But moving on, at least youngsters playing sports is still sports; and Poker, Darts, Bowling, they are at least competitive games, the younger cousin of sport. So I could see how ESPN can claim to still be a sports network while airing this, but it gets harder defending the dramatic shows and movies.

I’ll admit, I was a huge fan of “Playmakers,” but I’d prefer it aired on HBO than ESPN. “Tilt” was just an awful piece of garbage. I remember hearing rumors they were going to bring it back for a second season, but thankfully nothing materialized. The ESPN movies, which showcased Bear Bryant, Roger Bannister, Dale Earnhardt and Bob Knight never enticed me. I tried to give the Bear Bryant and Bob Knight movies a chance, but both bored me to tears during the stretches I sat through. The Bear Bryant movie was nothing short of a snuff film. All the scenes were of young men brutalized and getting injured or crying in pain or convulsing in bed at night. The entire time I kept thinking “Dear lord how does this make him a great coach?” I’m assuming Bryant did more than torture his players, and I’m also assuming ESPN did SOMETHING to portray that, but after the third separated shoulder and fifth concussion, I had enough.

Then there is the Little League World Series. There is so much wrong with televising this event nationally, it’s hard to know where to begin, but I’ll try to pick a starting point. First of all, there is no positive effect that it can have on the children playing. Either they botch a play in front of the entire nation and become punch lines, or they become local heroes at way too young an age. And look at how these kids act now: You can tell these kids think they are just one step below the major leagues, and have a swagger no pre-teen should even think of. The purity of the game was lost when ESPN had to put the Little League World Series on a five second delay thanks to a foul mouthed player and a slap-happy coach.

I mean seriously, the LLWS needs a five second delay? What next? A wet t-shirt contest at Oral Roberts? Soccer mom cage fighting? Is nothing sacred? When did sports change from “family fun” to rated R? I’d like to live in a world where I could have my kids turn on ESPN at any time and not hear Patrick Denehey telling a ref “That call was bulls***!” Or see Cuba Gooding Jr.’s younger brother snorting coke off a stripper’s backside.