase rather than being someone who could simply and credibly provide the sports news. And with ESPN being the barometer of sports broadcasting, the same problem trickled across the television networks with their coverage.

It's especially painful for a man like myself, a failed athlete with a degree in journalism -- i.e. someone who would love to (and feels somewhat qualified to) dependibly deliver the best of the world in sports. But I could never make it happen in this soundbite culture, in which even the anchors have to provide their own soundbites. I never have and never will have the personality for that.

So the proliferation of TV sports coverage continues, and just like expansion in professional sports, it predictably continues to get more watered down. Sadly, I'm on board for the longhaul whether I like it or not. Damn it, I just can't pry myself away from sports, the greatest escape in the world.

I simply hope I can still find the energy to enjoy a 30-second clip of Rich Eisen being sent down to James K. Polk High School or Charlie Steiner being traded to Melrose Place.

That's not too much to ask, is it?