OT: Mark Cuban destroys Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith
He says what we've all been thinking
Skip: http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-first-take-2012-6
SAS: http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-stephen-a-first-take-2012-6
It's getting pretty obvious that ESPN is keeping these two around just for this kind of stuff. There's no other explanation for having Bayless courtside for pregame.
I watched the segment live this AM. It was quite funny. When Cuban asked Skip what OKC's defensive game plan was, it was clear, Skip did not understand the finer points of how one plays team defense in basketball.
BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE
"How did OKC defend LeBron in the post Skip?"
"Well, they put Ibaka on him."
"No. How did they defend him in the post. What sort of formations and double teams?"
"Ibaka...Harden....IT DOESN'T MATTER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
Cuban did such a masterful job of countering Bayless's claims that all Skip could do was shrug his shoulders and cock his head to the side. I believe this is the very definition of pwned.
That made my week. Thanks for posting.
It's always funny when a guy who thinks he doesn't care what people think of him, goes up against someone who actually doesn't care what people think of him.
Yes, but in Cuban's case when you are worth a billion+ it's probably a lot easier not to care as there is not much left in competition in that stratosphere. Also, it's probably how Cuban got to that stratosphere by not truly giving a shit and going with what he knew.
Exactly.
Anybody seen Jalen on First Take since his whole blow up and follow up over the Water Pistol Pete thing?
No . . . what happened?
There was a thread here when Rose called out Skip, but it was easier to just google it.
The scary thing is that the opening statement on the Bayless clip is more or less dead center, in my opinion. They do speak in generalities because the format and drift of the show does not invite scrutiny of the specifics. As people mentioned numerous times in the "What Is ESPN Doing?" thread, they know their audience and a large portion of the people watching are typically more casual fans who have little to no interest in statistics and game planning. Even if Skip knew anything about these, very little would make it onto main stage ESPN programming.
Cuban also touched on something that I think a fair number of us here hate but something onto which many do latch, and that would be the "buzzphrases". He brings up the "X wanted it more" scenario, which is a non-argument, of course, but people use it. Mark was absolutely correct in bringing up that preparation, coaching and culture and, in the game, execution go a long way towards overcoming difficulties.
I did chuckle at the portion where Bayless talks about LeBron "disappearing" and Cuban comes back by asking him for specifics on how the Mavs did not put LeBron in "a position to succeed" and then asks for analysis of how he was played and defended. Bayless simply seems to wither at this point, and it was sad and amusing simultaneously. It was sad, of course, because when you get into these conversations with some people, they quote ol' Skip.
In case you haven't read this yet, Spencer Hall does a great job talking about bad sports rhetoric prevalent in MSM today (coughESPNcough)
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/6/13/3065330/bad-sports-rhetoric-volume-one
ESPN talking heads don't do their own UFR's of the games to understand what is really going on? I'm shocked, totally shocked!
Listening to Smith is like nails on a chalkboard.
broner from watching this
I got a HUGE broner from wathcing this...
Mark Cuban is my new hero. This totally made my day. If only Cowherd had been there too.....
People just should not watch ESPN unless a game is on. It is important for the health of one's brain.
That show used to be people talking about sports.
Now it has become, "THE SKIP BAYLESS & STEPHEN A. SMITH SHOW featuring sports."
Please, please make that a weekly segment. Maybe a daily segment.
Hire Mark Cuban as the First Take Ombudsman.
I do like Cuban. I think he's engaged and wants to win. All owners want to win, but maybe he just wants it more.
Anyway, its always good to see CC/Skippy get their comeuppance.
"...but maybe he wants it more."
Is that sarcasm, bro?
He does a good job of cutting through the BS on Shark Tank as well. Wish he would've bought the Cubs back in '08...
i will always choose the phrase "i want it more" in the drinking game, sligthly in front of "i am not here to make friends."
I used to always wonder what their appeal was and why they still have jobs. Unfortunately, the first thing that I thought of last night, after the game, was what Skip Bayless thinks. Hence, I watched the show this morning, and thus, realized the clever genius that is ESPN....I do also watch the Kardashians so I guess there goes all my credibility.
ESPN decided a long time ago that more viewers would tune in so they can angrily disagree at home with whatever semi-outrageous nonsense Bayless and Smith (and Rome and Cowherd and Mariotti and on and on and on) have to say rather than would tune in to hear a detailed explanation of interior defense or someone simply pointing out that a team with Lebron James and Dwayne Wade just has better players and will probably win the majority of the time against a team with OKC's players. You also need a lot of cliches and hyperbole to milk 24 hours of programming out of an entire 7 game series, much less 365 days with a few mostly meaningless games taking place.
