Justin Tejada

Sports

Sports Fans Need To Get A Grip

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on how fan behavior is getting worse and what can be done to improve it

People who lean toward cynicism tend to feel one of two ways about sportscasters. They either think that commentators are jaded members of the sports industrial complex who view games as a business, or that they are just regular fans who do nothing but watch sports all day and still aren’t half as knowledgeable as a coworker from accounts receivable. While distrust of the sports media may not rival that of the news media, you don’t have to work too hard to find examples that prove both sentiments. That’s a big part of what makes Mike Greenberg so refreshing.

Those who listen to or watch ESPN’s morning drive show “Mike & Mike will readily acknowledge that Greenie is one of the sharpest and smartest pundits in sports. In a genre that is increasingly dominated by he-who-yells-loudest-wins personalities, Greenberg manages to be a voice of reason. Sports fans listen to him, not because of his volume, but because he actually has something to say. He doesn’t just pick a side of a debate and argue it with reckless abandon. Instead, he is able to see both sides of an issue and deliver thoughtful insights and rational discourse. Even if you don’t agree with what he’s saying, he still earns your respect.

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