Just the same way more people will sit at home and shout, "I can't believe that dumb shit Kim just said!" or "Wasn't she in a homemade porno with Moesha's brother? Why the fuck is she famous?"
I honestly thought Skip was about to cry.
They are destroyed when anyone who even remotely knows what they are talking about is brought on the show. I used to be interested in the show until it was either Tim Tebow or Lebron being talked about for 75% of the time on air. No thanks. When you're only giving the Stanley Cup Finals a few minutes of air time, you're not good programming. It's why I stopped watching Sportscenter.
They would talk about it if more people cared even though they don't broadcast any games. Like if NBC had all rights to the NBA games, they'd still talk about it. I do agree with your point to an extent - in many cases, they're not going to talk about something that they don't have much stake in. But at the same time, they don't broadcast the Kentucky Derby and they still talk about it a decent amount.
They would talk about it if more people cared even though they don't broadcast any games. Like if NBC had all rights to the NBA games, they'd still talk about it. I do agree with your point to an extent - in many cases, they're not going to talk about something that they don't have much stake in. But at the same time, they don't broadcast the Kentucky Derby and they still talk about it a decent amount.
should be more like Mark Cuban. The dude LOVES his teams, and he's smart and passionate about the game itself.
SAS and Skip make me hate the NBA. Guys like Cuban help restore my faith. I hope Cuban pulls some strings and gets some real analysis onto ESPN.
Mark Cuban made Skip look like an idiot in those last 30 or so seconds.
"All I saw was LeBron standing out on the perimeter"
"And why do you think he was out on the perimeter"
".(silence)"
The look on Skips face says it all! He was right, Skip and Steven A. HAVE NO SUBSTANCE in anything they say! It's like whenever Glenn Beck talks. Its amazing the amount of words to substance they can spew. So many words with so little substance. I hate to throw in the Glenn Back anaolgy, but it's true. Good on you...Mark Cuban.
The rarest creature is the host/commentator who actually provides the viewer with good analysis. From Maddow and Beck to Skip and Valenti, the airwaves of America are filled with obnoxious windbags who doth protest too much.
That is why I have stopped watching television news and ESPN. I only read my analysis for I believe that only in the written word can one discern whether someone is knowledgeable or not. TV can blind you with graphics and video whereas radio is mainly for stirring the pot so listeners will feel inspired to call in to the show.
When Mark Cuban said something to SAS about how if the media actually knew about what was going on in the game, they could ask the coaches better questions like "why did you go to such and such a formation", I immediately thought of, and felt very grateful for, Heiko.
won't talk about no bubble screens.
There is a reason why Cuban made all that money and has had such success. People rag on the guy like he got lucky in the dotcom boom but, at the end of the day, he had to come up with his concept, put it out there and then sell it to make money. The guy is capable of rational thought and of achieving success...Bayless shrank "like Lebron in the 4th quarter" when Cuban schooled him about defense.
A pleasure to watch.
Mark Cuban is a guy I'd want on my side in a bar brawl.
p.s. What did his shirt say? It made me giggle seeing a billionaire wearing a shirt with a smurf on it.
I was wondering the same thing. I watched the whole 30 minutes he was on, and it said, I believe "I Love Happy Endings." Or "Everyone Loves Happy Endings." Or something like that- like a veiled sexual reference. Seriously. Mark Cuban is hilariously awesome. Not because of the juvenile shirt, but because of the fact that he is wearing such a shirt on ESPN while logically destroying the two loudest blowhards on there. Though Stephen A. actually called Mark out with a good point (though strawman) re "wanting it more" by asking about Lamar Odom, and Cuban had to do some maneuvering to avoid the direct question.
Wearing these kinds of shirts on TV kind of reminds me of Tony Stark of The Avengers/Iron Man.
All us Pistons fans know exactly what Cuban is talking about. All the talk after the Pistons beat the Lakers on ESPN was how the Lakers didn't win, not how Detroit won. After the Mavs lost it was how LeBron didn't show up in the 4th, not that the Mavs won.
Kudos for Cuban shoving it in their face.
Referring to Bayless in the words of Kirk Lazarus: "To be a moron. To be moronical. An imbecile. Like the dumbest mothafu___r that ever lived."
Perfect. The point about having 45-seconds to make your point is bullshit. Watch the film and ask the right questions and then 45 seconds is a long ass time.